When you know the germs are out to get you, inspired product and packaging design can make feverish hand-washing a joy.
I’ll admit it: I’m a germaphobe.
I squirm when in the presence of germs and even talking about bacteria can cause a spat of feverish hand washing. So, you can imagine my love/hate relationship with soap. [...]
An unstructured list of experiences, pet peeves, and advice surrounding interactive design and development.
Let’s make something clear right now: I’m not a trained web developer.
Nor am I any sort of interactive expert in my opinion. But I have been involved in the design and production of websites for clients for many years. So, I was [...]
Just today I was trying to decide whether to bother entering a few of our recent web projects into the W3 Awards and was in a bit of a fence-sitting position about it.
Over the course of a year we are becoming bombarded by more and more award show calls-for-entries. This wasn’t a bad thing when [...]
After leaving my house in Vancouver at 5AM, flying all day to finally check into our hotel in Boston at 6PM, Mark and I were exhausted. Time to check in, take a nap and then find a good meal. Not only did we arrive at a super swank boutique hotel called The Liberty Hotel, but [...]
If I was asked who Stefan Sagmeister was a week ago, I could’ve given a handful of knee-jerk descriptions; he’s a designer, he’s provocative, he’s influential. I could’ve said many things to describe the icon he has become, but I would have failed to mention that he’s human.
“Everybody who is honest is interesting.”
On Friday afternoon, [...]
The drive to improve and succeed has increasingly lead to professionals in all trades to specify down to minute processes in projects. A photoshop artist will focus entirely on fashion retouching, or an interactive designer will draw boxes and arrows all day long. Along with this professional focus, influences and inspiration can also become focused. [...]
As featured on Design Taxi
Macro or Micro?
The new Vancouver International Film Centre seems like the perfect venue for something called VIDFEST, a five day “festival” put on by New Media BC and meant to connect and promote the digital media sector. That said, the location is much smaller than the Granville Island facilities used [...]
London was buzzing for the last two weeks of September. Everywhere you looked, on every street corner there seemed to be something about design. The city was filled with museum exhibits, public art and storefronts with interactive installations. I took in what I could in a week before heading to the south of France for [...]
During the iDesign conference in London I heard Bill Thompson talk about design’s role in the world of technology and he mentioned the locking down of Apple’s newest portable products. I did some reading and found quite a lot under the surface. I was very close to buying an iPod Touch but now I’m reconsidering.
Apple [...]
In the UK, where I’ve been for the past couple of weeks, pay rates for design freelancers are up in many cases, particularly when it comes to digital disciplines, according to DesignWeek’s second annual survey.
Overall, pay increases have been extremely healthy over the last twelve months, with increases of 13% cited, and a further 9% [...]
I was somewhere over Northern California headed south when the fear started to take hold. I remember wondering about what lay ahead thinking something to the effect of ‘what am I doing here?’ As a graphic designer only peripherally interested in animation, 3D rendering, motion capture, or gaming, I was afraid that I might not [...]
This blog was started years ago in part as a repository for our inspirations, yet I think we often drift away from that purpose a bit, so I want to share something that inspired me this weekend: discovering new music.
Obviously music plays a big part in most of our lives. It’s always stated as a [...]
June 4th marked the launch of the new London 2012 Olympic logo and it didn’t take long for the controversy to begin. I’d already fielded a number calls and emails before lunch from friends, designers and even the media. My inbox is filled with emails about the subject from various GDC designers across the country—some [...]
Mark just asked me to take ten minutes and jot down my opinions about what a student (or anyone I guess) should do/include/avoid when putting together and presenting a portfolio. A couple years ago I actually did a post on the topic on this blog.
Since then I have been on the receiving end of hundreds [...]
Well, we did it, again. The Industrial Brand/Legends Memorabilia “PicniCANtics” took top honours in this year’s Canstruction Vancouver for the third, THIRD, year in a row (2005 Award, 2006 Award). For those not in the know, Canstruction is an international design/build competition that benefits local food banks, brings together teams of architects, engineers, graphic artists [...]
In the spirit of the holidays and from the perspective of somewhat disturbed people, we wish you all the best and a happy, free and peaceful new year. Enjoy…
Entries (RSS)
December 27th, 2006 at 4:45 pm
Sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, but I find the “Christmas Message” on you Website somewhat in poor taste. Maybe I have a different sense of humour, but this is not something I would be proud of posting on a Professionals site.
December 27th, 2006 at 4:55 pm
Hillarious!! Original!!! I can’t stop Laughing!
December 27th, 2006 at 5:25 pm
This is in very bad taste - shame on you Mark
December 27th, 2006 at 5:30 pm
Mark & Ben,
Season’s Greetings guys.
Kyle Cooper, eat your heart out ; )
cheers,
mel.
December 27th, 2006 at 5:35 pm
So wait. Did you get the duct tape or not? I mean that stuff looks like your average duct tape. Were there any useful recommendations on how to restrain a slightly tubby man with tape? I’m left with more questions than answers.
December 27th, 2006 at 5:39 pm
Haha that’s why I didn’t get anything this year.
