Nespodzany Daily

Canon Pixma Campaign

2011-11-18T15:18:00.001-05:00

A rather magical campaign for the Canon Pixma.

Wanted to make something

2011-08-25T16:33:00.000-04:00

So I did. A little social commentary on how much information we in America now have access to not only digest but to communicate while as a whole remaining willfully ignorant when it comes to how, where and with what our government and its interests use the peoples money.

Big Ole Powerful Ad

2011-07-18T11:08:00.001-04:00

To support the campaign We Miss You.
By Fireapple Films

Buckle up.

WE MISS YOU from fireapple films on Vimeo.

Embedding fonts with Flash CS5

2011-07-13T09:56:00.001-04:00

Let me start this little technical treat by first saying I hate the Flash IDE. If you are reading this article and you use the Flash IDE one very quick solution to all of your problems is to simply stop using it. Go and buy Flash Builder or for an even cheaper price get FDT. Both of those applications are built on Eclipse and are a much better more intuitive development environment.

That said I do realize that you are already too deep down the rabbit hole on your current project, or perhaps you work on a team that uses the Flash IDE or are picking up the broken pieces of another developers project.

Ok enough trash talk. In general adding a text field in Flash and clicking the embed fonts button associated with that text field is by far a great tried and true method of confidently embedding fonts. But that is not really all the powerful for developing anything more then a simple add banner or splash screen. The real power of Actionscript and text is dynamically generated content i.e. private var tf:TextField = new TextField();. For these types of text fields embedding fonts becomes a bit more involved.

The methods that Flash has historical used to embed fonts has changed a bit over the last several versions. With CS5 once again they have made additional “advancements”, which I assume are to help unleash the power of Flash’s text engine. I have sat at work for hours reading over users “best practices for embedding fonts with CS5”. Everyone seems to have a little something different they do. And even within those examples the end goal is very scattered. One might be for css, or textFormat, or to support html tags in xml. Either way its a big fact searching expedition with very mixed information. Well yesterday I went on this mission again for a team project I am working on where out of the blue several fonts for some magical reason stopped embedding. I stumbled across this blog post (http://www.dotstrosity.net/2010/05/10/flash-cs5-font-embedding-its-totally-different/) on the subject I and spotted a very interesting comment. One person noted that depending on what font management application you are using the font name that appears in the Font Embedding window may be completely wrong. At work I am on a Macbook Pro and use Suitcase Fusion 3 to manage my fonts. (I assume this little bit of misdirection is much more common on the mac.) This possibility had never occurred to me and got me thinking, “why don’t I just ask Flash what font it would like me to use”. So using traditional Flash “add text field” methods I used the ole tool bar, grabbed a text box and set that text field up with all the font features I wanted in my embed. Hold onto your seat because this is where the wonderment comes in. I added this code:

var objFormat:TextFormat = myTextField.getTextFormat();

trace(objFormat.font);

This trace will return the exact “real” name of the font that is being used regardless of whatever made up version your font management software is communicating to the IDE. Now all you have to do is copy that name and use it in your, xml, html, css, or textFormat.

I like to draw letters

2011-07-10T22:58:00.001-04:00

I like to draw letters. “How come you never seem to post any?” you ask. Well somewhere between putting pencil to paper and time spent on the computer they just never seem to make it. I am not an illustrator by trade so going through the arduous task of scanning paper into the computer and digitizing hand drawn type into vector is just too many steps for me. Somewhere between the sketch and computer the wind falls quite abruptly from my sails.

Well this year for my birthday I decided to treat myself with a new digital drawing tool, the Wacom Bamboo Pen to be exact. Nothing too crazy, rather just their most basic small digital sketch tool. While Wacom does make some pretty serious multi-hundred dollar illustration tools I really just wanted something to do very basic blue lines that I could go in later with a mouse and refine.

Multi-platform Installation? Absolutely, I am on a mac at work and pc’s at home and installation was pretty straightforward. Oddly for being a “creative” tool installation on the pc was a bit easier.

Transition? If you are thinking about adding this tool to your box I will say it takes some getting used to drawing with your hand and looking someplace completely different.

Final word? I have no idea, I just got it but so far I am very happy with the speed at which i can flush out an idea from rough to black line.

Stay tuned and with any luck and practice I can turn the “final word” into some letters!

(I am very tired after a long weekend of traveling so I really hope this article is readable)

On so many levels

2011-06-17T10:48:00.002-04:00

Stuxnet: Anatomy of a Computer Virus from Patrick Clair on Vimeo.

