Friday, November 30, 2007

Fred W. McDarrah, Photographer, Dies at 81

Mr. McDarrah was a self-described square who, as a longtime photographer for The Village Voice, documented the unwashed exploits of the Beat generation.

Ashley Gilbertson - In Frying Pan and Fire

War is hell, as General Sherman observed, but it’s many other things besides. Like no other earthly endeavor, war calls forth the best and the ugliest that humans can be: brave, brutal, petty, loyal and bored. The American venture in Iraq has summoned the whole range of human experience, from the hopes and hubris of the invasion’s first days to the dark and uncertain place the country is today.

Ashley Gilbertson, a freelance photographer for The New York Times, has followed the war in Iraq from its beginning through its most singular moments. In his new book, “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot,” published by the University of Chicago Press, he has compiled the best of those images, freezing the war’s most intense and dramatic moments, from the fall of Saddam Hussein in April 2003 to the democratic elections of December 2005. The heart of the book, graphically and emotionally, is the battle of Falluja in November 2004, when 6,000 marines and soldiers went into what was then a contested jihadi stronghold. Those photos capture street-to-street fighting in all its manic ferocity. But the most moving of these images are not of fighting and violence but of the moments in between: a group of soldiers sunning themselves during a pause in the battle, a child hurling himself down a slide at a Baghdad playground, an Iraqi man and son standing frozen before an American soldier. Moments like these remind us just how human the experience of war really is. DEXTER FILKINS

Begin Slide Show »

Thursday, November 29, 2007

PRINT's International Art + Commerce Design Review

LAST CHANCE TO ENTER: PRINT's International Art + Commerce Design Review If you're planning to enter your work in PRINT's International Art + Commerce Design Review, you only have a few days left.

All work must be postmarked by December 3.

The effort is well worth it, though. All winning work will be featured in the October 2008 issue of PRINT, as part of a unique showcase of corporate design.

To find out more and download your entry form now, visit printmag.com.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Art Basel Miami Beach

November 28-December 11, 2007

"Winning over the art world with its spirited flair, Art Basel Miami Beach returns for its sixth year with even more special events and a coterie of emerging fringe fairs. We preview ABMB's highlights, from the new Art Supernova section to the multimedia Art Sound Lounge in the Botanical Gardens. Miami-based artists Naomi Fisher and Jim Drain talk to us about the local art community, and we profile the trendsetting designers of Studio Job, who exhibit their latest work at Design Miami. Beyond the Miami hubbub, we review the catalogue for Takashi Murakami's controversial LA show, as well as new projects around the globe from Kirsten Hassenfeld and Jon Kessler."
Article from Artkrush

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

The ADC 87th Annual Awards

Don't miss the January 18, 2008 entry deadline for Professionals and the January 31, 2008 deadline for Students. It's your chance to win a Gold Cube in the 87th Annual Awards. Enter your Advertising, Design, Interactive, Photography and Illustration, even unpublished work in Playground. There are also breakout categories, ADC Hybrid and ADC Design Sphere, and sponsored awards from Corbis and Yahoo!

So go ahead, enter now!


About the ADC
The ADC is the premier organization for integrated media and the first international creative collective of its kind. Founded in New York in 1920, the ADC is a self-funding, not-for-profit membership organization that celebrates and inspires creative excellence, connecting creative visual communications professionals from around the world.

Mission
To promote the highest standards of excellence and integrity in visual communications for the industry and to encourage students and young professionals entering the field. In short, to provide "visual fuel."

Mandate
To provide a forum for creative leaders in Advertising, Design, Interactive Media and Communications to meet, learn, participate, and explore the direction for these rapidly evolving industries.

Not Yet A Member? Join Now.

The Art Directors Club 106 West 29th Street New York, NY 10001 212.643.1440
www.adcglobal.org

Monday, November 26, 2007

Design Addict

Welcome to Design Addict, your resource for modern, post-modern and contemporary design of the 20th-21st centuries where you'll find information on designers and producers, on furniture, lighting, dinnerware and accessories.

New Photographers 2007

"This year, in our quest to inspire you with new directions in photography, we reached out even further to creative tastemakers around the globe. The long list of possible artists to present was informed by colleagues and friends in creative industries worldwide.

And here they are - the 35 photographers we've chosen: New Photographers 2007."

