Unlikely Vintage Vinyl Tribute

There is something to be said for successfully mimicking a style or era of design. We often come across work that falls a little short at such an attempt, so it’s notable when someone pulls it off exquisitely. Southern California-based creative director Ty Mattson pays homage to the Showtime drama Homeland in this self-initiated series. 1950s and 60s jazz album covers are compelling specimens of design in their own right, but Mattson’s vintage approach to this modern television program is nothing short of special. His attention to detail is outstanding, and it goes without saying, the typography here is terrific. We’re clearly jazzed about this project… prints, please! (apparently coming soon!)

Via mattsoncreative.com

Sneaker Box Prints by Stephen Cheetham

As designers, we notice all things design. And it’s everywhere. Literally. London-based illustrator/designer/artist (and sneakerhead) Stephen Cheetham has a keen eye for sneaker boxes. This series of prints (for sale here) explores the evolution of packaging for several revered sneaker brands. Would love to see Cheetham’s take on Puma!

Via stephencheetham.com

Bold Portraiture by Françoise Nielly

French painter Françoise Nielly employs a really bold and vivid style that we are really drawn to. Not only does she have an excellent sense of color, but the composition of her work is also notable. The nuance and detail she achieves with her knife is almost like sculpture.

Via francoise-nielly.com

Ditology: The Art of Photoshopped Fingers

With all this fingerprint/Touch ID talk lately, we thought it fitting to take a closer look at some amusing artwork by an Italian artist who goes by the name “Dito Von Tease” (“dito” translates to “finger” in Italian, and is a reference to Dita Von Teese, the famous icon of “burlesque” style and expert in disguises). What started as a simple avatar for his Facebook page has evolved into this amusing and fascinating project that has really caught on (it was featured on the Today Show and there’s even an iPhone app). The philosophy behind the project may seem sort of highbrow, but the whole thing looks like just plain fun. “Dito” explains: “The Ditology-project wants to invite everybody to look beyond the “masks” we use in playing our lives and to go deep to find our unique “fingerprint”. In the “digital age” (digitus is Latin for finger) the finger is the “tool” we use in our touch-screens, mouse pads and keyboard. Thus everybody is “hidden behind his finger” while surfing the internet and especially in social networks.”

Via Blogspot

Heroes and Villains by Josip Kelava

Croatian-born, Melbourne, Australia-Based designer Josip Kelava is wildly talented. He has a very specific aesthetic style that really resonates with us. Kelava’s sense of typography is phenomenal, and paired with his excellent illustration skills, this series of superheroes and villains really shines. The way the illustrations interact with the type adds some great dimension.

Via josipkelava.com

Good Bye, Summer

With the Autumnal Equinox just upon us, we thought we’d do an official send off of summer with this gem, by New York-based designer/illustrator Teresa Wozniak. This is just the tip of the iceberg in regard to her stellar work… Wozniak is tremendously talented. Be sure to check out her ever-growing body of work.

Via Dribble

Standing Ovation-Worthy Design

Design and marketing for the arts often goes one of two ways: really good or really bad. From what we’ve seen, budgets often correlate directly with how well such materials are conceived and implemented. In this instance, German designer Caroline Grohs imagines a beautiful corporate identity for a fictitious theater company (with a robust marketing budget). Grohs’ concept and design execution are outstanding. From the color palette, to the imaginative wire-frame graphics, to the superb typography, this really is a well rounded piece. Bravo!

Via Behance

Things Come Apart

At one point or another we’ve probably all disassembled something out of sheer curiosity about what it’s really made of. Toronto-based artist/photographer Todd McLellan takes such inquisitiveness to a whole new level, literally making art of it. In his book, Things Come Apart, McLellan disassembles a variety of objects, from clocks to chainsaws to computers, and meticulously organizes them. The end result is a series of beautiful photos that exemplify OCD organization (for sale here). And we love organization (here and here and here).

Via toddmclellan.com

Brilliant Book Covers

Book cover design is no easy task. Much like logo design, book cover design is a tall order that strives to visually represent often complex concepts and themes. Belgian designer/illustrator Levente Szabó (whose stellar work we have featured before) has this on lock-down, as exhibited by his fantastic ongoing series of book cover designs of his favorite novels. His expressive and bold illustration style, along with a keen sense of color and type make for some really great pieces.

Via Behance

   

Golden Soil

Award-winning, Sydney, Australia-based photographer Sébastien Millier has a fantastic story telling ability through both photography and written words. His thoughtful and expressive work really captures his subjects in a special way. We especially like his “Stories” series, specifically his Golden Soil project. There is something to be said for Millier’s writing, which is just as compelling as his photography (we love the appropriately golden cast of these photos). Millier brings to life something that could otherwise have come across as mundane. Golden Soil tells the story of an Australian mining site. An excerpt: “Broken Hill is a small town in outback New South Wales, Australia, a pocket of civilization in the middle of wide brown land. Flat, dry and rich in minerals, the surrounding area is a miner’s paradise, a kind of geological Las Vegas of unearthly proportions….”

Via sebastienmillier.com