Thursday 23 October 2008

DIRTY CAR ART



We've all driven down the road and seen lorries pass us with 'Clean Me' engraved in dust on its windows. But have you seen anything like this before? This is dirty car art - artists getting their hands dirty and creating images on car windows. Check the website (link below) for more images.

http://www.dirtycarart.com/gallery/

TURNING SKIP INTO GOLD



Sick of unsightly skips sitting on your road? How about giving it a skip conversion, adding beauty, and possibly a new social spot to your street? That's what British artist Oliver Bishop-Young decided to do - taking a Fluxus ideology to the extreme, he has adapted the skip to be a mobile swimming pool, a meeting point, somewhere to play table tennis, and even a place to practice your skateboard skills:



SWEDISH APPLE DESIGN



Sweden: The warm late summer weather contributed to record crowds as Kivik's apple market.

There is an art theme to the market with the traditional apple sculpture that is erected at its heart each year. This year's work by Emma Karp Lundström is entitled "After Frans Floris Pomona" and uses 35,000 apples on its 104 square metre canvas. Some 70,000 nails hold the nine apple varieties in place.

BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB



Ry Cooder caused an international sensation when he introduced the world to Cuba's son musicians with his 1997 CD Buena Vista Social Club. The CD, which met with extraordinary critical and popular success, went on to win a Grammy, and helped fuel America's current love affair with Latin music.

In 1999 Wim Wenders released his documentary of the same name, in which he profiles the legendary Buena Vista Social Club musicians, recording their experiences as they perform in Cuba and abroad, eventually appearing at New York's Carnegie Hall. Hailed as "splendid ... a sheer delight" (New York Post), "glowing-embers documentary " (Washington Post) and "more incisive introduction to the peculiar world of Buena Vista than any live performance could provide" (The New York Observer), the film helped immortalize both the music and its now-famous practitioners who had been living in near poverty, all but forgotten in their own country.

VANDALISM, NOT ART, SAYS COUNCIL TO BANKSY!



The striking mural, painted under cover of darkness, was intended as a stinging criticism of Big Brother society. So it will come as little surprise to its creator, Banksy, that bureaucracy has ordered the removal of one of his largest works.

So, is it goodbye to Banksy? I very much doubt it. In fact Westminster Council has probably done him a favour. Since when would an outlaw have wanted the approval of the sort of bureaucracy that puts waste disposal operatives instead of dustbin men on our streets?

After death, banning is about the best thing that can happen to an artist.

BRANDING OF FACTORY'S HACIENDA



Factory + Hacienda = Manchester's Redevelopment and Modern Architectural Style

NOAM CHOMSKY

Noam Chomsky talks about indoctrination, mind control, propaganda, political corporate and media deception.........

LEGO AT 30



It's not every day that a children's toy becomes a design icon but in the case of LEGO's minifigure, those tiny plastic male and female figurines that animate (in an inanimate sort of way) children's building block creations the world over, icon status seems oddly fitting.

2008 marks the minifigure's thirtieth year in production - an impressive milestone in design as much as business, considering that the basic look of the figurine has remained virtually unchanged since its inception - a body, three LEGO bricks long, beneath a head, one brick high, with that mini plastic toupee clipped on top.

When you consider that an astonishing seven LEGO sets are sold around the world every second, it's no surprise that the miniature builders, firemen, cops, and nurses (as well as 'celebrity' guest figures including Darth Vader and Indiana Jones) have become so ubiquitous - over four billion are scattered around the globe. If they ever decided to form their own autonomous state it'd be more populous than India and China combined. Now there's a scary thought.

LIVERPOOL'S BIENNIAL ART FESTIVAL




Liverpool is an extraordinary city and one far better suited to hosting citywide events than its bigger sibling, London, in the south. For a start it's easily navigable on foot. Secondly, it has heaps of venues, old and new, which give a very rounded sense of the city - its character, history and contemporary culture. Liverpool is also one of Britain's last cities notable for the pride it takes in all that it does. For each of these reasons Liverpool's fifth art biennial, which opened in September and continues until the end of November, in many ways eclipsed both London Fashion Week and the London Design Festival - both on at the same time and chaotic in comparison. 

The pictures above shows an installation by artist Richard Wilson, titled 'Turning the Place Over'. 


