Recommended Viewing - Friends of Modern Dog...

Friends of Modern Dog, originally uploaded by Adrian J.K. Shum, CGD.

For all my friends and for those who believe in doing the right thing, please consider donating to Modern Dog's lawsuit fundraiser.

www.friendsofmoderndog.com is the fundraising website for Modern Dog's legal battle against some of the largest corporations in the world for their infringement of Modern Dog's legal copyright.

Visit the Friends of Modern Dog website to learn more and to donate - www.friendsofmoderndog.com

GDC Manitoba - Design for Business Event...

GDCMB_Design4BizEvent, originally uploaded by Adrian J.K. Shum, CGD.

Design For Business: What To Look For When Hiring A Web Designer
Date: May 18, 2011 (12:00 pm - 1:00 pm)
Location: Anhang Room (2nd floor, Millennium Library, 251 Donald Street)
Cost: $20.00 (lunch included)

More information is available via the Manitoba Chapter on www.gdc.net, click here.

Limited spaces available! To register for this event, visit www.gdc.net

2011 GDC National AGM - Banff...

GDCAGM2011_127, originally uploaded by Adrian J.K. Shum, CGD.

I've uploaded the photos that I took during the 2011 GDC National AGM to my Flickr, feel free to check 'em out, here. Cheers!

Recommended: Gibson Typeface for GDC...

Gibson_4GDC, originally uploaded by Adrian J.K. Shum, CGD.

Gibson is a beautiful, san serif, OpenType typeface. Gibson is designed by Canadian type designer Rod McDonald, and produced by Patrick Griffin and Kevin King of Canada Type, to honour John Gibson (FGDC), Rod's long-time friend and one of the original founders of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC).

All sale proceeds will be donated by Canada Type to the GDC, where they will be allocated to a variety of programs aiming to improve the creative arts and elevate design education in Canada.

Beautiful typeface, at a ridiculously low-cost, with proceeds going to support the GDC. Win/Win/Win IMO. Go and pick up your copy today at MyFonts.

Lots of cobwebs in here...

ItsyBitsy_Detail, originally uploaded by Adrian J.K. Shum, CGD.

Hmm, well I have to admit I haven't been posting to this blog in any senses of regularity for some time now (so the title seems suitable)...

What can I say? Life has been busy, but that's good! I have become more active on other networks, like twitter/Facebook and even then, jump in and out sporadically. I've likely been most active on Flickr, so if you're interested in what I've been up to, go check out my photo stream!

GDC Manitoba AGM - 1 February 2011...

Join us next week Tuesday, 1 February as the Manitoba chapter of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada holds their Annual General Meeting (AGM). It's going to be a blast, as the Manitoba Chapter Executives plan to present, PechaKucha-style! I hope to see you there!

GDC Manitoba Chapter 2010 Annual General Meeting...
When: Tuesday, 1 February 2011 at 7:00pm
Where: Anhang Room, Millennium Library (251 Donald Street)
Cost: FREE!!!

*Fantabulous e-news header graphic designed by Jeope Wolfe, CGD - GDC Manitoba Chapter Communications Chair.

GDC/NMM 2010 Holiday & Anniversary Party...

Next week Thursday, 16 December we'll see New Media Manitoba and the Manitoba chapter of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada join forces to celebrate two momentous and milestone occasions, with a holiday party that will simultaneously celebrate NMM’s tenth – and GDC Manitoba’s twentieth – anniversary of representing creativity, ingenuity and innovation in Manitoba.

Circle the 16th on your calendars – and join us for a party 20/10 years in the making.
When: Thursday December 16 – 7:00pm
Where: Luxalune Gastropub, 734 Osborne Street
Cost: $10 (members), $15 (non-members)
Tix: newmediamanitoba.com/events

I have no doubt that this event will sell-out. Tickets are limited, so don't delay! Buy your ticket(s) today! There will be door prizes galore and lots of fine folks to mingle with... I hope to see you there for a holiday beverage (or two) - cheers!

*Promotional design by GDC Manitoba's awesome Communications Chair, Jeope Wolfe (CGD).

Recommended Viewing | Design Currency...

How do you define the value of design? An excellent topic of discussion that is sure to be debated for some time to come... Design Currency is the topic for the Icograda Design Week in Vancouver (26-30 April 2010). Watch the promo video (created by the talented folks at Rethink Communications) embedded above, or on Youtube - here.

I will be in attendance at this event, hopefully I will see you there as well! Why should you attend? Well, head over to the Industrial Brand blog and read Matt's post about why he's excited to attend... I couldn't think of a better way to sum it all up. For more information about the event, visit the website at - http://www.designweekvancouver.ca/ - cheers!