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Re:Solutions Day Conference

January 19th, 2008
9am-5pm
As creatives, its our job to wonder. To inquire, to be inquisitive, to question, to challenge. So, let me challenge you with you this simple question. Do you think it’s possible that one day, say a day like January 19th, 2008, could change your life? Okay, maybe not your life, but your career? Do you think that in a single day, between morning coffee and a little before dinner that you could get inspired to such a degree that when you sit at your desk the following Monday, everything, yes capital E everything, looks different? Thats what Re:Solutions is all about. Changing the way you look at things-your job, your work, your clients, your business. It’s a day that challenges you to discard your current perceptions about small budgets, tight deadlines and timesheets, challenges you to take a different route to work on Monday, stop shortcutting the design process and start pushing yourself. Again. Re:Solutions. It’s a day of thinking, debating, exploring, experimenting, inspiring and yes challenging you to challenge yourself tomorrow and the next day and the day after that and the day after that. Do all of this with the help of the Publix branding team, Mucca Design, a typography workshop by Thomas Scott and so much more! Check the site for upcoming details and how to register.
AIGA Orlando

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Richard Avedon Foundation

Avedon was born in New York City to a Jewish-Russian family. After briefly attending Columbia University, he started as a photographer for the Merchant Marines in 1942, taking identification pictures of the crewmen with his Rolleiflex camera given to him by his father as a going-away present. In 1944, he began working as an advertising photographer for a department store, but was quickly discovered by Alexey Brodovitch, the art director for the fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar.
In 1946, Avedon had set up his own studio and began providing images for magazines including Vogue and Life. He soon became the chief photographer for Harper's Bazaar. Avedon did not conform to the standard technique of taking fashion photographs, where models stood emotionless and seemingly indifferent to the camera. Instead, Avedon showed models full of emotion, smiling, laughing, and, many times, in action.
Read more...
Richard Avedon Foundation

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Watch videos from the WebbyConnect Summit

Watch video from the WebbyConnect Summit panel "Experts. Masses. Who Knows Best?" now on The Webby Awards site. Experts from industry innovators like StumbleUpon, WebMD, DailyCandy, del.icio.us, and CondeNet analyze the debate over top-down vs. bottom-up content creation, and discuss which one may win out in the future.

Watch the "Experts. Masses. Who Knows Best" discussion from the WebbyConnect Summit.

Monday, November 19, 2007

Corbis Buys Veer, Whither the Fonts?

November 06, 2007

I can only find one source at the moment, but it looks like Corbis bought Veer today. This is more stock photo than type industry news, because imagery makes up the bulk of Veer’s sales. I wonder what this will mean for their independence which has propelled them into such success over the last few years. But more importantly for our readers: what is the future of fonts at Veer?

According to the report by The Stock Asylum:

Corbis said the acquisition advances a “strategic marker approach to establish a network of brands to serve different types of customers and accelerate its growth in the commercial space.”

Oh, that clears it up.

It’s no secret that digital type is a not a major money maker. Large organizations like Adobe have gradually shrunk their type activity since the booming ’90s, blaming low profit margins as a cause. This decade has belonged to the independent foundry and lean, innovative resellers like Veer, FontShop, and MyFonts.

Veer has no in-house type design team, as far as I’m aware. So the overhead in the fonts department, is assumedly low. To the designers and buyers of Veer fonts, this news is hopefully benign. But one wonders if a mother-company like Corbis will be down with all the elaborate printed typographic goodies which has made Veer a designer favorite.

Update: Corbis has posted their press release, a masterpiece of buzzphrases and opacity. It does state that “the companies will maintain distinct customer propositions and leverage cross-selling opportunities for Corbis’ industry-leading Rights Services and Veer’s discerning type face collections.”

Update: In a story for PDN, Daryl Lang further confirms that the acquisition won’t make much of a difference to the consumer.

Thanks to JĆ¼rgen Siebert for the tip.
See also: Veer Scripts : Veer Acquires Walcott Fonts : Veer Launch

By Stephen Coles

Friday, November 16, 2007

The Street Photography of Matt Stuart

Matt Stuart has the ability to tell stories in pictures and the timing and decisiveness are just spectacularly in the right moment. The next time one would whine about not having any good sceneries to shoot photos, the street photography of Matt Stuart would definitely give inspiration and insight.

More photos can be found at his site which would require Flash 8 to work.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Welcome to the PhizzPop Design Challenge!

36 teams enter. 1 team leaves.

The PhizzPop Design Challenge pits top interactive, Web, and design agencies against one another to push the limits of technology and creativity in a battle royale. Think Mad Max for design.

The regional teams have been selected and will duke it out in New York, Boston, Chicago, Austin, and Los Angeles, with the regional winners competing against one another, and San Francisco winner AKQA, at the South by Southwest Interactive Conference in Austin, TX.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

PARIS PHOTO - THE EYE OF THE WORLD

Over the decade since it first began, Paris Photo has won recognition as the world's premier fair for still photography.This unique event offers a deep and broad view of the medium, with the best of fine art photography from the earliest days until now and a forward-looking survey of what's happening in this art form today.

Paris Photo is organizing its eleventh edition determined to maintain its standards of excellence and its support for photography in all its diversity. From November 15th through November 18th, 2007 it will bring together some hundred galleries and publishers from the world over.With its exhibitions, book signings, prize award ceremonies and lectures, during those five days Paris Photo will be the eye of the world.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

See You in Elle: Announcing the Yours by Design Contest

Designer Chris Rubino says that one of the most exciting moments of his life was when he first spotted someone on the street in Tokyo wearing a t-shirt that he designed.
Soon you could be saying the same thing, but first you have to create the winning design in Yours By Design, a new contest sponsored by Elle.com, designer Thakoon Panichgul, and the tres chic boutique Kirna Zabete.