DUNGEN

One of Sweden's most promising rock bands 'Dungen' (pronounced Dung Yen) continues to create atmospheric psychedelic music in their native tongue and come up with superbly designed videos - here's one:

Artist: Dungen
Song: Festival 

London Restaurant Dishes Out New Table Design


Remember those tacky laminated menus with photos of the food in dodgy roadside caffs? Well, one chic London restaurant has taken the idea to a whole new level by kitting out its restaurant with digital projectors that beam interactive menus onto the tables, as well of photos of what the dish will look like. There's also the option to play games on the touch-sensitive tables and check out local services, as well as even changing the ambiance of the table by changing to swirly background colours.

WHILE MY GUITAR GENTLY FLOATS




No it's no Billy Ocean. This is a new design made in Australia as part of a marketing campaign to promote the singer songwriter Josh Pyke. The guitar boat will feature in his new video and the giant-sized floating six-string replica is the musician's instrument of choice. Pyke is not the only musician to take to the waters to promote his brand of music - Michael Jackson built a statue of himself and floated down the river Thames in London to promote the release of his new album. Let's just hope Pyke's music wont end up on the bottom of the ocean.

Sunday 19 October 2008

THE KITE RUNNER


This film is both heart rendering as well as heart warming. It shows Afghanistan in the 70's and the invasion of the Russians and the Taliban. 
These days you hear about Afghanistan, Irag and the Taliban almost on a daily basis from the news, but unfortunatley  they never tell you the whole gruesome story of what is really on going and what people have to face everyday. Women and children are suffering the most, and even today, in the 21st century, women are being stoned to death in public places.
Although the film has a happier ending, it still engraves the truth of what is really going on in a country living in the deep dark past while the rest of us bury our heads in the sand.

I feel designers have an obligation to make people aware of  the truth and have the power to do so. Although many projects are up and running such as Amnesty International, maybe something aught to be done so there were more...

Watch the trailer here: 

IKEA DOES SIMS



The owner of IKEA is one of the richest men in the world, and it all started when he was a young boy in southern Sweden, selling matches from his tiny wooden garden shed. 
IKEA stands for the first initials of the owners name 'Ingvar Kamprad' and where he grew up, 'Elmtaryd' and his home county in Småland, 'Agunnaryd'. 
In 1943 when Ingvar was 17, he started his small business selling matches, candles, watches, pens and all sorts at a reduced price. He then realised, in order to make profit, he needed to entice people into buying a little more than they needed. For example if they needed matches, maybe they needed to extra candles too?

The first store opened in Stockholm, and is to date the biggest IKEA store in the world. The layout of the store are made so that you have to walk around the whole store, advertising goods on the way. And because the products are all relatively inexpensive, and all compliment each other, they are picked up.
Ikea's motto is: "To create a better everyday life for many people"
The branding has stayed very Swedish, all it's products have Swedish names, and the restaurant promotes swedish food - well some swedish foods - the only food that people would dare to eat!
The children's playroom is called 'Småland', the name of the place Ingvar grew up which literally means 'little land'.

Proving that good marketing truly does know no bounds, Scandinavian furniture giant Ikea has found a way to sell their oddly-named, build-it-yourself furniture in the virtual world. Yes, design icons like the Leksvik coffee table and Ektorp sofa will now be featured in “The Sims,” the game series that allows players to simulate all the actions (and we do mean ALL of them) of real life with virtual people in a game setting. Instead of actually going outside and…you know…living life and stuff…

GOODBYE LENIN


 
This humorous and touching film shows a pro-communist family experience the fall of the Berlin wall and the effects from it. 
The mother who has a passion for her country with anti-western views, suffers a heart attack when seeing her son attacked my police in Berlin in a protest parade. She falls into a long coma, and wakes up when the Berlin Wall has fallen and everything in East Germany has finally been influenced by the west. Banners, billboards and commercials start flooding the city, advertising all sorts such as Coca-Cola. 
The doctor orders the family to not shock their newly woken mother, as the consequences could result in her death, so they have to conceal everything from her and pretend that nothing has changed. As she is bed bound, this is possible by closing the blinds in her bedroom and thy go back to wearing their old clothes.
However when she asks to watch the T.V or for typical german food which has ben replaced by westernised versions, it gets more complicated and her son and daughter have to go on the hunt for old jars to refill and make their own version of the news by making homemade videos. 

