Free Agency Creative

Emily Carr 4th Year Design Series - Max Olson

2012-02-01T00:32:00.000-08:00

Once again, FAC would like to share a select series of student work from Don and Tak’s 4th Year Core Studio class this past Fall at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design.

4th year student Max Olson has created a contemporary brand identity design and signage system for MOCA Calgary, (the Museum of Contemporary Art Calgary). The main challenges were to elevate the public profile of MOCA and facilitate the museum's model of setting up a variety of smaller gallery venues throughout the city. The solution was to provide the museum with a flexible kit of elements that could be used to create a vast set of deliverables unique to the featured art and specific venue. In the end, Max found the time to create marketing material, office collateral, a flexible signage system for exterior applications as well as a functional Wordpress website.

Honors for FAC Designer - JL Lum

2012-01-15T20:43:00.000-08:00

Our newest designer, JL Lum, is a recent graduate of Vancouver Film School’s Digital Design Program. “Square One” is his graduation project, an interactive web documentary that aims to provide information for skilled immigrants who are considering making Canada their home.

Working in a team of three, the 4-month-long project won several awards, including the 2011 Salazar Award for Best Interactive Project and The Jim Rimmer Community Scholarship Award for Design. The project was also a semi-finalist for the Adobe Design Achievement Awards, and was presented at the 2011 Bridge to S.U.C.C.E.S.S Gala.

“Square One” is a collaborative project by JL Lum – Interactive, Salim Hassan – Branding, and Arcelia Ocana Manjarrez – Film & Motion.

Apocalypse Calendars

2012-01-04T16:56:00.000-08:00

Recently one of our designers Cameron McKague got together with Jennifer Griffiths—his main squeeze and designer at Cause+Affect—and created a beautiful Apocalypse-themed risograph print 2012 calendar.

They brought together a host of illustrators and designers from around the world (including two more of our designers Dirk Wright and Ginger Ngo) to offer their take on the end-of-the-days predictions of the Mayans.

Have a look at some highlights below and if you're interested, there are still a few copies left for $20.

Click here to email Cameron for more details

Happy Holidays from Free Agency Creative!

2011-12-22T11:38:00.000-08:00

As many of our clients know, we often present moodboards that evoke the look and feel of our concepts. So what better way to express how we perceive the Holiday Season than a Christmas Moodboard!

Herewith, a collage of images that represent our associations and memories of the Season. Some are serious. Some are funny. And some are downright bizarre. Enjoy! Perhaps you will find images within that resonate with you.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us here at Free Agency!

// Don, Tak, Lisa, Cameron, Kat, Dirk, Angie, JL //

A little of Venice

2011-07-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

Well, I’ve been on vacation for 2 weeks and haven’t posted a thing. So, here are some photos from Venice during our 5 days there. I’m not going to bore you too much with details just lots of images. Images from Budapest and Krakow coming soon!

Ciao,
Don :)

2010 FALL FASHION SHOOT FOR PARK ROYAL MALL

2010-11-21T20:21:00.000-08:00

We had a great time shooting the 2010 Fall Fashion Campaign for Park Royal Mall - "Fall Head Over Heels in Love with Fashion".

In order to compliment the core typographic elements of the concept, our goal for the day was to capture the models falling and tumbling in mid-air. We shot the campaign at Sugar Studios in Vancouver with photographer Dexter Quinto who expertly directed the models through their paces. We had the opportunity to team up with Mark James who produced and co-art directed the shoot with us. All the outfits were expertly put together by Charlotte Stokes.

Here are some more images that we love that didn't make it into the final campaign.

Click here to view the campaign on our website

MODA Hotel Wall Feature

2010-06-23T13:05:00.000-07:00

FAC was honored to be asked by the Solterra Group of Companies to create a new wall feature behind the front desk of the Moda Hotel. We set out to bring a more contemporary, almost futuristic look to the room in order to contrast the traditional looking features of the lobby's existing architecture.

We'd like to thank Mike Allen at Adpoint for the impeccable job he did executing and installing our delicate design.

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FALL HOMESHOW 2010 Campaign

2010-06-23T13:03:00.000-07:00

Free Agency Creative is pleased be working again with Marketplace Events on the marketing campaign for the 2010 Fall Homeshows for Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto.

Our goal was to focus on the individual LIFEstyles within the home in a fun, light-hearted way. It showcased ordinary people, enjoying the peace and serenity of their spaces made possible by the homeshows. We wanted to bring a fresh look to the campaign through a series of illustrations that brought an idyllic, surreal quality to the imagery. In order to speak to the diversity of the show offerings, we created language based on 3 taglines: Style Your Life, Renovate Your Life and Design Your Life. We also created an illustration of the new Vancouver Convention Centre for some early deliverables.

Stay tuned for the roll out of the marketing deliverables.

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AGENT PROVOCATEUR Ad

2010-06-23T08:47:00.000-07:00

We were recently asked by Tara Parker Tait PR to create an ad for the international lingerie brand, Agent Provocateur. The ad was to promote an upcoming public event in downtown Vancouver showcasing their latest swimwear collection. Sadly, we don't have any pictures of the actual event.