Hope you still have him.
December 27th, 2006 at 5:57 pm
I heard the strangest thing yesterday….Duct tape was actually originally called Duck tape when it was invented…no, really!!!! It was used by the army to make waterproof seals…thus the Duck reference. Cool! Now we can all stop twisting our mouths trying to pronounce the T.
…oh, and excellent holiday message guys!!!
December 27th, 2006 at 6:26 pm
fucking brilliant!
December 27th, 2006 at 6:34 pm
You guys are a bunch of sick bastards. Keep up the good work.
Greg
December 27th, 2006 at 10:13 pm
What is good taste anyway, right?
As always, Wikipedia has the last word on the etymology of the term “duct tape,” and you can read about it, here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duct_tape#Etymology
December 28th, 2006 at 5:43 am
Made my tummy jiggle and I must admit I felt a little Jolly!
Happy Holidays to all and to all good kidnapping?
December 28th, 2006 at 6:26 am
You guys have yourselves a great holiday. By the looks of things, you work way to hard. Everyone knows you can’t use duck tape on velour. You need gaffers tape. It holds well and won’t spoil the fabric.
December 28th, 2006 at 7:43 am
NICE GUYS - as usual quite corporate and straight laced but with a slight flaire
If anyone does not find this amusing they should not be on the site.
December 28th, 2006 at 1:52 pm
So…one comment was that duct tape was originally called “duck” tape and was used by the army to make waterproof seals? I thought seals WERE waterproof. Arf! ARf! (As I clap my flippers.)
As usual, Mark Busse and associates are brilliant; macabre, but definitely brilliant. Must have been from reading all those newspapers Mark once said his mom used to put down for him when he was a puppy.
December 28th, 2006 at 2:45 pm
You guys are so f*&%d in the head!!! That was genius! I want to be in the next one, I want to be in the next one!!!!
December 28th, 2006 at 6:05 pm
Hmmn, a wee bit macabre. Not sure how I feel about it. I think I’ll have to watch it again…
December 28th, 2006 at 6:13 pm
Gentlemen,
There’s something to be said for consistency, you’re still out there on the edge.
All the best in 2007 ! I’m sure it won’t be boring.
Jeff
December 28th, 2006 at 7:45 pm
Not only do I find your holiday greeting in poor taste, I find it offensive and reprehensible. Shame on you. To add insult to injury, I came across your utterly un-Christmas posting when I heard my 4 year old crying up a storm. He had found your posting and to be honest, it took me half the night to convince him that it was not real and that Santa is alive and well, vacationing in the tropics after a busy holiday season. You people deserve lumps of coal, not under your tree, but smashed upside your collective heads. Get yourselves into rehab fast.
Just kidding. I loved it and if you still have Santa, I would love to come over and give him a couple of boots to the belly if you know what I mean.
December 28th, 2006 at 7:52 pm
Well done guys
… and ho ho ho back
December 28th, 2006 at 9:58 pm
Both Mark & Ben are completely wacko! Genius, but wacko! Mark comes from a long line of wackos so you can’t really place all the blame on the newspapers that his pen was lined with as a baby. (My other puppies just do their ‘business’ on them.) And I had nothing to do with the raising of Ben. But twisted or not, I love them both.
Happy holidays to the whole crazy bunch at IBC.
December 29th, 2006 at 12:48 pm
You
guys
ROCK.
This is friggin’ HILARIOUS. Now, when are you going to do something about the DOG SHOW WORLD??? (Your mom is gonna kill me…tee hee hee…)
JennSY and the Delinquents
December 29th, 2006 at 5:50 pm
Oh my God,
A Santa snuff film? You people are seriously disturbed…I thought playing with raw meat was weird, but, this goes way beyond….hmmmm…although I thought the film itself looked really cool, I like the “weathered” effect, that is the technical term, right? Hope y’all had a relaxing holiday and cheers to a super 2007!
December 29th, 2006 at 10:21 pm
I always look forward to your yearly holiday greetings. It’s stuff like this that really puts a smile on my face. Well done and keep ‘em coming.
January 2nd, 2007 at 8:25 am
I think I just threw up a bit of eggnog.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
January 2nd, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Not sure what’s more disturbing — the thought itself or the fact that I found it funny…
W. G. Arndt
January 2nd, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Not sure what’s more disturbing — the thought itself or the fact that I found it funny…
W. G. Arndt
January 2nd, 2007 at 1:25 pm
As always… exactly the sort of tone that is appropriate for the holidays.
Loved it!
January 2nd, 2007 at 1:30 pm
I want a piece of that fat bastard when you’re done with him.
January 2nd, 2007 at 1:50 pm
It is sick and wonderful all at the same time. Just like Mark. Good work baby!
January 3rd, 2007 at 3:56 pm
You people know Komedeii!
January 8th, 2007 at 11:46 am
You are mean sadistic bastards… he’s been crying himself to sleep ever since…
PS - Contrary to popular belief the hair doesn’t always grow back.
January 8th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
I’m with Wil. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Jesus H…Yikes!
K