The film is really funny, and gives you a great sense of how it must have felt to experience the fall of the wall and it's outcomes without being too political or serious. The film is almost like the reverse of what has happened in Sao Paulo.


SAO PAULO - THE AD BUSTER























Back in December, 2006, the mayor of the 11-million-person Brazilian city of Sao Paulo banned all outdoor billboard advertising, citing advertisers' unwillingness to comply with the city's rules on what sort of billboards can be placed where. The statute's most visible impact promises to be at eye level and above. The outsized billboards and screens that dominate the skyline, promoting everything from automobiles, jeans and cellphones to banks and sex shops, have come down. All other forms of publicity in public spaces, like distribution of fliers, has also stopped. The law also regulates the dimensions of store signs, and will force many well-known companies to reduce them substantially by a formula based on the size of their facades. Another provision, much criticized by owners of transportation companies, outlaws advertising of any kind on the sides of the city's thousands of buses and taxis.Having just read a book about mass and popular culture, (An introduction to theories of popular culture, by Dominic Strinati) and being slightly alarmed at the thought that we are not a free as we think we are, and are in-fact more controlled than we are aware of, this comes as a pleasant and interesting surprise. It's a radical statement saying no to advertising, a move in the direction of communism perhaps?. It reminds me of the fall of the Berlin Wall, apart from the other way around. But, how do advertising and marketing companies get to their consumers in Sao Paulo now that they aren't allowed to parade their products along the skyline? How has this affected the way people think? Will this new society become less controlled and more free to think on their own? Freer than the rest of us? Maybe we should give it a go, although the streets of Sao Paulo do look rather empt, eerie and less colourful, as photographer Tony De Marco shows...




DORAVIDEO







DoraVideo is a Tokyo genius, who combines his drums with a computer, stirring up quite a storm of prizes and awards world wide. He creates a very exciting and fun atmosphere with his drum and computer controlled system. He places impact sensors all over the drum set, creating a huge video deck, allowing him to use the drum set to control video image.
His performances create a nonsensical fun and entertaining atmosphere, with some images being humorous and others based on political and moral issues. Some examples;
A home video taken by business men on a factory visit, a video taken at a hotel banquet in which a fellow clings to and pushes over a fat middle aged companion girl, Imperial court, and 'Bush and Bush', a moral video created for public use, North Korea and George W Bush, which is a collage of scenes of calisthenics and parades that surpasses Michael Moore's work. He generously shows an amazing collection of materials on video. 

He has combined music, art and political issues in a drum beat. The interesting thing is that most won't go to his performances for the music, but for the art and images behind him.

DON'T PANIC

































The Don't Panic promotion packs can be found around London and Manchester in most trendy shops and bars. They are free and catch your eye amongst all the other flyers as they are large, brown and are full of surprises. Made of brown package paper, they remind me of a little parcel you would get in the post in the second world war. Or maybe a bit more chic than that, due to the quirky designs printed on the front, designed by the public who enter their designs on the website.
Inside the pack you get an A2 full colour double sided poster, also designed by an aspiring artiste that has visited the site. More often than not, along with a load of aesthetically pleasing flyers about events and music, you get a packet of chewing gum, a pack of Rizzlas or sometimes even a bouncy ball! 
All advertising of course, Don't Panic must be being paid a fortune by these advertisers, so no wonder the packs are free .A good and tidy idea though to get lots of flyers into the palm of one persons hand, which will more often than not end up lying about the house somewhere, ambiently marketing itself. 
The website is a good place to go for inspiration to see what other artists are getting up to, and anyone can enter their monthly competitions and take their own spin on the the idea of 'Don't Panic'.

Click here for the website...


SPECIAL TEN DVD MAGAZINE

  
Special Ten is a magazine sold as a DVD in art shops such as Magma in Manchester and Borders. The website has a really simple, bold and fresh design using the colours grey, white and orange giving it an industrial feel which real works with the idea that it is DVD based. 
Having a magazine on a DVD is a forward thinking idea and is something that we may see happen more often now that we are more concerned about the environment. Printing thousands of magazines and using millions of trees doesn't seem as justified anymore now that Special Ten have created this stunning addition to the publishing world. You could argue many more benefits, such as a higher quality format can be produced on DVD than on paper, it's more economical in today's credit crunching world and it's also unique. 
Don't worry, you do still get the lovely experience of holding a magazine. You get the cover with information of what features on the DVD in the form of a magazine, but with a DVD tucked neatly inside. 

