Wow! This is not only the best product manual design I've ever seen, it's one of the greatest communications pieces I've ever seen. Period. Watch the video and prepared to be inspired to reach new heights with your seemingly everyday design, such as product manuals.
6.29.2010
Book Review - Einstein's Dreams
by Alan Lightman. I first came across this book when it was an assignment for a literature course in college. I enjoyed the book then, so when I was looking for a quick read recently, I picked it back up for a second time.The book presents a large number of short chapters, 30 in total, each one a different dream of Albert Einstein's that revolves around a various theory of time. One chapter will tell how time passes more slowly the faster you are traveling, while another chapter will explore a theory about time travel.
I enjoyed this book and it's forcing me to expand my mind, but I could only take the chapters in small doses. After reading each chapter, I would think about the theory it presented for a few days before moving on to the next chapter. If you're interests lie in dreams, time travel, or the questions of the unknown, then you'll enjoy Einstein's Dreams.
6.28.2010
Slight Variations on Your Favorite Pop Icons
I came across a great compilation of various interesting takes on classic pop icons, and I had to share. A few of my favorites are below, but definitely check out the full collection of pop icons.
Guide to Fonts According to Cracked
I love this... The Cracked Guide to Fonts outlines the motives behind amateur font choices. My personal favorite is the Helvetica description, "Are you sure this isn't Arial?" If you're using any of these fonts on a daily basis, you may need a font intervention. Visit Cracked for further, in depth coverage of fonts and the choices they give us.
6.25.2010
Remembering Michael Jackson: A Wallpaper for Your iPhone
In remembrance of Michael Jackson, who passed away a year ago today, here's a beautiful piece of MJ inspired wallpaper artwork for your iPhone.
6.24.2010
Vintage-Style Comic Character Posters for Inspiration
I came across and love these vintage style DC Comics character posters. All are by Michael Myers, and more vintage character posters can be found on Behance.
Awesome Remote Wallpaper for iPhone or iPad
I just came across this awesome remote wallpaper for the iPhone or iPad. I'm happy to say that I've reduced the remotes in my life to just two, but I still love this artwork.
Logo Roundup - 21 Logos with Animals
Incorporating animals in logos seems to give the logo a little bit of life. It adds a character to the brand, as we all have pre-notioned thoughts of what type of personality and disposition a certain animal has. In this logo roundup, I've featured 21 logos that all use animals in some way.
3 Bee
Small Orange Fish
6.23.2010
Beautiful Pieces from Campbell Pottery
My fiancée and I recently received a couple of pottery pieces from Campbell Pottery of Northwestern Pennsylvania. The pieces we received were created by Bill Campbell, and they are gorgeous. The colors are so vibrant, and the shapes are very unique. We hope to visit the gallery sometime soon.
Homemade LEGO Printer is Inkredible
Having spent a great majority of my childhood creating fantasy worlds filled with tiny yellow figures, I find this homemade LEGO printer absolutely amazing. The ingenuity of the machine is impressive, and the inclusion of the LEGO people and pieces is wonderful.
On a related note, I recently came across a great looking retrospective book on LEGO. The LEGO Book
is beautifully laid out, and details the history of the company and their products. A must have for any LEGO fan.
On a related note, I recently came across a great looking retrospective book on LEGO. The LEGO Book
is beautifully laid out, and details the history of the company and their products. A must have for any LEGO fan.
6.17.2010
Logo Roundup - 10 Beautiful Sunshine Logos
In this logo roundup I've featured beautiful examples of logos which incorporate the sun in some way.
CityCliq
Rainbow & Sons
6.16.2010
A Great Comic for All Apartment Dwellers
I came across this comic highlighting the joys of apartment living and felt compelled to share. One lovely nuisance that I've been experiencing and is absent from this illustration: neighbor with treadmill. I don't know why anyone would want a treadmill in a small one-bedroom apartment, but apparently our neighbor above does, and uses it each and every day. Watching television underneath a running treadmill sounds exactly as annoying as you'd imagine it would.
