What does The New Aesthetic tell us?

Nick Woods

Gizmodo posted a concise, useful update a few weeks back on The New Aesthetic – an (arguably) unconscious artistic movement detailed in a long essay on Wired, and during one of SXSW Interactive’s more well-publicized panels. Each discussion described the movement as an effort to express the tension between digital and analog, or man and machine. You probably don’t even notice its influence most of the time, but if you look, you can see it: Pixelated images are a standard device now in art and video. Advanced animation in the GIF format has proliferated. And photos of people taking photos are so commonplace it’s near cliche. These are all reflections on the relationship society in 2012 has with technology – One where irony and detachment often masks the fear of losing humanity in an indecipherable mass of 1s and 0s.

If there’s one thing the movement recognizes, its that people still value relationships and reality over digital identity. Which means keeping humanity in the digital space is of paramount importance, especially when it comes to marketing and advertising. How do you keep yours?

5 Things better than 2 Pac’s Hologram

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

Everyone’s talking about 2-Pac’s hologram appearance at Coachella. And while I’d bet it was a bit more impressive live, like I’ve read, the fact remains 2-Pac is DEAD. Also, while it was a cool collective moment to reflect on his contribution to music and wonder “what if” taking this act on tour wouldn’t be THE REAL THING and to me wouldn’t mean as much to witness. Here are five things that are better:

1. Advanced hologram technology in Japan that lets completely fabricated artists sell out arenas.
2. Photoshop is a pretty complex and handy tool. This guy decided to throw a Holiday Party and “invite” all of his celebrity friends.
3. Alejandro Chaskielberg has taken some absolutely gorgeous images of a community in the Turkana region of northwest Kenya at night.
4. A great web based studio lightning simulator to help save you some time.
5. World-class synths in your pocket.

Troika Chandelier

Nick Woods

Troika is a London-based collective of three artists, who have designed what might be the chandelier of the future. This piece is simply a tiny fixture with eight LED lights that shine up toward the ceiling through a fresnel lens, creating an optical illusion that makes it look like a chandelier exists, when in fact the whole fixture nearly disappears when the lights are turned off. The artists made it for the Royal Society of Arts’ headquarters, but if they start selling these things at Ikea tomorrow, I’ll be the first in line to outfit my house, and get rid of all the fake brass.

Hoaxing in 2012

Nick Woods

I’ll be the first to admit it: I was fooled by a faked YouTube video of a guy flying with homemade bird wings a few days ago. When you put it like that, I look like a real idiot. But at the time, the idea seemed plausible. The subject himself seemed credible. And the video itself looked so real that I couldn’t really figure out a way to point out why it would be a fake. Even an in-depth analysis of the piece on Wired.com couldn’t find anything amiss. Neither could nearly 5 million people on YouTube. But nevertheless, Floris Kaayk came out today and admitted he made the whole thing up, concocting the video on the back of a Masters degree in Fine Art (with honors, no less).

Kaayk’s work is an experiment in belief. As a colleague who advised him on the project early on said, “He wanted to inspire people and I think he succeeded… We all want to fly, don’t we?” For the past few days, it was awesome to think we could – Maybe even enough to suffer through the small embarrassment of being tricked.

The Art of Video Games

Nick Woods

The Smithsonian American Art Museum unveiled a new exhibit last Friday, running until September 30, titled “The Art of Video Games: From Pac-Man to Mass Effect.” Chris Melissinos, who curated the event and is publishing a book under the same title in conjunction with the event, is looking to cast a brighter light on gaming’s cultural impact, presenting work “as not just mere play,  but richly textured emotional and social experiences that have crossed the boundary into culture and art.”

It’s hard to deny that argument when you compare Pong to the massive complexity of multiplayer games like StarCraft and Call of Duty, especially considering some of the statistics regarding how people engage with branded iPhone/Android apps. That shouldn’t come as a surprise – Brands perform better when they foster community, and bringing together a bunch of like-minded gamers is certainly an easy way to accomplish that. Helping a bunch of people be weird together in the same space can go a long way toward making any company better.

Searching for Status

BJ Bueno

If we stand here now and look back into the mists of time to the very first days of human commerce we’ll discover that, for all of known history, business owners have wanted the answer to a single question: What makes consumers act the way they do?

