What makes us different! East vs. West

Understanding Asian vs. Western cultures...

These icons were designed by Liu Young who was born in China and educated in Germany.

Blue -> Westerner

Red -> Asian

Queue when waiting

Upset Stomach

Sundays on the road

The Boss

The Child

Me

Weather & Mood

Opinion

Party

Anger

Punctuality
Contacts
Definition of Beauty

Handling Problems

In the Restaurant

Transportation

3 Meals a Day
Travelling

Way of Life

What's Trendy

RW

When in Doubt, Go with Van Gogh

For those prone to "designer's block", this interesting item from the latest issue of BusinessWeek may provide a solution...

PA

To give their products cachet, marketers spend millions on celebrity endorsements. They might do better with the Mona Lisa, concludes a study conducted by the University of Georgia. In three separate surveys, researchers showed hundreds of subjects identical products—silverware, bathroom fixtures, and soap dispensers. Some were packaged or promoted using reproductions of paintings by Van Gogh, Vermeer, or William Turner. Others just used photos of similar settings (including one of actress Scarlett Johansson in her film role as Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring).

The result: People rated the items packaged with works of art as more "luxurious." It didn't matter if a painting was unfamiliar or unrelated to the product. A soap dispenser bearing a print of Turner's Burning of the Houses of Parliament won out over one decorated with a photo. Sorry, Scarlett. The real Girl with a Pearl Earring works better.

best-case scenario

London-based Levitate Architects designed a bookcase that replaces a staircase; simultaneously solving small-space issues and allowing easier access for the, er ... vertically challenged.

-Em

don't slip

Stefan Sagmeister has a show in Soho related to the books we were looking at yesterday, 20 Things I Have Learned in my Life So Far. The exhibit includes 7,200 bananas on the largest wall of the gallery, highlighting one of the twenty, "self confidence produces fine results." Bananas were mailed as invitations to the opening. It's been on view for 3 weeks and will close tomorrow.

Since the giant inflatable monkey flanking the banana wall can't eat them (poor little monkey), this certainly begs the question -- is this an enormous waste of perfectly good bananas or a sculpture that will avoid the eventual landfill and become compost? It's a slippery slope. 

-em

Prada '08

A collaboration between Prada and LA artist James Jean, this wallpaper is hanging in the Soho Epicenter store at 17 X 200 feet. Here are some sections of it, and a long jpeg of the entire mural. You can see more at.. prada.com under wallpaper (ss 08).
Brian

Pepsi Raw

It's hard to speak with your tongue in your cheek. No good can come from me saying anything further.

Link: http://dieline.typepad.com/blog/2008/02/pepsi-raw.html

CG

LeapFrog at Toyfair 2008

While Brian, Joanne, and Craig are in New York City for the premier of the new LeapFrog identity at Toyfair 2008, Engadget.com is covering the event with some images of [slightly damaged] packaging. Unfortunately, there aren't really any good shots of the booth TD designed for the show, but the team should have those after they return to SF. Enjoy.

Link: http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/17/hands-on-with-leapfrogs-new-edutainment-lineup/

CG

Grainy Perspective

Jim Denevan creates large-scale freehand drawings in the sand that can require up to 7 hours of labor. He does all of his work without any measuring aids.

Link: http://www.jimdenevan.com/images.htm

CG

Art of the State

Frank Chimero is an illustrator who always thought California looked a bit like a snuffed out cigarette (including the line divide between NoCal and SoCal). He is now in the midst of illustrating that thought and ones that apply to the shapes of the other 49 states.

Link: http://www.makemakemake.org/index.php?/project/the-states/

CG

Tapeworks

http://www.khaismanstudio.com

Illustrations created from packaging tape. Some people clearly have too much time on their hands!

Pixish

Similar to Flickr, Pixish is a new online community to which you can post your own, and view other designer's work. Here's how it works.

1. Create an Assignment. Ask for what you want.
2. Get Submissions. People create and submit their work.
3. Peer Review. Community voting helps find the best.
4. Pick Winners. Select your favorites and download.
5. Rewards! Winners get prizes and rewards.

http://pixish.com/


-M. Pants

Sodapopcornchicken

I wonder what Coca-Cola would think of this if we proposed it for a fast-food co-branding.

Link: http://www.seriouseats.com/required_eating/2008/02/bbq-chicken-all-in-one-chicken-nugget-drink-cup.html

CG