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Identity Designs – An overview

2010-03-28T16:21:00.000-07:00

I was putting together a sheet with logotypes and trademarks we’ve developed over the past few years and I thought I would share it. It’s strange, doing things like this, it certainly brings back a lot of memories. I’m proud to say that most of them are good. //Don

Vela Wealth Management

2010-02-21T13:19:00.000-08:00

It's always a pleasure to work for individuals who are willing to engage in the creative branding process. Jason's philosophy is quite simple: to provide clarity and guidance to his clients as they pursue their financial goals.

For the name, we (literally) looked to the stars for inspiration. Vela is a constellation in the southern sky and is latin for the sails of a ship. The name Vela became the perfect choice not only for its pleasant tone but for its appropriate symbolism. It set the foundations to tell a wonderful brand story not only philosophically but aesthetically.

For the identity, we used Jason's sense of style as inspiration. We wanted to create a classic, tailored brand with a modern touch. Therefore we chose a typeface that possessed the strength and the style to resonate with his ideal clientele. This way of thinking also found its way into the choice and implementation of the colour palette - classic colours contrasted with a modern hit of blue.

Future initiatives will be the development of a language platform and the design of his corporate website.

Stay tuned.

Arc'teryx New Glove and Base Layer Microsites

2010-02-07T15:56:00.000-08:00

Ever since Arc'teryx was purchased a few years ago by Solomon/Adidas, we've been patiently waiting for new opportunities after we launched their Spring and Fall websites in 2002.

We're extremely pleased to continue the relationship with the outdoor aficionado with the release of 2 new projects launched last month. We were brought on to create flash-based micro sites showcasing products and technologies for their new GLOVE and BASE LAYER offerings.

Our directives were to create efficient, informative experiences that would help sales reps communicate the advancements of each offering to buyers across the continent. Therefore we designed the experiences around the core technologies such as the TRI-DEX Technology for the gloves and the Hydrophobic Yarns of the Base Layers.

It's such a privilege to work with a brand with such wonderful aesthetic and philosophical standards.

View the microsites for GLOVES and BASE LAYERS

Once again, the production was handled by the talented and accommodating Ryan Ilg.

Red Card Sports Bar + Eatery

2010-02-05T21:16:00.000-08:00

Over the past couple of years, Free Agency Creative has had the opportunity to work on some exciting Retail projects in the restaurant industry. Goldfish Pacific Kitchen, by Kanke Seafood Group, was a project we were involved with from the ground up and we thoroughly enjoyed the process. When Solterra Development Group approached us about a new project called Red Card, we looked forward to working on another restaurant.

Red Card is uniquely positioned as both a sports bar and an eatery, combining the spirit of sport with authentic Italian food and modern design. Housed in a 100 year old building, Smart Design Group has done a great job of combining old architecture with modern design concepts. We were able to contribute to the space by designing wall graphics, a custom wall paper produced by Rollout, and window films that feel like stained glass. The personality of the brand is also seen through cheeky statements, typographically treated with a modern sensibility.

Currently we’re working on a new wall treatment for the Moda Hotel, a part of the same site and also part of the Solterra Development family of projects. We’ll blog about that soon…

Emily Carr University - 4th Year Projects

2010-01-17T08:39:00.000-08:00

Once again, we had the pleasure of teaching a wonderful group of 4th year students in a class called Senior Core Studio at the Emily Carr University. The students had 12 weeks to take a topic of their choice from concept to completed deliverable. Here's just a few of the wonderful projects done last Fall.

Title: Gambol - A clothing brand
4th Year Students: Pheobe Chan and Hurley Wu

Over the term, Gambol evolved from a set of cool t-shirts into a conceptual brand that represents the mentality of young, determined individuals. The mission of the brand was to reveal not only the glamourous front of success, but also the beginning roots of how young minds get to where they are. Gambol's products are designed based on the stories of these young, successful people. The focus during the term was to create an inspirational website that showcased not only their shirt designs but told the stories of how they were conceived and who inspired them.

Title: Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice
4th Year Student: Kat Yanova

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice is a cookbook of practical and metaphorical recipes involving sugar and sugarcoating methods. The premise of the project is to explore effects of sugar on human health as well as to view a larger scale how sugar sets a bad precedent in society. All illustration, layout, typesetting done by Kat (impressive!).

Title: Samuel Johnson's - A Dictionary of the English Language
4th Year Student: Jen Griffiths

Jennifer decided to redesign Samuel Johnson's legendary work: A Dictionary of the English Language (1755). Johnson's is a dictionary with great personality. It is a book both biased and imperfect but also beautifully written, that contains some great words and was a great landmark in the history of the English language. Her goal was challenge the presentation of Dr J’s Dictionary in such a way that encourages exploration and discovery as opposed to research, in order to for it to reach the contemporary reader. All illustration, layout, typesetting done by Jen (two thumbs up!).

A REBRAND: SMART LIVING STEAM MOP

2009-11-25T16:52:00.000-08:00

We recently had the opportunity to rebrand the "Deluxe Steam Mop" for our client Ocean Sales Ltd. Our responsibilities included renaming the product, a new look for the brand and subsequent packaging.