This forward thinking magazine will most deffinatley influence other publishing companies at some point in the future. It's another way to produce a magazine independently like Bearded magazine, but in a more economical way. 

Click here for the magazine website 

BEARDED MAGAZINE

This new magazine started off as a one-man show in Birmingham. Gareth Main (Editor-in-chief) decided that there was a gap in the market for an independent music scene magazine, containing nothing more and nothing less than interesting independent artists. He created his first copy completely independently (how app!) with his own money and ideas as he wanted to make it happen so badly. Made from 100% high quality, freshly printed smelling recycled paper, entwined with writing, illustration and design, this is a lovely addition to the independent art scene. 
This is a great inspiration and great to know that with enough will power and passion, you can create whatever you want. And if you're lucky enough, people will latch on and join in with the fun, like it did for Bearded, who now has many contributors on board, as well as his own web designer and art editor. 

Click here for the website...

Saturday 11 October 2008

TOKYO PLASTIC'S DRUM MACHINE

tokyoplastic is Sam Lanyon Jones and Drew Cope together they were raised by Amish foster parents and were terrified of television and computers until divine intervention exposed them to the joy of internet porn. After leaving home and traveling the world they were reunited by chance in 2002 and fathered tokyoplastic taking it from humble beginnings as a 15 second claymation nano-series to the internationally recognized website it is today

The website is a full of wonderful and random creations, such as the Drum Machine, which involves Japanese kodo drummers in bright 3D beating out a hefty tune, using their heads in place of sticks. Check out the video below of the drummers at work.



Go check more wonderful creations here: www.tokyoplastic.com

PETE FOWLER


One of the most prominent designers to come from Cardiff in the last decade is the wonderful Pete Fowler - who is responsible for most of Super Furry Animals' artwork and branding over the years, and also has his own brand of toys which is very popular in Japan.

His last major appearance in Cardiff was at last year's Swn Festival, which is run by BBC Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens. He created a huge mural on the wall of the Chapter Arts Centre in the Canton area of the capital, and it was a typical representation of his work - see above.

To see some more of his work, check his website here: www.monsterism.net

WHAT CLUTTER?

We've all heard of Ikea's flatpack houses, and we've seen big houses being exported to another location on some American building show - but this really pushes things to another planet.

A team of designers have come up with the solution that solves lack of space which will allow a tiny one room bedsit to enjoy luxuries such as a fully fitted kitchen, office and bedroom. The solution - get a fold-up version of course! Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is an invention by those clever origami-afficianados in Japan, with each 'set' folding up into a tiny box. See the video below:


BERGMAN DIRECTS WORLD IMAGE OF SWEDEN


INGMAR BERGMAN IS UNQUESTIONABLY among the best known Swedes in the world. He is not only Sweden’s foremost filmmaker of all time, but is generally regarded as one of the foremost figures in the entire history of the cinematic arts. In fact, Bergman is among a relatively small, exclusive group of filmmakers – a Fellini, an Antonioni, a Tarkovsky – whose family names rarely need to be accompanied by a given name: “Bergman” is a concept, a kind of “brand name” in itself.

Swedish films, and Scandinavian films in general, are known for stark landscapes and slow pacing and the author of this image is probably Ingmar Bergman. Bergman’s way of portraying his country in his films had a massive impact in the 1950s and 1960s. Around the world the people of Sweden was regarded as brooding, depressed and consumed by guilt. And Sweden itself was, according to the American Associated Press: ”the claustrophobic gloom of unending winter nights, its glowing summer evenings”.

Then, in the 1970s, Bergman involuntary changed the international view on Sweden again. It was in 1976 that the Swedish tax administration began a witch hunt on the director, who was brought from the theater by uniformed police. This was later recognized as the work of power hungry administrators and he was freed from all charges, but he was mentally broken. Around the world, the view of Sweden as a Soviet in miniature was cabled out.