2009/10 GDC Manitoba Chapter Annual General Meeting...

Photos from the GDC Manitoba Chapter's Annual General Meeting have been posted to my Flickr. Once again, the AGM was held at the Park Theatre on South Osborne, in Winnipeg.

View the photos in the embedded slideshow below (requires Flash), or on Flickr, here. Cheers!

COOL! Robert L. Peters Receives Icograda President's Award...

Congratulations are in order as Robert L. Peters was recently honored by Icograda with the Icograda President's Award in Beijing, China at XIN: Icograda World Design Congress 2009.


The GDC National, the Manitoba Chapter, and all of us at Circle were delighted to hear the news - kudos and congratulatory wishes flooded the GDC Listserve, as well as Rob's inbox. ;) IMO, it couldn't have gone to anyone more deserving (and humble).

Read more about the award on Rob's News+, here.
Also via Icograda's e-news and on the GDC.net website.

As a wise man once advised me (while I was attempting to rock climb), "Trend upwards..." ;D

Congrats once again Rob! Cheers!

COOL! Marian Bantjes - Empathy Penny...

Marian Bantjes' Empathy Penny. Obtained during my recent trip in Toronto and brought back as souvenirs for my design colleagues at Circle (much to their delight - see Rob's News+ post, here).

Read more about this cool project on Marian's website at http://www.bantjes.com/ - cheers!

COOL! iPhone - Typographic Reference Manual...

I'm on the verge of taking the plunge, and getting me an iPhone... do I really need it? No. Do I want one? HELL YEAH! The fact that GDC Members can get a discounted iPhone rate from Rogers adds to the enticement... ;P

Seriously, aside from the obvious 'cool factor', the iPhone applications are what really attract me... like the one above, which was recently posted to the GDC Listserve by Marilyn Matty - a long standing contributor to the GDC Listserve. If you're a designer, I'd think that this application will be highly valuable to you... learn more about the application at their website, http://typographyapp.com/ - enjoy!

Thanks to the Marilyn for sharing the link with the GDC Listserve - cheers!

Recommended Viewing | GDC Manitoba's June 2009 e-Newsletter...

The latest edition of the GDC Manitoba e-Newsletter has been released! Jeope Wolfe, MGDC (Chapter Communications Chair) was responsible for putting it together. Jeope says:

It's summertime (or is it?) and the living is easy. School's out – and with that comes a fresh crop of design students hitting the egg-frying sidewalks. Work is humming along like power lines on a hot, muggy day. And for all of us at the hustle/bustle of GDC Manitoba headquarters, the forecast calls for a 100 per cent chance of Blue Sky… Curious? Grab a cold one from the cooler and read on…

Go and check it out for yourself, here - enjoy!


On a side note, the latest GDC Manitoba promo item has arrived! Also designed by Jeope, these black tote-bags are pretty slick... thanks again for all your hard work Jeope! Cheers!

Visit Jeope's blog Jeopopolis.
Learn more about GDC Manitoba.

Recommended Viewing | Design Edge Magazine May/June 2009...

I highly recommend that you check out the latest edition of Design Edge magazine. If you've never heard of Design Edge magazine... well, you should sign up for a subscription... it's free to Canadians. This issue is definitely one of the more memorable ones (IMO)... could it be because I recognize some of the folks who are featured within? Perhaps... ;)


Congratulations to the folks who I recognized/have met through their regular contributions to the GDC Listserve and/or their contributions to the GDC in general. In the 'Creative Sidelines' feature article you'll recognize:


Nancy Wu (I've blogged about Nancy before, here)


Davin Greenwell (who I had the pleasure of meeting in person at this year's GDC National AGM held in Winnipeg)


Brian Branch (a regular contributor on the GDC Listserve)


and Craig Medwyduk (also a regular contributor to the GDC Listserve)...


...and in the 'Newsmakers' section we have Vancouver's Design Ambassadors... ;D Mark Busse, Marga Lopez Orozco, Rod Roodenburg and Matt Warburton.

Awesome! Congrats again. Cheers!

Happy World Graphics Day!

Today is World Graphics Day. From Wikipedia:

World Graphic Design Day is celebrated on April 27, the anniversary of the founding of Icograda, the world body for graphic design, in 1963. It is a day to celebrate the profession of graphic and communication design. The day has been celebrated since 1995. On this occasion, designers reflect and hope that an international network can contribute to a greater understanding between people and can help to build bridges where divides and inequities exist.


