“Junior creatives in the fledgling stages of their careers are reading about the economic impact of the industry, overseeing global campaigns, changing the world through 360 campaigns, but not how to write the ad for the brief in front of them. This book is written by somebody who is definitely still in it and still figuring it out.”
Read MoreLet Love Reign is a Testament to the Real-Life Obstacles of Unbridled Love
Catalina Kulczar and Luke Williams discuss why Let Love Reign is important to each of them, the pressures to deliver a final product that honors the stories told within, and what they learned about each other through this collaborative process. The passion and urgency that both of them have brought to every creative decision is truly inspiring and embodies what it means to use your creativity for good.
Read More"Watching the World Cup" Captures the Full Spectrum of Human Emotion
London-based Photographer Jane Stockdale has created a work that documents heaven, hell, and purgatory, all reflected on the human face. It's not life or death. It's both. Watching the World Cup is a 64-page photo essay documenting the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Read MoreThe Great New York Subway Map Introduces Young Readers to Graphic Design
What WNW Member Emiliano Ponzi and MoMA have created is not just a picture book but a reminder of the educational benefits of understanding how your surroundings work from a young age, and recognizing the humanity behind design decisions.
Read MoreThis is a "How to Look Within & Get Over Your Own Bullshit" Book
There's an abundance of "How To" books by "experts." WNW Member Adam J. Kurtz doesn't see his new book, Things Are What You Make of Them, in that light, nor does he regard himself that way. But would you really want to read a book that purported to have it all figured out by someone who's tagged themselves with every complimentary title?
Read More"2016," A BOOK AND YEAR OF POSTERS BY BRÁULIO AMADO
"2016," A BOOK AND YEAR OF POSTERS BY BRÁULIO AMADO
Portugal-born, NYC-based WNW Member Bráulio Amado has a new book out called 2016. Printed on 120 pages of coated matt volume 170 grain paper, 2016 collects essentially every poster that the graphic designer and illustrator produced last year. Which is a lot. A whole lot of eclectic awesomeness. From underground DJ shows to Ty Segall concerts and everything in between, the collection captures both the chaos and ever-evolving style of Bráulio's work. Buy a copy here.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
WNW MEMBER ANDREW JANIK SERVES UP A GRAPHIC HISTORY OF SPORT
WNW MEMBER ANDREW JANIK SERVES UP "A GRAPHIC
HISTORY OF SPORT"
WNW Member Andrew Janik has combined his two favorite things, sports and illustration, with his new book A Graphic History of Sport, which serves up illustrative renderings from the world of athletic competition. It hits shelves today. Below, we talk to Andrew who tells us how the project got started: "I started the [Instagram] feed @lessonsinsport. An Art Director I had worked with showed it to a friend of his, Jay Sacher, who would become my Editor at Penguin Random House. Jay’s first email basically said, 'Hey, you want to make a book?' A little over two years later, here we are."
We also talk to Andrew about his favorite sports stories and what the biggest creative challenge was of bringing this project to life: "I wrote the text for the book as well, and I think the last thing I had seriously written was a term paper in college, so dusting off those skills was definitely a challenge."
Tell us a little bit about your creative background. Who is Andrew and how did he get here?
Hey WNW. I’m originally from the great state of Michigan and moved to New York a few months after graduating from school. It was supposed to only be for a 3-month internship, but one thing led to another. I’ve been living here over 10 years. Over that time I’ve been lucky enough to work with a lot of really talented people on all sorts of different projects, but I’ve been honing in on illustration over the past few years.
How would you describe your creative style? Do you recognize a signature style that links all of your projects, or do you try to excuse yourself and approach each project as its own entity?
It definitely depends on the project, but I like to bring a simplistic, colorful feel to most things I do. One of my favorite quotes is from Milton Glaser who said, “Just enough is more.”
You have a book coming out called The Graphic History of Sport. When did you come up with the idea, and how did it evolve over time?