One of the factors that drives consumer behavior, consciously or otherwise, is the need to meet individual needs. You’re familiar with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the model that tells us that we are all in possession of certain undeniable needs that must be met in order for us to enjoy optimal physical and psychological health. READ MORE

The Business of Art

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

It’s not enough today to just be a great artist. You can produce the best art in the world but if you don’t know how to market it you’ll never be able to make it a profession. Enter Damien Hirst who has mastered the marketing of his art. From “For the Love of God” which is a platinum cast skull encrusted with 8,601 flawless diamonds, to “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living” which is a tiger shark preserved in formaldehyde in a vitrine, to his latest exhibition “The Complete Spot Paintings 1986-2011″ showing  simultaneously at all of the Gagosian Galleries world wide. Hirst always seems to create a platform for his work that is equal parts the fine detail, back story, execution, and presentation.

The Origins of the PBS Logo

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

It’s always interesting to hear how a logo came to be. The story of the PBS logo created by Herb Lubalin is especially interesting. View Here.

Flooring Belts

Nick Woods

Ting London is making flooring out of recycled belts now, which is awesome. Not only is recycling as cool as ever, but I can imagine that if these are installed instead of the regular hardwood in an apartment above mine, I won’t have to humbly request that my high-heeled neighbors throw down an area rug so as to not wake me at 6:00AM when they get up for work. I’d probably request they keep the white stripes out as much as possible though – I’m more of a “rich mahogany” kind of guy.

Nailed: The History of Nail Culture

Nick Woods

Take a look at the picture on the left real quick. That’s not photoshopped, but actual fingernail art – part of a collection of photographs by Chicago-based artist Dzine. The new book, Nailed: A History of Nail Culture captures a variety of adornments representing a movement that is now as much a meticulous vehicle for self-expression as it is mainstream fashion.

Children’s Drawings, Brought to Life

Nick Woods

Ever wonder what your 3-year old son, niece, or grandkids would paint if they had a hand steady enough to go beyond simple line drawings? Comics illustrator Dave DeVries did when he started work on The Monster Engine, a gallery of paintings he created from children’s drawings, using a “combination of logic and instinct” to bring crude crayons, pencils, and pens in unsteady hands into sharp relief. The results are heartwarming, and a bit creepy – Much like the work that originally inspired it.

SVPPLY

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

I’ve been a fan and an active member of SVPPLY since the first day it went live. I’d used a bunch of other sites to try and keep digital lists of things, but SVPPLY has done a better job of keeping the site’s design understated and simple, and the social aspects useful. The best part is that SVPPLY lets you see what your friends are adding to their lists, which makes it easy to add new stuff to your own with one click. If you end up creating a profile, or already have one, don’t be shy - add me.

Hype MKE

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

HYPE MKE  is a new online publication based here in Milwaukee that’s flipped local blogging it on its head. The company’s approach creates what it calls “image based articles” that use expanded and unique presentation styles to tell richer, and more visual stories. For now, HYPE only posts on Mondays and Thursdays, but I’ve already gone ahead and marked both on my Google Cal.

Toronto: New Street Car Design

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

I was lucky enough to spend most of my childhood living in Toronto, ON Canada with my grandparents. Some of my fondest memories of adolescence are associated with the Street Car. The TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) has just released the new streetcar design scheduled to begin hitting streets in 2013. They even put together an informative site that gives you the history of the street car as well as a look into the timeline, research and process of it’s creation. I’m going to scheduled a trip back to check them out but you can check them out HERE.

Nest

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

By now I’m sure you’ve all heard about Nest, the stylish learning thermostat founded by a couple of former Apple employees. It’s interesting to see a new product aimed toward making something familiar better and more efficient. They have done a great job with the function of the Nest…it works like any older thermostat and requires no programing at all. It remembers when and at what temperature you set it at and locks it in. If your patterns change so does the programing of the thermostat. Any product that helps conserve energy and save money is just fine by me.  Check it out for yourself.

Light Light Levitating Lamps

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

These lamps are amazing. I would love to outfit my whole home with them but I don’t have $1,300 dollars lying around to spend on a lamp no matter how amazing! Interesting technology though. Light Light is a collection of lamps that Angela Jansen, a graduate of Design Academy Eindhoven, designed. They were then developed by mechanical and electrical engineer Ger Jansen. READ MORE

Steve Jobs

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

Steve Jobs will live on because of the way he chose to live, passionately and freely giving so much of himself to the advancement of technology and the revolution of our profession. His 2005 Stanford commencement speech speaks to the core of who he was and is something so inspiring that I can’t help but watch it several times a year to remind myself to “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.”

Airbnb

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

In short, Airbnb let’s guests and hosts choose the experience they want to have. Want to get away for a weekend, week or even a month without breaking the bank? Airbnb allows people to list their homes so that people who are looking for lodging can rent a room, use of the entire home or even have the place all to themselves. There is a feedback feature on the site that allows you to read the experiences others have had with any home. You can check it out here.

