Designthusiast

The Johnny Cash Project

This past weekend I attended the Thinking Creatively Conference at Kean University and heard Jon Kamen and James Spindler of @ radical.media speak. One of their many intriguing projects, The Johnny Cash Project was particularly interesting. It is a website where the user can pick a particular picture and draw over it creating a frame for the music video for one of the tunes. All of these frames are drawn over by different people all over the world and then compile as one and make one music video for which ever song was chosen.  Definitely check it out and be a part of the The Johnny Cash Project. Here is also some background of the project.

Giada De Laurentiis for Target

I was recently at Target and came across Giada De Laurentiis‘ new cookware and specialty food line with Target. The product line was designed affordably for everyday cooking while maintaining both great product and graphic design. I loved the pasta packaging design it simple yet fun in color and type choices reflecting Giada’s brand.

AOL Rebranding

You’ve Got Mail! That was the sound of  first days of the internet for me. AOL has now taken their brand to the next level. A more creative everyday feel has been incorporated into their new look. It almost gives off an MTV vibe. It should be exciting to see what happens with AOL’s rebranding. The rebranding was done by Wolff Olins.

AIGA 50 Books/50 Covers of 2008 Exhibition Opening

AIGA’s 50 Books/50 Covers opens of Thursday, December 10, 2009 and will be
up until February 19, 2010.This exhibition showcases selections from the “AIGA 50 Books/50 Covers of 2008”competition, which aims to identify the best-designed books and book covers published in 2008.

via AIGA

American Psycho

I’ll never forget the business card scene in American Psycho. This was probably the best part of the movie. A group of business men discussing the printing effects and design of their business cards. Now why doesn’t this happen in real life?

National Design Week

National Design Week began in 2006 and is from October 18- 24th this year. National Design Week is an education initiative offering free admission to all museum visitors. During the this week the 10th National Design Awards take place as well as a series of public programs/speakers. Get involved and spread the importance of design worldwide.

Comcast Center

A friend of my recently told me about how ridiculous the lobby design of the Comcast Center in Philadelphia was. The lobby has 84 foot-wide LED screens with art installations consisting of views of Philadelphia historic sites, images of space, dancers, acrobats and actors moving around a background designed to mimic wood paneling of the walls of the lobby. Another part of the installation displays images of cranes and machinery forming into a clock which tells the correct time of day The Comcast Center draws many people to the outside windows of their building each day approximately 400 a day at lunch time. What is even more interesting about this building is it the tallest building in Philadelphia, 15th tallest in the U.S. and the tallest sustainable building in the country. The Comcast Center was designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern and the lobby LCD design was created by David Niles of Niles Creative Group.

Where The Wild Things Are

I remember reading Where the Wild Things Are as a child and when I first saw the trailer for this movie I couldn’t wait for it to come to theaters. Since October 16th is not so far away at this point I wanted to share it. This movie will great from the story to the graphics. The website for Where The Wild Things Are was also designed well with animation and video.

Abbott Miller The In-Between of Form and Content

October 6, 2009 from 6-8 pm, SVA

I heard Abbot Miller speak at Princeton University’s Design For Social Causes Conference and learned about his exhibit Design For a Living World exhibition at Cooper Hewitt. He will be presenting his work at the intersection between design, curation and art direction, and his ongoing love affair with objects, images and words at SVA on October 6, 2009 from 6-8 pm via SVA

Babette Schwartz

I stumbled upon Babette Schwartz while in San Diego. Everything in this store was well designed or comical. They carried all sorts of items from knockknock.biz, fun tee shirts, unique stationery and Barack Obama dolls. This store was definitely a favorite of mine. Their website does not do this store justice. If you are ever in the area please go check it out.