ARNOLDBUCKS

The Courage Campaign recently released Arnold Bucks. What a fantastic concept!

from the Courage Campaign:

California faces financial "Armageddon," as Arnold Schwarzenegger bluntly stated a few weeks ago. And yet Arnold and his fellow Republicans rejected compromises by Democrats to rescue our state from a catastrophic budget
crisis, unparalleled in the history of California. Because of the ridiculous 2/3rds budget rule -- the super-majority required to pass a budget in the California state legislature -- and Arnold's failure to deliver even one vote from a small cabal of obstructionist Republicans, Californians may be getting IOUs in the mail next month instead of financial aid checks or tax refunds. Many Californians are so overwhelmed by this paralyzing crisis that they've just tuned it out. As a result, Arnold is not being held accountable for his failure to lead.

That's why we decided to try something a bit unorthodox -- raise awareness by using humor to highlight the absurdity of these IOU's, or what we are calling "Arnoldbucks."

So the Courage Campaign asks "What will you do with your Arnoldbucks?"

Well, for one, I might just pay my taxes with it.

RIP CRAFT MAGAZINE

How dang cute does Amy Sedaris look?

As the founding art director of Craft Magazine, I am {of course} partial to this publication in particular. I was part of the team that established the initial design direction, and after moving to another company, the publisher took operations in-house for the second issue. I love that they have stayed true to their indie DIY spirit.

I'm sad to report that Craft will no longer publish a print magazine. They will move all of their content online. A smart business move, for certain, but I do lament that Craft is no longer in print. Congrats to the team for a nice run, and all my best wishes for your online future.

ANYONE CAN SWISS

You have to head over to Anyone Can Swiss. What a fun concept! Sometimes designers get a little full of themselves. (And I mean fashion, industrial, graphic et. al) Anyone Can Swiss breaks down that wall, with a little tongue-in-cheek humor. Any designer worth their praises should not be threatened by this idea. Rather, good designers know that Swiss (or any other style/school) is only the beginning of good design.

Congrats to Dirk+Weiss!

LOVE MAGAZINE

I'm excited about the LOVE mag launch from the UK. Here's to print, may it survive!

VIA Refinery 29

ON AND OFF...

...the radar?

Recently, we had a house fire that was very scary and very real. I am posting this because I would love it if you would make sure you have a working smoke alarm (with extra batteries on hand), and a non-expired fire extinguisher.

Soapbox finished, on to design.

I found this lovely piece of safety design over at Playmedesign. Although currently a concept by Sigrun Vik, a masters candidate at Oslo School of Architecture and Design, this design is simply genius. A good looking fire extinguisher that can be kept in (plain enough) sight may be the piece of design that saves your home. (Our fire extinguisher saved our home + stuff!)


"But though it could be about life and death, the extinguisher is not a pretty object and we tend to stuff it away, instead of placing it in visible parts of our homes."

lights up in case of fire

I've been interested in the utilitarian element of safety design for some time, I have a book filled with vintage and new airline safety cards. There's something so base and lovely about public arena design, such as the London Underground maps. Still, there's so much room for improvement, especially civic design pieces for public transport. (Bay Area residents, see BART in-train ads, how Photoshop 2.0!)

The MOMA exhibit SAFE: Design Takes On Risk (check out their 2005 Flash-y website here) was an interesting collection of pieces designed for safety. Though slightly outdated, the thought behind these everyday improvements are so big, and so needed.

NEW VINTAGE

fab examples of Betsey's personal style

Betsey Johnson has been an influential fashion designer and personality alike since the '70s, when she was the head of Alleycat and married to ubercool rock icon John Cale. Though of course she's a modern gal, she's going old-school again! Teaming up with Humberto Leon and Carol Lim of Opening Ceremony, Johnson is reviving the designs she created in her early days. Entitling the resurrected line "Betsey Johnson Archive", it's like vintage—but without the sketchy lineage of owners in between. Let the cartwheeling begin!

VIA Refinery 29

OLSENS

A friend and I started an Olsen twin PRO/CON list. I love lists:

Props to Marcie for being hilarious.

DOMINO'S DONE

the most recent issue featuring the adorable Zooey Deschanel

It is true Domino is done. The letter from the editors says it best:
---
We started with a real idea—that style is for everyone—and tried to carry it out with stories that provide inspiration and empower you to act on it. From your tremendous response, we know that we were onto something. In this tough economy, however, we simply weren't able to get the advertising support we needed.

As domino evolved, we never lost sight of our original democratic premise. Looking back at the manifesto we published in the premiere issue, the first tenet of domino is still the truest: Home should make you happy. We hope we have played a part in making this come true for you.

