Whilst on holiday in Sardinia, I came across a really nice store facade in the old town of Alghero. The store's name is 'stone' and they have carved the name out of that material and placed it in a clear case on the shop front. I think it's simplicity gives it a classy and diverse edge, but also makes it look expensive and good quality. It's also good to see signage being made out of natural matierals instead of synthetic ones, such as plastic.
Courtney is a 23 year old graphic designer / illustrator from Detroit, Michigan. "My true love lies with the creation of graphic art and design" she says. "This media has given me the opportunity to accurately express my own personality and depict the elements that make this world so beautiful."
Courtney's illustrations are typically figurative, incorportating organic forms found throughout nature. She is constantly inspired by everything that surrounds her, and this reflects in her work. I love the organic feel that her works have and the contrast between photography and watercolour, reality and fantasy, hand-crafted and digital.
http://punkychicken.com/07/
One of my favourite magazines is the Computer Arts magazine. It is always packed with information and says what's new in the world of design.
It also says:
Books which are useful
Handy hits and tips
How to find a job in Design etc
There is a really interesting article in this month's magazine about 'creating original artwork in a copycat world', which says what you should and shouldn't do in a deja vu world of design. Definately worth a read!
An exclusive shop in the heart of Leeds has been rented to house a single bottle of designer beer (not for sale) and its male model guard. The promotional idea is the brainchild of the Italian makers of Nastro Azzurro beer, which they are heavily marketing in the city.
The Peroni "non-shop" which sells absolutely nothing, is in King Edward Street – at a minimalist boutique store – so exclusive that only window shopping is allowed.
Situated in one of Leeds's most stylish shopping thoroughfares and located just around the corner from Harvey Nichols, Emporio Peroni houses a single bottle of Peroni Nastro Azzurro on a plinth, guarded by a well dressed Italian model who has been attracting plenty of attention from passers by.
The launch of Emporio Peroni in Leeds was celebrated with opportunities for people to win a number of prizes including a VIP night out in the city to a year's supply of Peroni beer.
Promoters of the brew say their 'Salute' team will be visiting Leeds's most stylish venues and offering people the opportunity to try a bottle of Peroni and inviting people to participate in the Peroni style profile quiz.
Richard Walker, Peroni Nastro Azzurro UK Brand Manager said: "We're delighted to be officially launching Peroni in Leeds. Emporio Peroni will create intrigue and excitement amongst shoppers and beer drinkers alike.
"We want to challenge people's perceptions of traditional beer drinking and position Peroni Nastro Azzurro as an aspirational brand that encompasses style, authenticity and quality. As one of the UK's most stylish cities Leeds was an obvious choice for us to launch in."
Posted: Monday, July 09, 2007
(/www.leedsliveitloveit.com)
NAME : Emporio Peroni
COMPANY : Emporio Peroni
VENUE :
Emporio Peroni
7 King Edward Street
Leeds
LS1
DATE : 6 July 2007 - 12 July 2007 
After finding the works of Alberto Seveso and Caleb (http://calcreative.blogspot.com/) commented that I should check out the works of Neil Duerden... I found some fantastic photo illustrative works which are intricate and organic.
He's a mixed media artist who combines vector artwork with photography. The colours are vibrant but classy and capture the mood of the photograph. I love the way in one of the photo's below, how the flow of the illustrations work with the fabric but also against it creating some contrast. He obviously has a good eye for composition.
Hey - Has anybody else noticed the large type posters which have been placed around the library at University? Some of them are really good! Worth a look... I hope that they stay around for a while, as it's the first time I have seen any of the School of Design's work being promoted. WHOOP WHOOP!
Found a competition which might be worth entering...
http://www.danfoss.com/AboutUs/Danfoss%20Art%20Award
"The theme of the award is to “Visualise our Values”. You are invited to express our mission statement, values, and aspirations through your artwork. Choose among the eight statements, help us express and interpret them through art. You can see them on the right side of the screen, and you can find a brief explanation on each of them by using the link > mission, values, and aspirations on the left side of the screen. "
