You can't get eraser shavings in photoshop

The other day i brought in some logo sketches to class on trace paper. Apparently this makes me "old skool" which i really dont mind. Frankly its so much easier and faster to put pencil to paper than try to do a bunch of first round comps in something like illustrator or photoshop. I trusted my teachers way back when they told me that drawing opens you up to discovery. Its not just a bunch of nostalgia, it really works. I like the fact that drawing makes me different as a designer.

Not to say that I hate the computer or can't use programs. I'm extremely comfortable working with those tools, but its nice to start in an analog hands on medium like pencil and paper.

Oh btw, I'm redbranding the most sacred of sacred cows....Penguin Books.

The Client / Vendor relationship in real life.

This was going around the design sites today...its pretty awesome and seems pretty accurate to me. Very funny

Don't Call Gary

Gary Taxali, the famous illustrator and guy who has no problem speaking his mind recently opened a can of whoop ass via an open letter on his blog to all of the big time corporate clients that offer him work with insulting rates and rights grab demands.

Google calls me and wants my work for their new search engine all over the web, the fee? Nothing. Editorial clients are slashing 1999's fees almost in half and citing the bad economy as an excuse. You know what? My excuse is that the economy is bad so you have to pay me MORE for an illustration. How's that for an economic stimulus package?

Its always refreshing to see an artist who has enough to tell the powers that be where they can go and not have it hurt their careers.

Old Men in Short Shorts

TNT has really outdone themselves this year with their new round of NBA playoffs commercials. The tag line "Where will amazing happen this year?" attached to great plays and superstars from recent NBA history combined with Black and White slow motion footage is really one of the strongest sports based advertising campaigns i've ever seen. They started off with clips from the last year or so...


Dwayne Wade "Off Balance"

Then as the playoffs progressed, they went back in time further to the 90's showing the previous generation of superstars making history...


Michael Jordan "The Shot"

But the other day I saw a new one which was similar but different from the rest. The famous Larry "Legend" Bird steal and pass to beat the Pistons. I love the idea of playing with memory and having these great moments fade in and out of perception. The sights and sounds fading in and out giving the viewer just enough to understand whats just happened, but still playing up the idea that great moments come and go very fast. On top of that I love how they not only paid tribute to former great players, but to a great arena, The Boston Garden that is no longer standing.



Larry Bird "The Steal"

Lets hope that the younger generation googles some of these great players and moments and learn a bit about history instead of just laughing at all the old men in short shorts.

Pepsi Throwback

Dear Pepsi,

Can you take those packaging ideas for your new Pepsi Throwback line and just keep it for your regular branding? Its much stronger than anything you've had in the past 20 years, especially that new ultra minimal concpetual branding thing based on smiley faces that you currently have.

Seriously I love the design for the throwback Pepsi and Mountain Dew. It hints back to their heritage but is new and fresh. The good news is that since Pepsi re-brands itself every 2-3 years we won't have to deal with the conceptual smiley faces that much longer.