{ Eye Candy: A First Trade Show Booth }

what a sexy booth number graphic!

I've designed a few trade show booths in my day, one for cdp and one for medmaps. But to have the ability to display your own personal work and really go all out is something I've often daydreamed about.

 The Creative duo at These are Things got the chance to do just that, at the National Stationary Show and whoa! is their booth and documentation impressive. It has just the right amount of handmade flair that makes my design heart flutter. I have friends who do plenty of craft shows and can't help but think of them when I saw this. Check the link for more and a time lapse set up video, but below are my fave.  {via}

{ The Smithsonian is Not Amused }

Jenny Burrows and Matt Kappler teamed up to create “Historically Hardcore,” a super cute and seriously chuckle worthy set of ads for the Smithsonian that sort of shows up how not hardcore modern day rappers are compared to tall tales of historic figures. 

The ads are not official Smithsonian ads and the Smithsonian is not amused. Burrows writes that shortly after the ads went viral and she began receiving requests from local media outlets, she got in touch with the Smithsonian to make sure they were square.

Well, they were less than pleased about the attention the posters were getting and requested that I take them down immediately. Honestly, i don’t blame them. If someone put something out there with my name on it, I wouldn’t be too happy about it either, no matter how awesome it was.

I immediately complied, getting rid of any trace of the museum’s logo, name, and building on the posters and my portfolio site they were posted to. I’m not really one that goes around trying to piss people off. Especially government-run facilities.

What a shame that ol' stuffy (don't worry Smithsonian, I really do love ya) Museum didn't want any part of this cute portfolio exercise. It seems pretty effective and worth a good chuckle. {via}

{ What have I been working on? }

 Just doing a lil' fun illustrator poster for the Mary Poppins show coming to the Tennessee Theatre. I'm mega excited! Are you? If you want to order the poster gimme a hollar! {via}

{ Eye Candy: Iphone Architecture }

 Serious love goes out to Artist Lynette Jackson, of Atlanta, Georgia, whose images are found on Page67 (flicker page). Jackson claims all her images are "taken, edited, and processed with her iphone". Pretty freakin' unbelievable! I can hardly take a picture that isn't blurry as all get out! Luckily filters (via instagram) help save the day, but daaammmnnn Ms. Jackson, these are serious eye candy! Below are a few of my faves (there were so many great ones to select from). I think I flocked towards the more 'brutalist' feeling ones... image Le Corbusier / Louis Kahn meets Polish Constructivism with a dash of Frank Stella vintage layering!

{ Winx to Linx }

Synthesize by Anthony Neil Dart

• Work from Anthony Neil Dart has been my latest graphic inspiration. It's a beautiful collage of information and text and imagery. Reminding me of Corner & MacClean beautiful landscape images, Dart's work uses images of beauty and limited color, but still very bold and capturing. Think Design Blog did a great interview with Dart, which worth filing away for a read of inspiration. {via}
• While researching websites this week, I came across some beautiful examples, including this awesome full screen video website, Uniqlock. It might not seem like much, but the full screen/scaling site option is pretty new (to me) works beautifully in multiple sizes. And the super text graphics for the loading screen doesn't hurt either. 
• Hot wheels on steroids - I was (and still am) a huge lover of slot cars and tracks. Having grown up with no brothers, my father treated me like the son he didn't have, so I had a few of these racing kits growing up (and still do!). But these tracks will blow any enthusiast away!  {via}
• JCPenny's new logo screams America, but to me its more reminiscent of London's Mind the Gap campaign. I definitely see the market they were going after, but I'd have to say my verdicts still out on the revamp. What's your thoughts? {via}
• I love bacon more than the average person, but I'm not so sure about this one. Bacon Flavored Diet Coke. {via}
• Artist, Chad Wys new series, Nocturne and Process of Elimination series is total eye candy. Taking works of master paintings and leaving out gaping 'pieces of information' is great to see what conclusions or assumptions the mind recognizes and fills in. This is a beautiful way to revisit the classics. 

{ Winx to Linx }

This has been a crazy few weeks, and like always I'm behind on what I'm doing. But I'm in need of sharing my awesome finds of late.

