Pardon my french, but designer Tom Henni makes it look fun. His work is playful and colourful- just what we need to brighten another gloomy day here in Winnipeg.
The Impossible Project Nears Completion. No, seriously.
I know I’ve posted this is in the past. To my credit, January 1 was supposed to be their launch date. I was as disappointed as anyone when that day rolled around and still no new Polaroid film. However, in 18 short days The Impossible Project is scheduled to hold a press conference in NYC. I’m rubbing my hands in anticipation of what’s to come. In lieu of actual film coming off the press Polapremium issued the last Original Polaroid Film in a Special Edition designed by Paul Giambarba. There are still quite a few left, and the aesthetic is quite nice. If you want to lend me a few hundred to spruce up my home I wouldn’t be opposed.
Calm Down
Finally, after years of coveting these prints, I can finally relax because I have purchased a screen printed Keep Calm and Carry On poster of my very own. This morning while walking past Hoopers, I just happened to look up at their window display and noticed the posters in the background. They still have black, red and perhaps even a yellow one left. Sorry friends, I bought the last mint green one.
A Golden Glow
While the Olympics may have officially come to a close, this country continues to bask in the glow of 14 gold medals and 1 tremendous Olympic showing. I know the smile has not yet disappeared from the face of yours truly. Having been to Vancouver in July of 2007 for the first time, I felt much a part of the city over the past 2 weeks even from over 2000 km’s away. That’s the beauty of the Olympic games. The tale of Sidney Crosby’s game-winning goal and the heroics of Team Canada will be take on a life of it’s own in the coming weeks, months and years. What I know for sure is that this particular goal was simply the icing on the cake. Long before the most anticipated hockey game of this generation our Canadian athletes had lived up to their hype, shouldered the pressure and made us all very proud. While the debate will continue over the successes, failures and every minute detail in between, I feel the world has seen the best we have to offer. And right now, it warms my heart to be Canadian.
Photo courtesy of The Last Minute Blog
Our True (North Strong & Free) Colours
I’ve been working up to this post for some time now. As an avid (or maybe rabid) Olympics supporter and a general sports enthusiast, I’ve been exceptionally proud of the way Canada has embraced these Olympics and the way our athletes have performed under pressure. I’ve been even more impressed, however, with the way Vancouver has branded itself for these games. Perhaps our success over the past two days (3 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze) has put a little extra glow in my heart, but I can’t help but tip my hat to those responsible for executing the vision for these Winter Games. At first I was only moderately excited at the Vancouver 2010 brand. I perceived it’s vector illustration style as less-than-original. Seeing it’s full execution, however, I’m extremely appreciative of the attention to detail. Look no further than the green-and-blue coloured houses of the curling rinks, Canada Hockey Place with it’s green and blue painted stairs, or the halfpipe’s green and blue markings. The placement of the cameras has been addressed with extreme attention to detail as well. The gates of the downhill events have been carefully planned for impact with the home audience, likewise with the Bobsled track placement of “Vancouver 2010″ on prominent turns and Canada Hockey Place displaying the Olympic rings on top of the net for the camera to broadcast to the public. On top of this, I’ve found the typography to be excellent as well. The type chosen has been clean and clear, with one of the best examples being the numbers on Speed Skater’s helmets. Here are a few examples of branding done well, courtesy of Boston.com.
Hola!
I’m trying really hard to get used to the lack of sun, beaches, flip flops and strawberry margaritas here in Winnipeg… needless to say, it’s not going so well. My friend and I went to the Mayan Riviera and stayed at the beautiful Catalonia Yucatan. It was about 20 minutes outside of Playa Del Carmen and close to many historical and touristy destinations. I would definitely recommend a trip to Tulum to experience a bit of the Mayan culture and to see the gorgeous beaches that surround the village. Xel-Ha is a natural park that offers outdoor activites like snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming with dolphins, hiking through the jungle, cliff jumping and the best Mexican food. One more thing I would recommend - bring a strong sunscreen and a hat. I learned the hard way. Adios!
Note- All of these photos were taking using the ShakeItPhoto app for the iPhone
Inglorious Artwork
This seems like a ton of unreserved fun. A series of artists have created alternate poster art for the film Inglorious Bastards to be displayed at the Upper Playground Gallery in LA. All proceeds will be donated to The American Red Cross to help the victims in Haiti. To top it all off, each print will be signed by Quentin Tarantino himself. What Inglorious fun!
Matthew-Lyons
On the topic of great illustrators, here is another in Matthew-Lyons. Again, this link has been kicking around in pen form in one incarnation or another for some time, but it is completely worth saving.
Brent Couchman
A myriad of topics and artists to blog about have been piling up on my patented monitor-of-sticky-notes for a few weeks now. It seems as though we’ve been just busy enough that I can’t quite put thoughts to paper (or in this case, screen). I can’t remember where I came across Brent Couchman’s illustrations, but he has fantastic work. I love his vintage colour palettes, and his site is perfectly fluid. It’s another great example of simplicity in design.
