Belgian Artist De Croock Uses Doors as Grafitti

De Croock

Where we 'normally' see grafitti on walls Belgian artist 'Strook' uses wooden doors and panels. "Over the last year, Belgian painter and sculpturor Stefaan De Croock aka Strook (previously) began working with repurposed wood panels, doors, and furniture to construct giant faces on the side of buildings. The recycled wood surfaces are cut into precise geometric shapes and pieced together like a tangram puzzle, leaving the original paint and textures untouched. His most recent piece, Elsewhere, was a collaboration with his 69-year-old dad for Mechelen Muurt. You can see more of Strook’s paintings, sculptures, and other artworks on his website." Interesting right? Read more here: http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2015/06/geometric-faces-strook/

Happy Place - How a Kindergarten Can Be Fun for All!

Yay, love the design - I don't have to be a kid to fully enjoy this! Love the hiding places. "Unpretentious innocence interflows with the high-end aesthetics indicative of Athenian architectural firm PROPLUSMA ARKITEKTONES, in their recent (2015) renovation of the stone-built villa that has housed the Kindergarten NIPIAKI AGOGI ANNA RAFTOPOULOU since 1978. Located in Athens, Greece, in the northern suburb of Filothei, the kindergarten occupies an imposing Minoic-rhythm edifice surrounded by a beautiful English garden, designed during Greece's inter-war period by the acclaimed architect Nikolaos Zoumpoulidis. The unique anatomy of its morphological elements was carefully accentuated during the renovation, creating a dialogue with the bold and contemporary scheme conjured for the interior spaces. As the project's leading architects, Eugenia Manta and Michail Provelengios realized, "Designing for children aged 2-6 years old can be quite a challenging task. We wanted to create a space that will embrace the children and allow them a great deal of spaciousness and flexibility in their movement, also by keeping up with their specific needs and various activities". Looks fun doesn't it? More here: http://www.yatzer.com/nipiaki-agogi-kindergarten-proplusma-arkitektones

Swedish Illustrator Mattias Adolfsson's Work

Oh I love illustrators and look at this! "Mattias Adolfsson is an artist and illustrator working from his studio in Sigtuna, Sweden, just outside of the capital city of Stockholm. His path to being an illustrator took several turns, beginning with his interest in Mathematics and Architecture in his university days – eventually finding his rhythm as an illustrator after years of work doing 3D animations for the game industry. Infused thoroughly with a wonderful sense of humor and whimsy, Adolfsson’s work is a combination of hand-rendered ink drawings with watercolor accents that he meticulously produces in his sketchbooks. Adolfsson’s latest book, The Second In Line, has garnered the artist the prestigious Most Beautiful Swedish Book award by the Swedish Bonkkonst. Set up in 1993, it is the Swedish Book Art award which annually chooses from the top 25 books in production based on aesthetic quality as well as typography and technical printing..." You can read the full interview here: http://hifructose.com/2015/06/22/exclusive-interview-illustrator-matias-adolfsson-discusses-his-award-winning-the-second-in-line/

How A Dutch Architect is Making it in Asia : Weijenberg & Taipei Interior Design

Here's a nice piece on Dutch architect Camiel Weijenberg, whose agency is located in Singapore. One of his projects, the interior design for RAW restaurant, is now gaining a lot of international attention. You can see why, look at those amazing waves in the design. A little bit about Weijenberg: "WEIJENBERG was founded by Camiel Weijenberg, a Dutch-Registered architect in The Netherlands and full scholar now based in Singapore. Camiel graduated from the Architecture Association in London (AA) with a distinction in technical studies. His final year thesis 'The Inter-Relationship between Structural Engineering and Architecture' was presented to the British Engineering Institute, the first time this was ever done." The RAW project is described this way in Designboom: "merging gastronomy with design has led to the creation of RAW restaurant located in taiwan’s capital city. the interior collaboration is a project between singapore based studio weijenberg and the restaurant owner and chef- andré chiang. reflecting the menu, the interiors mimic how chef andré’s food can be experienced. accentuated by the sculptural timber structure which softly weaves and curves itself through the space, it integrates as seating, surfaces, the bar counter and a decorative element; creating a journey and subtle transition from the bustling city streets into the distinctive establishment." You can read more here: http://www.designboom.com/architecture/weijenberg-raw-restaurant-taipei-06-22-2015/

