COOL! 'Best Web Gallery' Website

I mentioned Best Web Gallery in my previous posting about Nick La's, Web Designer Wall. Best Web Gallery is an inspirational gallery site where they've collected a wide range of quality design websites (Flash & CSS), blogs and resources. Beside the gallery, they also have extra side notes, where they post interesting URLs, resource links, and any design related news. I noticed a lot of cool websites that I had only seen recently were already in the gallery... go check it out at http://bestwebgallery.com/ - enjoy!

Web Designer Wall - Photoshop Secret Shortcuts

Photoshop Secret Shortcuts via WebDesignerWall - Web Designer Wall is the public blog for Nick La, who also runs N.Design Studio and Best Web Gallery (both sites are worth a look). It seems like an interesting blog and I've added it to my list of daily feeds... check it out at http://www.webdesignerwall.com/

COOL! New Zealand All Blacks Rugby 'Haka'

I recently came across a picture of the New Zealand All Blacks performing their traditional 'Haka'. The image was so visually striking that it piqued my curiosity enough to do a quick YouTube search. I was delighted to see that there were numerous videos of the All Blacks performing the 'Haka', very cool indeed. I know that I wouldn't want to be on the opposing team trying to stare them down... Check out the video on YouTube.

GDC Manitoba | Button Swap 2007

GDC Manitoba is once again proud to present another Button Swap. What is it? A call for GDC Manitoba members to design artwork for a full-colour one-inch lapel button. You will receive 100 buttons in return, and out of this 100 you receive one of each swap participant's design. The remainder are your own. Button artwork and payment is due no later than Thursday, November 15 at 5:00 PM. For more information, visit the GDC Manitoba website.

Recommended | GOOD Magazine

I recently came across the first anniversary issue of GOOD magazine at the local bookstore... the issue has a striking orange cover with an x-ray photo of an AK47. I couldn't help but pick it up to take a closer look. Upon closer inspection, I found myself captivated by the interesting use of info graphics and symbols throughout the magazine, the clean layouts, as well as the range of topics covered. I'd recommend that you pick up your own copy if you have a chance. Subscriptions are cheap and 100% of your money goes to help the organization of your choice, visit http://www.goodmagazine.com/ - Cheers!

Typetester - Online Screen Font Comparison

Typetester is one of a number of online comparisom tools for screen fonts. This is an extremely handy web/new media developers tool... check it out at http://www.typetester.maratz.com/ - enjoy!

Brian Dilg Photography | Imaging

Along the same line as my previous post about Christophe Huet - 'Photoshop King', I remember coming across Brian Dilg Photography's website some time ago... similar to the 'making-of' slideshow on Christophe's website, Brian Dilg has a section of his website dedicated to imaging/image re-touching. By mousing over an image one can see the original from which the final piece was created. Some of the image manipulation is very subtle where others are more extreme... Brian provides a brief description for the process involved with each image. Definitely worth a look! Check it out at http://www.briandilg.com/

Christophe Huet - 'Photoshop King'

Christophe Huet is a master of 'the Adobe' ;) His Photoshop re-touching work is absolutely amazing... his website is quite interesting, each portfolio piece includes a 'making-of' slideshow, showing the images' evolution from start to finish. Quite clever and inspiring! Check out his website at http://www.christophehuet.com/

Via NiceToMeetYou blog - enjoy!

Toronto Subway System Typography

An excellent link about the Toronto Subway System Typography from Cameron Cavers via the GDC Listserve:

I spent some time getting to know the Toronto subway system this summer and noticed the cool original typography on the tiles in many stations... Joe Clark has a study on this site of the history of typography in the subway system.

http://joeclark.org/appearances/atypi/2007/TTC/inscribed/

Thanks for the link Cameron!

Take-G Toy's - Amazing Wooden Toys

Takeji Nakagawa aka Take-G, is an insanely talented Japanese craftsman who produces unique and stunningly beautiful wooden 'toys'. Take-G's toys are constructed using Yosegi-Mokuzougan, or joined wooden block construction. The craft involves the combination of original and unique colours and textures of different kinds of wood to express artistic patterns. You have to see his work! Gorgeous would be an understatement... check out the Take-G website and Take-G blog. Cheers!

BLF - Billboard Liberation Front Creative Group

A good friend of mine recently brought to my attention the Billboard Liberation Front Creative Group (BLF). As far as I can tell, the BLF could be considered as 'professional guerilla advertising specialists'... from the BLF website:

We offer a broad range of black-bag operations and cultural jam services, from project management and subversion consulting to media manipulation and thought placement...

I'm not sure how that they're able to pull off some of the work they've done, but some of it is quite clever and engaging... check out the BLF website at http://www.billboardliberation.com - enjoy!

Thanks for the link Beth!

LifeStraw - Portable Water Purification System

This has got to be one of the best design/design ideas that I've seen in some time. The LifeStraw is a portable water purification tool that purifies water from potential pathogens like typhoid, cholera, dysentary and diarrhea (via Inhabitat)... check out the original posting here.