Our goal was to tap into what today's home owner wants in a cleaning product by leveraging the natural and sincere virtues of their mop product.

We began the creative brainstorming phase with the belief that we all want a tool that goes beyond eliminating our tangible, dirty footprints. The steam mop uses only a responsible amount of water and steam to clean the home and kill germs, eliminate the need for potentially harmful chemicals. Combined with an ergonomic, clean design - the mop became a vehicle for living smarter, not harder.

The phrase "Smart Living" allowed the brand to philosophical take the next step beyond an efficient cleaning tool. Aesthetically, we tried to make the brand as accessible as the product itself through a fresher, cleaner and brighter look.

To view other images and review the team members, please visit the PORTFOLIO section of our website at freeagencycreative.com

VANCOUVER CANUCKS YEAR-BOOK AD FOR PARKLANE HOMES

2009-11-25T16:09:00.000-08:00

We were recently approached by Parklane Homes to create an ad for the back of the 2009-2010 Yearbook for the Vancouver Canucks. We had a lot of fun collaborating with Marketing Manager, Yosh Kasahara and the rest of the team at Parklane on the conceptual approach for the ad.
We needed to create a piece that celebrated their solid 30 year anniversary and articulated their belief in dedication, passion and innovation.
Creatively, our goal was to focus on the fact that the ad would be appearing on the back of the Canucks Yearbook. How could we create a connection between the dedication of Parklane Homes and the dedication of the passionate Canuck fan?

In the end, we chose to create this connection through the belief that "greatness" begins at "Humble Beginnings". Qualities such as dedication, passion and innovation are essential whether your stopping a tennis ball in front of your house or building a Master Plan Community.

Once we nailed our concept, the key image became the shot of a young kid staring down the camera dressed in the standard uniform of the "backyard goalie". Finding the props and outfitting our model became a very personal trip back in time with both client and designer adding their own personal touches to the outfit. To get the shots, we worked with Colin Goldie who sourced the location and all the necessary. Highlights included over-sided baseball glove, rusted hand-me-down hockey net and foam pads stolen from a mattress. I believe that more foam was found in the actual back alley where we shot the scene.

~tyukawa

New Site Launch: Kozai Modern Organic

2009-11-19T16:46:00.000-08:00

We've recently completed the new website for Kozai Modern Organic. They make the most beautiful hardwood furniture and lighting that I've ever seen. After taking one look at their product line(s) - we decided to create a quiet interface that respectfully allowed the furniture to shine thru.

A lot of credit has to go to the talented Ryan Ilg who was responsible for building the site. The base of the site is in Flash but don't let the swishiness fool you. We spent a lot of time making sure the site successfully met corporate criteria such as Flash generated ULR's and a sustainable database driven by XML.

Thanks so much to Ron and Hideki, the wonderfully creative partnership at Kozai for all their support and creative input during the project.

Have a peak if you wish

See related Kozai post

~tyukawa

Red Card Sports Bar + Eatery

2009-10-23T13:41:00.000-07:00

We're excited to announce the completion of the positioning and brand identity development of the new sports bar concept for the Solterra Group. Red Card Sports Bar + Eatery will reside within the Moda Hotel building on Smithe and Richards and will offer some great Italian food and imported beers.

Here’s just a teaser of the identity and brand language which is meant to capture the spirit of getting a Red Card.

Stay tune for the opening later this Fall 09.

Kozai Modern Organic

2009-10-21T11:18:00.000-07:00

Over the last month and a half, we've had the pleasure of working with a Vancouver-based furniture and lighting company called Kozai Modern Organic. Their offering consists of stunning hardwood and lighting pieces designed and hand-crafted by Japanese artisans.

We're launching a new website for them within the next 2-3 weeks, but feel compelled to give a sneak peak from their impressive collection ranging from Freeform Hardwood tables to atmospheric light pieces.

Stay tuned for the launch of the new website at the end of this month

Hanabi Hanging Light:
Issa Chair:

Takumi Table Light:

Issa Dining Table:

Bunaco Light:

A REBRAND 2: Ocean Sales Website

2009-07-23T10:14:00.000-07:00

Free Agency Creative is pleased to announce the recent launch of the new website for Ocean Sales Ltd. This Canadian company focuses on developing innovative, quality products that improve your life.

Aesthetically, we saw the launch of the new site as an opportunity to make a very bold statement within our rebrand campaign. The website provided a sizable canvas to continue our quest in modernizing the aesthetic of the brand through fresh colour, elegant type and open space.

The catalyst that propelled the overall strategic approach of the site was:
LIVE BETTER, WE'LL SHOW YOU HOW. Therefore the site was designed to continually deliver and facilitate new ways of improving your life through the product offering of Ocean Sales. Areas such as the LIVE BETTER section, allows visitors to continually access advice, tips and other useful articles/media.

The essence and lifestyle of the brand was further strengthened by the introduction of new photography. The main initiative of the shots were to define the different lifestyle categories within the Ocean Sales product offering. Visual unity among all products was facilitated with a few days of shooting in a studio. We'd like to thank Jonathan Cruz and his team for making the shoots so fun and enjoyable.