Miffy & Children's Museum Utrecht

Oh this is pure heaven for me, look at how Utrecht's Centraal Museum, along with children's museum Dick Bruna (Miffy's creator) present the Miffy 60th anniversary exhibition (I've written about Miffy and Utrecht before). Also have a look at Centraal Museum's gorgeous website which tells us a bit about the exhibition. It looks great by the way. "Who then has not heard of Miffy? A creation by Utrecht illustrator, graphic designer and writer Dick Bruna (1927), widely loved from Amsterdam all the way to Tokyo. The Miffy picture books are read in countless languages all over the world and Miffy herself has grown into an absolute design icon. Since 2006, Miffy’s own home has been right opposite the Centraal Museum. Here in the dick bruna huis – no capitals, as the Dick Bruna house style requires – the Bruna collection resides, given by the maker on long-term loan to the Centraal Museum. The collection consists of more than 7000 works, among which children’s books, book covers and poster designs created by Dick Bruna for organizations such as Amnesty International and the Netherlands Red Cross. Besides Miffy and her family as the most famous creations, Dick Bruna’s pen has produced many more unforgettable characters. For example, Poppy Pig, Boris Bear and the little dog Snuffy. Something quite different is the “Zwarte Beertje” (Little Black Bear), a logo which he designed for the popular “Zwarte Beertjes” paperback series published by A.W. Bruna Uitgevers."
More here: http://centraalmuseum.nl/en/visit/locations/dick-bruna-house/
 

Modern Architecture & Melbourne's Medibank designed by HASSEL

Medibank

Tomorrow it will be the 'Day of Architecture' over here and to get us in the mood I've selected this most amazing example of modern architecture. It's not just amazing when it comes to the design, but look at the colors..plus the story that comes with it. "Melbourne’s recently opened Medibank Place - designed by HASSELL for health insurer, Medibank – has been described as being ‘hard-wired for health’. Four months after moving in, 79% of employees report working more collaboratively, 70% report feeling healthier, and 66% said they were more productive. HASSELL has drawn on a range of features to help promote health and wellbeing. A ramp from the main entrance on Bourke Street spirals upwards from street level, allowing Medibank employees easy access to bike storage on their way in to work. Those who want a more vigorous workout during the day can also make use of a multipurpose sports court at ground level.  Medibank Place offers its employees real freedom to choose how and where they work. People can now select from more than 26 types of work settings, ranging from indoor quiet spaces and collaborative hubs to wifi-enabled balconies and places to stand and work. Circadian lighting in certain areas of the workspace mimics natural daylight patterns supporting people’s biorhythms.Medibank Place incorporates an enormous number of plants – some 2,300 inside the building and 520 in modular planter boxes on the façade, as well as two 25-metre high street-facing green walls. Within the work place, this helps relieve stress, improve internal air quality and transforms views from grey to green.The effect of the planting, combined with the curves of the building itself, is to convey a softer, more human character. Additionally, next to the sports court, an edible garden sits near a demonstration kitchen that Medibank uses to promote healthy eating to both staff, not-for-profit organisations and the wider community." Good piece of writing right? The visuals are stunning as well.
- See more at: http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/project/2015/25614/hassell/medibank-place-in-melbourne.html#sthash.UE3g5Obd.dpuf

Mushroom Art X Micro Ecosystems by Artist Jerico Santandar

Wow..wow..wow..I've got to show you this piece, this has made my day when it comes to visual design inspiration, featured in FuriaMag. This is a slightly older project titled MUSH, it is still worth it to have a look at it. "Experimental visual series of mushrooms micro ecosystems. Project started as an experiment using procedural textures to modify 3D meshes. While working, I found out most of these textures applied perfectly in organic forms such as mushrooms. Once I had enough interesting shapes done I decided to compose all together in these three following artworks." See more here: http://www.jericosantander.com/119421/6878426/gallery/mush

Creative Guerrilla Marketing & Bigelow Tea

Saw this yesterday. Love it! Can't find a lot about this awesome guerrilla marketing campaign by Bigelow Tea, but wanted to share the visual anyway. Found it via Creative Guerrilla Marketing.
"Creative Guerrilla Marketing was founded in 2009 by Ryan Lum as a weblog dedicated to Guerrilla Marketing, Viral Marketing, ...Ambient Advertising, Outdoor Advertising, and general Advertising and Marketing Campaign examples.
We at Creative Guerrilla Marketing will do our best to make sure the postings on our page are focused around guerrilla marketing and other unconventional marketing tactics."