Love,
All the editors of domino
---

Another victim to the failing economy, yes. But this is also an example of the fact that media have to create a niche area for content that is second to none for reaching advertiser's intended audience. It is too bad Domino was not able to stay afloat. How can we restructure the old model?

UPDATE: interesting New York Times article on Domino's shuttering

ART OF PARTICIPATION

Abramović / Ulay, Imponderabilia (photographic documentation), 1977; Performance at the Galleria Communale d'Arte, Bologna, Italy, shows people passing through a doorway with 2 naked people blocking the doorway. Such an awkward exchange.

There's a great exhibit at SFMOMA called "The Art of Participation" through 2/8. Visited last night with a few friends. Our favorite piece was a rubberband net that partrons are supposed to hold out as a net. 4 women held it out, and a guy ran up and jumped into it, splatting onto the floor. I imagine it was not what he expected!

Some of my favorite comtemporary performance artists are featured like Nam June Paik and John Baldessari.

Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Microphones, 2008; Patrons talk, sing, yell into microphones and the sounds are played back seemingly at random

ART + POLITICS

love the use of type by Lance Wyman

great piece by Michael Bierut

No one can deny the power of Shepard Fairey's "Hope" poster in communicating to a younger generation. I'm awed by how many artists, famous and nameless, have been inspired by Obama. It is all positive and full of hope: head over to Danzinger Projects to view the Obama exhibition. {If you're in NYC, it's at 512 West 26th Street.}

my favorite piece by Renan Molin

LOVELY LINKS

Check out this lace fence from Demakersvan in the Netherlands.

VIA Dinosaurs and Robots

LUCKY NUMBER FOURTY FOUR

Talking about "Design," can always be a little bit ethereal and, well dorky. Sometimes people don't get Design (with a capital D).

But design as a practice, can be more than a typeface. Or a Pantone color. Or a runway. Design is the architecture of a movement. Design should be seen for what it can be: a way to communicate a message.

I'm elated America understood that message. Congrats to our 44th president. May you help design America's future.




Amazing shots pulled together by The Boston Globe, thanks to my informant Ann in DC!

POP JUNKIES

I'm loving these ad busted music posters from Wooster Collective. Such a fun play on the realities of manufactured pop princesses!

VIA Make
{PS. I art directed the launch issue of Craft, Make's sister magazine!}

MYFONTS REDESIGN

Underware type foundry just published their case study on their redesign of the Myfonts logo. Love to see Myfonts refreshing their identity! (A much needed one for a font website.) Some would argue that Underware only has "one style", but I don't care... As long as you do one thing... do it well! Cheers to a job well done.

ECOFONT

Check out ecofont, a typeface that helps save money and the environment by using less ink...genius!

COFFEE CHIC

Check out this super cute and functional wrist/coffee cuff! In love!
Now I might lose half my guilt over the paper coffee cup protector...but there's still that paper cup.

SCOUT

Recognize this building from an awesome 80's movie about ghosts?

It is all in the details... over at Scouting NY, a film location scout records the details of New York City "most of which are ignored every day by thousands of New Yorkers in too much of a rush to pay attention." I personally like the focus on Art Deco architecture and typography in signage.

VIA PSFK

KIT

Have a super fab holiday! I'll be back around the 29th! xo.

PRESIDENTIAL DESIGN

My personal favorite, the classy and personal B+W card from Hoover

Over at the Daily Heller, design critic Steven Heller points us to a brief history of presidential season's greetings. I just love peering into a somewhat personal relic of holidays past, especially with the perspective of today. A Kennedy holiday card? Très chic if Jackie would have been plastered on the front of it.


On an more timely note, since I donated to the Obama cause, I can't wait for my holiday card... hint, hint! Will Obama bring a new updated design sense to the Oval Office's communications? I think so. His design team's fresh (for politics) choice of Gotham from HF&J in campaign branding is a design geek's indicator. The choice shows a new recognition and sensitivity to the changing faces of modern design, and I would argue, modern thinking. (Check out more on the politics of Gotham over at the Atlantic Community blog.)

Historical type references from HF&J

WINE SAMPLER

While searching for unique gifts, I found these wine sampling bottles. While wine tasting will always trump just about any weekend activity, this is a sweet packaging idea for any liquid-- or gel? Don't let the hero shot fool you: these are available in small 6cl and 10cl variants. For those of us still in the dark ages of American measure, this equals 2 fl oz.(2 tbsp) and 3.3 fl oz.(6.6 tbsp). The flat base and flat screw top likely make them easier and cheaper to ship in large quantities.

The only place to get these mini marvels are in Colette, Paris. Follow the link to email some French dude if you insist upon finding these. In the meantime, I'm going to do some digging of my own design...

VIA Luxury Insider