iQ font – When driving becomes writing / Full making of from wireless on Vimeo.

Just when I thought I’d seen fonts made out of pretty much everything, along comes this piece by typographers Pierre & Damien/plmd.me and a professional driver Stef van Campenhoudt who have collaborated [...]]]>

iQ font – When driving becomes writing / Full making of from wireless on Vimeo.

Just when I thought I’d seen fonts made out of pretty much everything, along comes this piece by typographers Pierre & Damien/plmd.me and a professional driver Stef van Campenhoudt who have collaborated to design a font with a car. Interactive artist Zachary Lieberman recorded the car’s movements using custom software designed by openframeworks.cc to create the font. This is the full length ‘making of’ video, for more information and to download the font visit the links below.

Download the font here -> nl.toyota.be/iqfont

More pictures here -> flickr.com/photos/

Visit -> openframeworks.cc

Bela Borsodi takes everyday fashion pieces e.g., ties, shoes, belts, sunglasses… you name it, and assembles them in ways that brings them to life and tells a story. These typographic still life images were created for WAD Magazine’s “Dictionary” Issue. They are endlessly entertaining to the eye and I’ve found that the more you study [...]]]>

Bela Borsodi takes everyday fashion pieces e.g., ties, shoes, belts, sunglasses… you name it, and assembles them in ways that brings them to life and tells a story. These typographic still life images were created for WAD Magazine’s “Dictionary” Issue. They are endlessly entertaining to the eye and I’ve found that the more you study them the more you discover. Do yourself a favor and drop by his site to take in many more examples of Bela Borsodi’s fascinating work. First seen on http://www.colectiva.tv.

Visit -> http://www.belaborsodi.com/

My mad scientists friends over at Minneapolis based agency SevnthSin have taken the phrase “there’s an app for that” to a whole new, slightly disturbing level by creating an iPhone app that will mate you and your best BFFs with just a few simple taps and limited necessary contact. Take a pic of yourself, then [...]]]>

My mad scientists friends over at Minneapolis based agency SevnthSin have taken the phrase “there’s an app for that” to a whole new, slightly disturbing level by creating an iPhone app that will mate you and your best BFFs with just a few simple taps and limited necessary contact. Take a pic of yourself, then take a pic of your pal, make some small adjustments, hit the ‘mate’ button and you can render and preview in seconds what usually takes mother nature 9 months (+ however old you are) to produce. At that point you can then:

A. decide if things are actually worth pursuing for the two of you

B. share the wacky results with your other friends so that they will comment up your Facebook wall

C. try using the image on a fake I.D. for the two of you as a way to rebel against grumpy bartenders

D. all of the above

Regardless of how you decide to use this app, it’s worth checking out.

Visit iMated -> http://www.imated.com/

Visit SevnthSin -> http://www.sevnthsin.com/

Get the app -> itms://itunes.apple.com/

I have been following the construction of this Giant Gundam statue in Odaiba, Tokyo via-Pinktentacle, BouncingRedBall and a few other great blogs that cover interesting happenings in Japan. This week it was announced that he’s finally completed and I must say he looks amazing from the pictures. Gundam stands a towering [...]]]>

Photos from -> Pinktentacle.com

I have been following the construction of this Giant Gundam statue in Odaiba, Tokyo via-Pinktentacle, BouncingRedBall and a few other great blogs that cover interesting happenings in Japan. This week it was announced that he’s finally completed and I must say he looks amazing from the pictures. Gundam stands a towering 18 meters tall (59.04 feet) and is the centerpiece of the Green Tokyo Gundam Project to commemorate the 30th 30th anniversary of the Gundam Mobile Suit robot franchise and will be displayed this summer from July 11 to August 31.