We'd like to thank the team at Domain 7 who produced and built a technically sound yet user-friendly website - including a client-managed E-commerce system (yikes).

View the new site

Related Post - A REBRAND: Ocean Sales Inc.

The Wiser System

2009-06-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

During the Spring term in the Langara College CS Communication and Ideation Design Program, I had the privilege of teaching a new course called - Independent Project. A class similar to that of Emily Carr's Senior Core Studio in which students were given the opportunity to choose their own topic/problem. They were to research its respective narrative and re-invent it for the better. As always, the students rose to the challenge and produced some promising results. I wanted to take the opportunity to share a certain project produced by Eugene Huh for its relevancy in our everyday lives.

From day one, Eugene wanted to help citizens make more rational, sustainable, decisions when buying products. His project was called "The Wiser System" and his goal was to influence consumers right at their particular point-of-purchase. Inspired by the Nutritional Facts labels on food products, he created a system that highlights a product's impact in three key areas: Environment, Social Welfare (community) and Personal Health.

To help convey his concept, he created a simply charming video reel using stop-motion animation and paper cutouts. Quite the fitting execution.

He also created 2 more reels in order to contextualize the real world application of the system on an iPhone (note: they're still in early stages - but his human sound effects are great).

A special thanks goes to Selma Zafar, Lisa Hemingway, Dean Ponto and Cindy Sheldan for their expert advice and encouragement to Eugene over the course of the term.

If you'd like to learn more from Eugene, feel free to contact him at eugene_huh@yahoo.com

~tyukawa

Enjoying Coffee

2009-06-22T10:17:00.000-07:00

As a designer and an entrepreneur, I love making things, and if there is something I love to make, it’s coffee. Making a great latté requires attention to detail in the process of selecting, grinding, brewing, steaming and pouring the final product. During the daily activities of the design studio, we believe it’s important to stay connected to other crafts. Whether it be letterpress, cooking, or making coffee, we enjoy them all. If all else fails and we cannot make our own, there are a few coffee shops we believe are doing it right. They are (in no particular order):

Caffe Artigiano

JJ Bean

Elysian Coffee

Here are a few photos from the last round of coffees made in the studio.

Don.

A beautiful building

2009-06-04T22:03:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure, this evening, of touring the Terminus building in Gastown. The Salient Group has done a wonderful job in collaboration with Acton Ostry Architects, Evoke International, Haebler Construction, and Inform Interiors to produce a harmonious blend of modernity and historicism in Vancouver’s Historic Gastown. Being a resident of Gastown, it’s really nice to see projects like this come to life. I only hope more developers are able to find ways to take traditional spaces and convert them into usable contemporary residents that are relevant to today. Here are a few of my pics from the tour.

A nod to local Vancouver talent - Mark James

2009-05-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

The team at Free Agency Creative recently had the pleasure of connecting with Vancouver art director/designer Mark James. He boasts a sophisticated body of work that pivots one way or another on fashion. As you page through his printed work for local fashion brands such as Kersh, Nicole Bridger and Anna Kosturova, his forte with imagery and art direction become clear.

Above images for Kersh Spring 08 - shot by Candace Meyer

Above images for Kersh Fall 09 - shot by Candace Meyer

One can't help but appreciate his ability to find balance within each image through his strong sensitivity with colour, light and composition. He successfully unifies the models within their landscapes and surroundings - all the while championing the clothing. He's then able to weave the story of each image into a larger narrative within a particular DPS or the entire catalog.

All the technicalities aside...the work is beautiful, yet honest.

Above images for Nicole Bridger - shot by Candace Meyer

Above images for Anna Kosturova - shot by Chris Haylett

Above images for Kersh Fall 09 - shot by Candace Meyer

Click here to check out more of Mark's work.

~tyukawa

A REBRAND: Ocean Sales Inc.

2009-05-26T11:43:00.000-07:00

Ever heard of the Bamix Mixer or the V-Slicer? Sure you have. The Bamix is enthusiastically endorsed by the famous Gordon Ramsay. Ocean Sales Inc. has been responsible for bringing recognizable household products like these to North America for over 25 years.

Our goal at FAC was to help Ocean Sales focus their messaging, leverage their strengths and modernize their aesthetic with a fresh face.

Through a family of quality products, Ocean Sales is committed to showing you how to live better - at home, in your health or at play.

Once key messaging was established, development began with the creation of a new symbol and wordmark. We wanted the elements to be brighter and more vibrant through open white space and strong colour.

The symbol (old to new): Unity, Holistic, Vibrancy, Organic

The wordmark: Human, Soft, Contemporary, Open

We are now in the process of creating essential touch points such as the standard stationery package plus a few other elements that would create greater awareness among their respective target markets.

Free Agency Creative is also excited to be teaming up with Domain 7 to design and build the new Ocean Sales website and store functionality. Not only will the site further enforce the key brand messaging, the site will continually deliver new ways to improve your life - through tips, articles and video. Stay tuned for the launch this summer.

