My Blog: May 2010

Nicely done

Aardman Animations have recently launched a new, self-funded short film programme to showcase the talents of its directors and the first two films have been released. Fly is directed by Alan Short. Click here to see the second film.

via CRBlog (thanking you).

Another tee

So I've done another tee design. I haven't submitted it yet, I'm going to apply the logic of my last design and post it here and let it sit for a bit. That way at least I'll know if I like it or not. I decided to design around the phrase "It can't rain forever". I just liked it. The idea was to fill the t-shirt up with water and have an arc floating at the top. It wasn't really sitting well in the design though and ultimately this t-shirt would hopefully be one that people would wear so I changed it and added the underwater city. I've distressed the type to appear as though it was beginning to bleed out.

Looking into the past

The Museum of London has launched a free iPhone app which brings its extensive art and photographic collections as well as geo tagging and Google Maps to guide users around London where, via the iPhone screen, various historical images of the city appear - just like in the image above. You can look into the past of the London, and explore the hidden history of London that surrounds you. This idea may have been inspired by the Flickr group, Looking into the Past . Via: Likecool Check out The Museum of Londons site for more info.

Tee Designs

This is a t-shirt design I did with the intention of submitted it to Threadless. I call it "Moustachio Pistachio'. I'm going to 'rest' it for a week and maybe come back and see if there's anything I'd change. I usually find space and distance from something determines whether I love or hate it. So often though I come back to something and wonder what the hell I was thinking. I'm posting this to see my before and afters. Watch this space....

Photography

Featuring the beautifully atmospheric work of Texan photographer (and history teacher) Bryan Schutmaat.

SATC 2 and my fashion blog

A totally frivolous fashion post (yet again) but such a wonderfully perfect summer ensembles and the imminent realease of SATC 2, I couldn't not. I need Vanessa Hudgens dress, shoes, accessories (hair, body, face). The dress is georgette mini from Tibi incase you've an extra 380euro laying around. SJP's beautiful yellow frock is Valention if you please. It'll set you back 5,0000euros*

For more fashion and style bookmarking check out my fashion tumblelog. It's stylish

*speculation

So you need a typeface.

Find yourself using inappropriate amounts of helvetica and futura due to lack of any real type education and an irrational fear of not looking cool among more design savvy peers. Well default no longer, Julian Hansen has created a font info-graphic to answer all our font dilemmas. A sigh of relief for all those who reflected on their past design ventures and wondered what the hell you were doing with papyrus.

Cannes Dah-ing

So Cannes film festival was this weekend. I've been checking out the fabulous dresses and style online. Oh to be rich and famous. I've done a little montage of four of my favourites here. I'd imagine wearing one of these little number on my weekly trip to Aldi or Lidl. Where else! I particularly love the dusty pink dress (top left) of course being a mere mortal I have a feeling I'd have more than a passing resemblance to a giant walking talking marshmallow in it. I guess I'll never know.

I just stumbled across these beautiful images from the 2006 Skywalkers project in Miami by Fwy Studios. What a fun project that must have been to have witnessed/ photographed/ been involved in.

Summers here

I've done loads today. Isn't it funny how warm weather can motivate you. I think I belong in a warm climate, California sounds good. If I could just lift all my family and friends off I'd be gone. Here's a shot I took on my old polaroid and scanned then tinkered with a little. Very summery, wee bit californian too.

An Irish heat wave, yes really.

We've been having a bit of a heat wave here in lovely Eire. I took the opportunity to avail of the lovely weather and take my canon D5000 off on a hike. Here's a shot from the top of Knockamany Bens over looking Lagg strand and chapel. I'll upload the whole set to flickr soon. It's really tough to leave home and go back to Dublin when there's weather like this, there really isn't anywhere nicer in my biased opinion.

I love when artists cut right through to the truth of the matter, and Laurel Varian hasn’t put a foot wrong in outing all the popular themes on Etsy! This illustration is called “It’s Etsy”. I'd suggest some twee cats added to the wallpaper pattern. It also reminds me of the pringles logo. It's fun.

Photoblogging

Check out the wonderful work from Swedish* photographer and photoblogger Anna Aden. I really admire her framing. See www.imable.se and www.imable.blogspot.com for more.
*I think, there's no english going on here.

Olympus Pen. A pen story

New offering from Olympus pen. Very cool stop motion, 355 pictures were taken, printed billboard size and reshot. The actual video was produced on Olympus PEN itself which is impressive in itself when you look at the production quality. No tricks or animation used. A lovely wee tune too.

Away with the birds

An illustration piece I've just finished, 'Away with the birds'. It's a mixed media piece and I completed it using photoshop and illustrator. I think it's turned out quite nice. I like adding little details to things. Details make a big difference to me. I can fall in love with something because of the details.

Gone fishing

I've been experimenting on a friends lomo. This pic was a happy accident. I love the misty colours. Thought it was worth sharing.

Concepts

Some spoof magazine ad's we developed for easons book store. They feature the sign off "If it's in print, it's in easons". The concept was based around parodying modern magazines such as Vogue, Brides and Wallpaper (to name but a few) with a humorous twist. A fun project even if it never came to anything....as yet.

