20100525

Shit Has Been Hectic + Kisses



Mostly, in the best ways possible.

And I have been sketching quite a bit, though mostly for work. I've been fluctuating between graphic design, illustration and general art direction at a small Brooklyn-based company that specializes in music-based iPhone apps. I've been here since October and am enjoying the increased responsibilities of managing so many overlapping projects... Plus I love my co-workers and really believe in the work we do.

I'm hot on the heels of a new season... from what I hear, New York's is an insufferably hot and balmy summer. I'm a year-round Antarctican by nature so we'll see how that sits with me. The upside to the impending discomfort is, of course, all the beautiful people that have already emerged these past weeks in the least amount of sheer clothing possible.



"Bermuda" by Kisses is this season's athem so far (free download here) ... and I want this Bijoué portable speaker by Audio-Technica, pictured above, for playing such music during lazy weekend days at the park.


Source - CrunchGear
Buy Here - AudioCubes

20091228

Goodbye 09 + Happy New Year



Resolution 01 - Sketch more.

xx

20091128

"Just Like A Woman" + Charlotte Gainsbourg



This illustration was inspired by the Bob Dylan classic, "Just Like A Woman." Mr. Dylan has rightfully earned his place in American culture as one of our greatest musical talents of all time and, while I can recognize his talents as a songwriter, I've found it a challenge to listen to most of his work simply because of his... "unique" voice.

Luckily for me there are many Bob Dylan cover songs out in the world! This interpretation of "Just Like A Woman," sung by one of my favorite singers/actresses/human beings, Charlotte Gainsbourg, is simply beautiful. Coupled with Gainsbourg's signature airy vocals, this reinterpretation doesn't lose focus from Dylan's beautiful composition and brutally honest lyrics.



Charlotte's new album, IRM, was produced in whole with Beck and is due out in the states on the 26th of January. Her new video for "Heaven Can Wait" is one of the best I've seen in a long time — No really, it's amazing. You can watch it now over at Pitchfork.

20091009

TAMA + I've Been in NY for 6 Weeks



This is not my work. It's an illustration by a Japanese artist by the name of Tama. I was pleasantly suprised to find that Manhattan has its own bigger, better version of the Kinokuniya Bookstore I had so frequented during my five years in San Francisco. I found this book sitting amongst a pile of others and it immediately took my breath away. I can't understand a word of the accompanying poetry but, if you manage to see this in print, you'll understand why words are not needed. I can't articulate what's going on nor how I should feel when I look at Tama's work and that makes this book incredibly memorable.

I'm interning at Marque Creative, abranding agency in Manhattan for the time being whilst I update my portfolio, re-do my website, and execute an over-all streamlining of my site identity. New York is an incredibly dark, beautiful and inspiring place to live. Even when I start to miss the comforts and convenience of a more obscure environment, I still know this is where I need to be.

Source - http://tamaxxx.egoism.jp/

20090915

Julian Casablancas - Phrazes For The Young



Julian Casablancas, the lead singer of the legendary Alt-Rock outfit, the Strokes, is gearing up to release his debut solo album, Phrazes For The Young on the 3rd of November in the U.S.. To say that the Strokes have made some of the greatest, most influential music of my young life would be an understatement and I've consequently been on the edge of my seat about this project since I learned of its fruition earlier this summer. This preview video (down below) was realeased in June and is a minute and a half of pure modern art - a beautiful set of visuals, clips, and text blurbs to match the sound of what I'm hoping will be an epic project.



Click Here for more information.

20090830

Nintendo DSi - Print & Online Buzz Campaign





This project involved re-branding an already existing company or product. I chose the hand-held, dual touch-screen gaming system, the Nintendo DSi. Through much research, it's plain to see that Nintendo has consistently proven itself to still be relevant for decades and isn't hurting for customers. With the DSi, however, I felt that Nintendo could further increase their sales and customer loyalty for years to come by appealing to a wider range of consumers.

Thus far, the visual promotion for the DS, DSlite & DSi have been very clean and, at times, sterile. There is nothing in the marketing or branding that even begins to hint at how incredibly fun, intricate, and original the titles and interface are. Wi-fi connectivity plays a huge role and there is a nook for every age group – even my mother and grandmother enjoy the Brain Age titles. Playing with a Nintendo DSi (the "i" stands for I, the individual) is incredibly fun for many people of many ages, creating the experience of a self-contained technicolor world. This is something I felt like the current branding and promotion missed and, if addressed with care and delicacy, could bring in a wider audience that is often times too scared off by the sterility of similar technology branding.



Because the existing approach has proven itself successful thus far, my goal was not to flip everything upside down with explosions of color. Rather, the intent was to let the DSi's existing tag-line "What will you and I do?" take center stage for the inspiration for just about everything in this print and online buzz campaign. The world is delicately colorful, intricate, and, through the tiny scenes of ambiguous people engaging in existing gaming titles in various parts of our world, I wanted to give the viewer a reason to look twice. With online roll-over animations of this vibrant world, I wanted the viewer to look closely at all the DSi has to offer and click through for additional information about this truly innovative product. Ultimately, I want customers of all demographics to reconsider any notions that this product may not be right for them.


Nintendo DSi - What Will You and I Do?