As you should be aware, I (along with other Manitoba Chapter delegates and representatives) attended the GDC National AGM (held in Winnipeg) from 23 April to 25 April. Lively debate, discussions and passion was evident around the AGM table, with much fun to be had in the evening, as the photographic evidence shows in the GDC National 2009 AGM Flickr Group Pool... ;)

Above is a group snapshot of the GDC National Council which I took on the front steps on the Fort Garry Hotel. Thank you to all the National Executives, Chapter Delegates and representatives from affiliated associations who made this AGM, one to remember. I hope you enjoyed your visit to Winnipeg.


Much was accomplished at this year's AGM. One of the most important (IMO), and in celebration of World Graphics Day, the GDC adopts 'Sustainability Principals'... read the full story on http://www.gdc.net/ - cheers!

GDC National AGM Winnipeg 2009...

A warm welcome to all the GDC National Executives, Chapter delegates and representatives from affiliated associations who arrived in Winnipeg for the GDC National Annual General Meeting.


The GDC National AGM will be held in Winnipeg from 23-25 April. The AGM kicked off Thursday evening at the Red River College Princess Street Campus, which saw the delegates give their chapter reports. It's great to see and hear about all the exciting things that are happening across Canada... I'm looking forward to a lively weekend of debate, decisions and discussions. It'll be nice to reconnect some familiar names to faces, and some familiar faces to names... ;)

Look for pictures from the AGM to appear on Flickr, here - enjoy!

Image: Adrian Jean (MGDC), for the first time on record, a representative for the GDC Members-at-large was in attendance at the National AGM.

GDC Manitoba - Portfolio 1-on-1 Night...

On April 14th, 2009 the GDC Manitoba Chapter held another successful Portfolio 1-on-1 event at the Kings Head Pub (located in Winnipeg's historic Exchange District).


Industry professionals volunteered their time to act as student mentors and portfolio reviewers...



Students from both the Red River College and University of Manitoba design programs participated in the event... more images from the evening can be found on my Flickr, here - thanks again to all the volunteers who made the event a success!

Cheers!

Happy 33!!!

Circle turns 33 today!

No joke. Today marks 33 years since the birth of Circle Design Incorporated (known as Circle Graphics back then), sharing the illustrious 1976 April Fools’ birthdate with a little company called Apple Computer. ;)

Happy 33rd Birthday Circle!

Learn more by visiting Circle's website at http://www.circle.mb.ca/ - cheers!

Go James Go!

It's been rather hectic as of late, I've got tons of things that I could blog about, it's finding the time to do it that seems to be rather difficult... aside from work, Karate, GDC and social commitments, I've become addicted to Xbox/Xbox LIVE... ;P

Anyhow, I received a package from Amazon in the mail last week which, amongst other books, contained the Mail Me Art book shown above and below (sorry for the crappy pics).


You might recall (if you frequent KALAMAFRAZ), that my good friend, local designer, illustrator and Kyokushin Karate-ka, James Gillespie submitted http://kalamafraz.blogspot.com/2008/11/mail-me-art-going-postal.html a piece for the Mail Me Art project sometime ago... well, the book finally arrived in my mail box! Excerpt from the Mail Me Art website:

Mail Me Art is a British-based project, run by Darren Di Lieto, the founder and co-editor of the illustration news portal the Little Chimp Society. Over the course of a year, the Mail Me Art project brought together a vast collection of artistic work sent in the form of mail by both professional and amateur artists of all ages from across the world. A wide variety of media were used in an equally wide variety of styles and the work arrived on everything from postcards and envelopes to boxes and pieces of wood.

Contributions have included work by internationally-renowned illustrators such as Dan May, Michael Slack, Jon Burgerman, Kristian Olson, Catalina Estrada and Jeff Miracola and in total there have been in excess of 600 pieces of mail art submitted to the project.


Of course, I had to ask James to autograph his page in the book, he was also nice enough to honor my request for him to include a sketch (of a naked space monkey?). So you there you have it! Good stuff James! Keep it up bud!

For those of you who are interested in learning more about the Mail Me Art project, visit the Mail Me Art website at http://mailmeart.com/ - perhaps I'll submit something for Mail Me Art Two... I'll be sure to keep you posted. ;)

Cheers!

COOL! Happy Valentine's Day...

...from Marian Bantjes. I received this in the mail earlier this week. Mysterious...


...lovely (and sweet - FYI, the chocolates weren't from Marian, they're from the equally lovely & sweet, Carol MacKay)


...and very much appreciated! Thank you Marian!

Happy Valentine's Day! Apologies for the poor quality images, as usual they really can't do Marian's work justice.

Go visit Marian's website at http://www.bantjes.com/ to see better pics and read the description of the project by Marian, here - cheers!