Graniph

I fell in love with the store Graniph when I was in Japan a few years. One of my very first blog posts ever was about them. I was curious to see what new designs were up. A little background on Graniph:

With clothing it is always delightful to find a harmonious marriage of graphic design and fashion. Graniph is one that is both witty and original -- of course it's from japan. Design Tshirts Store Graniph takes the next step from where AA basic t-shirts leave off. What sets graniph apart are collaborations with contemporary and up-and-coming artists and designers from around the world. They also delve into the vaults of design history using images from great minds of the 20th century. Always looking for more without pretense, graniph accepts ideas from designers, typographers, and photographers submitted through their website to ensure the constant flow of amazing design.

The t-shirts are entirely fairly priced, just 2500 yen ($25) for a tshirt, and Graniph translates their ideas into portable mediums as well -- the lighter! I'm actually admiring one in my hands right now. One panda snoozes while another puffs away on a cigar, while a third flies above. I know it sounds bizarre, but I assure you it is so cute it will make your heart hurt.

So what have they been up to? I was going to say that I wasn't as crazy about this year's design options, until I saw that they had a Josef Mueller Brockmann series! Then I did some digging and found at least 10 that I wanted. I love the Dance of the Death (I'm a sucker for happy skeletons). Oh Graniph, you've done it again.

You're a Really Nice Guy

I can't stop listening to this song.

Summer Camp - Ghost Train (viral) from Paddy Power on Vimeo.

L'histoire d'art

That art history degree wasn't for nothing, I can snobbily enjoy this video!

70 Million by Hold Your Horses ! from L'Ogre on Vimeo.

Something Nice on a Sunday

Okay, I'm a little late on the draw here since the design world was apparently all abuzz about these BAFTA posters by Travis Coburn back when they were relevant, but I had to post them. His work is incredible. Here is a quick sample of some illustrations that blew me away. I love the blandwich. My secret dream that I will one day wake up with illustration skills like these just slunk a little deeper into the recesses of my brain.

4 8 15 16 23 42

If anyone has spoken 3 words to me this week they'll know I'm really into Lost right now. I was thinking of channeling my love into some posters, but then realized that there must be good designers out there who share the Lost fever. Mattson Creative certainly do! (And did an amazing job too.)

cool breeze, tight squeeze, and NOW!

* Please note that I am terrified of aliens and they can
never be brought up in my presence.





Right now I totally have the creeps. Not because I watched 4 episodes of Lost today (although I'm sure that's affecting me subconsciously). I am completely at home, alone, with the creeps. I even looked at the Creature From the Black Lagoon and thought how scary it would be if that was walking down the hallway towards me. Ladies and Gentlemen, I have officially devolved into a 5 year old.

On-Going Playlist for March

I have been really repetitive with my music lately, but I find that it somehow helps my thought process or at least concentration when I do this. It's possible there would be no provincial poster series in my portfolio if this playlist wasn't working its way through march:

Foreign Born - Vacationing People
Serge Gainsbourg - Initials B.B.
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
La Roux - In for the Kill (Twelves Remix)
Kings of Leon - Use Somebody
Santa Esmeralda - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Koko Von Napoo - Polly (Chateau Marmont Remix)
School of Seven Bells - Half Asleep
Cults - The Curse
College f. Minitel Rose - The Energy Story
Rosanne Cash f. Bruce Springsteen - Sea of Heartbreak
The XX - Islands (Chillinger Remix) *
Placebo - Every You Every me

This isn't about amazing music selection, these are the songs that sort of fell together to become my preferred design playlist of the month.

Completely Gratuitous

I'll be honest, more than once I have actually said out loud "I wish I had a time machine" while looking at this album cover. While the album itself isn't my favourite, this is by far my favourite Bruce cover of all time. Of all the records I stole from my brother this was the only one I never returned. I have been meaning to get one of those record frames for it, but realized I could never decide which side I wanted displayed.

Colour Choices

So hard to decide!

March Music

Every month, over the course of the month, I end up making a playlist. This usually stems from the fact that I need good design music to listen to over and over again, a fallback playlist that I can count on when it's 2am and the finished product is still not in sight. By month's end I need a change. These playlists develop really naturally, and usually half the songs are gathered from a few days of playing my entire library on shuffle and reminding me of songs I may have forgotten about or just always loved.

Why am I telling you this? Because this just made the list.

Early Design #1

I didn't mean to stray so long from this blog, but the preparation of a portfolio is much more intense than you might think. In light of the direction my life is going (I couldn't bring myself to say career) I thought it was fitting to show some of my early starts in design. From what I remember the public library was giving these out and I coloured my little heart out. I just noticed that Earth is in 2 different shades.