Thursday, March 3, 2011
First 30 Posts
So the first 30 posts are done and are below this post. Please don't pay attention to the post dates because my work was done on Textedit first and then posted on this blog all at once. I will post as I finish each post for the next 30 to avoid any confusion that can occur. Enjoy!
Sneeze Mag
Source: http://static1.slamxhype.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/sneeze10A_1.jpg
Critique: The cover for the Sneeze magazine is alright. It does not provide any information on what is inside the magazine which I find to be a little inconvenient. Especially for those who do not know of the magazine. I have always been opposed to putting too much text on the cover. I enjoy the magazine logo and a few lines and that's it. I find the text interferes with the image. For this image, the photography is great. The graffiti style logo on the metal garage door is great. Some more information on the cover is needed because the magazine comes wrapped in plastic, so people who do not know about Sneeze magazine will have no clue of it. The size of these magazines are also large, so to the average person who doesn't know about Sneeze, they will think it is a poster. In conclusion, great cover just add a little information to the cover for those who don't know.
Banksy
Source: http://hypebeast.com/2011/02/banksy-in-hollywood-part-2/
Critique: Banksy, the most famous graffiti writer in the world right now. He is known for his stencil work. He is known for his political messages in his art. He has done many pieces, created a documentary, got nominated for an Oscar but his identity still remains unknown to the public. This is a recent piece he did in Hollywood, California. He is great at adding his work onto an already existing image or sign to create a new message. This is really clever, it looks great and again the fact that he did this in Hollywood and still remains unknown is impressive.
TISA Footwear
Source: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPY3KKDd7fKh5o7wkmpcznciepaUe73-Kx2rnjsCV__RJmAu-LbeE7tb3miwVdFdrXKyjb8LQx5kPW_hUWiOLWf83ZCbjgRxsOysPIAjzuhBsVcm4j70hG7Q6r6k5hWYqgIH9mAiDlLZSB/s1600/tisa-by-stampd-la-3.jpg
Critique: TISA is a bran designed by a person under Kanye West. Highly anticipated, but very disappointing. The whole brand is not original at all. Instead of borrowing elements of designs from other brands, he just stole it. These shoes are basically Vans Authentics with a Goyard, Gucci and Fendi pattern on it. Completely unoriginal and not classy at all. It's one thing to borrow a little touch from one brand, but he took patterns from companies and threw it on an identical silhouette to the Vans Authentics. Yes, the design is great, but knowing where it comes from, I can not support TISA. You can't completely steal patterns. I really dislike this brand, it is overpriced and nothing is done well. It is a rip off, don't buy their stuff Kevin!
KAYA Album Art
Source: http://www.byseanbrown.blogspot.com/
Critique: This is work done by a local artist in Toronto named Sean Brown. The placement of text is very similar to Kanye's 808s & Heartbreak and Too Shorts album cover, but I'm not complaining. It's a classic place to put it. I like this design. It's very simple and the colours are very pleasing to look at. The photography is great. I love balloons, and how the balloons are used for this cover is very creative. I am a fan of this cover.
Complex magazine cover
Source: http://www.freshnessmag.com/2008/08/01/complex-x-kaws-x-nerd/
Critique: This is a cover for Complex magazine. Kaws helped design the cover and it features Pharrell and his group, NERD. I really like the Complex magazine covers because of Kaws touch to it. The placement of text is great. The cover is very readable and the text does not interrupt the design. The Kaws design is so interesting, I really like it. Wrapping around the people in the image just looks really cool. And the colour of the Kaws characters match the text. The "x's" on Pharrells' sunglasses are also a great touch. Great magazine cover overall.
Lil B Mixtape Cover
Source: http://yesyesyall.org/blog/lil_b_-_death_valley/
Critique: This is another cover which the average designer would look at and laugh (in a bad way), but people that have been listening to rap understand what Lil B is doing with this cover. This is a parody to rap albums from the late 90s and early 2000s. It is meant to be humorous and cheesy looking. But, in terms of modern design this is done really poorly. They play around with the text and have unnecessary images in it. As much as I hate it, I love it. It makes me laugh and that's what Lil B is here for, to make us all laugh.
'Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All' Promo
Source: http://www.donewaiting.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/32.jpg
Critique: The promo piece is obviously done by an amateur. Most likely one of the artist in OFWGKTA. I don't completely hate it because it is a promo poster and it is made intentionally to look like this. The background behind Jimmy Fallon is a great colour. The typefaces used for everything between the top and bottom are weak. It's difficult to read the date. "Jimmy Fallon" isn't centred or stretched evenly. The reason I don't completely hate it could be the fact that I am a fan of their music and I understand their independence. They do not go to anyone for help with their album art, production, direction, etc. They do all of that themselves so I respect that and understand it will be low-quality. The fangs and the eyes are unnecessary, but OFWGKTA are all about doing unnecessary things.
Takashi Murakami
Source: http://entelekia.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/takashi_murakami_004.jpg
Critique: Takashi Murakami is one of my favourite artists. He has done work for big names such as Louis Vuitton. I really like his style. It's very Japanese, it seems like people in Japan love 'cute' things. And Takashi is great at making 'cute' things. In this piece, it shows skulls lying on earth with smiling flowers around. With the smiling flowers as an exception, it isn't really a cute or happy image. But, his use of colours and shapes definitely create a 'cute' feel for the piece. The earth is in an interesting camouflage pattern. The flowers definitely lighten the mood. I like this art mainly because of the colours.
Cover Art: Kanye West
Source: http://arrestedmotion.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/kanye-west-808s-heartbreak-kaws-2.jpg
Critique: Another cover for a Kanye West album. The album got mixed reviews, but I'm sure we can agree that this album cover is amazing. So clean, so simple it is another example of less is more. The hands on the cover are a signature thing 'KAWS' does. The red heart really pops out because of the contrast of it with the background. I like the placement of the text and the spacing between the letters. Great typefaces were used for the design. And the colour palette on the side is such a great clean touch to the cover.
2011 Semi-Permanent Creative Conference
Source: http://hypebeast.com/2011/03/semi-permanent-creative-conference-hong-kong-2011/
Critique: Very interesting design. At first I was not quite sure how I felt about this. I began to like it, but as time went on I started to hate it. I started to hate how the photo was left untouched (with exception to any editing used to enhance his skin, hair, etc.) and the circles over his face. I feel that it would look much better if the photo was put in different colours.
This is from an annual conference for design named the 'Semi-Permanent Creative Conference'. This year the conference is held in Hong Kong.
Los Angeles Graffiti
Source: http://hypebeast.com/2011/03/jr-wrinkles-in-the-city-at-bristol-hotel-westsiiiiiiiide/
Critique: I love graffiti. Graffiti, when done properly can enhance how a city looks. This piece, is a piece that will enhance a city's image. When popular artists put up a piece, it becomes like an attraction for the city it is in. I love JR's work. He creates very realistic looking murals. It is beautiful as you can see. Something to keep in mind is that he had to do this without anyone noticing. To do something that large and not have someone notice it was being done is impressive.
This was done in Los Angeles on a hotel named, Bristol Hotel. JR has done many great works.
David Choe for Mark Zuckerberg
Source: http://hypebeast.com/2011/03/david-choe-for-mark-zuckerberg-painting/
Critique: This is a painting done by David Choe for Mark Zuckerberg. This is a very interesting piece. I really appreciate painters because it is a really difficult thing to do. The colours, shapes, etc used are great. The colours compliment each other really well. Although it is not really something I would hang on my wall, but for what it is, it is done well. David Choe was commissioned in 2006 to paint for Facebook.
