As I was scavenging for content, I came across with a cool post on webxpedition18.com featuring some ads Apple have published over the years. Sure, some are just plain hidious, but some, specially the later ones, are quite pleasing to the eye; but above all, a gasp of fresh air to the brain. Continue reading
Category Archives: Layout
HP Officejet Pro, Print Ad
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I really like the oblique, 3-d typography on this ad, is somewhat different from similar designs that are so common these days. Here is a good sample of less is more; notice how the typographical subtle execution brings a nice balance to the energetic and colorful elements in the foreground, which competes against the dark negative space of the overall design. It’s always nice to see a job well done, isn’t?
Proventil HFA : Cool Pharmaceutical Design
A couple of days ago a nurse gave me this trial medication, being who I am I couldn’t help noticing the nice packaging design and I even mentioned it to her. Obviously, she just smiled and changed the subject. Being a graphic designer I’m quite used to it by now, anyway, I just liked how this package reminds me of classical graphic design styles and the absence of white, which has always been so common in pharmaceutical design. The pallet combination based on secondary colors and the linear components makes the box look warm and inviting, things that are always welcome when it comes to medicine!
Target Does it Again
I’m a big fan of Target’s advertisement, I find it amazing how each campaign never gets repeated, and yet, somehow it never fails to be identifiable as Target. There have been times when I have been able to spot their commercials way before their logo comes up at the end; that, to me, is corporate identity at its best. I’ve spotted this ad in Men’s Health Just as I was waiting at the register line, obviously, the fact I scanned it and posted it here is proof that I bought the darn magazine just because of this ad. I really dig the photographic treatment, it’s so refreshing to have our eyes finally taking a break from silhouettes that the Ipod made so popular a few years ago and eventually has become a cliché. I realize that the color overlaid is nothing new, but the great thing here is the sense of energy expressed through color, also, those dotted lines at the bottom gives the ad a very elegant look and yet, stresses the feeling of motion and excitement associated with sports clothing.
Learning from Fabien Baron
Sometimes when I’m out in the world and come across with an interesting piece of advertisement or whenever I find myself flipping through the pages of a magazine, I can’t help taking my time to look closely and absorb as much as I can. Soon after trying to figure out how it was done and giving myself the challenge to emulate whatever I liked about it, I can’t help wondering who did it. I actually think it would be great to see the name of the creative director printed somewhere just so that the world knows who worked on it, in the same fashion artists like Michelangelo or Vincent Van Gogh would do to show their pride for their work well done. Looking at the work of Fabien Baron has taught me that being obedient and having a clear direction will inevitably reflect on the quality of one’s work, just as it’s seen on some of his now iconic works.
Esquire Magazine:Content Page, July ’09
The content page from July’s edition of Esquire Magazine, is quite beautifully designed. The layered structure is definitely a mind grabber, and though it may seem chaotic at first sight, the composition is organized in such a way that its content immediately becomes simple to process. Nowadays, I hardly get indulged with print media, but I now realize that Esquire provides a very strong source of inspiration, it’s definitely worth following for any creative professional who like me, never ceases to learn.
The Definition(s) of Art,
According to Paul Rand
(Art is…) an idea that has found it’s perfect form (…) art is if you’re lucky
Watching the above video helped me to understand the reason why I always feel weary around people who call themselves artists. As Mr. Rand had clearly stated, art is not something that you just go and do, art is the result of constant learning. What impresses me most about this interview is the simple way in which he was able to define the strenuous course that’s involved with the creative process,
Innovative Horizontal Design:
Cool Poster by Tom Eckersley
The more I dig into graphic design history books, the more I realize the tremendous source of inspiration! At the present moment my eyes are having quite a feast looking through the pages of AGI, Graphic Design Since 1950 edited by Ben & Elly Bos and published by Thames & Hudson. By The way, AGI stands for Alliance Graphique International .
Being an emerging graphic designer, I am constantly revising its fundamentals, and I recall when I recently read that horizontal designs have a tendency to feel stable and may also communicate a sense of calmness that vertical compositions do not have. Author Alan Hashimoto explains in his book Visual Design Fundamentals, A Digital Approach , published by Charles Rivers Media: Think about how landscapes and seascapes stretching out horizontally seem relaxed and soothing. When we are at rest, our bodies are usually horizontal, providing the sense of calm required for sleep. Well, I’m not going to dispute Hashimoto’s theory, however, I couldn’t help noticing the dynamic quality of the poster I have included in this post, does it seem stable to you?
The poster above was designed by Tom Eckersley, (1914-1997). Along with Eric Lombers, his friend from his days in art school, Eckersley became one of the most solicited poster designers in his native Britain. Some of their clients included the BBC and the British Post Office. Prior to WWII, he would occasionally be a lecturer to art students at the Westminster School of Art, and during war, Eckersley designed maps , he became a cartographer. Like many designers of his era, Eckersley was a huge supporter of modernism as a way to promote social progress, and for the rest of his career, Eckersley became active in design education, becoming a lecturer at Yale University and head of the London School of Printing (Now, the London School of Communication), Which currently owns his archive. The work of Eckersley is currently exhibited in multiple museums including NY MOMA, the Imperial War Museum in London, and Museum Amsterdam.
Algerian:
From Wall Flyers to the Web
(and Liquor Labels)
It seems like “Algerian,” a typeface influenced by Victorian era woodcuts created in 1988 by Phillip Kelly at Letraset, is gaining major exposure these days. Not only I see it being used for flyers posted on the wall of a public building, or an ad for a jazz concert printed in the back pages of a newspaper, but as this sample shows, some web designers are giving it that bubbly effect, so popular nowadays. Personally, I don’t have anything against any specific font; what matters most to me is the message, and as the graphic shows, I don’t think the message communicates well. I can see the designer is going for an informal romantic appeal, but somehow this design seems heavy on the eyes as is overly saturated with thick outlines, which at first sight, makes it hard to read. In any case, I don’t think Algerian is suitable for the bubbly effect I mentioned earlier, as it creates too much conflict with its serifs.
Follow Up
It’s funny how sometimes my observations come back hunting me. I couldn’t help adjusting this post as it helps me to better illustrate my idea, notice how the liquor label below displays the typeface more effectively, not only it’s much easier to read but it also takes advantage of the distinctive qualities that makes Algerian so attractive. Once again, it’s always best to leave display typefaces alone, and thus, let them shine by their own accord.
Justified Text:
Sometimes It Just Looks Cool!
Many times I find very interesting and inspiring ways to play with type. These two examples show how some designers aren’t afraid to justify their text, either by making text look extremely tight or by leaving out empty gaps between each word. In my opinion, this kind of treatment makes an interesting visual texture, and gives content a more intriguing appeal.