the obsessive imagist | art, design, life: August 2008

I'M GOING AWOL

I know, I know. This blog has been sorely neglected of late, but really, what hasn't been in the last three weeks?

Tomorrow I will make the big transition - moving from Boston to New York. Next week I start orientation at NYU for PhD program. The week after that? Classes. (Plus some Olympics spectating here and there.)

I am sure once I get settled, I will fall back into the blog scene. Until then, have patience readers! I will be back with faithful postings before you know it!

VERMONT

Today I will drive to Vermont. I will be there for the week. An entire week of reading, sunbathing, swimming in the lake, eating homemade baked goods, watching the olympics, and in general doing nothing. Bliss!

I will see you all when I check back into reality (which may be awhile).

Until then . . . go team USA!

TO DO TODAY

Today I am going to see David Byrne's "Playing the Building" and then heading home to see my family and enjoy Cove Day (I will try to post some photos/more information about Cove Day when I return to Boston).

Until then, happy weekend!

LOVELY, LOVELY, LOVELY

Recently, I bought Lena Corwin's "Printing By Hand" and I am in love, love, love. Everything is perfectly designed; I like how the titles are in an outline typeface (I might have stolen that idea for my business cards), the photos are bright and clean, and the projects are fun and achievable. I got seriously inspired and thought I would show you all my first attempt - a tote bag with a flock of swallows darting here and there. I am not sure I used the right ink but I like the design anyway. Thank you Lena for the lovely guidance and inspiration!

Oh yeah, buy the book here (you must!) and read her blog here (you must x 2!).

FROM THE ARCHIVES: SPRING FLOWERS

Why is it that all of my favorite flowers come out in the spring?

I want ranunculi and peonies now . . . (insert whining voice here).

FULL BLEED

. . . has some pretty sweet designs. I happen to like their t-shirts best (my drool-worthy picks are seen above), but they also sell all of their designs in poster form here. Check them out, and start planning all the gift possibilities . . . . or closet possibilities. That works too.

For any loved ones reading this? Clean Sweep, size medium . . . . (never hurts to have a wishlist!).

COUTURE MAPS

Zsuzsanna Ilijin is an AWESOME designer/illustration based in Amsterdam. I am not sure where I got the tip to check out her site, but to that blogger in the know I am eternally grateful.

While Zsuzsanna does silkscreen and poster work as well, my favorite pieces in her portfolio are her uniquely themed couture maps. These works make the viewer reconsider our preconceptions of other countries on a range of topics - language, culture, population density etc. The three below are my favorite, although there are a lot more goodies to be seen at her website here.

The World-City-Skyline

This map explores the fact that half of the world's population lives in cities by overlapping city skylines to create of a world entirely made of cities - all enmeshed together.

Hello Map

This map focuses on the different ways to say "hello" in each and every country, with each language written in its own typeface. This map (not surprisingly) was selected to receive the "Certificate of Typographic Excellence", be included in the Type Directors Club Annual Publication, and exhibited at the 54th Awards Exhibition in New York in June. Wow!

Ranking Map

This map is not explained in detail on Zsuzsanna's website, but it seems to provide different (graphic!) world rankings for countries. I love the cover!

CEDRIC DELSAUX

Incredible.

(Enough said).

Check more out here.

COLLABORATE POSTER

I tend to hate "inspirational" posters (damn that tiny kitten who admonishes you to "hang in there"), but I think this "Collaborate" poster is really lovely and well designed. The colors are bright and cheerful and the design is deliciously simple. And it's only 5 pounds! Check out here at "advice to sink in slowly" poster shop (a well designed site itself).

SPEAKING OF BANKSY . . .

. . . I just noticed the "shop" section of Banksy's website. Hilarious. I like his cheeky tone announcing that nothing has been endorsed by Banksy, yet you are free to "download and process" it . . . except, oh wait, the subtext says "Please note" this shop is for personal amusement only. Please don't use it to start a business. Thanks." Haha. Apparently we are in the age of required disclaimers for our sarcastic remarks. No matter, Banksy does it well.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: BANKSY RAT?

When I was in New York I also stumbled this incredible wall of graffiti, gleefully noting this little stenciled rat. Is this a Banksy rat? Or is that wishful thinking? It may only be a copycat (or copyrat, haha!), but it got my heart pounding with graffiti fandom anyway . . .

Besides this Banksy (?) piece there were countless other tags and stickers that more than caught my attention nearby (on the corner of Grand and Wooster in Soho). I can't wait to start noticing the work of certain artists like I did in Boston with Golden 'Stash!

THE AMPERSAND

The Ampersand is a typography-based blog focused solely on ampersands of all shapes, colors and permutations. It has lots of great examples of ampersand-related design - bookends, t-shirts, logos, signs - and a facebook group for ampersand enthusiasts! Check out the blog here and search for the facebook group "Ampersand Appreciation Society" to find more like-minded "&" lovers.

MUJI SOHO

Two weeks ago, while visiting my boyfriend in Soho, I made a trip to the MUJI store. It is truly a magical place! Everything is designed with clean elegant lines. As their website explains,

MUJI is simplicity - but a simplicity achieved through a complexity of thought and design.
MUJI's streamlining is the result of the careful elimination and subtraction of gratuitous features and design unrelated to function.
MUJI - in its deliberate pursuit of the pure and the ordinary - achieves the extraordinary.

The best part of this equation? Each and every product in the store is reasonably priced! I bought a set of five lined notebooks for $2.50! It is definitely a one-stop-shop for beautiful basics for the home, office, studio - anywhere!