LOVE ME Design
Source: http://www.complex.com/art-design/2011/03/dope-art-for-sale-two-artist-prints-by-curtis-kulig-love-me
Critique: I am a huge fan of these prints. It is currently being sold for $250 a print. The use of the fluorescent colour in the back makes the written message pop out a lot. I love the drips and how the "M" is written to make it look like a heart. Very creative, I am a fan of it.
It is done by Poster Child Prints and will be sold today.
Countries
Source: http://www.highsnobiety.com/news/2011/02/28/zevs-%E2%80%9Cliquidated-version%E2%80%9D-at-gallery-de-buck-recap/
Critique: I have a great appreciation for paintings. It is one of the most difficult things I have ever done. It has to be absolutely perfect. A little drip can ruin hours of work. So seeing this, I really respect it. It is done cleanly and the colours are based on mainly the primary colours. The use of white space is great. The drips is a nice creative touch to it. Nice design.
Ransom Boots
Source: http://hypebeast.com/2011/03/ransom-by-adidas-originals-tantalus-boot-preview/
Critique: Ransom is a clothing brand from Toronto. They have had success with their collaboration with Adidas and their own clothing. The silhouette of the boot is great and the design on the canvas is great. It really suits the boots and uses the great burgundy colour for the midsole and the laces. The gold eyelets are a great touch. Overall a great looking boot. The placement of the eyelets are great because on most hiking boots the eyelets start really close to the front end of the toes, which I am not a fan of. The sole looks nice and practical. The design is great, it really sets the trend, rather than following the regular in-style boots.
Birdo Graffiti
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheeze_/5069718564/sizes/z/in/photostream/
Critique: This is done by another Toronto graffiti artist by the name of Birdo. He is one of my favourite graffiti artists and this piece is my favourite by him. The blue outline on the black is so eye catching. And he even took the effort to add the drip effect on the rock. This one is a bit more readable than most graffiti. The patterns and the gradients are done very cleanly. The shapes are very interesting, playing on the shapes built to create the letters.
Pharrell Chairs
Source: http://hypebeast.com/2008/10/pharrells-perspective-chairs-at-gallerie-emmanuel-perrotin/
Critique: These chairs were designed by musician, fashion designer, Pharrell. The chair is named, 'Tank'. It represents the love between a man and a woman. The back two legs are the man's feet and the front two are the woman's feet. It is a collaboration with Pharrell and Domeau and Peres. The chair was designed in 2008. I really like these chairs. It has a great shape to the seat, it looks really comfortable and the legs are just really clever. I've never seen anything like it. The solid colours offered are great as well. My personal favourite being the red one simply because red has always been my favourite colour. It goes with so many other colours and shades.
Jacob Weinstein and UNDFTD Billboard
Source: http://hypebeast.com/2011/02/jacob-weinstein-x-undftd-billboard-project/
Critique: This is a billboard done by Jacob Weinstein for UNDFTD. UNDFTD is a streetcar clothing brand. The billboard is in Los Angeles located on top of the UNDFTD store. I really like this illustration. It's very interesting, you can't walk by it without giving it a second look. I say this a lot, but the colours work together really well. It looks like it could belong to a cartoon show about basketball. I really like the illustration and I am sure it will work with the store. People will see it and want to come in.
Rimmel Ad
Source: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/lifestyle/2007-10/03/content_6151734.htm
Critique: This is an advertisement for Rimmel mascara. I am not the biggest fan of the advertisement. I feel the background is unnecessary. It would be better without it, just a plain black cover would do. The typefaces chosen are appropriate, I like that. Maybe the products are a bit too big and could be scaled a bit, people know what Rimmel is about.
This is an ad that is apparently banned. It features supermodel, Kate Moss and it is advertising mascara. This ad was done '06-'07 I believe.
Kanye West Album Cover Art
Source: http://hiphop-n-more.com/2010/11/kanye-west-my-beautiful-dark-twisted-fantasy-all-album-covers/
Critique: I really like the cover the album, it is perfect. The framing is great and the idea of having 5 different inserts is amazing. The colours all compliment each other well and the original paintings are great. It has a great use of space and the colour of the frame and the red background is perfect.