~tyukawa

Tak helps with the RETHINK Scholarship

2009-05-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

A sound teaching relationship with the Communication and Ideation Program at Langara College has given Tak Yukawa the privilege to be a judge for the Rethink Scholarship.

The judging panel:
- Dr Shelley Gruendler, head of CID at Langara College
- Ian Grais, founding partner and co-creative director of RETHINK
- Rob Tarry, group creative director of RETHINK
- Tak Yukawa, partner and co-creative director of Free Agency Creative

The initiative is a joint effort between Rethink and Langara College to nurture and develop promising young talent into future Art Directors and Designers. The PRIZE: an $18,000 scholarship to Langara's two-year Communication and Ideation Design Program and a 3-month internship with Rethink (wow!).

Applicants were asked to submit an 8.5 x 11 sketchbook filled with their ideas, inspiration and process.

Judging took place in the creative boardroom of Rethink with judges spending time with each book - all the while smiling and conversing about what caught their attention. In the end, a winner was chosen who best represented the ideals of the prize.

A special thank you goes to Cameron Walker (pictured in black shirt above) at Rethink for coordinating a fun afternoon.

To learn more about the scholarship details and to watch a great promo video by Rethink - visit http://rethinkscholarship.com/

~tyukawa

TED pick: Idea + Square = Origami

2009-05-12T16:53:00.000-07:00

This is a post that's definitely close to my heart.

When I was just a small boy, my mother taught me how to fold a square piece of paper into a paper samurai hat. It was a miracle on many levels. Ever since then, I've been impressing my caucasian friends with my skills in Japanese paper folding.

Then one day I stumbled upon a presentation on TED.com by a westerner by the name of Robert Lang (not Robert Langdon from the Da Vinci Code) who utilizes math and engineering principles to create mind blowing creations. He starts with cute animals and works his way up to Mitsubishi car commercials and space exploration.

It's important to note that all of Lang's creations are made with only 1 square piece of paper.

Instead of committing seppuku (when a samurai commits suicide out of shame), spend time roughly 16 minutes and watch this presentation at TED.com

Watch the presentation

~tyukawa

A meeting of some great minds

2009-05-09T23:23:00.001-07:00

Now don’t get us wrong, we love working with all of our clients, but this group is exceptional. Over the past 2 years we’ve enjoyed working with Marketplace Events in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton.

In this meeting, we’re hosting a brainstorming session with the show managers from each city, the heads of marketing and sales, the PR agency (Tara Parker Tait PR), and the media buying firm (Genesis Vizeum). The task today – how do me make the fall season an unprecedented success.

Thanks Marketplace, working with you is truly a pleasure.

Don.

Here are a couple of samples from campaigns past.

ECU Gradshow

2009-05-04T15:42:00.000-07:00

Tak and I enjoyed the opportunity to see the work of this year’s Emily Carr University grad show. This group is close to our hearts, having had the opportunity to instruct them on their fall semester projects, and it was nice to see them show off their hard work and creativity. The work is solid this year, and it’s always surprising how polished the final solutions are presented.

This time of year, there’s always debates and politics around design programs as everyone tries to measure who’s doing what best. An evening like this reminds us that at the heart of all the work is people, all on different parts of a journey, that will lead to many different destinations.

Congrats ECU grads of 2009.

Ginger Ngo, a talented typographer who we had the privilege of having in our office for the better part of 6 months.

Joomi Choi and Mi Hyun Sung presenting their game that deals with the topic of death.

Chloe Lan and her project on the Plantilions (a must see to understand what they are).

Don Williams.

Getting back to basics

2009-04-30T22:37:00.000-07:00

During these days where we’re all out pounding the pavement, better be sure you’ve got enough business cards. Well, it just so happens that Free Agency Creative has an antique letterpress in the studio for situations such as these. Actually, we like to use it for more than just cards, but today we kept it simple with this one colour job using magnesium dies and typeset in Blender from Die Gestalten Verlag.

The letterpress has always been a passion of mine. Jim Rimmer, my early design school mentor, found it for me in 1997, and after 8 months of repairs I had my own press. I have also enjoyed sharing my passion for letterpress with students at Emily Carr University and Langara College. Most recently, Kristin Liu brought her class in from Langara’s design program for a 4 hour workshop on Free Agency’s press.

For the next few days the studio will smell of that glorious aroma all designers love, ink and paint thinner. Then it will be gone and all that will be left is the steady hum of the x-serve on the rack beside it.

Don Williams

Canstruction

2009-04-30T15:10:00.001-07:00

Lisa and I took time out of the afternoon to check out the new convention centre and the annual event Canstruction. All proceeds go towards the Vancouver Food Bank. You have until May 3 to check it out! I recommend going while the sun is still out, the views are beautiful.
-kl

Justified West - April 25, 2009

2009-04-27T16:11:00.000-07:00

Kristin Liu and Tak Yukawa took some time (well the whole day) to attend Justified West at the Plaza 500 Hotel in Vancouver. The day-long event was hosted by the Langara College Advanced Typography program followed by a Typophile Film Fest co-sponsored by the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada.