Historic Letters

Jon Grider

I recently walked back in design-time at The Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum in Two Rivers, WI. Founded in 1880, Hamilton was the largest wood type producer in the country, when just about everything was letterpress printed. They now showcase their 1.5 million pieces of hand-carved, finely polished maple wood type at the museum, along with displays and working presses from back in the day. They also have hands-on workshops, so students and artists can use their collection. Three presses were lathered in ink the day I was there, one being rolled by a student from England. Historically hip again, Hamilton was just commissioned by Fossil watches to build a wall of type for them, and Target recently had a fashion shoot at the museum. The other premier working letterpress studio/museum that practices preservation through production is Hatch Show Print in Nashville. Famous for their country music posters, Hatch continues to create old-school, organic poster art that still strikes a chord today.

Paul Rand

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

Twitter as an educational source. We all know about Paul Rand but we may not all know about Paul-Rand.com. Last week while checking out Twitter one of my friends posted a link to the site and I was blown away. Tons of Paul Rand awesome at my fingertips. Logos, identity presentations, standards, manuals, guides, articles, interviews, videos. You name it and it’s there. I particularly enjoyed the identity presentation. It’s always interesting to see how the greats presented their work to clients.

Limited Edition Diet Coke Packaging

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

Turner Duckworth, the man responsible for the multi-award-winning repackaging of Coca-Cola, has done it again with his “limited edition” Diet Coke repackaging. As a lover of typography I love the cropped logo. He is obviously cashing in on some of the brand equity Diet Coke has. I would have loved to see how he sold this solution. READ MORE

Tokyo Rising

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

It’s been 7 months since the devastating earthquake and tsunami hit Tokyo, Japan, and while it will take some time for them to rebuild what the natural disasters destroyed they are a resilient and creative people. Palladium Boots & Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and producer Pharrell traveled to Japan to film a 5 part series about what it was like during “3/11″ and what the future looks like for them.

Back 4 the Future

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

Sneaker junkies rejoice! The day we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived…if you’re willing to pay a pretty penny. But hey, it’s for a great cause. Nike has teamed up with the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research to auction off 150 pair of the 2011 Nike Mag a day starting on September 8th for 10 days. That’s 1,500, an ultra limited supply. Fox wore the futuristic shoe in the year 2015 as Marty McFly in the classic Back to the Future film. If my calculations are correct you have three days left to make your dream a reality. Good Luck!  All proceeds go the the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

iPhone Camera Case

Billy Cannestra

This unique iPhone 4 camera case is just the thing for those old camera buffs who can’t let go of the past. Take a look.

But Does It Float

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

But Does It Float is one of the best online sources of visual and literary inspiration. The site pairs short quotes from a plethora of different authors with art from a variety of fine/graphic artists and designers. It’s great to be exposed to creatives and authors that I would otherwise never encounter, like Matthys Gerber who created the image to the left.

Living Sculpture

Jon Grider

You’re not a master sculptor or professional arborist? You can still create a living, growing work of art in your own back yard – or front yard if you can handle drive-by art critics. All you need are a few bundles of willow rods, a bit of ground, some patience and a fertile imagination. Thin, long, 1-year old willow rods are best to bend and twist and will grow strong in virtually all climates and conditions. This art is most popular in England, but is taking root here too. Combining sculpture and nature is a great way to express yourself in the great outdoors – without getting arrested. Just Google how to get started and find specialist nurseries that carry willow, then grow your own art.

Move, Eat, Learn

Billy Cannestra

After watching these, go explore anything . . . . . .

Move, Eat, Learn

Control + Alt + Delete

Billy Cannestra

A great way to use the most used keys at the office. Get together with two of your closest colleagues and have a drink with these creative computer key cups. Finally, you can enjoy these keys while talking about the last 90 page PowerPoint you lost because Help Desk said the dreadful words, Control+Alt+Delete.

Chitwood And Hobbs

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

Chitwood & Hobbs is a blog dedicated to sports, culture, passion and the desire to compete. Presented with a very clean, easy to navigate design aesthetic and little known interesting facts about sports in the 60′s, 70′s, and 80′s, Chitwood & Hobbs is easily one of my favorite conceptually well executed sports sites.

Eight:48 Magazine

DeChazier Stokes–Johnson

I’ve been reading this creative news paper since issue number one. It’s a fairly young publication but already I’m a great fan. Eight:48 is a newspaper that doesn’t have any set release date. I love this because they wait until they have something important to communicate or discuss rather than just throwing an issue out based on seasonal expectation. This keeps the quality of the paper high. Each issue revolves around a certain relevant creative topic or centralized question and artists and designers asked to discuss and or answer the question are creatively relevant.