Designing Obama

Obama’s campaign was innovative in almost every way. This was the first time there had ever been an internal design team in a political campaign. Scott Thomas’ was the Design Director responsible for the Obama Campaign, designing everything, ensuring consistency between print, web and other media. Watch this great video from Behance to hear the inside story of the Design behind the campaign.

Now, Scott Thomas ‘has collaborated with artists and designers to create Designing Obama, a chronicle of the art from the historic campaign.’ A beautiful glossy book featuring the work of about 100 artists and designers. And it just makes sense that this would be done in an equally innovative way.

“Opposed to going the conventional publishing route we’ve decided to publish, promote and print it ourselves. We are funding it [in a similar manner as the campaign] through Kickstarter [whose mission iit is to help fund creative projects and ideas]. The book was beautifully designed in our very own studio.”

“Support the project; fund its creation. Our goal is the amount needed for a minimum run. We will order as many books ordered. No overstock and wasted paper. We hope you support our approach.” If they do not meet the $65,000 goal [the amount needed for a minimum book run], by November 4th, the books will not be printed, and pledgers will not be charged. As of tonight, they had 446 backers and a total of $29,079. With 42 days to go I think they are sure to get there.

I supported this approach by making a pledge of $50.00 towards this project, and in return I will receive a special edition copy of the book with a white sleeve. The idea is innovative, and will be the model for many future self-published books, self-produced products…who knows where this could lead. 

Here is a link to the video talking about the project.

Wow. Wish I’d thought of it…!

 

via: The Post Family

Something Terrible is Happening

This says it all…

kinda makes me happy to be Canadian 

Will Ferrell slams health insurance execs via sarcastic video

Posted using ShareThis

Art as Video

This new video, is a collaboration between Banksy and Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, directed by Raymond Salvatore Harmon. The video is for his new solo song ‘The Hollow Earth’,is available today on 12′ Vinyl LP as the flip side to FeelingPulledApartbyHorses, [Visit radiohead.com for more info]. 

The video, comprised of rapidly [understatement!] moving visuals, with subliminal Banksy graffiti images mixed in, is pretty crazy, and not easy to watch [headache/seizure inducing this early in the morning!], has an almost painterly quality. Very interesting…the more you watch – the more you see.

via: psfk

Sitting Sideways

Not sure how this idea would ‘fly’…it is a proposal by Design Q,  the same people who designed Virgin Atlantic’s acclaimed “Upper Class” seats.

I don’t know about you, but when I fly, I like to pretend I am the only one on the flight.  Don’t talk to me, don’t try to peak at my computer screen, and keep your body as far away as possible from mine.  All of these would be impossible with this new seating configuration. Passengers would be forced to look at each other during flights, sitting face to face…no thanks. 

“The seats, although shown down, will automatically lift like a cinema seat. This too considerably helping flow through. This probably will reduce boarding times, which has a value. It would also save costs on each seat and significantly save weight.”

A few questions come to mind…how does the flight attendant roll the cart down the aisle without running over toes? Does staring at a fellow passenger replace in-flight movies? Does the airline industry really think we want to sit like a military unit getting ready to jump out of a plane?  

Just when we thought airline travel couldn’t get much worse.

via: flight global

The Longest Way…[as seen on the Shortest Street]

Every year, around this time, my little street in a great Toronto neighbourhood [South Riverdale/Leslieville ],  holds ‘The Tiverton Avenue Film Festival’. While this annual event occurs during the Toronto International Film Festival, you will never see George Clooney [:-(], Sean Penn or Angelina Jolie. You will see neighbours. and lots of them. Kids – lots of them – run free in the park til way past bedtime, loving the temporary independence while the parents chat, drink wine and eat roasted corn.

Dave and Lynn organize this yearly pot luck event. They make the posters, they prepare the video that will entertain the crowd after dark, they roast the corn. This year – the 12th – was the biggest. What once was a white sheet tied to the chain link fence is now an actual screen. The equipment may be fancier, but the mood is the same.

This year I thought I would share my favourite, one man’s adventure. “November 9th 2007 – November 13th 2008 one year on foot – 4646km through China unlimited beard & hair growth http://www.thelongestway.com musical score by the kingpins.”

Oh…and thanks Lynn and Dave for making this event part of our neighbourhood tradition. Happy to be part of such a great community.

via: Dave and Lynn, Tiverton Avenue

Closed

I love going through the Threadless site. Right now all their Tees are $9.00!!! [I just ordered 4.]

This is one of my faves…but sold out. So I will vicariously wear it on my blog instead.

3rd & 7th

Working in an Architectural firm for 10 years, I have seen a lot of renderings, many of them quite good.  In fact, many of the CG renderings were at first glance difficult to tell if they were actual spaces/buildings or an designer’s/architect’s vision.  

Tonight I came across a film by Alex Roman. This is ‘digital architecture’ like no other. I couldn’t quite believe this wasn’t an actual video tour through Louis Khan’s Phillips Exeter Academy Library. “The Third & The Seventh” project, for the Mundos Digitales 2009 [digital architecture] conference, is a stunning example of how real CG can be, with the right tools…and of course the right digital artist.  Not just beautiful to look at, the soundtrack is perfect, The Divine Comedy’s “Laika’s Theme” from “Absent Friends” album. 

via: fubiz

“Primitive society had its masks, bourgeois society its mirrors. We have our images…”

Just some random ffffound images that I like…

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Attention Walmart Shoppers…

Love this new blog, ‘The People Of Walmart’. It’s like Jerry Springer meets The Trailer Park Boys…wrapped up into one disturbing blog.

Not sure what’s more entertaining…the photos or the captions!  Enjoy!