Next Level Interior Design : Jean Dellesard Meets Nemeau

Ahhh...read this one in Frame Magazine today - next level interior design. I've talked about Frame Magazine before, it's interesting. What I read in this article today was:  "Jean de Lessard showcases an unconventional interior for a market-style shop for brand Nemeau, a vendor of marine gastronomy. In Levis, on the south shore of Québec, de Lessard's market is inspired by Jules Verne's famous adventure novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Revisiting the nautical theme and turning it into a spatial construct, de Lessard wanted customers to walk through and explore the space as an interpreted market experience. The shop renews the concept of the ancient agoras marketplace. Instead of classic, geometric colonades, customers are enveloped by a clash of horizontal and vertical lines. Realised in a maritime palette of colours and transparencies, a sculptural glass ceiling and wall resembles an abstracted honeycomb. Both natural and artificial lighting accentuate the prismatic shapes of the interior surfaces." See: http://www.frameweb.com/news/nemeau-fish-market-by-jean-de-lessard

Dutch StartUp Athom Brings in a Million with Voice Activated Home Remote Control Called 'Homey'

Here's some interesting news on a Dutch StartUp named Athom, located in Enschede, which is in the East of the country. Smarthome ideas are trending. "Homey is your personal assistant who will make your home personal again. Whatever you want to do, Homey takes care of the technical parts, so you’re left with the fun.
Interact with your home and your devices in the way you interact with anyone else: using natural, spoken commands. To prevent shouting, and to monitor and control your home on the go, Homey features an app. This app is made on the same principles as Homey: to be fun, quick and intuitive. Use either an iPhone or an Android phone to easily control your whole house. Your lights, climate, appliances and IP cameras: all in your pocket!" The 'Homey' was a Kickstarter success, the company was founded in 2014. For the Dutch readers: http://siliconcanals.nl/startups/enschede-smarthome-startup-athom-vangt-miljoen-voor-hun-homey/?utm_content=bufferf9024&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Design Inspiration of the Day Comes from The Recorder

Yep, this was my design inspiration of the day. Here a nice link to a magazine titled 'The Recorder' that covers the right kind of 'new graphic design' with profiles of poster designs, design writing etcetera. The guy that designs the magazine writes: "I’m still pinching myself – you’re right, it is my dream job. The short answer is I pitched and was chosen, but the longer and more honest answer is years of sleepless nights and determination. I used to be art-director of bi-annual travel publication Boat magazine and I took the role of type in that magazine very seriously, that work got me on the radar of James Fooks-Bale (creative director at Monotype). The timing was perfect too as my stint on board Boat had just come to an end a couple of weeks before I received the invitation to submit a proposal for what would become the Recorder. If I’d known who else was submitting I probably wouldn’t have bothered. But they saw how passionate I was, and amazingly gave me the opportunity."
https://www.grafik.net/category/case-study/beautiful-pages

The Bearded Lady and How an American Graphic Design Artist Made Business out of Soap

Madame Scodioli

Love this story, and the graphic design (a soap promoted with a bearded Lady)...and the way this clever graphic design artist transformed her ideas into a creative commercial concept. "We continue the series with a conversation with Riley Fouts, also known as Madame Scodioli, the model for the bearded lady adorning her line of products, and a woman with a mischievous streak and regal sophistication to balance her Midwestern charm and crafty nature....Could you have imagined that it would someday become a full-time job running the Madame Scodioli line? I suppose I always hoped it would happen, but doubted the possibility. The whole thing began as sort of an experiment anyway, to see if anyone would buy a bath and beauty product with a bearded lady on the package. It was a shock to me, the day I realized it wasn’t just a “fun little project” anymore but a real business. It happened so gradually. What inspired your branding, both visually and ease of use? I had been a bearded lady for Halloween, that first year that I began making soap. I love Halloween, and that year I challenged myself to make a bearded lady look elegant (in contrast to the typical Halloween bearded lady: a large man dressed up with fake knockers, beer belly and hairy legs in a trashy dress). So I had these photos of myself all dressed up, stroking my little goatee, eyebrow raised and just radiating with confidence. It all came together so easily: I needed a brand for my soap, and I had practically handed myself the concept – and a mascot! A strong, self-assured female figurehead. The thing exploded in my brain, and I quickly worked out this tale of a mysterious bearded woman and her traveling carnival, stories about the members of the troupe, etc. The look itself came easily at that point, vintage tonics and preparations paired with a bit of mysticism."
- See more at: http://www.howdesign.com/design-creativity/late-bloomer-jodi-fouts/#sthash.pYI0pOTK.dpuf
Or visit the Madame Scodioli directly here: http://www.scodioli.com/#!about/c1enr