I had been wanting to combine the two things I like most in life: sports and illustration. I had been kicking around some ideas about the best way to do it and started posting the illustrations on Tumblr. After people started responding to them, I felt I could reach more via Instagram, so I started the feed @lessonsinsport. An Art Director I had worked with showed it to a friend of his, Jay Sacher, who would become my Editor at Penguin Random House. Jay’s first email basically said, “Hey, you want to make a book?” A little over two years later, here we are.
Can you share some of the creative challenges and breakthroughs that came with this undertaking?
I wrote the text for the book as well, and I think the last thing I had seriously written was a term paper in college, so dusting off those skills was definitely a challenge. It was also interesting being the client for once, as the in-house team at Penguin Random House did the layout design (Shout out to Ian and Danielle. Sorry for all my emails.)
Which of the featured tales of sports history is your favorite of the collection?
I learned a lot researching and writing about a lot of these folks, but the one that stuck out to me most was Maurice “Rocket” Richard, the famous Montreal Canadian. He was a hero and a pioneer to many French Canadians and so beloved that there was a riot when he was suspended for a game one year. He personally went on the radio to calm everyone down, and it worked. That’s pretty rad.
Which of your accompanying illustrations are you proudest of and why?
There is something about the boxing pieces that I really enjoy. Boxing has such a weird, awesome, craziness to it, which added to the enjoyment of researching and creating them. I like how boxers can essentially pick their own uniforms, and say to the world, “This is who I am."
Who and what are your biggest creative influences?
That’s always tough. I’m going to say the 1960s and New York City.
What do you do when Not Working? Are you an athlete or an avid fan of any teams?
I still play on a basketball team (BASE TAN boyz for life) and also grew up golfing, which I still try to do as much as I can though it’s not the easiest while living in the city.
Who are some WNW Members whose work you admire and why?
Matthew Hollister - Matthew does a lot of sports-related work too. He has a great style and I love his portraits.
Wade + Leta - So colorful and wonderfully weird. I hope if there’s any sort of afterlife, they’re the creative directors... Wade and I also play basketball together. He got game.
Anything else you’d like to add?
The book is out February 28th! Thanks for the chat!
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
SAD ANIMAL FACTS, AN ADORABLE WAY TO RUIN YOUR CHILDHOOD
SAD ANIMAL FACTS, AN ADORABLE WAY TO RUIN YOUR CHILDHOOD
WNW Member Brooke Barker is a writer, illustrator and animal enthusiast living in Portland, Oregon. She’s also the creator of Sad Animal Facts and a former copywriter at Wieden+Kennedy. She has a dog who can never eat chocolate and three guppies who can't take naps because they don't have eyelids.
Sad Animal Facts has gained a massive following as a Tumblr page and Instagram account, but will soon be available in book form on September 6th. Head here to pre-order a copy now. It's "a delightful and quirky compendium of the Animal Kingdom’s more unfortunate truths, with over 150 hand-drawn illustrations." It's great for adults who have grown disillusioned over the years, and for kids to share at their next show-and-tell. In addition to being funny, Sad Animal Facts is pretty informative. And unlike Snapple facts, they're actually true. Did you know that giraffe babies fall six feet to the ground when they're born? Or that chickens can be startled to death? Or that sheep have no upper front teeth? Now go win some mystery shots at bar trivia.
We interviewed Brooke to find out how Sad Animal Facts started, how she's honed her illustration skills on the fly, and whether she has come across any animal facts so sad that she's skipped over them out of pity. The short answer is no.
But first, a message from Brooke Barker...
Tell us about about your creative background. Who is Brooke and how did she get here?
I studied Medieval French History and Visual Arts in college and things have gone really well, considering. For the last four years I’ve been a copywriter at Wieden+Kennedy Portland, and now I’ve switched to freelance copywriting and get to spend even more time working on bizarre side projects like Sad Animal Facts.
When did you first come up with the idea for Sad Animal Facts? Were you surprised by the overwhelming response on Instagram?