Our hats go off to the coordinator of this successful event, Dr. Shelley Gruendler, who is also head of the Communication and Ideation program as well. We hope that the local design community in Vancouver continues to support such events and follow in the footsteps of Vancouver mayor, Gregor Robertson who proclaimed April 25th, 2009 as "Typography Day"!!! Read article to believe it.

Notables moments/presenters included:
MARIAN BANTJES: The day was impressively kicked off by the much celebrated Marian Bantjes who passionately spoke about her typographic illustrative work. Her snowflake designs for Saks Fifth Avenue were simply stunning.

TOM PHINNEY: We enjoyed Tom's enthusiasm for Forensic Typography (yes, it truly exists) in which he thoroughly described how he exposed the criminal abuse of such typefaces as Times New Roman. Who would do such a thing...

RICHARD KEGLER: One couldn't help but support the pursuits of filmaker Richard Kegler (p22 type foundry) as he spoke about the legendary Jim Rimmer and his passion for the traditional craft of type. Stay tuned for the release of "Making Faces" - a film about Jim.

Note: This blog post was made possible by the venerable Ross Mills (sorry, you sort of had to be there).

~tyukawa and kl

The Elephant And The Dragon

2009-04-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

While I was taking the usual stroll through the aisles of my favorite books stores, I stumbled upon "The Elephant And The Dragon". The book talks about the remarkable rise of China and India and how their influence touches our lives more and more each day. The author, Robyn Meredith, wonderfully maps out the historical and economic narratives of each country - providing essential context for her haunting yet inspiring conclusions.

After finishing the last page, I couldn't help but feel fortunate that her book had found me while at the same time embarrassed that I had not proactively searched for a book of this subject matter earlier.

Robyn Meredith is a foreign correspondent for Forbes magazine. Praise for the book is well deserved.

~tyukawa

Calling all type nerds

2009-03-24T13:58:00.001-07:00

(image found here via swissmiss)

Shelley Gruendler has worked some magic for the Communication and Ideation program at Langara College. She's also brought some of the best people in the typographic field together for one day of goodness.

See you all there!
-kl

The Crisis of Credit by Jonathan Jarvis

2009-03-20T15:58:00.000-07:00

While we are on the subject of great informational videos, here is one I found through David Ronnie, an ECU 2nd year I met briefly at the beginning of the semester:

It is a visual explanation of why things are the way they are today:

The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

-GN

Ever wonder about stuff?

2009-03-16T13:52:00.001-07:00

We were talking about sustainability and design in class this past week. One of my students pointed out this video which I found compelling enough to share. Enjoy!
-kl

We, the Universe

2009-02-23T00:29:00.000-08:00

From September to December of this year, Don and I were honored to be involved with the Emily Carr University on Granville Island in Vancouver. We co-taught a class called Senior Core Studio, in which 4th year students get to work with a topic of their choice. The students had 12 weeks to take their projects from Concept to Completion. Our job was to listen, empathize, motivate and encourage.

There were so many great projects, so many great ideas, however there was one project that stood out because of its wonderful mixture of concept, imagery, narration and execution. The project was aptly titled “We, the Universe” by Ms. Maggie Chok. Believe it or not, the universe was just one or four areas that she was hoping to explore within her all encompassing topic.

Maggie set out to explore the physical and metaphorical implications of DEPTH that transcended traditional norms such as art and literature. In order to achieve this kind of reverence for life, Space was to be her mechanism. She created a series of four books that utilized unique philosophical and metaphorical devices to approach outer space: Matter, Forces, Scale and Perception. Her goal for each book was to illicit a sense of awe and wonder in whomever read through them. Mission accomplished.

Nuff said, have a look. All Images courtesy of Maggie Chok

~ tyukawa (We’re looking forward to our next opportunity at ECU in 2009)

GE Augmented Reality

2009-02-13T10:47:00.000-08:00

I found something rather amazing when doing research for my Ideation 3 class in the Communication and Ideation Design program at Langara College. I stumbled upon a site for General Electric titled "Plug Into The Smart Grid". The site was designed by the talented crew at North Kingdom who continually push the envelope of creative online experiences.

The site leverages experiential design to educate the user on GE's commitment to Smart Grid technologies.But the real show stopper is the Augmented Reality component of the site. It allows you to see a digital hologram of Smart Grid technology literally in the palm of your hands. You really have to SEE it to BELIEVE it. Just follow the instructions and enjoy.

~tyukawa

Above Image (GE Ecomagination Website)

Experiential Print Material

2009-01-24T16:07:00.000-08:00

Saxofunny is a sound production company from Brazil. They hired advertising agency DM9DDB to create these posters for them. The subject is "Every image has a sound."

Brilliant!

GN

The Laws of Simplicity

2009-01-05T09:41:00.000-08:00

I think I can speak for most people when I say that part of me is relieved that the Christmas/Holiday season has come to and end. Shopping malls, gifts, money, traffic, parking, and family socials are just a few things that have turned our holiday season into anything but peaceful. The holiday season gives us ample time to reflect on how our lives, from our finances to our closets and sock drawers, have become increasingly more complex. Then something clicks in our brain and we tell ourselves that enough is enough. We begin to clean, edit, reduce. Better yet, we simplify.