Why I'm NOT on Facebook...

I've been asked time and time again as to why I'm not on Facebook or MySpace or any other social-networking sites. I recently came across this t-shirt illustration (via Illustration Friday), that essentially sums up my reason(s) for not being part of the online social community (i.e. I'd rather be blogging). See the original Illustration Friday post here...

IRONMAN Movie…

I've been a fan of comics and superheroes for a long time. Ironman would definitely be one of my all-time favourites... I can't describe how excited I am to see that there's an Ironman movie in the works. Whether or not the movie is actually any good is something else altogether (the Ironman movie trailer shows promise)... I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Process Recess - James Jean Art & Commerce

I recently came across this website by James Jean, a wickedly talented artist based in LA. I'm sure that many of you will recognize his work from some place or another... he has a very impressive client list. Check out his latest work at http://www.processrecess.com (this piece has to be one of my favourites).

Helvetica Film - Winnipeg Show (One Night Only)!

'Helvetica - A Documentary Film by Gary Hustwit' is going to be showing in Winnipeg (one night only), Friday October 19th, 7:00pm at Cinemateque. As far as I'm aware, no advance tickets are available. The box office opens 30 minutes before the screening, cash only. I'm anticipating that this will be a sold-out show, so arrive early and hope for the best. Hope to see you there!

DT&G | Guest Editorials by Maggie Macnab

Via Robert L. Peters and the GDC Listserve

A friend in California ( Maggie Macnab) has written a number of interesting articles on type and logotypes...
Type With Character
The Apple Core vs. Linear Logic
enjoy...

I certainly enjoyed reading these articles (along with a few others at DT&Gdesign), hopefully you will too. Thanks for the link Rob! Cheers!

The Learn List

The learn list is a super simple resource that aims to gather the best tutorial and book links from all over the web. This should be a handy resource for designers of print and web using Adobe products. The programs that are covered include Flash, Photoshop, Fireworks, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, web stuff (actionscript, PHP, CSS, XML), and After effects... definitely worth a look and bookmark, check it out at http://www.thelearnlist.com ~ Enjoy!

Design Can Change - Take the Pledge!

Design Can Change is a non-commercial smashLAB initiative to bring together graphic designers from around the world to raise awareness for environmental impact and sustainable design practices. The Design Can Change pledge:

In my professional practice, I will endeavor to:
Learn: Engage in the topic and seek to understand the issue
Think: Make a sustainable mindset second nature
Act: Put my knowledge to use in my daily work
Inform: Share information and build awareness for sustainability
Unite: Spark change through collective strength

It's an initiative that I fully support. For more information, resources and/or to take the pledge, check out the website at http://www.designcanchange.org/

Christian Ward | Freelance Illustrator

Christian Ward is a freelance illustrator based in London (UK). He has some wicked work... check out his portfolio and website at http://www.cwardillustration.com/

Core77's Hack-2-School for Back-to-School

It's that time of year again, when students head back to the classrooms for another intense year of studies. The folks over at Core77 have put together a little 'classroom guide' for design students heading back. There's some really good advice in this article for students and designers alike. Definitely worth a look... check it out at http://www.core77.com/hack2school/
There's also a link for design educators,
Those Who Can, Teach. 1000 words of advice for design teachers.
By Allan Chochinov .
Have a look!

Super...?

A recent BBC News headline caught my eye when skimming my usual morning dose of RSS feeds/email/blogs. I've mixed feelings about this idea... cool as they are, these inevitably will be developed into military applications (if not already) and if/when they reach the consumer population they'll be so ridiculously expensive that only the extremely wealthy will be able to afford them. The idea and research is still cool though, and it makes you wonder what other 'super powers' could actually become a reality in the not-so-distant future.
Check out the BBC News article here.

Cool Blog | Skull-a-day

I came across this cool blog a while back. I'm impressed that the author has been able to keep up with their ambitious, 'skull-a-day' objective. Some very creative executions of a skull image... and some cool 'skull-a-day reader-submissions'... definitely worth taking a look at. Check it out at http://skulladay.blogspot.com/

US Brands from the '50s and '60s - Flickr Set

Flickr is one cool site... you can literally spends hours/days just clicking through the massive image libraries of some of the more prolific Flickr posters. Anyhow, here is another cool Flickr page about US brands/packaging from the '50s and '60s (via swissmiss, via fontblog). Enjoy!

Sexy 'Green' Sports Cars

Apologies for the lack of posts this past week. I've been away on holidays and thus have tried to avoid using the computer this past week. Anyhow, after getting back to work and skimming through a plethora of emails/blogs/RSS feeds, I'm happy to say I feel refreshed and ready to dig in. One of the links that caught my eye was Top 5 Sexiest Sustainable Sports Cars (via inhabitat). Check out the link! Some of these vehicles are downright bizarre, like the Nissan Mixim. Now, if only they had included MSRP for each model... ;)