I’ve been an animal enthusiast ever since I was the age when all of us were animal enthusiasts. And it’s more fun to tell people about the sad facts, because we’re bombarded with the happy facts when we’re growing up. We all know cats have nine lives, but that’s not even true, so it’s a lot more interesting that adult cats can’t recognize their mothers, and that their tongues can’t taste sweet things, and that they can get zits. Those are the things I’m interested in drawing.
Sad Animal Facts started on Instagram and Tumblr, and people were so supportive and friendly! It’s exciting to look at my phone and see all these sweet messages, instead of people saying “All right Brooke, you’ve told us enough about snow monkeys” the way they do in real life.
What are 3-5 of your favorite sad animal facts?
I’m really interested in facts that came out of bizarre studies: like the fact that lab rats enjoy mating more when wearing vests, and that sheep can only recognize 50 faces, and cow’s produce the most milk while listening to R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts.”
One fact that came out of a bizarre study is the fact that rats are worse at solving mazes if humans nearby expect them to do a bad job. I take that fact very seriously. It’s the fact that I sometimes end up thinking about at night. Am I a rat, and which sort of rat do people expect me to be, and how long are these mazes, how complicated are we talking?
Have you come across any animal facts so sad that you’ve skipped over them out of pity?
I’m pretty ruthless at this point - the darker a fact is, the more excited I get. I’m more likely to skip over a fact because it’s way too confusing.
Sometimes I feel a bit too much empathy for female animals. It can be sort of a bummer to be a female predator, and there are a lot of sad facts about female lions, female baboons, and other female predators that I’ve skipped over.
How have you seen your illustration skills evolve with this project? What animals have been hardest for you to draw?
I’m probably not going to be my generation’s great artistic savant, but illustration is really fun because it’s another way to express ideas besides writing, vandalism, or shouting.
I still have the worst time with reptiles, birds with an obnoxious number of colors, and manatees. I can tell you what animals would have looked like if I had been the one to design animals - they would all be sort of bag-shaped, with lots of fur, an easy-to-draw tail, a pretty basic pattern, and interesting ears. There would have been several dozen versions of the raccoon, basically.
What are you working on now?
My husband WNW Member Boaz Frankel and I make a daily desk calendar called the It’s Different Every Day calendar. Instead of a year-long theme (sudoku, waterfalls, jokes about dogs) every single day has a different theme. We’re working on the fourth edition of it right now.
Who are some other WNW Members whose work you admire, and why?
I love everything Tuesday Bassen does. Her work makes being a girl feel like being a fan of a sports team that always wins.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
THE KING OF CONCERT POSTERS' NEW BOOK OFFERS AN EXPANSIVE TOUR
THE KING OF CONCERT POSTERS' NEW BOOK OFFERS AN
EXPANSIVE TOUR
If you're a fan of music, or have ever been to a concert, chances are you've come across the work of WNW Member #10521 Mike King. He has designed well over five thousand concert posters since the late 70s for band and venues all over the country, getting his start making posters for the punk/noise bands he played in. Luckily, the greatest hits spanning his entire career will soon be available. Mike is currently crowdfunding Maximum Plunder: The Poster Art of Mike King, a book that brings together over one thousand of his concert posters. Below, we caught up with Mike to discuss how his style and process have evolved over the years, and how he developed the discipline and commitment to master his craft: "Discipline and commitment implies that there was some planning involved to get to where I am now. The truth is I just did them and kept on doing them and the next thing I knew I was a designer with a career."
There are only two weeks left to help fund this book that celebrates the alliance of music and design. Head here to help support this project.
Tell us about your creative background. Who is Mike King and how did he get here?
I was one of those guys in high school who drew instead of studying. I wanted to draw comics, but was crap at it. I always loved music, but didn't feel like I was allowed to play it. When I discovered punk rock a whole new world opened up to me. I played in some bands, made posters for those bands and then started making posters for other bands and it snowballed from there. I no longer play music.