Rotterdam City Marketing & The Day of Architecture

I like the way the city of Rotterdam is promoting itself and linking creative ideas with new business. June 20th is the 'day of architecture' apparently. To solve the problem of empty business spaces in the area that is called 'het Hofplein' creatives have put together the first step in re-engaging the community and future business partners with the idea of building a wooden bridge (luchtsingel - which translated could be something like 'airboulevard') - the bridge is a way to the central of Rotterdam (a well known business district). This bridge is brought forward as 'vital lifeline and catalyst for economic growth'. It will be opened on June 20th with an 'urban picnic'. On the day itself those interested can visit architectual icons - while taking the tour people can 'collect' picnic items for their picnicbox via local businesses. Nice idea huh? For the Dutch among us..nice website: http://www.luchtsingel.org/2015/05/27/20-juni-2015-officiele-opening-luchtsingel-urban-picnic-dag-van-de-architectuur-2015/
 

Anti-Campaigns & Powerful Images from Lisbao

My Spanish isn't that good, but like many I can understand the main theme that is going on in this appealing portrayal of an anti child labour campaign posted in Furia artsmagazine.
"La niñez termina cuando comienza el trabajo."
Si usted ve cualquier caso del trabajo infantil forzado, denunciarlo. Obligar a los niños a trabajar es un delito y merece ser castigado.
Agencia: FCB , Lisboa, Portugal
Cliente: APAV"
Powerful images right?
See more here:

http://www.furiamag.com/

 

Case Study : Start Up Weekend - US Start Ups & Marketing

Look at this cute logo.... and what an amazingly cool website!: http://startupweekend.org/about/.
I've been following their promo and content for a while now. Look at how they combine the most modern promo elements (e.g the about section) with nice and appealing illustrative art, I will always remain a big fan of illustrative art within marketing. "Startup Weekends are weekend-long, hands-on experiences where entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs can find out if startup ideas are viable.  On average, half of Startup Weekend’s attendees have technical or design backgrounds, the other half have business backgrounds. Beginning with open mic pitches on Friday, attendees bring their best ideas and inspire others to join their team. Over Saturday and Sunday teams focus on customer development, validating their ideas, practicing LEAN Startup Methodologies and building a minimal viable product. On Sunday evening teams demo their prototypes and receive valuable feedback from a panel of experts." So this is a nice example of how they are trying to promote and do business with start ups in the USA.

Beautiful Animal Portraits by Belgian Photographer Vincent Lagrange

Aw, these are wonderful portraits! "Inspired by his love for animals in general and his cat Dwiezel in particular, young Belgian photographer Vincent Lagrange is currently working on an ongoing project called Human Animal, where he photographs both domestic pets and wild animals in a very refined and serious manner. ‘‘Today most people photograph just people’’, says Lagrange, ‘‘but only a few photograph animals... I tried to photograph the animals as humans, depicting their emotion and human-like characteristics in a sombre way.’’ Indeed, Lagrange’s images focus on the most expressive aspects of his subjects, revealing striking similarities between animals and people: through his lens,not only cats and dogs but even reptiles and birds seem to acquire expressions that are full of character and wit. Needless to say, the process of creating these portraits was no easy task, since the photographer had to rearrange his props and lights constantly to accommodate the animals moving around at their own disposition in the studio!" See more here: http://www.yatzer.com/animal-portraits-vincent-lagrange

The Sacred Redesigned : Designers Francesco Draisci: the New Chair and the Crucifix

Saw this today in an Italian Art Magazine (www.abitare.it) and really thought it was interesting. Translated from Italian: In The Cathedral of Leicester, you can admire the projects of the designers Francesco Draisci: the new chair and the crucifix. The form, the use of materials, the continued structure makes this job a veritable meeting between "Sacred and modern". Love geometric design so I automatically also loved this. More over here:  http://bit.ly/Leicester-Crocifisso

Gorgeous Glass Sculptures by US Artist Jiyong Lee

Jiyong Lee

Wow these are so gorgeous! "Illinois artist Jiyong Lee uses a special glass technique called cold working to create his unusual segmented sculptures inspired by the growth of cells. The artworks, part of a series called Segmentation, are created without glass blowing or kilns, but instead through a labor-intensive process of cutting, sanding, laminating, and carving. Lee shares about his work via his artist statement: 'The segmentation series is inspired by my fascination with science of cell, its division and the journey of growth that starts from a single cell and goes through a million divisions to become a life. I work with glass that has transparency and translucency, two qualities that serve as perfect metaphors for what is known and unknown about life science. The segmented, geometrical forms of my work represent cells, embryos, biological and molecular structures—each symbolizing the building blocks of life as well as the starting point of life. The uniquely refined translucent glass surfaces suggest the mysterious qualities of cells and, on a larger scale, the cloudiness of their futures. The Segmentation series is subtle and quiet yet structurally complex.'" Read and see more amazing pics here: http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2015/06/segmented-glass-sculptures-by-jiyong-lee/