Donna sent me this link the other day with the subject “More of a Tyler blog.” How right she was. Letterhead isn’t something I’ve held close to my heart before, quite often I view it within a certain lens and approach it from a clean, informative angle. There are some gems, however, on the Letterheady Blog that make me want to re-investigate my thinking.
I recently came back from a vacation in beautiful Barbados and while I was there I took some pictures with both my DSLR and my iphone. I have to admit, I was intrigued by my co-worker Ashley’s iphone holiday photos in Mexico where she used the shakeitphoto app to add a little vintage flavour to her shots. So, I went digging around the app store and came across hipstamatic, a fun, if not sometimes frustrating, app that allows you to experiment with different digital “films”, “flashes”, and “lenses” for your iphone. I say it was a bit frustrating because you have to wait a bit of time between taking shots for the pictures to “process”. I’m assuming this is done to make the experience feel a bit more vintage as well. Mission accomplished. However, that frustrating little wait aside, I found this app to be super fun, and in most cases, more rewarding than using my DSLR. Being a fan of Holga, Polaroid and other low tech photography, this app provides a satisfying amount of uncertainty in the results of each photo while giving you an opportunity to imagine what it would be like to use different types of film and lenses. And a big thanks to my friends Tom and Cheryl for having us at their humble abode during our stay. They were fantastic hosts and great tour guides.
The International Poster Gallery is based in Boston and houses thousands of original posters dating back to the 1800’s that are available for purchase. A little interesting fact about the birth of the poster: Jules Cheret (illustrator of the bottom right hand poster) invented the three stone lithographic press which allowed artists to achieve any colour under the rainbow as well as transparencies and nuances that were impossible in other forms of printing, elevating the poster to Fine Art standards. When the office wins the lottery this Friday I think I’ll buy one, but until then it’s a great source for inspiration.
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.
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.
We’ve had this little book in our library for some time now. Callum recently took a journey to Scotland, and he brought back with him a pirate’s bounty – in book form. Somehow a few of these books got lost in the shuffle, and it wasn’t until I needed some creative energy this past Tuesday that I discovered “It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be”. The aforementioned book, written by Paul Arden, is an anecdotal look at creative processes. Many of these anecdotes may be obvious, however they are often overlooked in everyday life. I found the book to be the shot in the arm I needed to continue creating and be inspired to do so. I recommend reading the book, as it serves as a reminder that altering your perspective can keep us fresh and help us to continue to progress as individuals.
I need it, I want it, I have to have it! There is no doubt that Jessica Hische has created some beautiful work, but her limited edition Letterpress Drop Cap print might be my favourite so far. If I wasn’t saving every spare penny for my friend’s wedding in Hawaii, I would be ordering her limited edition print this second. This has definitely made my wish list and I’m crossing my fingers that there will still be one left for me to buy in April. (Photos courtesy of Jessica’s website.)
Simon Page is a phenomenally talented designer from the UK with a knack for geometric design. A few months back I posted a link to his 2009 Astronomy Series. This morning I received a link from good friend (and link provider) Shelly McGown in Toronto to his Flickr set “Futurism: An Odyssey in Continuity”. I am once again extremely excited about his new work, and inspired to get those goache paints out of the closet and get back to the drawing board.
Cool, simple sketch-book-like blog for type lovers. Or friends.
I came across the work of Mikey Burton earlier today. What I like about him is that his design is well-crafted and conceptual. Also, I’m a huge sucker for an attractive gig poster.