For many of us, this realization occurs every year. Some tackle this issue with great success while others stumble a few months down the line. If you represent the latter, I recommend a book that may provide the strength to pull through. It’s called “The Laws of Simplicity” by John Maeda.

Maeda is a Japanese-American graphic designer, computer scientist and former MIT professor. He is currently the president of the Rhode Island School of Design. He’s managed to take the difficult subject of “simplicity” and make it digestible. He introduces a methodology based on 10 Laws for balancing simplicity with complexity in design, business and life. (He even suggests the most efficient strategy for reading the book.)

Maeda’s theory does not stop at his book. He’s created a website and blog where he’s constantly searching for new and thoughtful ways of supporting his pursuit of simplicity. Happy reading

“Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful”
John Maeda

~tyukawa

Kristine Sitko: Balsamic Chocolate Truffles

2008-12-22T12:01:00.000-08:00

If anyone is up for making little holiday treats (which will take... three days' worth of walking to burn), here is a link I found for Balsamic Chocolate Truffles from Design*Sponge.

"Photographer Kristine Sitko has given us the perfect holiday treat, either to pass around on a tray at your next friendly or family gathering. Or, if you go crazy and make too many, package them up with a beautiful bow in a nice piece of porcelain or a vintage cup and saucer, like the fabulous one in the images. The lucky recipient will be your friend forever!" (Design*Sponge)

Agence NC, Nathalie Crinière

2008-12-16T11:09:00.000-08:00

Tak has unleashed a blogging demon.

This is an exhibition and event design firm I had the good fortune to quickly meet this summer in Paris. Agence NC has a great collection of works, all very attentive to the content, context, and in many cases, the nature of light and colour in a 3-dimensional space.

They design interiors for galleries, boutiques, exhibitions, etc. My favourites are the ones they create for popular culture (Grace Kelly & Alfred Hitchcock) and French figureheads (Jean Cocteau).

Fun stuff.

Milk

2008-12-10T13:09:00.001-08:00

A stand for your Macs or fish aquarium! Beautiful Scandinavians! The item is called Milk, by Holmris Hansen A/S. It considers everything one would need to work well and love your Mac even more.

Moiré

2008-12-08T22:15:00.000-08:00

Moiré. This design company based on Zürich is led by Marc Kappeler & Markus Reichenbach. Beautiful publications that "[trust] in craft rather than marketing." How European!

AIGA: "Is There Anything Funny about Graphic Design?"

2008-11-20T00:49:00.000-08:00

Here is a great article I came across, while looking for some motivation for my current projects:

"Is There Anything Funny about Graphic Design?" by Steven Heller

Groucho Marx’s description of diversity in verbal humor applies as well to graphic wit and humor, but one difference between verbal and design humor is apparent: the latter cannot always be measured by laughter alone. As a selling tool, graphic design humor might be described as a loss leader—a means to grab attention and lure the customer or client into the store. Humor, then, cannot be too outrageous, lest the purpose be defeated. Even as a political weapon, humor similarly functions to sell a message, sometimes by ridicule, but is often subtle or sardonic, not side-splittingly funny. At best, humorous design will force a laugh, bring a smile or cause a double-take, which is nothing to be ashamed of. Indeed, like hypnotic suggestions, the goal of graphic wit and design humor is to subvert the subconscious and thereby earn a market share of memory.

...

Play is a kind of abandon, yet, as we know from small children, play is their work. In the initial stages of a project (and possibly throughout), the designer ostensibly becomes an adult child, allowing attachments to shift capriciously from one plaything to another. In design, however, playthings are type and image, which are really puzzle pieces to be more or less instinctively moved, juxtaposed, and even mangled and distorted until a serendipitous relationship between formal and contextual problems is achieved. Even the most rigidly systematic design solutions are born of play.

As I've mentioned previously, I am still very much influenced by these sorts of approaches to design, where the human condition is not just a small component, but the very core of communication. Things like this inspire me, and inform what I would love to do for the rest of my career as a designer-hopeful. It is easy to say this, the idea of touching the viewer in a memorable way, but just as Heller suggests, it takes a certain type of knack, a certain type of outlook, to be truly achieved.

I also believe that this can be developed (it does not require design-magic!), not solely within the confines of design blogs and articles, but through extensive living and consideration, through a crisp observance of every nuance in life and its qualitative... qualities; through health and well-being, intelligence, culture, laughter, loss, children, the elderly, French bulldogs and orange cats, as well as just to be an all-around good person.

Koons at Versailles

2008-11-17T10:26:00.001-08:00

I recently returned from a much anticipated trip to Europe and Morocco. I had, of course, expected to see some fabulous art and design while there, however, some of my favorite moments came when I least expected it. Jeff Koons' exhibit at Chateau de Versailles, France, was one of those unexpected pleasures.

Versailles is something I remembered studying in my first few years of Art school so I thought it would be interesting to actually see the massive palace while in France, as an added bonus, Jeff Koons was also holding an exhibition of his work there. Within minutes of arriving to the Chateau I was drawn to the massive Balloon Flower in front of the palace, Versailles quickly became merely a backdrop for which this giant metallic balloon sculpture existed. I couldn't help feeling totally hypnotised by it's smooth metallic surfaces which reflected on them all the decadence that is Versailles.

