Archive for February 27th, 2008
You are currently browsing the Lastnightstony blog archives for the day Wednesday, February 27th, 2008.
27
Feb
2008
CMY(W)K pt.2
The more I think about it, graphics got to me way before art or design were anything I had any knowledge of. When I got into the sport of cycling I was a teenager. I was fascinated by the intriqucies of the sport. The chess match of strategy that would unfold on the road was full of drama and still is. These battles in the mountains were illustrated by the commentary of Phil Liggett and, at the time, John Tesh.
Advertising in Europe seemed so new and much more intense. I liked the idea that is was a sport not fed on commercials at halftime. Success for a company, who sponsored a team, was measured by how much air time they would get while racing. Winning stages with your hands in the air was essential to getting a proper read of the company that was paying that riders bills and wanting valuable recognition of their brand.
Cycling has rarely enjoyed a savvy design aesthetic, especially in the 80’s. There were some teams however that are still memorable because they had the best riders and the coolest looking kits.
La Vie Claire
This jersey was based on Piet Modrian’s famous “Composition A”.
Here is a shot of Cycling legends Greg Lemond and Bernard Hianult battling neck and neck to the finish of Stage 12 to Pau in the 1986 Tour de France. Hinault is actually wearing the Combination Jersey that is no longer in use but was built on the same layout of his La Vie Claire team kit. Coincidence?
Even today, it is hard to find a professional team kit that is anything more than a bunch of logos fighting with each other on on swatch of fabric. There have certainly been great teams with legible info on their chests. La Vie Claire, however, was a true super team with several stars and a very recognizable look amongst a peloton of color and type.[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZMkZN-PGCo&feature=related[/youtube]
27
Feb
2008
CMY(W)K
When you walk into the Lobby of WK Portland at the moment, you see four huge painted panels.
Cyan, magenta, yellow and black. This is a call for submissions for a exhibition of what was the orginal piece of inspiration for all of the creative department folks. Writers, Art Directors and Designers at WK, are all invited to submit a piece of print work that has inspired us at some point in our lives.
My friend Frazer is leading the charge in putting this together with the culmination of all the submissions being a show at a gallery space. This is a great chance to create a dialogue between lots of different people who all share a common interest: Cool Print Shit.
This is such a good question to ask that I find it hard to give it just one answer. Over the next few posts I am going to share some of the more interesting pieces of design that inspired me to choose this pursuit of making cool. Tadanori Yokoo
Yokoo’s work is largely biographical and very distinctive. This particular poster is about the notorious Japanese organized crime mob, the Yakuza. The removal of a finger is a signature calling card of their dedication as well as the samurai. This poster struck me because I could not understand the text, but I could figure out the story. The composition and style is so unique that his style is highly recognizable.
This is one possible submission. I want to dig a bit more before I give just one. Here are some more Tadanori Yokoo posters.
27
Feb
2008
Now You’re Hei
Shifting gears for a bit with a move to beer. New work and new opportunities for a new client. The swoosh will never be too far away, but a change of pace is good for the noggin.
27
Feb
2008
5AM
Been up for hours. Complete deja vu from a few months ago. Only switch is being back in a town I know pretty well. This is the beginning of rediscovering Portland. I went for a walk at sunrise this morning around the neighborhood.
