12 posts tagged “design”
RealizDesigns.com is officially here.
After a period of what I call beta testing, the site is ready to launch.
You can find my recent work, along with some past favorites for clients. If you get a chance to have a look at the site, I would always appreciate critiques or comments, both good and bad.
So one of my friends Jax is having a birthday week at Blue Mountain, Collingwood. She also happens to be the girlfriend of one of my creative colleagues, Lazi. It also happens to be the same weekend where the Telus Triple Challenge will be happening up at Blue Mountain. It's a sponsored (obviously!) Ski/Snowboard competition which also hosts a Multi-media competition (Graphic Design / Photography / Film).
My boy Lazi was the reigning champion from last Multimedia Show '07 (He took first & second last year! "Watchukno bout that?!") so I went up to celebrate the birthday and him entering. My bro suggests something that I should enter too, and I agreed it was perfect timing to do something like that, with the new RealizDesigns.com launching this year and whatnot. Kebron (our other boy, aka OLDe YORKe) also entered with 2 photos by us couriering it in an envelope for him to make the deadline. (He joined us oh the slopesThursday night anyways).
After seeing Lazi's pieces I told him I'm happy to take second in the Graphic Design Category. He put the time and effort into some new, some different-way-of-thinkin' type pieces. They were nuts. (Check the pics!) My pieces were my recent & past fav's from the recent Kahawa Coffeehouse Show "Introductions".
Why not?
I paid my $, entered, we were told that we could find out our placing by Friday morning, since the judging took place Thursday. But when Friday morning came (Lazi got there Tuesday, I came Wednesday) we were told we had to wait for the "Big Announcement" at the concert that night at 8pm. Volkswagon wanted to do it right with a presentation of the awards or something. Lazi and I knew we'd place in the competition, and Kebron aka OLDe YORKe had an innovative piece that could've got him top prize (depending on how the judges were judging). I ended up leaving because of other obligations and the BIG storm was coming soon. But understandably, Lazi had to stay. So 3 of them (Lazi, his girl Jax & K) toughed it out and stayed until about 9:40 for the announcement.
Sooo... While I'm chillin', winding down at home, I get the call from Lazi.....
I won.
I took 1st in the Graphic Design category. You have to understand that it was a crazy win, cause it was my first competition but also entered with one of my friends whose dedication to creative art is sick. But I know my pieces are great in its own right, it's possible that Lazi's pieces were imaginatively just outside of the rules and stipulations of the criteria, which may have been a good and bad thing for his entries.But to have entered a competition and come out standing toe-to-toe with a respected colleague in art? It makes the win worth more and (at least in my own mind) elevate my own progress as an artist. I am officially the Award-Winning Graphic Design Telus Triple Challenge Multi-Media Show Champion! (How's that gonna look on the resume? hahaha)
Most importantly, we all won ourselves passes to go boarding free next year and some cash to boot! It's a win-win-win situation regardless! There were a few good pieces entered in the competition, but we definitely represented. In the Graphic Design category I took first, Lazi second, and Kebron aka OLDe YORKe took 2nd in the photography category. Great weekend, great times, what more can you ask for?
Maybe one of those FATBOY pillows! Oh man, I fell in love with those big comfy pillows!
Nice.
2008. Elevate.
Love the design and direction for Talib Kweli's music video for "Hot Thing".
Like virtual reality Photoshop and the tips of his fingers!!! Photoshop CS 20 anyone? =)
I came up with the layout, style, and energy-bar stats theme. I also did the art for the energy ball, the streaky energy lines, background grid and color scheme. I did not draw the art unfortunately, we had some amazing artists who did that.
Those were some great times with great creative people. I learned a helluva lot from them and some some amazing things. San Diego Comicon was probably one of the best highlights being with Dreamwave. Those were the days.
Enjoy!
There was some great pieces done on these decks, and I had the arduous task of selecting and showcasing these amazing pieces of artwork within the confines of 2 pages in a magazine. It would never do it justice. I tried to silhouette a drawing of a city skate park at the bottom of the first (top) version, while dissecting the boards into squares, but I felt it took over and lessened the impact of the artwork on the boards. Nice attempt, but I have to keep pushing past....
Until I realized that these boards were showcased in the gallery like artwork. Hung in a gallery space for you to see, and peruse through... I wanted to convey that although these boards were, uh.... skateboards, they were far more than that. They were art.
I wanted something that came out at the viewer. And at the bottom (final) version I succeeded in doing so. The art although from at least 15 different photos, melded into in uniform piece, while existing independently from each other. Some came out at the viewer, some hung facing straight at you. Although the sizing varies, the impact is not lost. I showcased some of the best artwork in the gallery, and unfortunately there was so many more that I wanted to put in. Hopefully they do another show like this in the future!