This made not only Bergman aware that ”anyone in this country can be attacked and humiliated by a special kind of bureaucracy that is growing like a raving cancer”. At the same time, Swedish author Astrid Lindgren (writer of ”Pippi Longstocking”) was supposed to pay 102% in marginal taxes. Stories like these did not only change the view of Sweden, it also had its consequences within the country and the social democratic party lost the next election after 44 years in power.

Bergman is by many charactarised as a genius. But there is only one way to celebrate the genius and that is by making his films accessible. He might be concidered as kind of a national monument in Sweden, but it is the films that is the monument. It is a scandal that they are not available for everyone to see!”

SUPERTED STADIUM?



Welsh multi-millionaire Mike Young - the man who designed and created the cartoon character Superted - wants to sponsor Cardiff City's new stadium. Superted would be the first superhero in the world to have his own football stadium.

I've been a City fan since I was a schoolboy, maybe 10 years old, and I went to watch Cardiff play Leeds. Trevor Ford played for the Bluebirds that day and John Charles was centre-half for Leeds. Both were great Welsh players, but it was Ford's day - he scored a hat-trick and City won 4-1. Now I get back as often as I can, around six or seven times a season. I've lived in Los Angeles for 17 years now and at one stage I went 10 years without seeing them lose. That ended last season when they lost against Leicester City in the Carling Cup.'

Bluebirds fanatic Young, aged 60 and from Barry, has a studio and runs his own company, Mike Young Productions in Los Angeles.

'We are the largest independent animation company in America. We do more animation than Disney,' he added.

Superted isn't the only celebrity to sponsor Cardiff City. Local band the Super Furry Animals had their logo on the Bluebird's shirts when they released a single called 'Man Don't Give a Fuck' as a tribute to the 70's maverick Cardiff City player, Robin Friday.

ANGRY CARS HAS MORE APPEAL



Just like pet owners tend to look a bit like their animal friends, a new study has revealed that cars which are perceived to have angry, masculine and powerful 'faces' are more appealing to customers. This marketing psychology is an integral part of the design process and a way of subliminally targeting a specific audience of customers.

What type of cars take your fancy, and do they all look angry or have a friendlier face?

TOKYO FLASH

www.tokyoflash.com

There's only one place to go if you're after the most inventive and original watches on earth. And yes, it's no surprise that they're all designed and created in Japan. It was the Super Furry Animals who pointed their international pulses towards this grand shop. All the watches that are created are limited editions and only produced for a short time to maintain a totally unique watch for yourself. You will not find watches like these anywhere else in the world except for specialist shops in Japan.

Here are some magnificent designs from the Tokyo watch factory:



HAROLD AND MAUDE



Harold and Maude is a cult classic movie directed by Hal Ashby in 1971. The film, featuring slapstick, dark humour, and existentialist drama, revolves around the exploits of a morbid young man – Harold – who drifts away from the life that his detached mother prescribes for him, as he develops a relationship with septuagenarian Maude. The film wasn't well received on its release. However, with more and more appetite for quirky and humorous films, this film has proved to be a huge inspiration on similar movies, such as the recent Royal Tenenbaums and its director Wes Anderson.

Watch the whole film here:

INTERNATIONAL ART POLICE

http://www.genericartsolutions.com/Site/ArtCops

Matt Vis and Tony Campbell conceived The International Art Police in New York in 1998, but it wasn’t until both moved to New Orleans that they started their first tour of duty.
Since then they have completed successful tours in New York, London and Belfast and Dublin, as well as being on a tour of duty in Venice for the 2007 Beinnale.


Officers Campbell and Vis write tickets to artists and gallerists in an attempt to uphold the general rules of art, it must be stressed that this pedestrian form of criticism has no role in defining good or bad art. Racing car drivers are often ticketed for speeding, but their driving skills are not in question. Many citations have been written and numerous violations have been avoided due to their continued presence on the art beat.

SO HIP THEY DON'T NEED A REPLACEMENT


Came across an excellent photoblog that documents street style and fashion of the older generation. Ari Cohen, the creator, says: "Our aim is to take photos of elders with a unique sense of personal style that has developed with age. We notices so many amazingly dressed older people in New York and are having a great time getting to know them, hearing their stories and capturing a bit of their style to share with others."

