Arkhip Ivanovich Kuindzhi
July 19th, 2010 | Filed under: Artists | Add a Comment »
This guy can paint a bit.
(via Art Inconnu)
Made to Stick, by the brothers Heath
July 18th, 2010 | Filed under: Books | Add a Comment »
Do you want to read something amazing?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
If you checked yes, immediately obtain a copy of Made to Stick, by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. This intellectual brother act did extensive research into the techniques of the most successful teachers, leaders, and communicators they could find, and came up with a straightforward look at how to craft an idea so that it will be actionable and unforgettable.
This book has profoundly influenced the way I think through communication, both professionally and personally, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
This is cool. Mrs. Smrvl discovered a new website called Pinterest, which I’d say is something like the really good parts of Flickr and Twitter mashed together. You’ll have to check it out in person to see exactly how it works, but essentially you post up images (a la Flickr) from the internet or your hard drive to create a kind of living gallery. Perfect for styleboards, visual notebooking, portfolio showcasing, or just sharing hilarious images from whatever. It’s very well thought through, and it’s as cool as it looks.
Here are two pages to get you started: my pinboard and that of Mrs Smrvl.
Don’t say I never gave you nothin’.
[via onewordprints]
Speaking of videos about education…
July 15th, 2010 | Filed under: Film and Video | Add a Comment »I’m officially a fan of Raymond Terrific.
The Italic Poster, by Eivind Molvær & Associates
July 15th, 2010 | Filed under: Design | Add a Comment »
This is kind of brilliant. Also brilliant is the fact that you can buy a copy (way too many amazing design pieces on the internet are one-shots).
(via Pinterest)
Waiting for ‘Superman’ Infographic by Buck
July 15th, 2010 | Filed under: Film and Video | Add a Comment »Fresh work from Buck, for Waiting for ‘Superman’, with great graphics and great information. Makes me happier than ever to be working for an educational publishing company.
Design style
July 15th, 2010 | Filed under: Art Theory, Design | Add a Comment »I don’t have a style, per se. I’ve heard that it’s bad to be too locked into a style, but without knowing what I do best, I feel compelled to start from scratch every time. I think I’m starting to see that a style isn’t a finishing line … it’s a starting point of assumptions and building blocks to work with. (For those of you that have a style, would you say that’s right?)
Anyway, I was trying to figure out what my style would be, if I were to have one. What I wound up with was a list of elements I like, and feel comfortable using. Hopefully this will be a starting place for figuring out what style is and how to use it well:
- Bigger, bolder blocks
- Simple, strong, joyful
- Masculine, not macho
- Provide interest & information
- Protect from confusion
- Lead the eye & mind
- Love the viewer more than the concept
- Weathered, not distressed
- Not grunge
- New England
- Textures
- Textiles: t-shirts, knits, cable, fleece, tweed, canvas, cotton
- Clothing: old suits, hoodies, jeans, military jackets, sweaters
- Home: wood, wainscoting
- Pencil sketches
- Grid system
- Comics & cartoons (European, not manga)
- Dog, not cat. Sincere, open-hearted
- Pick an emotion and GO for it
Not exactly what you’d call exhaustive or organized. But it’s a place to start.
Nacho Gil
July 12th, 2010 | Filed under: Artists | Add a Comment »
The artwork of Nacho Gil is completely hand-drawn, without the aid of computer software, origami, or anything else you’d expect to create a look like this.
And while you’re looking at that, you might as well listen to Zebra, by Beach House. And check out this cool Brushes and Zebra shirt on Threadless.
If I Die Young, by The Band Perry
July 12th, 2010 | Filed under: Music | Add a Comment »Give this a listen.
Morbid, you say? I don’t think so. But then I’m a big believer in a good memento mori.
Spelled “De La Tour”
July 12th, 2010 | Filed under: Notes | Add a Comment »Yesterday, I had the art nerd’s version of going to Chick-fil-A just to order waffle fries. My stunning wife and I went down to the National Gallery to look at just one painting. In the past, whenever, we’ve gone to the gallery, the question has been, “How can I see as much art as possible in this very short window of opportunity?” But yesterday, we realized that we live all of ten minutes away. Why not go down just to look at one particular painting?
Of course, we wound up looking at more than just one thing. Actually, the day’s itinerary was pretty sweet. It involved:
- Sleeping in
- Driving the all-of-ten minutes onto the Mall from our crow’s nest apartment
- Parking for free
- Eating a picnic lunch on the mall in the summer air under a big shady tree with an award-winning breeze
- Walking through the sculpture garden and realizing that House was a Lichtenstein (We love Lichtenstein.)
- Going straight to the information desk and asking where we could find “The Repentant Magdalene. By Georges De La Tour. Spelled ‘D-E…’ oh, it’s not there? Maybe just look under La Tour? It’d be French… Gallery 37? Thanks!”
- Seeing Magdalene in person. Just …. wow.
- Checking out Newman’s Seven Stations of the Cross, which I try and visit every time I’m at the gallery
- Poking through galleries to find all the Lichtenstein we could
- Enjoying a little gelato and espresso
- Moseying back to our car
- Getting home without any difficulty whatsoever, with time to change before church
You know what… I think I crossed the line into gloating at some point back there. The fact was, it was a perfect day; and after a long, tiring week, it was so kind of God to give it to us. It’s funny how sometimes getting out and doing and seeing stuff is more restful than staying at home or watching a movie. I think we might be doing this again sometime.
[PS: Shoutout to Erin, RN BSN. So proud of you!]