The spoils include a feature in Elle, a $1,000 Kirna Zabete shopping spree and the thrill of having your t-shirt sold at the boutique in New York, Tokyo, and online. The prize also includes a "virtual mentorship" with Thakoon, which we kinda hope translates to interactive holographic likenesses of you and the designer but more likely involves e-mails.

Your canvas, should you choose to accept it, is Thakoon's ruffly sleeved t-shirt. Just print out the online template and go to town. The only directive is that your design be in keeping with Thakoon's aesthetic. So you have until December 15th to figure out how to be "sophisticated and ethereal."

Monday, November 12, 2007

SEOUL APPOINTED WORLD DESIGN CAPITAL 2010

The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) announced on October 20, on behalf of the International Design Alliance (IDA), Seoul as the winner of the World Design Capital (WDC) 2010 competition at the closing session of the Icsid Congress held at Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco.

Seoul received wide praise from the five-member expert jury, which consisted of internationally acclaimed designers Marc Newson and Patricia Urquiola; Sergio Chiamparino, Mayor of Torino (Italy), World Design Capital 2008; Prof. Dr. Peter Zec, President of Icsid; and Jacques Lange, President of the International Council of Graphic Design Associations (Icograda).

The jury unanimously endorsed Seoul’s bid to become the World Design Capital 2010. “The jury was highly impressed by Seoul’s application,” confirmed Prof Dr. Peter Zec, Icsid President, WDC Founding Chair and WDC 2010 jury member. “Seoul’s remarkable achievements in design-led development – particularly in the past decade – exemplify the spirit of the WDC designation.”

Icsid went on to explain that Seoul’s application detailed the far-reaching impact of design on the social, cultural and economic development of the city, and with the recent profusion of high-tech Korean consumer products around the globe—from brands such as LG Electronics Inc., Samsung, Hyundai, Daewoo, Helio and Kia—Seoul has been defining its international image in terms of its design capabilities….

11.04.2007 by Ulrike Reinhard

Friday, November 9, 2007

Make My Logo Bigger Cream

Clients and designers: They never see eye to eye. In some cases, they never even see each other face to face. Designers want clients to understand things like composition, typefaces and the importance of white space. Clients want designers to render their names in 72-point Comic Sans, using ALL the space. But thanks to a new product especially formulated for designers by web-development firm Agency Fusion, clients and creatives just might have their solution: Simply apply Make My Logo Bigger Cream, and watch your client problems disappear.
http://www.makemylogobiggercream.com/

Thursday, November 8, 2007

InDesign user Group

There are InDesign® user groups forming around the United States, Canada, and Australia. This site is intended as a place for members of these groups to receive information about upcoming chapter meetings, read the latest InDesign news, get professional opinions about the publishing industry, and learn more about InDesign through online tutorials and demos.

Site Design and Development

This site is designed, developed, and maintained by Chris Converse. A graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology with a BFA in graphic design, Chris has evolved into a multimedia designer and developer in the Philadelphia area, and has worked in the mediums of print, CD-ROM, websites, animation, DVDs, photography, and package design. His portfolio includes brands such as The Wharton School, Tylenol, Motrin, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Wyeth, AstraZeneca, Adobe Systems, Campbell’s, and Comcast.
http://chrisconverse.com

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

The Hypermedia Research Centre

"The Hypermedia Research Centre is a research group composed of academics, artists, artisans, designers and writers. We are based in the School of Media, Art and Design at the University of Westminster University in London, UK."

Friday, November 2, 2007

New Moves: Accidental Movement and Mogollon’s Outmigration

When performative motion art and gastrointestinal delights intertwine like this, your mind, soul and body get fed. A blissfully visual motivity piece, Outmigration is the collaboration between avant-garde dance/theater group Accidental Movement and visual arts team Mogollon; it’s a “dinner theater” performance in seven acts being held this week at the Brooklyn art/dining space Monkey Town.

Featuring a full company of dancers, performance artists, sound designers and even a collaboration with Monkey Town’s chef, Outmigration suggests a time when dinner theater was common, while simultaneously glowing with futuristic vicissitudes cast on the state of performance. It’s a truly brilliant experience and a forward-thought achievement. It’s best summed up in the question Outmigration asks you to ask yourself: “What would it feel like to be able to take off, defeat gravity and get drunk at the edge of space, where one can only keep moving?”

Outmigration runs from Thursday, October 18th through Sunday, October 21st and from Thursday, October 25th through Sunday, October 28th. Thursday performances are at 8:00pm and Friday, Saturday and Sunday performances are at 7:30pm and 10:00pm.

www.monkeytownhq.com/outmigration.html

Posted by Maxwell Williams on 10/19/2007

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Cool design organizations