You’re currently crowdfunding a book that contains over a thousand of your concert posters. You’ve designed well over five thousand since the late 70s. How did you develop that discipline and commitment to your craft?
Discipline and commitment implies that there was some planning involved to get to where I am now. The truth is I just did them and kept on doing them and the next thing I knew I was a designer with a career.
What goes into the process of creating a concert poster? Is it easier if you’re a fan of the music? Do you consider the venue in your design or is it strictly about the band?
The process varies from project to project, often dependent on input from the client. But I am lucky enough to work with some folks who just let me be me. Sometimes it’s easier if I’m not a fan of the band. If I really like something I have a tendency to overthink it.
I take everything into consideration: band, venue, date. If a concert is on October 31 it seems like that would affect the poster. If the band is The Misfits you would want the poster to look like it was on October 31 even if the show is in April.
Do you listen to the artist’s music while designing the poster for their show?
I don’t usually listen to the band while working on the poster. If I haven’t heard the band before, I don’t. As a professional I don’t want my musical taste to get in the way. If I want to know what a band is about, I usually look at their merch: the T-shirts they sell are way more insightful graphically than the music
How would you describe your creative style? Do you recognize a signature style that links all of your projects, or do you try to excuse yourself and approach each poster as its own entity?
I would describe my “style” as varied. I like to think I have more of aesthetic than a style, but maybe I am kidding myself. I like a lot of different styles and I try make my work as varied as possible. I approach each project on it’s own terms.
What are some ways that your skill-set and style have evolved over the years? Have you introduced new methods?
I started out drawing, then I moved to a xerox machine which led to photoshop. Lately it seems like I am drawing more. All of my new methods are top secret.
You’ve also designed album artwork for some pretty big names. Does your approach differ from the process of designing a concert poster?
Certainly, with album art there tends to be many more people involved and much more revision. The design skills required are the same as posters; it’s the skill involved in dealing with people that can be the challenge.
Posters for events have to be done right away. Album art (in theory) isn't designed in as much of a rush.
How do the Pacific Northwest and New York city respectively influence your work?
I feel like even when I was in the Northwest, New York always had an influence.
Who are some of your biggest creative idols and influences?
Paul Rand, Wally Wood, Jeff Kleinsmith, Ben Shahn, Saul Bass, John Heartfeld, Rodchenko, Dadaism, Constructivism, Hot Rod magazines, Victorian advertising, Punk zines…..
What five posters have made you the proudest?
It’s hard to pick posters I am proudest of, because I can find flaws in every one.
A few of the posters I dislike the least are:
Vampire Weekend - Crystal Ballroom / LCD Soundsystem - Sasquatch Music Festival / Flaming Lips - Edgefield / Bad Religion - RCKNDY / The Decemberists - Royal Festival Hall
If you weren’t a designer, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
Working in a bookstore, janitor, Titan of industry
What do you do when Not Working?
When I am not working, I am thinking of working.
What are some things you would tell your high school or early twenties self?
“Smoking all that weed isn’t so good for you.”
What cultural and creative venues do you frequent in New York & the Northwest (arthouse theaters, galleries, concert venues, museums, bookstores, record stores etc)?
I go to free nights at museums most months (there are way more museums here)
Unlike the Northwest, I have to pay to see concerts, so I haven’t seen as much music as I'd like.
I like sketch night at the Illustrators Club. There are several record and book stores I like in the lower east side. Mostly I just wander around.
Do you thrive off of being part of a creative community or are you more in your element as a lone wolf?
I am a lone wolf, but not by choice. I would certainly thrive as part of a creative community... but I barely know anyone here.
Any music recommendations for your fellow WNW members?