In an effort to showcase more personal graphic design work in this blog, I am going to post a series of layouts and ads that I designed in the last couple of years for the development of a local hip-hop magazine. I'll post them over the next little while...
This 2 pg. spread was for a Hip Hop artist show in Toronto back in 2004: the 416 Graf Expo. I was responsible for selecting the photos, conceptualizing and designing the collage for the spread. From top to bottom I was in charge of the design, color choices and type. Man if I only had the guts to show you where this started.... and how far it went from there. Thank god I kept pushing past that initial concept!
The brief said I had to showcase the graffiti (a HUGE part of the 416 Graf Expo, where artists get to legally put their graf art on the walls around downtown Toronto) the people, and some b-boys in action. Very loose brief, a lot of creative freedom. nice. (Remember this is a 2 page spread, so the fold is down the middle)
Here's what I ended up with:
I just ordered to books off amazon! So from what I've heard there is a nice little collection of logos in these 2 books. I know Los Logos is about 5 years old, but I don't mind... anything that inspire/improve me....
Hope they get here quick!
• Finishing up my readings, final essay and final exam studying for my last class to graduate!
• Working on my market research and business plan for the business course I'm in.
• Taking care of family, responsibilities, finances.
• Managing my leisure time (running, basketball, resting...)
• working on my design (when do I have any time!!)
There's not enough hours in the day! I wish we could operate on less sleep with a great amount of focus!
I guess this is the part where, if you get through it, you look back and say "It was worth all the hard work and effort." I hope that will be true very soon!
I need a vacation.
I'm actually pretty happy with it, and I'm my own worst critic! I'm too hard on myself!
Anyways, I am very open to any comments/criticism, always trying to improve!
(Well and Good formerly M One 11 on 561 Queen St. West, Toronto)
Lo-Down: T-Journal is a T-Shirt Magazine launching in Toronto... The first issue already debuted in Australia. (The creators are from Down Under). It's great, the design inside is great (which is what I look for), and the interviews and art itself is phenomenal! If you like:
A) T-shirts,
B) Graphic Design
C) Art
D) cool stuff
Then check this magazine out. It's put out twice a year, but it's worth it! I'd definitely pick up the next issue!
This show was crazy. I came in, and there's T's hanging everywhere. On racks, ladders, hooks and ventilation shafts. Some Stussy, Top Shelf Motherfucker, Mooks, She'll Be Right, Frontline, and so many others I couldn't possibly check them all out. It definitely set the mood for the night.
There was drinks, hor's d'euvres (cold cuts & cheese), pizza, and free CD's, 2 editions of the T-Journal Magazine (#1 & #2), stickers, a free T-shirt Iron-On Transfer Station (courtesy of Vancouver's Bang-On T-Shirts, very cool! Check out my Rising Sun shirt below!), Toronto's Peace Magazine was there, and I think CBC's The Hour had a presence there too. Big up to Elicser, who had his art up from his show last week at Well and Good. His art set up the mood for the night, and was a big part of the talk and shmoozing discussion heard around the store. I love his art, urban without being cliché urban. The style is his. It's Elicser. More than just hip-hop and graf, the eye's in his characters convey something more... definitely check him out. please.
Anyways, as for the Highlight of the Night:
We get a message at the end of the night from the creator of the magazine (I think his name's Eddie... sorry!) and with a really cool, thick Aussie accent, continues to thank everyone for coming. Tells of his love of T-shirts and T-shirt culture and design. Cool guy, looks a bit nervous, but not really. He then proceeds to say:
"Any shirt you see is yours to take home."
huh? Remember: There's T-'s hanging everywhere. The crowd get this kind of stunned-quietness. Sort of a simultaneous "Seriously? Did he say that?"
And then civil madness ensues. I went and grabbed a simple "S" shirt (see below) that I noticed right away. And a couple of others that I just saw beside me. But everyone there was mad cool about things too. Not a mob, but a polite rush for shirts. Couldn't have gone any better. It set off the night into a sort of "surreal" mode.
Thanks to Steve (Owner of M One 11/Well and Good), Julia Che (Mad cool chick from Peace Magazine & Founder of Lotus Leaf Communications), Toni Hanson (Distributor/Organizer), and last but not least Eddie from T-Journal. You know how to hook a show up! Cheers!
Check out T-Journal, and support the magazine! Support Elicser, M One 11 (Well and Good) and Peace Magazine too!
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