Nice dress

Packaging design queen Mary Lewis presents me with an award for Root 1.... Nice dress Mary!

Helvetica

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There is a documentary film about Helvetica that is about to release in early 2007. Haven't seen the trailer yet, but it's already very intriguing. If you're interested, here's the link: www.helveticafilm.com

Don't drink the wat?

Signs and messages from around the world.



I don't know the whole story of what this public sign is assuming but i think the illustrations second scenario is missing the unhappiness of the splatter residing exclusively on you instead of the floor.

Otto Neurath-ic: from money-less societies to the reduction of language into a set of signs depicting direct experiences. The Marxist inspiration for reducing the individual's status for bettering mankind evolved into Otto Neurath's reductionist language of signs. Commonly regulated by national transportation departments; these functionally universal symbols of common experiences can sometimes be as idiosyncratic as the cultures they serve. To tie this bit of cheap humor to our professional world: I would claim that a great piece of design and better yet a brand strives to achieve this minimalist insight and direct experience with a consumer. The key is to hocus, pocus, focus. Though exaggerated claims and misguided attempts at being everything to everyone have a like-able ambitious quality they do nothing to create a unique selling position. Successful brands seem to stay on message better than the competition. For purity of message you can often look back into a companies mantra, Coca Cola = Enjoy, HP = Invent, Milk = Got milk, Apple=Think...:), Nike=Just do it. This doesn't mean a monolithic rubber stamp of a logo and copy signature should accompany every store handle and shopping bag. However this simple honest spirit should permeate through all of the companies consumer and employee touch points lest we end up leaving with bag of composting messages. eeeuuww

interactive graffiti

check it out... he paints his graffiti and
waits for the perfect passerby to finish his piece.

http://www.alexandreorion.com

Always a Bridesmister, Never a Bride

Just to trump anything remotely queer this month, I was a Bridesmister in a friend's wedding. I don't have any great photos of this yet, but this will give you the idea. Brittany and I have started a folder of odd images we find via reasearch and what not. I think we should start a new folder of Chris is strange outfits (He-man anyone?).

Eat your heart out, metrosexuality!

CG

Lateral Inhibition: The elusive Coke Red/Intrinsic combination

Color: (latin root celare) to conceal


" Each photo-receptor tends to inhibit the response of the one next to it. The result is that which appears to be clear appears even to be more so and vice versa. The same mechanism works for colors: when a photo-receptor from one area of the retina becomes stimulated by a color, those next to it become less sensitive to that color."

"Color is illusion, a ghost that takes life only in our visual system, when light stimulates the photo-receptors - the antennae that pick up luminous signals – that fill in the background of our eyes. The world surrounding us is sadly in reality monochrome."

celebrity eyecon: wild weddings!

David applauds the re-emerging couple.
After their first kiss, says a glowing Turner, "Kid picked her up and gave her a huge kiss on the cheek."
A sign of future weddings to come?

Go to celebrityeyecon.com for more wild wedding photos
and type in duckworthy at the prompt.

Light Doodles

I am assuming this is achieved through a long exposure, but these artists are making live-action, moving light art. Having an epileptic seizure has never been so fun! If you cannot view the moving gif (maybe via your e-mail) then you need to pull the image into a browser window.

Link: http://tochka.jp/pikapika/2006/06/report_pikapika_in_kitijoji.html

CG

What ever happened to Fre?

There and back again. I finally found an on-shelf redesign of Fre: the alcohol-free wine. It looks like not only has the alcohol been removed, but also the concept. Of all places, I found the new bottles in Dayton, Ohio. This and their new Starbucks is really putting them on the map. The third picture is the final product.

CG

Locust Folding Bike Study

"Major goal of the new design is to offer full-valuable bike with great ability to be folded, stored in small spaces (cases, car trunks etc..)"

Ironically enough, Lisa and I faced the issue of fitting a large bike into the backseat of her car a couple of months ago. The Locust bike is only a concept at this point.