I love the new Savages album, lately I am into oldish metal (Anthrax, Slayer, Iron Maiden), OG New York Punk and No Wave (Television, Suicide, Heartbreakers, Lydia Lunch) and the Bad Brains.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Please check out the book, and even if my WNW page says I am working, hit me up anyway… my schedule is way flexible.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
CAPTURED: PEOPLE IN PRISON DRAWING PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE
CAPTURED: PEOPLE IN PRISON DRAWING PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE
Last time we featured WNW Members #63 Andrew Tider and #2120 Jeff Greenspan, they were watching their Ed Snowden statue get arrested by the NYPD. Now they've got a powerful new book out, titled CAPTURED: People in Prison Drawing People Who Should Be, which pretty much says it all. "For over a year, we asked people in prison to paint or draw people we felt should be in prison–the CEOs of companies destroying our environment, economy, and society." You can pick up a copy here. [At the time we wrote this, book #579 of 1000 total had already been sold, so don't slack!]
Where does your money go? "All profits go towards efforts to elect Bernie Sanders as president. Holding corporations responsible for their crimes and reforming the criminal justice system are pillars of his campaign." Below is Andrew & Jeff's mission statement followed by several sample pages. Head over to the CAPTURED website to get the full picture.
"Corporations frequently commit crimes any average person would be imprisoned for. These corporate crimes devastate our environment, economy and society, yet the companies committing them often get away with only paying a settlement. These payouts do little damage to a corporation's bottom line and are practically baked into their budgets. The cost of doing business.
CAPTURED shines a light on these crimes masquerading as commerce. Through the use of art made by people in prison, this project imagines the highest levels of corporate leadership being personally responsible for their companies’ illegal actions.
Money, power, and political influence allow these companies, and their leaders, to not just break the rules, but make the rules. They are “untouchable.” On the opposite end of society’s spectrum lies another “untouchable”–the incarcerated– who even after paying their debts to society are often treated as unworthy.
The artistry displayed within this project may help viewers see the incarcerated as more than one-dimensional criminals and remind them a prisoner is also a person. They may also remind us a corporation is not a person. A corporation has no conscience. It cannot repent or truly pay for its crimes.
As consumers, we can say there are injustices we are not willing to tolerate. By not supporting companies endangering our health and freedom, and by questioning a system that wields punishment so unevenly, we can stop being mute witnesses."
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
WHAT THE F*#!CK IS A UX DESIGNER, ANYWAY?
WHAT THE F*#!CK IS A UX DESIGNER, ANYWAY?
We've all heard of UX Design, but what is it? We enlisted the help of Sweden-based WNW Member #2079 Anton Sten to peel away some layers from this mysterious, ever-shifting role. As Anton notes in his new e-book User Experiences that Matter, it really boils down to valuing your customer, and understanding how to make them happy. But he also stresses that while UX is integral, it is only part of a great experience: "Even if your product is amazing - like really the best of the best - it can all be destroyed by one impersonal customer service answer, a slow loading website, or not delivering on a promise. After that it’s back to square one. I think Uber is a good example. Regardless of how ‘friction-less’ the app is, if your driver is bad, then you’ll have a bad experience. Everything has to play well together."
WNW members, use the code 'wnw25' to get 25% off of User Experiences that Matter.
Your book does a great job of breaking down UX Design (and all of the abbreviations that come with it) so that its purposes and applications are more transparent. What lead you to write this book?
Thank you! It was about a year ago that I started writing more and more. When I started, it was purely out of wanting to share my personal reasoning behind my designs in a more thoughtful way. Due to working remotely, I often have to express my concepts in written text. It was only natural to begin to share my ideas and opinions with the world about UX Design and what it takes to make a really great user experience. I started working with a great editor, Joshua Yuhas, who helped me to transform these articles into better pieces, making sure the structure is easy to follow. We both noticed how they would do even better if they were placed in an order where they could build off from each other.
What gaps in understanding UX do you hope to fill?
There are so many opinions on what UX Design is and I wanted to provide other UX Designers with a simple guide to clear up the confusion. I sincerely believe that even the best wireframes - a UX Design mainstay - can result in a really poor experience for the user. A really well thought out plan needs more than just a UX Designer, but participation from the entire team. The user needs to be considered in every step of their journey.