• Swissted is an ongoing project by graphic designer mike joyce, owner of stereotype design in new york city. Drawing from his love of punk rock and swiss modernism, two movements that have absolutely nothing to do with one another, mike has redesigned vintage punk, hardcore, and indie rock show flyers into international typographic style posters. And these are definitely worth the bookmark. These are real shows, and totally reminds me of some of my fave Frank Stella work, and probably needs me to print a few.  
• I knew I wasn't the only one who was noticing handwritten letters, typically from editors, finding it's way all over the publishing world! and even on some of my fave blogs, A Beautiful Mess uses it all the time! Luckily Noteworthy put together a great list of brushes (free!) to download and try, I can't wait to get home and really try these out on my tablet! {via}
• The Creativity Post put together a really great list of 12 things you were never taught in school. I'm not normally a big fan reader of these sort of posts, but I found this one pretty inspiring for the new year and my new positive outlook. {via}
• Fourth Year Studio - a great letterpress company, and former architecture students with me, out of Knoxville is having a fund raiser for Baby Tyson (who is a heart baby of another fellow archy over at Vandy). You can check his inspiring story here. And as a new mother, I have no idea how I would be able to be half as strong as Tyson's mom, but they are so wonderful, and it's great to see how wonderful he has been doing, I'm somewhat addicting to checking his status, and hoping (since I'm not the praying type) he's continuing to do well {to purchase a calendar}.
• Best Movie Posters of 2011 - some definite eye candy in the mix. I'm in LOVE with the Eames one .. of course! also a brilliant documentary if you haven't seen it, it's a must. And I have a serious crush on Cam Archer's film, Shit Year. {via}
• Shrinking Kat - Kat, whom you might remember from previous post, is dieting like no other, and documenting her journey on the dukan diet, the one Kate Middleton supposedly lost all her pre-wedding weight on. I know it's a fad diet, but it seems like one I could get behind, with all these veggies and meats! If you want to follow and encourage Kat's success please click. {via}

{ Too Good Not to Share Infographic: Anatomy of an Agency }

I suppose since I am sorta the 'Art Director' (actual title being Senior Graphic Designer) at MedMaps and John my stay at home dad / Developer (for freelance and M+J) this was particularly amusing to me. Enjoy! {via}

{ Easy Infographics }

Chartwell is a font (unfortuanely it's not free, but seems well worth the co$t) that takes your type to make awesome, clear, easy to use graphs, charts, and visuals. Infographics just got a TON EASIER! {via}

{ Movie Barcodes }

Requiem for a Dream

Moviebarcode is way cooler than it sounds. Apparently this site takes movies and reduces each frame of the film to a stretched out still and smashes 'em all up together (in super crude terms)... this might explain it better.

Each ‘barcode’ on the site features every frame of a given film vertically stretched and then assembled into something that looks like a barcode. The result is like a graph that charts the use of color in any given movie. Note: there is no actual data encoded within these graphics. Yes, I tried a barcode scanner on a few. I’d love to see someone figure out how to add more specific info, but as is this is a weird, oblique way to look at part of a film’s visual style in one broad overview. It is like being able to go down to a paint store and grab a card of paint chips representing some of your favorite movies. {via}

Whatever is going down, it's beautiful, and I love the idea of potentially embedding more information into those images. Right now I'm happy to just enjoy the palette of these films as a one image 'barcode'.  

{ A Delicious Science Experiment }

Last weekend (I know I'm behind on the updates) I had awesome visitors come up and stay with me. While here, Beth suggested we find this new ice cream place, Chill Custom Creamery. Located off Northshore, near Morrell, it's interiors were done well, but typical, but that wasn't this place's appeal. What makes Chill differenet than the rest is you chose 1 of 3 bases for your ice cream: chocolate, vanilla, or soy-something-vanilla. The base looked like cream, not ice cream. Once your base is selected you then chose your mix-ins and flavor drops and syrups yourself, since you pay by the once ... I think it was $0.50 an once (so about $4-6 a HUGE cup) and once you are all done they then put your metal cylinder cup in a kitchen-aid mixer and add liquid nitrogen to it, making it real 'ice cream'. It looked like an evil science house once all four ice creams started going... and not to mention soooo creamy and delicious. This place was probably some of the better ice cream I've ever had. It was a great way to end the holiday weekend, enjoy the pics!

The cream base... I went with Vanilla

Some of the many many mix-ins... I went with a flavor drop of coffee, cheesecake, oreos, marshmellows, and cocoa crispies, I know strange and chocolately but sooo good!