I found myself moving quickly through the palace's countless rooms, glancing over stunning ceiling murals, various masterpieces, and elaborate finishings until I found the next shiny oversized balloon puppet to mesmerize my senses. Balloon sculptures weren't the only thing to be seen among the many rooms and corridors, there were also many large blow up pieces, including a lobster hanging from the ceiling (one of my favorites), vacuum cleaners, bunnies, and even a sculpture of Micheal Jackson – something for everyone. However, to be fair, not everyone was as taken with Koons' work as I, I overheard the women next to me telling her husband he was wasting their film by taking a picture of the giant hanging lobster, where I, only a few steps away, was fascinated with it and it's juxtaposition to the chandelier hanging beside it – to each their own I guess.

I have posted a few of my favorite pieces below, but click here to see more of Koons at Versailles. The Exhibit is running until January if you happen to find yourself in the area.

–Lisa

Julien Vallée

2008-11-15T13:13:00.000-08:00

I like looking at what other young whippersnappers like myself are doing with design these days, that wonderful time in our lives where we teeter from student to professional. It is a time where we are still floundering in the remnants of risk and bright-eyed from our humanist educators and philosophies, yet to be tarnished by life! Fortunately, there is much to look at, and it's always fun to catch it before it becomes trendy and overused.

Here is a young garçon from Montreal named Julien Vallée, doing some amazing things with analog means, specifically paper. Catch him!

Not to get into the whole "the medium is dying!" debate, for I think that is quite painful—just as painful as the art vs. design debate, but I think it's an adorable approach, very heartwarming aesthetic that certainly is catching attentions everywhere. Even Stefan Sagmeister is jumping into the bandwagon:

And you know if Sagmeister is into it, everyone will be into it sooner or later: Three-D Graphic Spaces. Best of luck, Vallée!

Mistletoe schmistletoe

2008-11-14T11:45:00.000-08:00

By: CarolLeeDesigns

As much as I cringe when the holiday displays start appearing in stores (as early as October!), I have to admit, it's one of my favorite holidays of the year. Apple cider, yum! This year, I'm planning to make my cards with my beloved Gocco, but if I weren't, here are a couple top picks from some favorite etsy sellers. If you don't like these there's thousands of options out there! Joy! - k

By: turtlepapers

By: paperedtogether

By: hammerpress

Reverting back to Pointing and Shooting

2008-11-14T11:43:00.000-08:00

Three years ago I traded in my cheap point and shoot camera for a Canon DSLR. What ensued was a time of utter obsession and co-dependence. We became inseparable. God forbid I should ever see something Beautiful and have no record of it. That poor expensive machine has been dropped, scratched up, drowned in spilt milk and run through several intense sensor cleanings, everything that accompanies the dangers of riding shotgun with me everywhere I go, in every shoulder bag I carry, next to my lunch, and my lipgloss.

That was until two months ago. Two months ago I found myself teetering on the edge of a tippy canoe with the Machine just a centimeter off the splashing salt water, all in the name of simply "documenting a weekend away". So I finally gained some Sense and, with a wistful sideways glance at a uber-costly German-engineered Leica, ran to pick up a "little" Powershot G9 that I affectionately call Tank. He shoots 12.1 MP. In RAW. And can mount my 580EXII flash. Gosh, yesterday I actually attached the little guy to a set of Pocket Wizards and shot using a full studio light set up. Tank is so sturdy I bet you I could kick him across the room and he would still keep ticking. Not that I intend to prove that mind you. (Just FYI, the next-round G10 was introduced last month, if you're finding yourself intrigued.)

Of course, this G9 will never replace my SLR for pro-level shooting, but for play? Well, Tank and I have spent the last few months kayaking, concerting, late-night partying, highway driving, office shenanigan-ing, airplane flying and happily dancing down Vancouver's back alleys to the tunes of George Michael's Freedom. And wonders, after all that there is nary a scratch to be seen on his impenetrable metal casing.

Below are a few random things that caught our eye(s).

- Tracey

NikePlus Website

2008-11-02T13:04:00.000-08:00

I started running so I could eat cookies whenever I felt like it - now I run to hang out on Nikeplus.com.

Nikeplus.com isn’t just a website to track times and distances, it is also a place for runners to compete and trash talk.

For those of you who don’t know, the Nikeplus system is a sensor in your shoe that tracks your speed and distance from a run. That data is collected and sent wirelessly to a receiver attached to an iPod which can then be uploaded to the Nikeplus site.

Even if you don’t use the Nikeplus system, it’s worth signing up for a membership. There is a great “Community” section where you can chat with other Nikeplus users as well as race against them.

They’ve recently added a great tool called “Map It” that uses Google Maps technology to help plan out running routes ahead of time. Before my trip to Tokyo and Manila, I was able to check distances and see my actual route via Google Earth. So cooool.

My favorite cookies are Oreo, Blake’s and the grandma ones with white icing and mystery red jam.