What’s your background? How did you become a UX Designer?
I started way back in 1996 with web design. Back then, there really wasn’t much in the way of ‘design’ and it would be many years before UX Design was even a concept. Because the industry was so young, I was able to get a job at a traditional advertising agency without an education or any prior experience. While working there, I learned all the ground rules of good design (typography, color theory, etc) from the people I worked with.
In 2000, I started at Hyper Island and for the next ten years I spent much of my time working as a designer/art director for agencies in Sweden and Denmark. Ironically, my last two full-time jobs were at large advertising agencies (BBDO and Bates Y&R) teaching the “traditional” staff how to do better digital work. It was a real role reversal.
When I did finally venture out on my own, I was much more aware of what I was good at - and what others do better. I realized that my strengths were in making sure everything fits well together and understanding how people use these “things”. I found that even while working as a designer, I was more focused on the big picture than just adjusting the drop shadow perfectly on a button.
If you weren’t doing what you do, what do you think you’d be?
I like to think that no matter what I’d be doing, I’d still be focused on making sure people are having a great experience. I’ve specialized in digital products because it’s still such a new field and there’s so many exciting things going on. I do have a passion for animals, and working with them would be amazing. In fact, I bring my dog to my office every day. She’s my only co-worker.
In User Experiences That Matter, you stress how it really boils down to valuing your customer, and understanding how to make them happy. Can you tell us a little bit about the challenges that come with that?
While most of us want to create great user experiences because we know that happy customers equal happy sales, we tend to limit the scope of what really creates that great experience. I have worked with numerous e-commerce sites that only wanted me to improve 2 or 3 pages believing that if we get those right, it’ll be all blue skies and unicorns. I think the challenge with user experiences is that it takes so much effort to build something great and it can be destroyed with just one mistake. Even if your product is amazing - like really the best of the best - it can all be destroyed by one impersonal customer service answer, a slow loading website, or not delivering on a promise. After that it’s back to square one. I think Uber is a good example. Regardless of how ‘friction-less’ the app is, if your driver is bad, then you’ll have a bad experience. Everything has to play well together. For larger companies, this can be especially difficult since they tend to work in silos.
Any advice you can give to our members on the importance of understanding the customer / how to keep ‘em happy?
Become a customer! :)
There are some great books on this topic, but I believe Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh is one of the best. To better understand the customer’s point of view, it’s important to see what their full journey is. What did they do before visiting your site? Why did they end up on your site? If you sell something, why did they choose to buy from you? There are so many questions here and they boil down to the exact same thing - you have to really understand your customer. If you don’t, you can’t make them happy in the long run because you’re just guessing.
If nothing else, what are five things our members should know?
1. Work problems are very rarely solved in the office. I usually take my dog for a walk around Malmö and I get so much more done that way. Staring at a blank canvas on a computer screen doesn’t get good results.
2. Don’t have an ego - it’s OK not to know everything.
3. Don’t make promises you can’t keep, especially as a freelancer, but really as a human being in general.
4. Try new things. About a year ago I finally tried Pilates Reformer and now I love it. For many years I had an idea of what it is (I was wrong) and that I wouldn’t like it. Finding an exercise form that you love makes it a lot easier to keep in shape.
5. Find out when, where, and how you do your best work. Then adjust your life to better support it. It’ll mean you’ll create better work and be happier when not working.
What’s next for you? What are some dream projects?
I was asked to work on the UI of new car models recently and that would have been a great experience for sure. They are so important to our everyday lives, but have evolved so little. I bought a new Audi last summer and basically it has the same UI and UX as a model from ten years ago! While companies like Tesla are doing some great things, their improvements seem to be primarily technical. You get a 17” touch screen, but it’s still showing things that we are all used to. It would be a dream project of mine to create a new and exciting UI and UX in something we use as often as the car.
Unfortunately, this position would have meant moving, which I wasn’t up for. I enjoy the freedom that freelancing brings and will continue to do great work for my awesome clients.