This is an album cover for Kanye Wests' album MBDTF. It was released November 2010. It features all original paintings done by popular artist, George Condo. As you can probably tell, I am a huge Kanye West fan. Everything he has done has been on point.
Sheek Louch Album Art
Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/99/Don_gorilla_sheek_louch.jpg
Critique: Believe it or not, this artist is a popular rapper by the name Sheek Louch. Apart of rap collective, LOX along with Jadakiss and Styles P, he had been under P. Diddys' wings. Unfortunately, Sheek was not able to get together a good enough team to create a decent album cover for his album released last year. I really hate the cover. It is probably the worst cover I have seen, ever. The cover is just so unbalanced and the image is embarrassing for him. It is not original at all, I've seen this idea been done so many times.
The album was released December 2010 and has received positive reviews, but I like many others have had a hard time taking it serious.
Lupe Fiasco Album Art
Source: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYrhXW1mIk-OpgkSFaNIC0XxJJ5XdJ7oJmbnb2tDZ9dz9iBbFErlv9iNXYzO1hIy1AJ3ZQnuDBHHJt-4jjBebQQ3oBs3LCiCB1RxGB0S9gi_OJmcj1dTZUKA44hMJXmHxTr8kMnQI79Nd/s1600/lupe-fiasco-lasers-cover.jpg
Critique: This is the album cover for rapper, Lupe Fiasco. The album has yet to be released. The cover uses great contrast in it. Using grey, black and red. The red really pops out. I really like this cover. It is perfect. It uses great contrast, it features a very clean looking room with the clean lights that say "LOSERS" and uses the rugged red spray paint to paint the "A" over the "O". This is a great example that shows less is more. I love the photo and I've said it many times already, but I really enjoy the contrast with the red in this.
KWEST Graffiti
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/torontograff/4725731893/sizes/o/in/photostream/
Critique: This is a graffiti piece done by Toronto artist, Kwest. The colours are great. He used various bright colours and using black to make it pop more. The design is very intricate. It's difficult to read his name, but people who keep up with graffiti and are in the culture are able to read it. I have trouble reading it as well, don't worry. The 'wild style' is very interesting and for someone to think of a design this complex is amazing. Even more amazing, the fact that he was able to do this using spray cans.
Album Cover: Too Short
Date: February 23, 2011
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_to_Mack
Critique: This is an album cover for rapper, Too Short. This album was released in 1987. This is one of my favourite album covers of all time. Perfect typefaces are used, with perfect spacing and placement. The use of white space is perfect. And placing him in a car right in the center is great. The way the car is placed, it pulls your attention away from him.
Versace Spring '11
Source: http://www.vancouversun.com/life/fashionshows/3574897.bin?size=620x400
Critique: This is a dress from the brand, Versace. It is apart of their Spring 2011 collection. Although, I do not wear woman's clothing, I am absolutely loving the collection. The colours and patterns used are amazing. The pattern and colours in this dress is one of my favourite of the collection. It is visually appealing, such a unique pattern. I really like it. I don't think anything can be done to make it look any better. This photo was taken during Fashion week towards the end of 2010.
Air Yeezy
Source: http://www.tsuyoi.com/2009/03/air-yeezy-pics.html
Critique: This is the Air Yeezy shoe. These shoes were designed by Kanye West and were released in 2009. The shoes were one of the most sought after shoes ever. Extremely limited, only 2 stores in Toronto got them. With each shoe release (there were 3 for this model), there was lineups that lasted about 3 days. The shoes retailed for $215 CAD, but resale value is up to $1100. I am a huge fan of these shoes, unfortunately I can not afford it. The shoes uses elements from other shoes combined into one. The shoes that influenced this design are Air Jordan 3's, Ato Matsumoto and Bape. Borrowing elements from other designs to create your own is a great way to approach any work of art, I do it for design. The use of pink for the lining and having little colours on the outer is done really well.
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