Monday, November 30, 2009

Minute Maid Packaging Redesign

If you recall the hullabaloo earlier this year with the redesign of the Tropicana packaging, the recent announcement by rival Coca-Cola of its Minute Maid juice packaging made me hesitate to click the link. While I was not among those who loathed the streamlined look of the Tropicana update, it was certainly a visual departure.

Minute Maid took a safer route by cleaning up the overall visual cacaphony and adding fresh. almost geometric images of the fruit. Fewer fonts are used giving the package a tighter look. Let's hope that all the "Plus Calcium and Vitamin D," "Extra Pulp," and other variations don't gunk up this cleaner look.



The packaging was redesigned by Duffy & Partners in partnership with CMA Brand Presence.

For more detailed information, check out the article on The DieLine which includes a video.

[Related Posts: Out with the New, Back in with the Old and When Rebrands Go Bad]

Norman Rockwell: The photos behind the illustrations



NPR's The Picture Show features the photos behind some of the most well-known illustrations of Norman Rockwell. Rockwell worked with photographers to create the images that became the basis of his illustrations. He art directed each shot to the minutest detail. There is a new book, Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera and an exhibit at the Norman Rockwell Museum. Check out more photos on The Picture Show Interactive Gallery and listen to the audio from Weekend Edition.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Eye Candy: Andy Warhol's Athlete Polaroids



Something simple and beautiful about these Warhol Polaroids. See these in person at the Danziger Projects in NYC until December 12. Can't make it? Check out this slide show from the New York Times.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Gouache has its day



1. know what you are eating!, 2. Frozen Food, 3. 175, 4. cosmonaut, 5. fall house, 6. 1 of 5 illustrations for 'My Heart Draws a Rough Map', 7. Untitled, 8. Athena (Gouache on Wood), 9. I bought brand new gouache colors today

Thanks to a couple artist's at work who brought it to my attention, I've discovered that gouache is making a comeback. I think gouache was always seen as the graphic artist's poor cousin to watercolors and acrylics and never seen as a medium for "serious artists." But now, thanks to the urge to do something different, gouache is getting its day in the sun (though due to its lightfastness rating, maybe "day in the shade" might be better).

Check out the Gouache Works group for more inspiration.

Friday, November 20, 2009

The Midcentury Modernist: Home decor porn for designers



From Eames to appliances, The Midcentury Modernist is now officially my favorite home decor blog. Gorgeous plywood furniture and those deliciously minimalist lines from California to Sweden, this is a feast for the eyes. Warning: maybe be detrimental to bank account. You've been warned.

Luv-able + Hug-able Show at Gallery Hanahou



Gallery Hanahou in NYC is hosting its third annual holiday plush show. The theme this year is "medium and mini" so all the plush will be smaller scale -- perfectly gift-sized. Fifty artists are featured from around the world. The show opens on Thursday, Dec. 3 from 6-9pm.

Some of the artist's involved are friends of P+P so we'll get the nepotism started first: Robyn Fabsits, and Lisa of QDPatooties will have work in the show. Other (favorite) artists featured are Christina Gordon of Jam Fancy, Anna Chambers, Elisabeth Doherty of Gourmet Amigurumi along with new-to-us artists, Heidi Kenney, APAK!, and Sandra Monat of herzensart.


[Plush by Lisa of QDPatooties]

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Kapitza Vector Images and Dingbat Fonts




Kapitza sells vector illustrations as fonts or vector files. Sets include botanicals, geometrics and figurative.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Christoph Niemann's take on diversity



Once again, Christoph Niemann's Abstract City blog on the New York Times doesn't disappoint. In this post, he tackles bio-diversity in a unique and witty way.

Eye Candy: Ben Javens



Ben Javens creates lovely illustrations which he chronicles in his blog. From sweet to rockin', his work totally makes me smile. He also has a shop on Big Cartel to purchase hand screenprinted prints and other objects d'art.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

New York Through The Years



Being a photographer, graphic designer and tiny bit of a history geek, I love finding photographic documentation of specific locations over a span of dozens of years. Imagine my glee when the New York Times recently published a small photo archive of various locations through out Manhattan and the boroughs from 1930, 1980 and today. The collection provides an insightful look at the evolution of a metropolis and it's neighborhoods over the past century.

Monday, November 16, 2009

In the beginning Crumb created Genesis



Comic icon R. Crumb just released a 224 page graphic novel of Genesis called, The Book of Genesis Illustrated. Both comic geeks and Christians are snapping up the book left and right. From the excerpts I've seen of the book, I might have to grab one for myself.


Thursday, November 12, 2009

20 Tweetable Truths About Magazines



This video was created by the magazine trade organization, Magazine Publishers of America, as an introduction to the Magazine Innovation Summit but the video has made its way to YouTube with Tweet-sized statements about the statistics of magazine readership and its advantages to other media.

Bonus? It's been lovingly set in Gotham all caps.

Its a nicely created flash video and a great reminder that people are still looking for tangible non-Tweet-sized information.

[via FontFeed]

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Congratulations to Jake and his Cut & Paste Victory!

It is a little late, but we want to give a big congratulations to our friend Jake who won the Cut & Paste Global Championships for Motion Graphics! Jake did a guest post for us back in March describing what it was like to win the New York City regional event and now he won the whole enchilada. Check out his winning entry below.

In The Garden of 1001101110 from Jake Guttormsson on Vimeo.

Design Sponge, the Swedish Version



Emmas Designblogg is a contemporary home decor and lifestyle blog from Sweden. Its a different look at a well-worn topic. Yes, there's a little bit of nesting going on there but heck, Swiss Miss is doing it too.