Gundam under construction pics -> http://www.bouncingredball.com

More great night pics -> http://www.pinktentacle.com

Official Gundam site -> http://www.gundam30th.net

‘Home’ is a non-profit film directed by Paris born Yann Arthus-Bertrand. This brief window of free viewing on YouTube is sponsored by PPR. ‘Home’ reminds us all of just how important it has become that we change our ways when it comes to our growing population and our energy needs. Not only is the [...]]]>

‘Home’ is a non-profit film directed by Paris born Yann Arthus-Bertrand. This brief window of free viewing on YouTube is sponsored by PPR. ‘Home’ reminds us all of just how important it has become that we change our ways when it comes to our growing population and our energy needs. Not only is the message of ‘Home’ one that needs to be heard but the production quality and cinematography is absolutely stunning from beginning to end. Already, over 600+ thousand people have spent an hour and a half of their time to view this amazingly beautiful and brutally informative documentary. Read the notes below for more information and be sure to view this film for yourself (available on YouTube till June 14th only):

Home -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqxENMKaeCU

Home website -> http://www.home-2009.com

Note from the YouTube page:

We are living in exceptional times. Scientists tell us that we have 10 years to change the way we live, avert the depletion of natural resources and the catastrophic evolution of the Earth’s climate. The stakes are high for us and our children. Everyone should take part in the effort, and HOME has been conceived to take a message of mobilization out to every human being. For this purpose, HOME needs to be free. A patron, the PPR Group, made this possible. EuropaCorp, the distributor, also pledged not to make any profit because Home is a non-profit film. HOME has been made for you : share it! And act for the planet.

This animated intro for The Beatles Rockband video game was created by English comic book artist and designer Jamie Hewlett (best known for his work on the Gorillaz). His classic, bold illustration style compliments the Beatles perfectly in my opinion. The elongated figures capture the character of the fab four in a youthful fresh way. [...]]]>

This animated intro for The Beatles Rockband video game was created by English comic book artist and designer Jamie Hewlett (best known for his work on the Gorillaz). His classic, bold illustration style compliments the Beatles perfectly in my opinion. The elongated figures capture the character of the fab four in a youthful fresh way. A difficult task for any illustrator especially since the the Beatles have been masterfully illustrated so many times before. A must view.

Update:

Sorry folks. This Video Has been disabled from YouTube b/c Viacom had some kind of copyright issue. It’s amazing to me that Viacom doesn’t get the whole idea that this video will be viewed fewer times now that they have made it less accessible. Maybe that’s what they are going for?

Fewer views = less exposure = less excitement = fewer sales

You can still view the video here -> www.thebeatlesrockband.com

Combine a 3d Google Earth-esque map with a navigate by building digital directory and you have the above UpNext 3D NYC iPhone map app. Once you have located the bar or restaurant that you plan to hang out at you can send a tweet with your GPS location to all your “tweeps”. This app is [...]]]>

Combine a 3d Google Earth-esque map with a navigate by building digital directory and you have the above UpNext 3D NYC iPhone map app. Once you have located the bar or restaurant that you plan to hang out at you can send a tweet with your GPS location to all your “tweeps”. This app is not only a powerful social tool it looks like it’s also a lot of fun to use as you tap from place to place in Manhattan. I wonder which major city will be mapped next?

iTunes Link -> http://www.itunes.com/app/upnextnyc

UpNext 3D NYC -> http://www.upnext.com/iphone

Notes from Youtube:

Application Description:
UpNext NYC is an interactive 3D map to explore Manhattan. With UpNext you can fly and zoom through the city fluidly, in its full 3D glory, without network hiccups or download times.

Along the way we’ll show you restaurants, nightlife, shops, and all the places that are local favorites or highly rated. Tap a building to see all the businesses inside, or tap a subway station to see all the trains passing through. Search for bars, hair salons, sushi, or any of our other 50+ categories and we’ll light up all the results in your area. It’s not just a map, it’s Manhattan in your pocket.

Whether you are a local or just visiting for the weekend, UpNext will make your NYC experience better.

Death Cab for Cutie – Little Bribes from Ross Ching on Vimeo.

