The Lost Sketchbooks of Guillermo Del Toro
Exploring the journal, the working process and the act of creative development Guillermo Del Toro | Pan's Labyrinth I've written and spoken publicly in the past about the concept of the journal -- the annotated sketchbook -- as a place of making ideas. These days, I...
RAVENS, TOM FORD, EYEWEAR AND BRAND MYTH: THE LEGACY OF THE CORVID IN RETAIL BRANDSTORY AND MERCHANDISING.
The raven as the icon of black beauty, primordial intelligence, mystery and the old ones. RAVENS AS THE DARK STORYTELLER, THE MYTHIC BLACK RAINBOW. Is the etymology of corvid derived from the ancient Proto-Indo European seed sound kos, for shout? That would seem...
SEEKING INSPIRATIONS | CREATIVE MENTORS: HAROLD BALAZS
SEEKING INSPIRATIONS | CREATIVE MENTORS: HAROLD BALAZS: THE DEFINITIONS OF DESIGN SPIRIT: A CHILDHOOD, RECALLED GROWING UP CREATIVE | WHO'S THE TEACHER THAT PLANTS THE SEED? Creative [V I B E] is juice, it's jazz, it's fire; unquenchable -- it's not dying, it's not...
REMOTE WORK:
Seeking beauty, active focus, and contemplative strategy in remote locations: working someplace other than where you're supposed to be. Found in the dirt, as a reminder of something special, recalled in a remote place of work. I've thought about -- and practiced --...
Fire and Smoke as Design Elements | the conception of the ultimate transformation
Designing things to be altered by fire. Girvin Smoke principles, brands and the waft of fire. Firebrands. I've been thinking about fire and smoke a lot these days, as you might've noticed. But like the proverbial A persona, I can't relinquish the affection. It runs in...
THE SCENT OF BIRCH TAR
An exploration of trees, their saps, the resinous outcomes, the essences and their fragrances. And Birch bark -- a visit to the Early Buddhist Manuscripts Research Project in the palaeographic laboratories at the University of Washington. Scent, script and scripture,...
Duluth Pack | True Brands: Beautiful Authenticity | Truth in the telling series
Brand storytelling that goes back 130 years, and pitched as a marketing strategy for merchandising sales at Barney's. Notes on selling old brands as something newly hip. Buy, here: I’m looking for True Brands. What I seek is: A story. A person. An offering. Integrity...
LOGO DESIGNERS OUT OF BUSINESS?
LOGO DESIGNERS OUT OF BUSINESS? EXPLORING THE NEW TREND, LOGO-LESS MERCHANDISE? DOES THAT MEAN BRANDERS ARE OUT OF BUSINESS? HARDLY SO, UNLESS THE PREMISE OF BRANDING IS DESIGNING LOGOS. But there's more. Off and on, over the years, the idea of logo on, logo off, has...
PHOTOGRAPHIC AGENDA: DRIVE-BY SHOOTING
DRIVING, AND SHOOTING, IN A JOURNEY OF 4 HOURS. SPONTANEITY AND IMAGERY. I SPEND A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT PHOTOGRAPHY -- AND I WRITE ABOUT IT, DESIGN AROUND IT, SHOOT IT. AND I PACKAGE AND DESIGN OTHER PHOTOGRAPHER'S WORK. DOING THAT, GIVES ONE A RESPECT FOR THE REAL...
Wi-Fi ubiquity: Starbucks + new digital content
Wi-Fi ubiquity: Starbucks + new digital content. What if Starbucks created its own content for Wi-Fi users? Who cares? Concepts of wi-fi contrary concepts in New Dehli, India (Photo by Girvin, story) I say: no thanks. For years (going back a decade) the Cingular,...