Twit twoo

Some art I made. I could probably post-rationalise this and say it was inspired by twitter twitting or the relationship between the mouse and the owl, but in truth I just liked all the owl images that are doing the rounds on the design scenes and I wanted my own version. Owls are so now.

Awards

The ICADs (Institute of Creative Advertising & Design) is Ireland's premier awards event. Chemistry won 6 awards in total, with my name on 2 of them. Here's a press ad that we did which picked up an award. You can listen to the radio award here. Incidentally this ad also picked up a gong at the National Radio Awards the week before.

Mmmm burgers...

Today I have one thing on my mind. Food. That is all.

Behavioural Economics

Since seeing Rory Sutherland talk last week, (here) I've become somewhat obsessed with behavioural economics and choice architecture. The thinking behind behavioural economics argues that the human animal is hard-wired to make errors when it comes to decision-making, and therefore people need a little "nudge" to make decisions that are in their own best interests. This is where choice architecture comes into play. Rory Sutherland is championing this as the change that advertising agencies need to embrace in order to add real value to an agencies role in their clients future, and therefore in advertising agencies future as a whole. It's a refreshing take on the message we've become accumstomed to hearing- adapt or die. Instead of championing digital or viral or any other media as the saviour of advertising it takes a look at what really matters, people. People don't change, technology always will. Behavioural economics is a real science that investigates our mentality and our likelihood to change/adapt/make decision. I've come across some very interesting blogs and articles I think are worth sharing. Campaign, gives a good synopsis of Rory's thoughts on why advertising needs behavioural economics. Nudge blog also expands on his thinking. NPR.org gives great examples of how behavioural economics and choice architecture can change behaviours and mindsets. And it might be worth mentioning that the Obama admistration has been evoking the power of behavioural economics in both its admistration as well in the election campaign. 'Time' reports on "How obama is using the science of change".

Ribena Advertising

An idea we had for the summer launch of strawberry flavoured Ribena. Incase you can't tell from my drawing the concept was to show a strawberry field where the strawberries are replaced by strawberry flavoured Ribena bottles. I think it's really sweet, unfortunately it didn't get the go ahead but I'll console myself by sharing it here.

Cat's V Dog's

At last, scientific proof that cats smell of wee! I've known it for years but I feel vindicated having discovered these illustrations justifying my prejudice. Check out the full diagrammatic piece on: www.onlineschools.org/blog/cats-vs-dogs Take note of the lovely piece of info courtesy of those smart people at Queens University- Dogs extend your life span. This post is the perfect excuse to include a pic of the my lovely Monty, our family pooch. Here he is groaning with jealously over me holding Ted. I love his constant need to feel loved and adored. Wonder where he gets that from......

Living breathing art

Incredible artist. Art imitates life imitating art. Errr, something like that. Check it out: www.alexameade.com

Dublin Talent

Just discovered these guys--> www.studioseventyseven.com and they're great. I particularly like this image (see top above) taken for "An Rothar" competition with Candy Collective. It's perfectly whimsy.
Of course I couldn't post a bike pic without including a pic of my very own rothar, aka the pink princess, aka poppy. She's little bit like my baby, sad I know. My friends tease that I'll actually cycle her down the aisle one day- which is frankly just ridiculous! Obviously cycling through an over-grown meadow with the sun on my face, breeze in my hair and Bonnie Tyler crooning in the background is the ultimate dream.

Rory Sutherland. "Leadership in Difficult times - it is not an option to do just nothing."

This morning I had the pleasure of listening to none other than Rory Sutherland giving a talk in the National Gallery of Ireland. And what a treat it was. I left feel completely inspired and utterly depressed, more so of the former (hopefully). How does he do it? If you ever have the chance to go see Rory, grab it. He won't disappoint. The teeny pic to the right is that of Rory captured in true iphone camera fashion- blurry.
Here's some of his thoughts and recommended reading:

Key points:

Value is subjective. Advertising retrieves value rather than adds it as things become more and more available, thus losing value. People value scarcity.
Advertising retrieves the value of mass produced products.
Change peoples choice architecture and you can change their decision.
Advertising which says more, says less.
Persuasion is better than compulsion. Be an advertarian.
Self evident interest in a message defeats the purpose. People see through it.
Agencies can add value to companies for clients without a production budget.
Trigger moments for change – the occasion / event determines the subject’s response more than the message does because they will be more receptive to messaging at certain times and in certain contexts. Target by moment or context rather than just demographics.
Consumer buying behaviour / psychology is both oblique and disproportionate. Disproportionality is the small, eccentric things you do that make a huge difference.
Good definition of our business: turning human understanding into business advantage.
Any business that has a consumer interface needs creativity.
We are evolutionarily programmed to notice the small things. Oddities can contribute / deliver more meaning.
Default bias – people’s behaviour is harder to change than their attitudes because people are most comfortable with what they’re already doing.
Cookie jar accounting – nice idea for how consumers justify purchase decisions on the basis of other purchase decisions foregone.