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/10/09/cool-photoblog-elder.html

LADYHAWKE


Ladyhawke is the alter ego of the solo musician Pip Brown who has recently released her debut album on the Modular label. Her music is very nostalgic and been likened to that of Cyndi Lauper and New Young Pony Club. Her new album is bursting with eighties musical references and this image is well packaged in the marketing side of the Ladyhawke campaign.

The official website is complimented by a series of DIY videos that even Pip Brown herself has directed, and it's all part of the promotion technique. Also on her website is an arcade style game which cleverly has her music and herself appearing in it - again used to promote the idea of nostalgia and retroness.


BUDDHA MACHINE

The Buddha Machine is a little plastic box that plays music. Forget about all your pods and players, this is the best and cheapest pre-loaded Ipod you'll ever be able to buy. Produced in China and only available on the internet, this little gem of a design has attracted fans such as the electronic pioneer musician Brian Eno, who apparently has lots of them.

The makers, FM3, have constructed nine drones varying from two seconds to 42 seconds which repeat endlessly in the listener's ear until the "track" is switched to the next drone. They come in different colours, so you never know which one you'll get through the post. It's a must design to have to help you relax, work, and write blogs!



IAN SKOYLES' JIGSAW ART




Taking his inspiration from readymade pioneers such as Marcell Duchamps, the late Ian Skoyles was created his works of art using nothing but random jigsaws he had collected from car boot sales and junk shops. The painstaking work of collecting the jigsaw involved years of finding the right colour and shape to fit into his remade jigsaws. Asked if he would consider commision work, Skoyles responded "I suppose I could, but they might be waiting for years! Central to the process is chance. I am shifting pieces between puzzles and that depends on which puzzles I can make a comparison with. To an extent the work is dictated by the material. I spend a lot of time researching in second hand shops to find the right jigsaws".

His main objective having developed his original style was to create works using 3d images on the jigsaw. But, unfortunately, Ian Skoyles died last year after battling against cancer. His work has been shown in many galleries over the years, including Manchester's Lowry Centre, and will prove to be a huge inspiration to others to carry on with his work for many years to come.



 

WAYS OF SEEING

Ways of Seeing was a 1972 groundbreaking BBC television series that was created by John Berger, who later went on to publish a book of the same name. Against a backdrop of arts programmes that were generally traditional and classical in their themes, Berger tried to attack the method of interpreting art and critisise the traditional Western cultural aesthetics by raising questions about hidden ideologies in visual images. 

A pioneer in his own right, Berger managed to predict many developments in the art and design world by highlighting the importance of communication and the factors that affect the relationship between the maker and the looker and how both parties perceive an image.

BBC Four celebrated the forward thinking series this month with a night dedicated to showing the programmes to highlight how current and relevant its messages are to today's society.



SPACE FASHION LAUNCHED - WATCH THIS SPACE!


Space age tourism is upon us, and it's only a matter of time until we'll be heading down to our nearest travel agents to pick up space holiday brochures. That's what NASA and the space industry is telling us at the moment. Watching Judith Chalmers sip a space drink while orbiting around the globe might not happen - but what will definitely be happening in the future has already had an impact on other industries.  One such development is the space-inspired fashion  world, which is already making cosmic waves in the deisgn world .

Last year, Louis Vuitton held an exhibition at the Espace Louis Vuitton in Paris titled "The Temptation of Space" which included an installation by legendary French designer Phillipe Starck. That show then followed an international space fashion shows in Japan and the US. There is no doubt that in years to come, more and more of us will be accepting the new trend and wanting to participate in the whole idea. 

Companies such as DestinySpace and Rocketplane are looking at forming a space fashion organisation with other partners, while the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is looking at a new slim-fit space suit. NASA also is looking to design a new 'Constellation' suit especially for space travellers. 

A new dawn is beckoning - watch this space.



Friday 10 October 2008

PIZZA HUT REBRAND


Pizza Hut has had a radical overhaul in rebranding itself to 'Pasta Hut'. In a bid to be healthier, the chain battles to adopt a wholesome image - not whole-fat! The 50 year old US company uses 8,500 tones of cheese every year and has felt that in a health conscious world it had to change in order to attract the dying off customers. 