This video is full of great eye-candy -> city lights, stop motion, light painting, M&Ms dancing wildly… all to a peppy track from a great band (Death Cab for Cutie). It’s all happening. Definitely worth a view or two.

Side note: it sounds like Ross [...]]]>

Death Cab for Cutie – Little Bribes from Ross Ching on Vimeo.

This video is full of great eye-candy -> city lights, stop motion, light painting, M&Ms dancing wildly… all to a peppy track from a great band (Death Cab for Cutie). It’s all happening. Definitely worth a view or two.

Side note: it sounds like Ross Ching is looking for work…

Visit Ross Ching -> http://rossching.com/

Notes from Vimeo:

For this video, I pulled out every time lapse, stop motion and live action camera trick that I could think of. The goal was to create a fresh, new direction to take my work to.

More information can be found at rossching.com/little-bribes

By the way, I am looking for a job as well, so if you have a job available, please contact me.

Amy Bennett was born in Portland, Maine in 1977 and currently lives in Brooklyn NYC. Her work has a signature style to it that cuts through the art world clutter with ease. Her paintings are rendered from scale models that she builds from [...]]]>

Someday You'll Long for This, oil on canvas, 40 x 60 inches

Amy Bennett was born in Portland, Maine in 1977 and currently lives in Brooklyn NYC. Her work has a signature style to it that cuts through the art world clutter with ease. Her paintings are rendered from scale models that she builds from clay, resin and other materials. The final effect is wonderfully disruptive, surreal and sculptural. I highly recommend you stop by her website to take in more of her work, just plan to spend some time because you will get sucked in. Below are a couple more examples of her amazing paintings and some past gallery info.

Visit Amy Bennett’s site -> http://www.amybennett.com

Taking Arms, oil on panel, 18 x 24 inches, 2008

Search Party, oil on panel, 18 x 24 inches, 2008

Information on Amy Bennett’s exhibitions (taken from her site):

The first group of the lakefront series, “At the Lake” was exhibited in January 2009 at Richard Heller Gallery in LA. The final pieces will be shown in November 2009 at Tomio Koyama Gallery in Tokyo. Other exhibitions have included “Neighbors” (Richard Heller Gallery, LA, 2007), “Buried” (Galleri Magnus Karlsson, Stockholm, Sweden 2007), and “Size Matters: XS” (Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, Peekskill, NY 2007).

Nike will be releasing the the above color/design SB Stephan Jonaski shoe this fall/winter 2009-10 to the public. I’m a big fan of these shoes already, I think it’s because I’m a big fan of the three classic designs that may have inspired it’s design. My Theory is the -> classic Vans Slip-On, classic [...]]]>

Nike will be releasing the the above color/design SB Stephan Jonaski shoe this fall/winter 2009-10 to the public. I’m a big fan of these shoes already, I think it’s because I’m a big fan of the three classic designs that may have inspired it’s design. My Theory is the -> classic Vans Slip-On, classic Sperry Top-Sider and the classic Nike Tennis shoe were all thrown together recently at the Nike lab. When all shoes combined, mashed-up or mated (whatever you want to call it) you would end up with something very similar to the SB Stephan Jonaski shoe. It’s just a theory mind you, I’m not trying to spread rumors or anything. I first saw the SB Stephan Jonaski on HighSnobiety the other day and these thoughts came to mind. Regardless, this was a fun experiment and I may have to explore more of these design mash-ups in the future… Now I just have to figure out where to place my pre-order for this particular shoe design.

Visit the -> Nike SB site

Visit the -> nikeskateboarding/stefanjanoski/

Analogue Heaven Northeast 2009 from stretta on Vimeo.

The Analog Heaven Northeast Meeting is an annual gathering of synth heads and analogue freaks from around the world. The primary motivation for this event is to collaborate and display their rare and obscure synth equipment. Think of it as a classic car show for super geeky musicians. [...]]]>

Analogue Heaven Northeast 2009 from stretta on Vimeo.

The Analog Heaven Northeast Meeting is an annual gathering of synth heads and analogue freaks from around the world. The primary motivation for this event is to collaborate and display their rare and obscure synth equipment. Think of it as a classic car show for super geeky musicians. Now that this event is on my radar I’m going to make every effort to catch the event next year.

for more information -> http://www.stretta.com/ahne/2009/

Notes from Vimeo:

Once a year, analog synth enthusiasts gather to socialize and play rare and unusual musical instruments. I captured the May 2009 gathering with a Canon 5DmkII and a 50mm f/1.4 lens. I simply sat the Camera on a tripod, frame the shot as I would a photo, focused and captured.

The music was produced using a Euro-format analog modular, controlled by Volta. Aside from the drums (MOTU BPM), everything was analog.

Many of you (especially those who use Flickr) may already be aware of Flickr’s camera ratings/reviews but for those of you who are not Flickr users this may be useful information.

In the past couple of months I’ve had a few of my friends ask me about my pictures that post from my Flickr account to [...]]]>

Many of you (especially those who use Flickr) may already be aware of Flickr’s camera ratings/reviews but for those of you who are not Flickr users this may be useful information.

In the past couple of months I’ve had a few of my friends ask me about my pictures that post from my Flickr account to my Facebook wall. Questions like, “What kind of camera are you using?” and “What settings did you use to get that shot to come out?”, in response I have been sending them links to Flickr which is very convenient and it saves me from having to type out a long explanation.

Flickr not only serves as a great place to upload, store and browse photos it’s also (in my opinion) the best place to research cameras/mobile phone cameras/video cams before a purchase. Not only do you get all of the tech specs on a specific camera you can browse thousands of photos taken by hobbyist -> professional photographers using that specific camera. The ability to view their settings when shooting in low light and see the picture quality output is a pretty amazing (and telling) bit of information when shopping for a new camera. Flickr also provides user reviews, price ranges and information on the popularity and usage of specific cameras/devices.

Popularity/Usage information is very important because technology changes so quickly these days. For example, It used to be that Canon would come out with a new line of cameras about every 12 months, in the past 2 years Canon has been releasing new camera designs to the public every 6 months. By being able to see a device’s popularity/usage report you can quickly determine when the product has become obsolete or outdated… or when it may go on sale. You won’t get that information on other electronics retail sites.

Before your next big camera purchase I highly recommend you consider Flickr as a credible destination for research.

Here’s an abreviated list of Flickr’s unique features:

-> Ratings/Reviews – By professional and hobbyist photographers

-> Settings and Examples – Thousands of pictures/settings information

-> Popularity/Usage – Quick info on camera trends relevance

-> Mobile/Video/P&S/SLR/Rarity & obscure brand assortment

Check out the “all” camera page -> http://www.flickr.com/

My photo’s on Flickriver -> http://www.flickriver.com/

This amazingly young/fresh looking track bicycle actually dates back to 1951. Originally the 1951 R.O. Harrison Bicycle was designed as a lightweight track bike intended for use on grass, cement or steeply banked tracks. This bicycle also features “like new” period components -> crankset (built by a British company that is no longer in existence [...]]]>

This amazingly young/fresh looking track bicycle actually dates back to 1951. Originally the 1951 R.O. Harrison Bicycle was designed as a lightweight track bike intended for use on grass, cement or steeply banked tracks. This bicycle also features “like new” period components -> crankset (built by a British company that is no longer in existence called Chatter-Lea -> wickipedia page), Reynolds block chain, Strata Pelissier handlebars, Bluemels cellulose mudguard front extension, and a CLB front brake. Beautiful ornamental details are to be found all over this bike, on the lug work, the paint and even on the crankset.

Many bicycle companies today try to duplicate this ornamental style of frame building but because of high production costs you really don’t see the kind of detail found here on this bike. That’s why I’ve taken the time to post this great design from our past. Thanks again for letting me share this piece of your collection David Cooper.