Long Exposure Photography is Beautiful
You The Designer has posted some inspiring examples of long exposure photography. It's amazing what you can capture when you let your shutter stay open for a bit. A few of my favorites are below, but be sure to check out all of the shots.
If you're interested in trying to shoot long exposure yourself, then check out Digital Photography School's Slow Shutter Speed Techniques article.
If you're interested in trying to shoot long exposure yourself, then check out Digital Photography School's Slow Shutter Speed Techniques article.
6.15.2010
New York City Gets a New Subway Map
Living in New York day in and day out, I often forget how much design goes into the common things I encounter in the city. The logos on the taxis, the design of the bus stops and newsstands, and especially one of the first things I see every morning: the New York City subway map. The map is everywhere in the subway system, and it becomes a necessary tool that is easy to passover as a work of design.
I was recently reminded that the map is indeed a well-planned design when it was announced that there would be a new subway map put into use. I got my first glimpse of the new map yesterday on my ride home from work. It caught my eye only because it was something different from the journey home that I had become accustomed to. The design of the map is only slightly adjusted from the previous layout, but the differences are there. More vivid colors. Larger proportions to Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx, while Staten Island becomes smaller.
The New York Times has a great interactive article on the new subway map, including a look back at some of the previous maps used over time.
I like the new look, but it will take some getting used to. I'm sure there will be a few more moments of pause and double-takes when I encounter one of the new maps again.
I love when things I see everyday are updated, such as the user interface of an app or the sign of a local restaurant. The update of the NYC subway map, however, has an additional impact for me. It reminds me how long I've been in New York, long enough now to see the changing of the guard in terms of the map that guides millions of New Yorkers to their destinations everyday.
I was recently reminded that the map is indeed a well-planned design when it was announced that there would be a new subway map put into use. I got my first glimpse of the new map yesterday on my ride home from work. It caught my eye only because it was something different from the journey home that I had become accustomed to. The design of the map is only slightly adjusted from the previous layout, but the differences are there. More vivid colors. Larger proportions to Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx, while Staten Island becomes smaller.
The New York Times has a great interactive article on the new subway map, including a look back at some of the previous maps used over time.
I like the new look, but it will take some getting used to. I'm sure there will be a few more moments of pause and double-takes when I encounter one of the new maps again.
I love when things I see everyday are updated, such as the user interface of an app or the sign of a local restaurant. The update of the NYC subway map, however, has an additional impact for me. It reminds me how long I've been in New York, long enough now to see the changing of the guard in terms of the map that guides millions of New Yorkers to their destinations everyday.
the new map
the current (now old) map
Book Review - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
by Michael Chabon. I have to admit I'm a sucker for judging a book by it's cover, and in this case it drew me to the book as it sat on a table in the bookstore. The illustration of the Empire State Building rising above Manhattan appealed to my love for New York City, and the design of the cover was wonderful. I picked up the book and virtually did not put it down until I had read it cover to cover.The story follows two cousins, Kavalier and Clay, as they rise through the comic book industry during its height in the 1940s. The author paints a vivid portrait of the comic book world and the characters that live in it. Along with the plot line of the comic industry, the book also tells the personal stories of Kavalier and Clay as they become successful figures in the comic industry, meet the loves of their lives, and experience the ups and downs of life. There are so many story lines in this book, it never becomes dull.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and all that it has to offer. Even if the cover wasn't as beautiful as it is, I would still recommend it.
The Umbrella Academy Dazzles the Eyes and Mind
One of my favorite aspects of this series is the smartly interlaced actual history into the highly fictional story line. For example, the second volume of The Umbrella Academy, Dallas
, revolves around the assassination of John F. Kennedy while exploring themes of time travel and morality.This comic is released issue by issue, but it also is released by volume as a wonderfully designed graphic novel. There are also limited edition hard cover
copies of each volume available. I recommend starting to expand your graphic novel collection volume by volume with The Umbrella Academy. I can't wait for the next issue to be released.
