Converse recently launched a site full of viral videos that are quite entertaining. Ranging from self-confidence boosters, short films, curiosities, and utter randomness. The agency Anomaly in New York is behind this, breaking away from the traditional microsite. Each video has its own URL, which makes it easier to pass around and eventually leads you to the Converse website, ads, and other promos on the web. Smart, very smart.   

 

These Visual Enforcement Kits created by Design Police can come in handy during a critique. No mixed messages, these actions are loud and clear. Check out the other four templates. Hopefully “round two” will be a lot better.                      

 

 
Post-its are always fun especially with stop-motion. This a cool video by GAZZ, a motion graphics studio in Argentina. They combine different techniques and tools for broadcast and internet. Make sure you check out their reel.    

 

 
While I sit in for miss Lily, I would like to share a few things that I’ve come across and some new discoveries. I really love this graffiti artist from France, Fafi. She’s known for her colorful feminine characters, also known as Fafinettes. She explores stereotypes of femininity thru different mediums and has collaborated with Sony, Adidas, LeSport Sac, Coca-Cola, and M.A.C. Cosmetics.                   

While I am away on vacation for the next few weeks, Mariam Farooq will be guest blogging for me. WELCOME! So a little about her: born in London, raised in Southern California, Mariam is an Art Director at an advertising agency in Newport Beach called O’Leary & Partners. A lover of irony and the sweetest person you’ll meet with the initals MF, I am lucky to have her insightful opinions and perspectives on design/advertising. She also makes a mean cupcake. Take it away Mariam.

In remembrance of my last day of work as a designer at StaianoLuong (soon to be The Yellow Loft), Arian and I experimented with our favorite office supplies, post-its. Behind the highlighter, post-its are amazing tools of communication. Not to mention that a desk can tell a lot about a person. In my case, I find mental clarity through a messy desk, I love my Wacom pen and I eat too many red vines. (a side note: that piece of licorice began as a 6 yard piece and this is whats left.) It’s been a great experience here, the people are amazing, the work is even better, but its time for me to strive forward. San Francisco, here I come.

Presented by SOTA (Society of Typographic Aficiando), TypeCon2008 is headed for a new location in Buffalo, New York, this July 15-20th. From the irreverent to the serious, the eclectic to the traditional, and the modern to the historical, TypeCon’s tenth conference is a letterfest of talks, workshops, tours, exhibitions, and special events created for type lovers at every level. Hundreds of typophiles in a small concentrated area for days yabbering about serifs, kerning and their opinions on helvetica? Sounds like my kind of fun. Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend, but I have spies that will be there for me, taking photos incessantly on their iPhones. There is still time for all you type obsessed folks out there to register. For more info, click here.

I’m not one for social conventions when it comes to dating, but if I got this box of chocolates, someone would definitely be a keeper. ‘Say It With Chocolate’ was an idea to create an insulated chocolate box that would melt its contents, printing a design onto its inner lid during transit. Jamie Wieck designed a heavily insulated box along with a double-sided chocolate that would allow the sender to lay out a message to surprise the recipient. Flat on one side and concave on the other, the chocolate is capable of printing either a ring or circle depending on the way its placed. Neat! Only if it came in other types of chocolate. mmmmmmm.

I am always enthralled by the experimental work of Apirat Infahsaeng, also known as SyntheticAutomatic. He never ceases to amaze me. Above is a logo for the visual artist collective Command+N.

As a recent graduate of California State University Long Beach’s graphic design program, each year we have the task of designing some sort of announcement or poster to advertise our senior show. On a tight budget and even tighter timeline, a few of us (Rob, Evan, Regina and Me) got together and experimented and this is what we came up with. Click here to see the Degree Show 08 web site.