Link: http://www.coroflot.com/public/individual_file.asp?portfolio_id=171510&individual_id=89369&sort_by=1&

CG

The holiday season is upon us. Snowflakes are falling and the nights are drawing in.
Time for a party.
Date: Early December (exact date TBD)
Place: TDSF Studio
Theme: We're looking for suggestions. Blog 'em.
There will be a lottery for a couple of lucky folks from TD London to join us. Details forthcoming.
Let's make the Red Eye look like a church social.

DT

Why? Because, We Contour Can!

"Other agencies must have suggested this," said David Turner months ago in a very matter-of-fact tone. Yes, we all want a Coca-Cola contour can. Well, it was produced at one point, albeit in limited release and in only a sample market. This article, published in 1997, optmistically predicts the future of all Coca-Cola soda residing within proprietary packaging.

Read more here: http://www.beverage-digest.com/editorial/970221.html

CG

No, I didn't find this on bevnet.com!

Real-Time Photoshop Effects

This week, SIGGRAPH, a computer graphics conference, opened in Boston. One of the highlights was an interactive piece by Toshio Iwai: Morphovision. A 3-D model of a cottage is set inside an enclosed display. The model appears to be still, but is actually rotating with a synchronized light source. If that synchronization is altered from a control system outside of the display, then the cottage appears to ripple and distort. The magic of light and mirrors can still compete on par with computer graphics.

Link: http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn9664-sensory-illusions-dazzle-at-graphics-conference.html

CG

Turners, Duckworths

One month of no e-mail, almost no phone, no watch and most of the time, no shirt. Including one week of Turners and Duckworths just having fun and not talking shop. Thanks to everyone for making it possible. (Any suggestions for what Bruce is holding and why he's clenching his fist?)

Target Boutique Shop

The shop contains a collection from the international fashion design company, Paul & Joe. This is a really interesting step for the company. Hopefully, there is more to come.

Link: http://www.notcot.com/archives/2006/08/target_on_melro.html#more

CG

Drop everything, pop-up ads make a comeback

Ulterior motive aside:)

These are not the intrusive and annoying Internet pop up ads, rather, the tactile ones designers enjoy.

"Drop everything" in red Compacata typeface opens up the 4-page ad in SI's Swimsuit Edition. The following spread pops-up with the symbol for Tony Sopranos "family" headquarters, the Bada Bing strip club.

For a how to book check out:


http://www.dmnews.com/cms/dm-news/list-services/36069.html

http://www.adpunch.org/entry/hbos-the-sopranos-bada-bing-is-a-winner/

...and then there were 11.

Everyone meet the latest [full-time] designer at TD:SF, Rebecca Williams. Rebecca has been a great creative addition to our team. A little about Rebecca (a.k.a. wall person # 3): she loves paraplegic potato sac races, glass marble sodas, and a nice ambiguous fruit now-and-then. Let's all do a 3pm "Wall People Wave" in celebration of Rebecca's new employment!

Or, you can e-mail her at rebecca@turnerduckworth.com.

Congratulations!

Congratulations Everyone!

Homebase and Little Monsters have been selected to appear in Communication Arts Design Annual.

Cheers!
Lisa

Packaging you never have to throw away!

The future of packaging is looking both earth-friendly and user-friendly. Packages shaped like tank tops and boxer shorts leave little chance that the shopper will pick up the wrong item. Once home, the entire package goes right in the wash, thanks to a packaging material composed of dissolvable cornstarch and a small amount of detergent.

"You can't do without packaging, but you can do something with the package once it's done its job. This entry shows a clear, intelligent way out of the looming threat of being engulfed by our waste. It provides hope and uses good form while doing so!" - Poonam Bir Kasturi, I/IDSA, Design Consultant

credit: fusproject

Welcome... Back

Inspired by Chris's longing for David, Turner Duckworth: San Francisco, showed its enthusiasm for David's return by patiently waiting and anxiously peering from the office entrance all weekend.

Nice to have you back!
signed,
Turner Duckworthians