Only Dead Fish

Cover Versions

Great catch on the Word Magazine weekly email - a short list of mashups that redesign classic album sleeves. This Flickr stream is my favourite, featuring some of my favourite albums too - "Classic records lost in time and format, re-emerged as Pelican books. Just for fun.":

It's Nice That

One of my favourite graphic design, illustration, and all-things-good blogs It's Nice That is going all analogue. They're launching a bi-annual publication to document some of the best work they've featured, along with some more in depth interviews and stuff. The idea is to 'break the mould of the classic design magazine' and 'publish some more honest, real content written by current practitioners'. I liked the sound of that, so I've pre-ordered a copy of the first issue. You can too, here. If it's half as good as the blog, it will be well worth it.

Wallpaper Design Awards 2009

The latest issue of Wallpaper features the winners of their annual design award-fest. And it's always a treat. So I've picked out three of my favourites.

1. Banq Restaurant, Boston
If I was an architect I'm sure I would be talking about 'flow' or using the word 'organic', but I just like this because the ceiling is slowly dripping into the room like someone's thrown a big bucket of wood-coloured slime over it. Lovely:

2. 'Bloomframe'

"At the touch of a button, the entire frame pushes outwards, like a flower in full bloom, to transform into a bijou balcony" says the blurb. It's Dutch, it's clever, and it gives me an excuse to use the word 'bijou'.

 

3. Final Wooden House, Japan

This is like a great big Jenga house. And Jenga is one of my favourite games (I'll challenge anyone) so what's not to like? You know those big garden Jengas? They're rubbish in comparison to this.

Lovely stuff. More here.

Wallpaper Graduate Directory 2009

I can hardly believe that it's been a whole year since I posted about The Wallpaper Graduate Directory 2008 but there you go, it's upon us again. Wallpaper is one of my favourite magazines and this one of my favourite things that they do. The 2009 directory features their pick of "the raw and the revolutionary who might just change your world forever". Here's some of my favourites from this years...

Photography - Cassanda Eeftink Schattenkerk:

Architecture - The Flotsam Project:

 

Graphics - Alex Weis:

 

Transportation - Sergio Loureiro:

 

More here

NPD Notebook

This is a plug but one that's well worth doing. Many companies get all het up about doing a corporate blog, forgetting that it is often the interesting people inside that organisation that people want to engage with. Well, the IPC new product development team have started a blog - it's a multi-author blog featuring Andy Cowles (Editorial development director and ex-art director of many iconic magazine brands including Rolling Stone), Steve Sutherland (a great writer, and ex Editor-in-chief of the NME) and web designer Charlie Francis . Andy said to me the other day that they are still exploring and finding the voice of the blog. I think they've made a pretty good start. Recent pearls include why changing direction is so difficult for creative people, these insights into great magazine cover design , and this peachy little film on When Did You Realise You Were An Editor? (including a guide to how you play 'strip Country Life'). Go take a look.

Kinetic Sculpture At The BMW Museum

An amazing moving sculpture at the new BMW Museum featuring 714 metal balls that move apparently weightlessly through a series of abstractions and classic BMW design forms. Developed by ART+COM. Wow. Maybe one day advertising will be like this (maybe this is advertising?)

Via

Posters As Art

I had no idea but apparently Chaumont in France has become one of the premier graphic design destinations in the world - no doubt helped by the fact that it hosts the annual International Poster and Graphic Design Festival which is currently taking place and which features a poster competition popular with graphic artists around the world. The images below are my favourites from a selection of some of the winners past and present:

There's more here

Wallpaper Design Awards 2008

Wallpaper have just announced the winners of their 2008 Design Awards. Winners from a huge selection of categories are listed, but my five favourites are:

1. Best Private house: The Ring House, Karuizawa by TNA

2. Best new Hotel: Riva Lofts, Florence by Claudio Nardi

3.   Best Alchemist: Martino Gamper

4. Best Stationary:   Lucienne Roberts for Tony Blair

5. Best Domestic Appliance: Katamari 01 Speaker by Giyanze

The Wallpaper Design Awards 2008

Related links:

Wallpaper Graduate Directory 2008

Subversion In A Vase

Wallpaper EcoEdit

Shipping Container Architecture

Rather like this. "Turning the icon of global trade into shelter".

For a larger image click here
Via.

Wallpaper Graduate Directory 2008

Wallpaper has just introduced a directory of the 110 best graduate designers on it's website. It features talent from around the globe from the fields of design, graphic design, photography, fashion, illustration, art, architecture, jewellry and textiles. Here's some of my favourite work from it: