Minimalist Planets

Minimalist Star Wars Planet prints by Justin Van Genderen – a contemporary American Graphic Designer. More of his work here: http://www.2046design.com/

“Chicago-based designer Justin Van Genderen, a.k.a. 2046 Design, releases this series of posters entitled Star Wars Galaxy. Feauturing graphic design/illustrations of some of Star Wars more popular destinations, this is a must-see for any Star Wars geek. “

I love the concept behind these. Graphic Design made with a fictitious brief – or, in fact, no brief at all.

“What did you make them for? Was it a school project? Or were they commissioned work? Just for kicks? This series was made entirely for my own enjoyment. I’m constantly trying out new design styles and techniques to stay on top of my craft. After watching the original Star Wars trilogy and thinking of how old these movies must seem to the newer, younger generation of Star Wars fans the idea just came to me.” – (http://www.formatmag.com/news/justin-van-genderen-star-wars-galaxy/)

Work by Ian Francis – Another great example of abstracted figure painting, with an almost graphic, shattered feel to the background.

“Ian Francis was born in 1979 in Bristol, England, and graduated from the University of the West of England with a degree in Illustration. His work concentrates on the particulars of modern experiences things like television, world events, celebrities, and day-to-day living. He held his first US solo show at BLK/MRKT in 2007.”

“Ian Francis’ hyper-intelligent, multi-layered, work is intricate in form and content. It’s effortlessly uncomfortable whilst at the same time dramatically appealing; seemingly parochial yet peppered with pan-national references. Figures in intimate situations are illuminated by far-reaching backdrops. Mainstream motifs play out complex, open-ended scenes made with the ultra-modern methods of graphic art pioneers Bill Sienkiewicz and Dave McKean.

Francis himself says his work is “about pornography and news reports from warzones rather than sex and death”, echoing the atomized and hedonistic nature of modern everyday life. He has repeated that his work is “about celebrity”, but equally it concerns a lack of it. However, for all this the human spirit cannot be dulled and remains a force; hope, pleasure, laughter and love remain. Ian Francis is one of several Lazarides artists originating from the West Country of England.” – (http://www.lazinc.com/artists/ian-francis/)

Daniel Eatock – BB9

Big Brother 9 Advert – Shattered Glass logo designed by Daniel Eatock.

Celebrity Big Brother 2010 Teaser – Playing on the iconic logo with flames.

Inspirational logo design – this Sushi design is incredible. Not only an amazing concept, but great font and minimalist colour scheme. Possibly proof of Daniel Eatock’s belief that concept can be as strong a design point as aesthetic. Designed by Alen Pavlovic. Visit his site here.

Work published in books: “LOGO2″, “Signs, Symbols and Pictograms”, “Label & Packaging Design” by Zeixs, “Hello, Mr. Package!” by Send Points, “2011 Logo Design Trends” by Gramedia, “Logo Nest” by Logo Nest, “Logo Type” by HOW, “Los Logos Compass” by Gestalten, “Smashing Logo Design” by John Wiley & Sons, “Logo Lounge 7″ (21 logos featured) by Rockport.

Olly Moss

Olly Moss Original Star Wars Trilogy poster designs – character silhouettes formed with planet landscapes – create use of layering, shape and positioning. Great example of quite minimalist poster designs, a nice contrast to most photographic, flashy designs.

“British poster artistOlly Mossshows his nerdy love for the original Star Wars trilogy in a trio of new posters he created for collectible art house Mondo.

The prints, revealed exclusively by Wired.com in the first three frames of this gallery, go on sale at a random time Monday. They are the first in Mondo’s wildly popular Star Wars series to be crafted as traditional, theatrical one-sheet movie posters.

The new posters show colorful silhouettes of C-3PO, Darth Vader and Boba Fett that are filled in with detailed imagery from Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. To create original artwork for such rabidly adored films was daunting, Moss said, especially since so many of the visuals are already iconic.

“It was so intimidating!” the artist told Wired.com in an e-mail interview. “There is such a wealth of great Star Wars art out there already, from paid professionals and from enthusiastic fans. I suppose my main aim was to make a set of Star Wars posters that were a little different from what people are used to seeing from the franchise, but still retained that essential Star Wars feel. I started by re-watching the original movies with a sketchbook on my lap, and just sort of went from there.”

Still, there was no backing away from the challenge. “If you’re as big a nerd as I am, you just can’t say no to Star Wars,” Moss said.” (http://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/12/olly-moss-star-wars-mondo/?pid=2313)

30th Anniversary Star Wars

30th Anniversary Star Wars figure packaging by Hasbro – possibly the best packaging design for SW figures. Love the angular, asymmetrical design – far detached from the previously more rounded packaging, and with a more graphic, futurist feel, clearly relevant for the brand.

Daniel Eatock – Rejected BB12 Eye

This is the rejected logo design for Big Brother 12 by Daniel Eatock, who had designed the logo for ever year since series two.

Admittedly, it’s not the most aesthetically pleasing of his designs, and maybe not as “pretty” as Hello Charlie’s chosen logo – but it’s a symbol for everything Eatock stands for regarding Graphic Design. He believes in concept over aesthetic; the idea that a design is made even stronger through a strong concept or idea, rather than a shallow, aesthetically pleasing design. This design is based on the Rorschach test – in which a person’s perception of inkblots are analysed by psychologists. Its connotations of the psychological side of Big Brother are clear, a concept which is unarguably far superior to Hello Charlie’s design.

“Using my background knowledge from working as a graphic designer, I employ a rational, logical and pragmatic approach when making work. I have an ongoing interest to proposing and finding solutions to problems, often problems that cannot be formulated before they have been solved, the shaping of the question is part of the answer. I look for things to fix or improve, working like a tinkerer/inventor, I propose alternatives to existing models, preferring to find ways around doing things properly, bypassing the struggle. I use self referentiality as an objective guide to reduce the extraneous and subjective, and strive for a conceptual logic. The idea is paramount and the material form secondary. My website is a tool where I both create works, and index and exhibit projects chronologically. I propose systems, templates, invitations and opportunities for collaboration, creating social networks where contributers shape the outcome and participate in the building of works. I embrace contradictions, and dilemmas. I like gray areas, oxymorons and the feeling of falling backwards. My favorite colour is the purple found in a soap bubble. I prefer to swap and exchange things rather than use money. I seek alignments, paradoxes, chance circumstance, loops, impossibilities and wit encountered in everyday life. I often change my mind, go full circle, and arrive at the beginning.” – (http://eatock.com/project/daniel-eatock/)

Wong Kar-Wai

A tribute to Wong Kar-Wai’s film-making. Including “Chungking Express” – possibly my all-time favourite film.

“Since 1989, Wong Kar-wai has directed seven feature films and won numerous awards, including the best director’s prize at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival for Happy Together.

Wong Kar-wai’s latest film is In the Mood for Love (花樣年華, lit. “Flower Like Years”). He is currently completing the science fiction film 2046 for release in 2004.

In 2001 Wong Kar-wai directed the short-film The Hire: The Follow as part of the BMW films initiative.

Feature-Films Filmography
2046 (2004) (filming)
In the Mood for Love (2000)
Happy Together (1997)
Fallen Angels (1995)
Ashes of Time (1994)
Chungking Express (1994)
Days of Being Wild (1990)
As Tears Go by (1988)

Awards
Best Director, 1997 Cannes Film Festival
Best Foreign Film, 2001 César Award
Screen International Award, 2000 European Film Awards”

- (http://www.biographybase.com/biography/Kar-wai_Wong.html)

“Torpedo”

“Torpedo” by Chloe Early – definitely one of my favourite contemporary artists. Stunning combination of more realistic figurative subjects and abstractions merging an urban and natural feel. Stunning use of brushwork with dyes and oil.

“Chloe Early’s current works are oil paintings on linen and aluminum. Large scale painterly montages, she works with an abstracted urban landscape background placing interchangeable motifs: divers, balloons, stars, herds of animals, always hinting at the opposing themes of apocalypse and redemption. Urban scenes form the backbone of the paintings which aim to transgress states of dream and reality bringing together an improbable selection of images; the lushness of a garden of Eden is contrasted with the grit of a post industrial building boom. These landscapes are populated with figures which have an air of oblivion, they are lost in a dream of perfection and oblivious to their surroundings. Despite the urban subjects the paintings always retain a dream like quality, a soft focus. Early aim’s to layer motifs and meanings, using imagery from a range of sources, her own photographs, magazines, books, the internet and travel adds to create paintings whose meaning shift and blur like a troubled dream.” (joshualinergallery.com/artists/chloe_early/)

Find more of her work here: chloeearly.com