Apple.com/trailers bold move

2011-05-24T14:04:00.001-04:00

Apple has made a rather bold decision that I can only assume is either a technical mishap or a move to leverage their already minimal design into the realm of their site content.

Currently all trailers link to wonderfully stark pages with little to no content.

Aside from the complete lack of the content I was looking for I rather like this new look.

Reminds me of Antrepo's minimalist effect project.

totalFrames > 16,000

2011-04-26T11:56:00.003-04:00

There is currently a limit in Adobe Flash involving total frames. The rule seems to be that that there can be no more then 16,000 total frames. There can also be no more then 16,000 total layers and 16,000 total symbol instances, but for this article let’s stick with total frames.

While researching this problem there were several common forum responses. The first of which being, “how the hell did you get more then 16,000 frames?”. The answer, self-contained video player with final deployment set for .exe i.e. no reference files.

The second response being a suggestion to break the project or video out into smaller pieces or chapters and dynamically load only the movieclip(s) needed at any given moment to stay or hide safely under the 16,000 frames. However when making a self-contained project you do not have this luxury and rather must embed all required elements.

As far as my web-investigative journalism can tell there is no way around this other then the technique listed above.

In my particular instance I was around 3900 frames over the limit, and apparently the client did not really want to hear that this project could not be accomplished and continuously dropping the frame rate of the video was not producing the James Cameron like experience I was hoping for.

The answer export the video chapters into separate .swc files. If you are not familiar:

“An Adobe SWC file is a package of precompiled Flash symbols and ActionScript code that allows a Flash or Flex developer to distribute classes and assets, or to avoid recompiling symbols and code that will not change. SWC files can be generated by the Flash authoring tool, and by Flex. They are sometimes referred to as a class libraries and cannot be directly executed by the Flash Player.”

In addition to the above a .swc file is also somewhat of a flash based file compression. The key to this technique working or not working was whether or not the files or classes contained within the .swc remained compressed until class instantiation. Apparently they do. I created a .swc for each chapter of the video. Each individual chapter ranged in frame size from between 4000 frames all the way up to 9500 frames. As long as you dispose of each movieclip prior to reaching 16,000 frames this technique seems to work fine.

*Please note that I also hit a file size limit, Im not sure what the exact number is but 62 mgs of content was too much and 53 mgs was fine.

100 Bags and Counting

2011-04-18T21:38:00.006-04:00

I'm one of those metros that can never seem to satisfy my thirst for the ultimate metrosexual accessory, commonly known as the man-purse. Like most of my kind, rarely do I maintain a long-term sense of satisfaction with any bag. This eventual emotional detachment is what I believe causes metros to intensify their financial investment with every new bag purchase. This fact, coupled with evolving trends, tastes, and varying job titles, can only lead to a life with a 100 bags and counting.

If you haven't figured out by now—spoiler alert—yes, this article is about a recent bag purchase. Now I wouldn't say that the sole motivation behind this acquisition was an emotional detachment to my current bag (but truth be told, like all flings, the man-bag relationship can’t last forever). Rather, the true driver behind this latest sartorial quest, was the need to carry around my new gadget-of-the-day, a net-book. (Though this particular portable has been coined a “not-book” by Engadget reviewers, I’ll suppress my instincts and save that conversation for another post. Now, back to the story.) I needed a bag to satisfy not only my evolving fashion and professional needs but also my ever-growing tech collection. I wanted something that had a sophisticated yet youthful style and a completely utilitarian design, something that would protect my investment with a little space leftover for accessories.

If price were no object, the Burberry Medium Beat Check Nylon Crossbody bag would be the ideal. Unlike most high-end, luxury goods where conspicuous wallpaper-like branding and logo placement is the norm, Burberry’s male accessories line maintains design restraint, a modest reworking of their classic plaid motif into a soft, monochromatic color palette. However, the Burberry name comes at a hefty price tag, which was a little too extravagant to justify in this instance.

Then, my adventure brought me to an old and forgotten friend named Jack Spade. For the sartorially challenged, Jack Spade is not an actual person but rather the brain child of Andy Spade, whose wife is the very fashionable Kate Spade. I guess “Andy Spade” didn't test well with marketing. Self described:

“JACK SPADE designs bags, wallets and clothing that work simply, age well and retain a sense of style.”

