I’ve always loved artwork made with traditional mediums through traditional processes. Combine it with nerdy references to modern video game culture, and I won’t be able to wipe a smile from my face! Enter Ukiyo-e Heroes. The project is a series of traditional Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, drawn by Jed Henry and carved by master printmaker, David Bull. Ukiyo-e means …
20|20 Wins ‘Best in Show’ at the 2013 Coastal California ADDY Awards
20|20 recently picked up several honors at the AAF’s 2013 Addy Awards ceremony in Santa Barbara, including the top honor of “Best in Show” for our work on Jimmy Towel’s brand. Alec, who attended the event, was surprised by the announcement as they closed the evening and played Jimmy Towel’s videos on the big screen! If you’ve seen the tongue-in-cheek …
Handy Dandy: The Art of Hand Lettering
Hand lettering is enjoying a major resurgence these days—from everything to the walls of your favorite coffee house, to brands of some of the world’s biggest companies. In its purest form, hand lettering can simply be defined as “the art of drawing letters.” Different from standard typography where you use previously designed components (fonts), hand lettering is a combination of …
Pantone’s 2013 Color of the Year: Emerald
Each year, I’m thrilled when Pantone announces their selection for Color of the Year. It’s fascinating to see how they project a color will permeate different industries and conventions to influence our lives throughout the coming year. Anyone recall Tangerine Tango from last year? For 2013, Pantone has chosen Emerald (Pantone 17-5641) as the tone of choice. While the color …
The Commercial Your Commercials Should Be Like
Hello, ladies. What makes a memorable commercial in a society of absolute sensory overload? Humor, wit, and a ridiculousness that borders on the absurd, apparently. In 2010, Old Spice, in collaboration with ad agency Wieden+Kennedy, began a new ad campaign that is now commonly referred to as “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.” In a single, uncut shot with …
Runners. Yeah, We’re Different.
In recent months, I’ve taken to a hobby that I never envisioned myself liking: running. It started as a casual effort, a couple miles here and there, but now I’m in deep. So deep that I’ve signed up for the City to the Sea Half Marathon October 14th (yikes). In my time on the road, I’ve become privy to this …
Heard and Not Seen: Olympic Ads Feature Celebrity Narration
With the Olympics coming to a close, we now have a chance to reflect back on the spectacle of the games. World records set; artful displays of speed and agility; obligatory shots of anxious parents having heart attacks in the stands. It was quite a site to behold. But as for an ad-enthusiast, one of the best parts had to …
BOLT Launches New Website!
A few months ago, BOLT (Bulk or Liquid Transport, Inc.) came to us for a website overhaul. The trucking company, based out of Grover Beach and operating throughout California, Arizona and Utah, is an innovator to say the least. BOLT is an outstanding industry leader in safety and emissions standards, using the latest technology to keep its trucks running smooth and …
A Marketing Genius
Here’s a lighthearted piece to brighten your Monday. You know how it goes, you spend your days toiling over the perfect brand to match the genuine story of your client. You stay awake at night thinking of that perfect tagline. You think for hours about which Pantone to use for that logo. And then some amateur on Craigslist goes and …
Blog Envy – Colossal: Flickr Finds
I thought I’d share one of my favorite parts of my favorite art and design blogs with you today. Colossal is a well-curated art and design blog from the mind of Christopher Jobson in Chicago. The blog is a continual wealth of visual inspiration, but one of my favorite parts is the recurring Flickr Finds that culls the best recent …