6.13.2010
Announcing the Redesigned, Revamped Shedwa
It is with much excitement that I announce the redesign and relaunch of Shedwa!
I founded this blog nearly four years ago as I transitioned from college to New York City and prepared to professionally enter the design field. The blog served as my personal forum to critic design, document experiences as I began a life in New York, and simply share unique findings from the web.
Shedwa started with the simplest of intentions. My initial audience consisted of friends and colleagues, and the blog received little more than ten visitors each day. As my postings increased, however, the Shedwa audience grew. Within a few months, the blog was receiving thousands of visitors each week. Shedwa gained followers and the pressures to keep the blog thriving became heavy. My focus transitioned from the content to the management of the site itself. The time commitment to post several times each day became overwhelming and ultimately led to my virtual abandonment of the blog.
Recently, I began to reconsider my blog. As I became involved with social media such as Twitter, I felt that I once again had something to say, and I knew exactly where I could say it: on Shedwa. I decided to give the blog a face-lift and return it to its roots as a content driven blog. I have done my best to redesign the site in order to showcase the content. I have reduced the layout to its bones, removing unnecessary links and advertisements. In the coming weeks, you will see that not only the design has changed, but also the content. The subject of my posts will shift a bit from what this blog used to showcase. I have been working outside of the advertising industry for the past three years, so my interest in advertising design has lessened. This blog will now focus on design in general, New York City life, and photography, which has increasingly become a passion of mine.
To anyone who read Shedwa in its early days and is still a loyal visitor, I thank you. Seeing sincere comments on my posts and receiving feedback from all of you is very gratifying and inspirational.
Finally, I would like to thank my bride-to-be, Victoria. She was virtually this blog's first reader, and remains the biggest inspiration in my life, both personally and professionally.
Thank you.
- Shawn
I founded this blog nearly four years ago as I transitioned from college to New York City and prepared to professionally enter the design field. The blog served as my personal forum to critic design, document experiences as I began a life in New York, and simply share unique findings from the web.
Shedwa started with the simplest of intentions. My initial audience consisted of friends and colleagues, and the blog received little more than ten visitors each day. As my postings increased, however, the Shedwa audience grew. Within a few months, the blog was receiving thousands of visitors each week. Shedwa gained followers and the pressures to keep the blog thriving became heavy. My focus transitioned from the content to the management of the site itself. The time commitment to post several times each day became overwhelming and ultimately led to my virtual abandonment of the blog.
Recently, I began to reconsider my blog. As I became involved with social media such as Twitter, I felt that I once again had something to say, and I knew exactly where I could say it: on Shedwa. I decided to give the blog a face-lift and return it to its roots as a content driven blog. I have done my best to redesign the site in order to showcase the content. I have reduced the layout to its bones, removing unnecessary links and advertisements. In the coming weeks, you will see that not only the design has changed, but also the content. The subject of my posts will shift a bit from what this blog used to showcase. I have been working outside of the advertising industry for the past three years, so my interest in advertising design has lessened. This blog will now focus on design in general, New York City life, and photography, which has increasingly become a passion of mine.
To anyone who read Shedwa in its early days and is still a loyal visitor, I thank you. Seeing sincere comments on my posts and receiving feedback from all of you is very gratifying and inspirational.
Finally, I would like to thank my bride-to-be, Victoria. She was virtually this blog's first reader, and remains the biggest inspiration in my life, both personally and professionally.
Thank you.
- Shawn
6.11.2010
WWF Ads with Great Art Direction
I love the art direction in these WWF ads. WWF always seems to produce great work. The text on these translates to "If the tree falls, we all fall." and "If the ice falls, we all fall." Great concept and great execution.
Creative Directors: David Garcia, Aleix Bou
Art Director: David Garcia
Copywriter: Aleix Bou
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