Below are a few more detail shots of this immaculate/classic track bike:

The Harrison Bicycle is one of the many classic bicycle gems that can be found on coopertechnica.com.

Notes from Coopertechnica.com:

This Madison was built in 1951 and features period components, including a Chater Lea inch pitch crankset, Reynolds block chain, Strata Pelissier handlebars, Bluemels cellulose mudguard front extension, and a CLB front brake. More information about R.O. Harrison and more photos of this bike can be seen at www.classiclightweights.co.uk.

Yes, some are claiming this Dockers iPhone app as being the first “shakeable” ad, I’m not sure if I agree with them on that idea. However, It definitely comes off as more of an “ad” amongst some of the softer hitting accelerometer/GPS ad apps that I have seen out there. I wonder how long [...]]]>

Yes, some are claiming this Dockers iPhone app as being the first “shakeable” ad, I’m not sure if I agree with them on that idea. However, It definitely comes off as more of an “ad” amongst some of the softer hitting accelerometer/GPS ad apps that I have seen out there. I wonder how long it will take before the iPhone users of the world get sick of this shaking gimmick? I remember the marginal excitement I experienced with the Zippo app a couple years ago when I first bought my iPhone. I’m not sure some break dancing hipster wearing Dockers is going to have even near the same effect, especially since this “shakeable” song has been played so often. Here are some other “shakeable” ads that are currently rumored to be in the hopper (from RWW):

• A soda company creates an interactive bottle of soda that is motion-sensitive. (The user shakes up the bottle and it splashes all over the screen.)
• A car rental company can determine that a user is outside their typical geography and serve a CPA ad for a discounted rate.
• An electronics company showcases a new rebate enticing users to scan a barcode at a nearby store.
• A cruise line offers deals for users in Baltimore and Ft. Lauderdale due to proximity to their ships.

Excerpt taken from post on www.readwriteweb.com:

“The Dockers ad was built using the Medialets platform, a platform that combines real-time analytics and rich media functionality that leverages the iPhone SDK, allowing ads to tap into the phone’s GPS, accelerometer, microphone, and other features. It even allows the ads to work when the phone goes offline, too, thanks to pre-caching technology that delivers the ad to the phone in the background so that it’s available anytime, signal or no signal.”

View Medialets -> http://medialets.com/

Past shakeable/gps ads (ads = provides a service but it’s still and advertising/brand building component):

Target’s shakeable Ad (Dec 08) -> AdWeek Gift Globe

Adidas GPS Urban Art Guide (Feb 09) -> http://circuitbreaks.com/

This in-browser audio tool is going to quickly soak up what little spare time I have left in my life for sure. I’m almost a bit upset that I found it. It’s an Adobe Flash powered audio web app with thousands of possibilities packed in. Hobnox has also built a blog, video channel and social [...]]]>

This in-browser audio tool is going to quickly soak up what little spare time I have left in my life for sure. I’m almost a bit upset that I found it. It’s an Adobe Flash powered audio web app with thousands of possibilities packed in. Hobnox has also built a blog, video channel and social community around this tool in order to smartly cover all of today’s core digital media requirements. At launch of Hobnox you are presented with a selection of project types, tone matrix, electro, drum n bass and blank. Once you have selected you jump into a world of digital audio bliss, numerous knobs, switches, foot pedals and sliders to adjust and record your session, all neatly rendered and designed. You can drag and re-configure your set-up as well. Very impressive for an in-browser audio tool. Once you’ve recorded your next chart topping masterpiece, it’s time to share it and blog about it with the rest of the Hobnox community. This is a very smart endeavor indeed. Now if only I could teach my smart dog to walk himself so that I can spend more time here… Hmmmm?

Jump into the tool -> http://www.hobnox.com/index.1056.en.html

Hobnox main page -> http://www.hobnox.com/index.en.html

Hobnox blog -> http://www.hobnox.com/index.1246.en.html

Firekites – AUTUMN STORY – chalk animation from Lucinda Schreiber on Vimeo.