What do you do when you’re Not Working?
I enjoy hanging out with my wife and dog, reading, watching football (soccer), and playing FIFA on my Playstation.
Are there other WNW members whose work you admire?
I’m sure that there are a bunch of awesome people on WNW, but it’s hard to communicate great UX work/projects just through screenshots. Lia Software Art seems to do awesome work and I would love to hear about challenges in working on a voice-controlled experience. Adam Glynn-Finnegan has done awesome stuff and I’ve always loved the Evernote branding.
Tell us about the significance of your email address :)
I’ve always had a love for France and anything related, so when I started my first company I called it Le Petit Garcon (The Little Boy). Mostly, this was because I felt very small compared to the agencies I was pitching against. The last year though, I’ve come to realize that my clients hire me and I might as well just do business as Anton Sten. My website is now antonsten.com and has the added bonus of being far easier to pronounce to someone over the phone.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
THE JOURNEY OF THE PENGUIN: BOOK LAUNCH & SIGNING
THE JOURNEY OF THE PENGUIN: BOOK LAUNCH & SIGNING
To celebrate the 80th anniversary of Penguin Books, WNW Member and Milano-based artist #5032 Emiliano Ponzi wrote and illustrated The Journey of the Penguin, released October 27th. The book tells the story of a lonely Antarctic penguin, dreaming of adventure, who sets off on a long swim north. Arriving at last in London in 1935, he encounters the chance of a lifetime: auditions are on to find the face of a brand new publishing house.
On November 18th, there will be a book launch and signing at the Society of Illustrators in New York. Emiliano, Paul Buckley (Penguin Books creative director) and Chris Russell (Penguin Books editor) will present The Journey of the Penguin for the first time together.
You can purchase tickets to the event here.
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
BOOK LAUNCH: OCTOBER 7TH, BROOKLYN.
BOOK LAUNCH: OCTOBER 7TH, BROOKLYN.
WNW Member #5360 Adam Turnbull is an Australian-born, Brooklyn-based artist and graphic designer. He has a new book launching tomorrow, called Noted: A Journal to Explore How We Shape, Create, and Develop Ideas. Noted opens up the creative process to jump-start your ideas. So to all you New Yorkers, head over to Dumbo tomorrow night at 7 at the Powerhouse Arena to celebrate Adam's book launch.
WHO: WNW Member #5360 Adam Turnbull
WHAT: Book launch for Noted: A Journal to Explore How We Shape, Create, and Develop Ideas
WHEN: Wednesday, October 7th @ 7-9pm.
WHERE: Powerhouse Arena, 34 Main Street. Brooklyn, NY.
RSVP@powerHouseArena.com
Are you a WNW Member with new work, exhibits, products, or news to share? Email us!
HOW SHANE GRIFFIN MADE PHARRELL WILLIAMS HAPPY
HOW SHANE GRIFFIN MADE PHARRELL WILLIAMS HAPPY
WNW Member #2782 Shane Griffin teamed up with Pharrell Williams and Penguin and Putnam to create the striking neon cover for Pharrell's upcoming book "Happy". The book, which hits shelves October 6th, brings the beloved song to the youngest of readers across cultures, celebrating what it means to be happy. Shane opens up about the process of designing the cover of "Happy", and Pharrell's main request: "He wanted the image to evoke a ‘feeling’, he wanted it to feel happy, rather than to be a big obvious smiley face." We also aimed to find out what happiness means to Shane, and if "Happy" plays on repeat in his happy place. Happy Wednesday!
Are you a big Pharrell Williams fan? Did you play "Happy" on repeat while you designed this book cover?
Pharrell is an inspirational dude, for sure, I mean the guy has been one of the most influential figures in pop culture for years. I was close to working with him on an Adidas project last year which unfortunately fell through, so it was great to get a second chance to work with him on this. Safe to say I’m a fan. I didn’t bump "Happy" when I was making this, though. Sorry, Pharrell.