If people get too upset about it, they need not to worry as this is just a trial period. People can vote on www.pastahut.co.uk if they are for or against the idea.

The rebranded logo is very simple and works well as it is still completely recognisable. In fact, it makes the viewer look twice at the sign to double check that it really does say pasta and not pizza. This helps grab attention and gets people talking. 

The advert shown in the US is attention grabbing and uses shock tactics with a humorous outcome. At first, you are shocked from hearing the domestic violence the little boy witnesses from his parents in the kitchen. The father shouts at the mother for cooking a pizza. This goes on for longer than you think, making it almost unbearable to watch until right at the end when the slogan comes to the screen. It twists the unsettling atmosphere into a funny one, making you feel relieved. 

This is very clever as this reflects the rebranding of Pizza Hut, suggesting that we should be feeling relieved about it.


VOLVO C30

 The new Volvo C30 has an original, slightly unpleasant design due to it's odd shaping at the back. When seeing this car on the road without having seen the averts and concept behind the idea, it passes as an ugly car on the road. The only positive outcome for Volvo is of course that it had been noticed. 

With so many new car models frequently being added to the road and Volvo being one of the least talked about makes, maybe they felt that in order to get noticed, they needed to create a negative design that would turn heads and get people talking. They created a statement.

The advertising concept involves the audience and asks their opinion. They also work on the idea that you either love it or hate it (a bit like Marmite!) Comments like, "...That's one opinion - what's yours?" and "Design creates debate" enforces the idea that Volvo has aimed to make an impact.

This proves that a negative response is as powerful as a positive response.





NEW APPROACH TO SUPERMARKET BRANDING

An article in 'Design Week' mentioned the impact supermarket branding and packaging designers face in this new environmental and economical unstable world.

As the Brits have finally caught onto the idea of recycling and are being made more aware of the damage they are causing to the planet, they have also wised up on unnecessary packaging aimed to make the product look more luxurious. This is now seen as not only a waste of plastic, but also a waste of the consumers money. 

Marks & Spencer is the culprit of all the waste packaging monsters, creating a range of luxurious designs in order to accommodate their prices. Tesco, Aldi, Somerfield and Sainsbury's have all been in tail with their own extra special, extra extravagant ranges.

The consumer is now looking for simple, fresh and honest food with a slightly smaller price tag. Sainsbury's have answered this by revamping their own value range with these light hearted and honest designs. As the designs are so simple, people are assured that they are getting exactly what is written on the tin and that they haven't wasted their hard earnt money on posh packaging that ends up in the bin. 

Although it is the value range which in many cases are the most unsightly, these designs have a positive, fresh, clean and honest feel which is sure to reach the student and family market.

KONST & HANTVERK

Hans & Anita Ekedahl run their own gallery and art shop on the Swedish Island 'Gotland'. For many years they have been famous for their pottery, glassware, paintings and postcards of watercolour images of the island, painting warm and romantic summer settings of villas and flowers and in contrast, blistering cold days by the sea. They attract tourists from all over due to their beautiful representation of the island.

The artwork is moving as it represents my childhood and memories growing up. It’s also really inspiring that this couple have set up a successful business based on their passion and skills in art and crafts.  Their gallery is a ‘must see’ on the island and is advertised in the Gotland tourist guide.

http://ekedahl.hult.nu/

Thursday 2 October 2008

LINN OLOFSDOTTER



A current favourite artist is 'Linn Olofsdotter' who focusses on illustration. She's worked for a number of clients such as Starbucks, Levi's, BIK BOK, Computer Arts and loads more.  Her combination of illustration with lots of different textures and colours takes them to a deeper and more interesting level. She inspires you want to pick up a pen or a paintbrush and be really creative. It's really great to see a combination of hand drawn & scanned images looking so professional. 

Check this website - http://www.olofsdotter.com/

EARLY INSPIRATION - TONY HART

Tony Hart is a massive inspiration. He made art what it was with nothing more to it in a world where art was kept precious by the pompous. He made art accessible to anyone and everyone, and by showing the process of how to make a picture, it inspired people to go and do it. He made it look simple and fun, using objects from around the house to create patterns and shapes. The video of the paper triangle was ahead of his time. This DIY approach to design has become more and more popular over the few years.