This animated music video directed by Lucinda Schreiber and Yanni Kronenberg has a certain level of simplicity and soul to it that I really enjoy. The natural process of erasing each frame of motion leaves behind a ghostly aura that follows each character as [...]]]>

Firekites – AUTUMN STORY – chalk animation from Lucinda Schreiber on Vimeo.

This animated music video directed by Lucinda Schreiber and Yanni Kronenberg has a certain level of simplicity and soul to it that I really enjoy. The natural process of erasing each frame of motion leaves behind a ghostly aura that follows each character as the story unfolds, in contrast, making them all seem very alive. The track “Autumn Story” by Firekites is as ghostly and soulful as the imagery. Have a look for yourself.

Check out Firekites -> http://www.myspace.com/firekites

Notes from Vimeo:

Firekites – AUTUMN STORY – Chalk animated music video directed by Lucinda Schreiber and Yanni Kronenberg.

The above shot called “hasselblad grid city” taken by Edward Olive is a complex and moody experience within itself and is one photo out of many like this that you will find in his vast collection on Flickr. His work is full of “in the moment” moments and shots that don’t always follow the rules [...]]]>

The above shot called “hasselblad grid city” taken by Edward Olive is a complex and moody experience within itself and is one photo out of many like this that you will find in his vast collection on Flickr. His work is full of “in the moment” moments and shots that don’t always follow the rules of traditional composition or lighting. If you are a photographer at heart, either professional or hobbyist, I highly recommend you spend some time taking some mental notes while browsing his collection. Thanks for letting me post a select from your work Edward!

View Edward Olive’s work on -> http://www.flickr.com/photos/edwardolive

This is a brilliant visual commentary by animator Mark Winkelmann (of Beeple) called “Subprime”. It depicts the evolution and inevitable burst of the American housing market. It was created on Cinema 4D and is his first 3D animated film which took five months to complete. The sound track is from a [...]]]>
subprime from beeple on Vimeo.

This is a brilliant visual commentary by animator Mark Winkelmann (of Beeple) called “Subprime”. It depicts the evolution and inevitable burst of the American housing market. It was created on Cinema 4D and is his first 3D animated film which took five months to complete. The sound track is from a Minneapolis based band called Nobot. I discovered this video on coolhunting.com. Well worth the view.

Visit -> Beeple

Visit Nobot -> Myspace page

Notes and links from Vimeo:

watch the american housing market spiral out of control.
beeple.com / myspace.com/nobot / standingwavesound.com

Myself being in the market for a compact handheld HD camera (or more realistically dreaming of owning one someday) I decided to post this video by master DoP/Director/Editor Philip Bloom made for CVP.com. He takes us “guerrilla style” around London and shows off some of [...]]]>
Review of JVC GY HM 100 from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Myself being in the market for a compact handheld HD camera (or more realistically dreaming of owning one someday) I decided to post this video by master DoP/Director/Editor Philip Bloom made for CVP.com. He takes us “guerrilla style” around London and shows off some of the many nice features of the JVC GY HM 100. Great shots, great music and some solid information from a more than credible source. Have a look.

Music by -> davito.co.uk

Philip Bloom’s -> “Alone in Tokyo” Post

Philip Bloom’s -> “The magic Bus Stop” Post

Link to JVC GY HM -> JVC website

Notes from Vimeo:

Made for CVP.com
Independent review of the new baby tapeless Pro camcorder from JVC. Video shot guerrilla style around London.

Music is by Davito called “Disconnect”. Thanks to them for the kind permission to use this track. Check them out at davito.co.uk

1080p version in h264 mp4 is available to download. WIll make the 2.3 gb native version available if anyone has the bandwidth to handle it.

Graded with magic bullet looks apart from the bits that say ungraded

Read my review of the camera here: philipbloom.co.uk/2009/04/17/review-of-jvc-gy-hm-100/#more-2695