How'd you come up with the look and feel? Was Pharrell involved in the process?
He was involved, but he’s a very busy guy, so not overly. His only main comment on the look of this was he wanted the image to evoke a ‘feeling’, he wanted it to feel happy, rather than to be a big obvious smiley face. I had a pretty clear idea from the guys at Penguin as to where they wanted to bring it; they wanted a lowercase childish font, but created in a modern bright space. They also were set on yellow as the key color.
Did you go through a bunch of different looks, or did you know the direction you wanted to go in right away?
Like every project, my first direction was probably miles away from the final piece. Creating a yellow neon on a white wall is no easy task, especially in print form. Nothing glows more than white, so you always fight with the background being a lighter tone than the neon. I went through probably 20 iterations of the cover, different wall textures, different floors, many many different neon looks.
What was the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge was making the type legible when it’s tiny. It’s nearly impossible. Neons are tricky when they’re small, there’s a lot of detail and light spill crammed into a small space, it can get very busy. Balancing the colors is tricky also, so I had to test it on several screens / color spaces / print formats. We even experimented with fluorescent inks. What looks good on screen doesn’t always look good on paper!
This book is all about celebrating what it means to be happy. What does happiness mean to you?
Just to see people making the most of their life, fulfilling it with whatever they’re passionate about.
Where's your happy place?
On the beach with the dog.
Of all the amazing projects you've worked on, which one makes you the most proud and why?
The Sneakerball Sculpture for Nike was fun, I’m proud of that for a few reasons. Firstly, it was actually a very tight turn around, so I’m proud of what Nike and I accomplished in that short space of time regarding the modeling and design of the sculpture. Everybody went above and beyond to make it happen. Secondly, the social interaction was cool. I was watching the Instagram feed for the event, and it was a great feeling to see people enjoying the sculpture and taking photos with it. The final piece really felt one of a kind.
Besides "Happy", what's another song that gets your spirit up?
I’m really enjoying that new Tame Impala record Currents at the moment.
Anything else you'd like to add?
I’m Drake's ghostwriter.
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WORK: INSIDE & OUT NY
WORK: INSIDE & OUT NY
WNW Member #2570 Josh Cochran has worked with a range of clients that includes Beck, US Open, The New York Times, and The New Yorker. Now you can see New York literally unfold with Josh's first children's book titled Inside & Out: New York. Josh shared some of the background of the book with WNW.
"This book takes place over one day in New York City. It's a large accordion fold book which shows exteriors of a lot of major landmarks, little bodegas and ice cream parlors on one side. On the other side, I drew reveals of the interiors of these places. There is also a page of objects that people can try to find scattered throughout the book. It's for kids but also adults! Published by Templar/Big Picture Press in London and Candlewick here in the States.
I tried to walk around the neighborhoods to get the overall mood down. There is a lot of details that I wanted to put in, like little bits of trash everywhere, rooftop gardens, the textures of the brick buildings, and AC units in the windows.
I've always grown up in some sort of large city my whole life. Even though the cities in Taiwan are way different than the US cities of Los Angeles or Brooklyn, there are a lot of similarities. I just love how everything is so crammed together. I especially like to see how inventive people are with their tiny spaces. There is something really great about all these different individuals stuck together and figuring out how to live and adapt to their surroundings. A lot of times when I'm walking around the city, I imagine different storylines for people I see on the street. One thing I did with the book is have some consistent characters that you could follow through the pages and try to find where they end up."
Buy your copy of Inside & Out: New York here.
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WORK: DAILY DISHONESTY
WORK: DAILY DISHONESTY
WNW Member #2245 Lauren Hom's super cheeky, Webby-winning blog Daily Dishonesty has just been released in book form. Published by Abrams, Daily Dishonesty hits shelves today. The hilarious and stylish collection features over 150 "beautiful little lies we tell ourselves every day," reveling in an array of familiar phrases of self-denial. Buy the hardcover or eBook here.