Loved the graphic layout of their signs and marketing material + the colors were my fave!

Here's it's starting to mix!

cute vintage inspired chairs (and I heart the color!)

It's alive! ...and delish!

Beth + John loving the ice cream

Mike + Me! so happy for the ice cream science adventure!

{ Web Work }

here is something I've been workin on.. updates on it's launch and more awesome black atticus action!

{ Graphics for Music }

and this time it's about me! Check out this sweet new cd cover for Eris, a sweet band outta Chattanooga - check 'em out too! Their cd release party, which you should definitely get if you are a mizmargauxxx, m+j, or eris fan, or just into awesome local music, is July 3rd at Rhythm and Brews in Chatt town. Anyways. enjoy!

{ NYC was attacked by 8 bit creatures }

Oh no! in the new short film from Patrick Jean, we see NYC seized and invaded by our fave. 8 bits. Residents of Earth Beware.. they are coming! ctm.

{ what I've been working on }

some lil' web designs I've been toiling away on... I'll keep you posted on which one they go with, but the bottom is def. my fave!

{ linxxx luv }

Here's some great finds I have been holding on too...
1. Design Observer.  posted a great collection of vintage cigarettes and photos... not that I'm a smoker, but I think had I lived 50+ years ago I wouldn't be able to turn it down, it was so damn glamorous! {via}


2. Friends of Type . this great site was a stumble / recommended to me via Nubbytwiglet (which I know I mention all the damn time - so if you haven't check her out). but I knew I would love this site as soon as I opened it and saw in green, orange, and white 'D'yer Wanna Be a Spaceman?'. this was without a doubt one of my fave Oasis bsides, and the graphic on the site was hot2death. linxxx luv fo'sho. {via}


3. Have you heard of Senoa Dancing? they were a new wave group from way back when... but do you recognize the singer? cause you should. It's Ricky Gervais, from the Office (UK) The Invention of Lying. This cute pudgy fellow actually tried a serious time singing new wave... just too funny! {via}

4. Fashion Indie's Top 10 Favorite Fashion Pervs (nsfw). but totally worth it. A nice lilttle collection of some classy yet creepy peoples, like tom ford, karl lagerfeld, and the grandmama madonna. {via}

5. Schrute Farms . yes, that's right you can leave Schrute Farms a nice lil' review on trip advisor. and if you don't leave one, atleast check out the others... ctm!

6. W+K Studio . a nice graphics firm. and worth the book mark. {via}

7. Hoefler & Frere-Jones . who doesn't need another great tutorial / write up on fonts? here the H&FJ folks help us out with 4 different ways to combine fonts! thnxxx {via}

{ what's old is new }

some fantastic vintage beer graphics / cans {via} I am in love with LITE BEER, so simple, and so bold!

Linxxx Luv

It's time for another installment of Linxxx Luv (also known as Winxxx to Linxxx). So here are so handy, fun time things I have found for entertainment on the interweb.

1. Missed Connections Illustrated. You know that super funny section on craigslist, you know, the you secretly hope you will find a post describing you (or atleast someone you know). Well this lil' jewel illustrates those posts. It's a super ceeeyyute!

2. Three DD. Just like what it says, three dimensional boobs. grab those blue and red glasses and get to checkin' out the tah tah's.

3. The Blueprint Database. They even have a Millenium Falcon!

4. A closer look at the making of a film I'm dying to see, Fantasic Mr. Fox. (via)

5. Last, a nifty lil' animation of the 4 world maritime powers and their decline. Totally nerdy, yet totally entrancing. I heart year 1960 when France explodes! tehehe...

Eye Candy part VI

Ever wonder what happens to those ol' shopping lists once you toss or lose them? Shopping Losts takes these half crumpled, chicken scratched up letters and creates beautiful typography based graphics on these. whoa. its totally the best and hottest thing I've seen all day. Enjoy!

Eye Candy (part III)

Stumbled upon Marek Haiduk, a Graphic Designer and Illustrator from Germany. His flicker page and website is total inspiration... The use of collision and montage is great, with a nice lil' nod to constructivism (my fave)... Here's a few I found on his flicker page.

Graphix competition

Thanks Dianna for this lil' link I might try to enter! everyone check it! Plus the site is called LOG! (via)