Fauxsiacs

As we’ve mentioned before, we occasionally have a lapse of design envy. It doesn’t happen too often… after all, we are a pretty terrifically creative bunch here at Barbour. But sometimes we encounter work that is just so damn brilliant. So good, in a “why didn’t we think of that?” sort of way, that we have to concede our envy publicly (in a good way, of course). In this instance, it’s the illustrious work of New York-based designer and letterer Nick Misani. Though we are absolutely taken with Misani’s entire stunning body of work, we are particularly impressed with his ongoing Fauxsiacs series. Here, Misani hones his stellar lettering skills in the context of realistic mosaic illustrations to great effect. Misani’s work is clearly historically influenced, with a modern twist, and it’s no surprise that he has worked with design icon Louise Fili, perhaps the highest compliment. We will be keeping an eye on this series, which features destinations from around the world. The possibilities are endless, and hopefully coming to a city near you! Prints available here.

Via fauxsaics.com and Instagram

Coke Habit

In recent years, much has been made about America’s addiction to sugar (eye-opening 60 Minutes piece of journalism, here). It really is an epidemic whose impact has yet to be truly realized. But we are slowly waking up to the fact that our sugar-loaded diet is not only making us fat, but it’s also killing us with covert toxicity. New York-based production company Dress Code recently tackled the subject through a thoughtful animated short, aptly titled Coke Habit. Though Dress Code’s usual workload is of the commercial variety, original content plays an important role in any creative enterprise. This superbly crafted surrealist mini masterpiece, featuring arguably the most iconic brand on the planet, tells a true childhood story of staffer “Mike” and his Coke addiction… as in seemingly benign Coca-Cola. From their adept use of color to their masterful storytelling, Dress Code hits all the marks with this brilliant little film.

Via Vimeo and dresscodeny.com

Barbour for the Win

We are thrilled to announce that the Barbour collection of awards has seen significant growth with the addition of several prestigious recognitions.

See live announcement with links here

Mind Bending Masterpieces

When you think of 3D renderings, you immediately imagine some complex computer algorithm that miraculously adds a new dimension to something otherwise flat. With that notion in mind, the work of self-taught Serbian artist Nikola Čuljić will floor you. Not only is Čuljić an adept artist, mastering light and shadow with little more than colored pencils, markers and pastels, but he also has a computer-like mind for depth and dimension. Čuljić’s work is basically an optical illusion that confuses the viewer’s brain into thinking his drawings are somehow emerging from a flat paper surface, coming to life before one’s very eyes. Čuljić has smartly taken to social media with his unique work, racking up over 13K Facebook likes, nearly 16K Instagram followers and literally hundreds of thousands of YouTube views. Take a look for yourself… prepare to be amazed.

Via Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

EveryHey: Daily Pop Culture Illustrations

Barcelona design firm Hey Studio has a thing for pop culture and illustration. They married these two loves into a fruitful serial project (others here and here and here) that has boosted their social media presence to over 50K Instagram followers. Though the project, called EveryHey, seems to have since ceased, Hey Studio posted over 400 minimalist illustrations of a very wide variety of pop culture figures, from Prince to Parker Lewis, to Baywatch babes to Beyoncé. We love Hey Studio’s bold, colorful style, and their smart choice of details to make each illustration just recognizable. This is a very small sampling, so be sure to check out the entire collection online or in their EveryHey book (available here).

Via Instagram

Circadian Creativity, One Film Quote at a Time

It’s no secret that we’re fascinated by “365 projects” and the dedication they reveal (previous posts here and here and here). Done well, these daily doses of artistry not only help develop a robust portfolio, but also serve as an exercise in on-demand creativity… a must in the field of graphic design, as we know all too well. And Nebraska-based designer/illustrator Ian Simmons tackled his serial project expertly. We are in awe of not only the diversity of his work, but the sheer quality of his typography. Clearly a movie buff at heart, Simmons masterfully depicted a wide variety of film quotes through illustration and typography, for 365 days straight (actually, 366)! Yes, an entire year. Just incredible. This is just a sampling of a few of our favorites, but be sure to check out his Instagram for the complete collection. He even sells select prints (here).

Via Instagram

A Penchant for Paper: The Work of Lobulo

Initially drawn in by typographic papercraft, we quickly realized the portfolio of Lobulo was a treasure trove if dynamic designs. Splitting time between London and Barcelona, Lobulo Design is actually just one man: Javier Rodríguez García. His penchant for working with paper has gained him much respect, and even a viral following online. The well-produced short videos he posts on social media give a nice behind-the-scenes glimpse at Lobule in action, feeding that central hunger for all-access documentation (see some below). The intricacy of Lobulo’s work is striking, and his sense of color and space outstanding. We especially appreciate work that is outside of our comfort zone, and this certainly falls into that category. Just awesome.

Via lobulodesign.com

The Moving Body of Work of Heather Hansen

Creativity pulses through New Orleans artist Heather Hansen. And she, quite literally, puts her whole self into her work. A trained dancer with a love of fine arts, Hansen marries the two in beautiful and unexpected ways. With little more than charcoal in hand and fluid movements of her body on a giant canvas, Hansen produces stunning symmetrical kinetic works of art. Her thoughtfully choreographed movements are a sight to behold in and of themselves, but the patterns and lines that emerge in the process are the stars. This culmination of creativity is like nothing we’ve ever seen before. Absolutely beautiful.

Via heatherhansen.net

Animeyed: Self-Portraits with a Twist

It wasn’t long ago we featured the work of Hungarian photographer/artist Flora Borsi. Once again, Borsi brings a certain edginess to the art of digital manipulation. While retouching can sometimes be seen as gratuitous, Borsi elevates photo-manipulation to an art form. Her work is both thoughtful and thought-provoking. In her latest series of self-portraits she calls Animeyed, Borsi poses with animals in such a way that they seem to share an eye. Her work has an interesting way of coming across as playful, but also slightly uncomfortable at the same time. Creative, clever and captivating. Once again, we love it.

Via floraborsi.com

Snow Script by Faust

Given all the snow in the news lately, we thought it fitting to peek at the work of street artist simply known as Faust. Paying homage to a favorite pastime for most who have grown up with even semi-snowy winters, he brings his impeccable calligraphy skills to snow-covered surfaces in a series he calls Snow Script. Faust fuels that childlike urge to run his fingers through the snow by stealthily adorning surfaces after a fresh snowfall with his stellar typography, then documenting it. Be sure to check out the rest of his killer work for an impressive roster of clients, including a mural just a stone’s throw away from our Rochester studio (photos below).

Not exactly the same, but vaguely reminiscent post here

Via Behance