Historically I have found Jack Spade’s designs to be a little too uneventful. Sure, the construction is solid and the design is classic and simple, yet the items always lacked that little extra something to justify their price point. Now my reconciliation with Jack Spade could signal two possible turn-of-events: either (A) I have become more conservative or (B) they have spiced up their offerings. I would like to believe that it was a little bit of both. Their current collection still adheres to the “keep it simple” motto, but now items are available in an exciting material that not only adds that little extra something, but also meets my aesthetic prerequisites—waxware.

Waxware is a fine cotton canvas soaked in a centuries-old paraffin formula originally developed for sailcloth. One very unique quality to this treatment is how it ages with time, allowing the abrasive moments in life to be endured and captured in the finish. If by chance, showcasing those moments to the world isn’t your cup of tea , then some quick work with a hair dryer is all that’s needed to restore the material back to its original finish.

While the design elements of the bag have stayed firmly planted in the classic Jack Spade canon, by smartly swapping out their standard canvas for waxware they have pushed the bags from “simple” to “simply noticeable”. However this wondrous material is not offered on all of their bag designs. In fact, it is only offered on just a handful. And to add insult to injury, the waxware is available in only a few color options. So basically, if you have a specific purpose in mind, these limitations may help make your bag decision for you. This was certainly true in my case. I opted with the Jack Spade Waxware Computer File Case in the only color currently available, grey (which looks more like a rustic baby blue).

To say the least, this adventure was not without a few leaps of faith. I have no idea why, but there are no “non product-shot” photos of this bag on the Internet. Other than the listed measurement specs, there are no images showing it to scale or in everyday use. Since this purchase was made for transporting a net-book, I didn’t want to end up with a completely disproportionate bag, like something akin to the size of baggage prepped for a safari trip. Therefore, in light of this, my only complaint is that the bag can stand to be about an inch and a half shorter. I feel it’s just a little too “square,” quite literally. Another small gripe is the potentially disconcerting “file case” factor. There is very little room to push beyond this bag’s 3-4 inch depth limit. While I am sure you could get a bit more out of the space with some clever stretching technique, from the outside, it would seem too noticeable that the bag was being pushed and prodded beyond its limits.

In retrospect, I could not be happier with the look and feel of the bag—from the waxware exterior to the solid Jack Spade branded hardware. Overall, the bag feels as if it will last the ages, perhaps even a pass down to another generation, or at least, until my detachment creeps in and my wandering eye for a new man-purse sets in.

If you are interested in this bag please note two things, at the time of purchase, Zappos had this bag for $79.00 off. If that deal ends, you can always get 20% off at JackSpade.com just for signing up on their mailing list.

writer: Josh Nespodzany
editor: Janice Reyes

My Hero

2011-04-05T11:01:00.000-04:00

Tyler Brûlé, my hero, takes a tech-political stand regarding his decision for producing the extension of the famed Monocle Magazine's news print addition.

“an anti-Ipad device”

CNNTech?

2011-02-28T10:19:00.000-05:00

CNNTech recently authored an article criticizing Google’s “open” claim. Well actually I think the article was more that Google isn't actually “open” at all? No wait it was about how Google is “open” but how “open” is bad? Or wait was the article about Android’s “open” claim, hmm perhaps it was just a rough draft that somehow got published. I’m not exactly sure, the article seems to jump from topic to topic with little more intent other then representing the momentary topical view of the author Dan Frommer, a self titled “Business Insider”. I’m not even sure it is worth the effort to pen a refute to any of his opinions, not because it would require too much research but rather because of the sheer number of opinions coupled with the fact that they seem to do a good enough job of refuting themselves.

Normally I would not even give something like this any attention, the last thing I want to do is to give this author traffic. However it’s not the article that makes for good reading, it’s the endless comments. It’s like having a really shitty meal with an amazing dessert.

Some of my favorites:

“mkdir android ; cd android ; repo init -u git://android.git.kernel.org/p... ; repo sync ; make”

-jivester

“Author does not know what the term 'open' means. CNN, you have to take this article down. The tech dudes are going to rip this to shreds.”

- DanikaV

“wow, horribly written and researched article as usual. the word "open" is correctly used by google in some places. Although i am no fan of android any person, ANY PERSON, who understands how to write code can change android, that right isn't reserved to google's strategic partners. simply because the author has no clue on how technology works doesn't mean he should go along bashing it. For example if i feel like it i can go buy and android phone today, dump the OS from it and make any changes i like since the source code is available. not everyone can write that low level code but "open" means if you know how, you can. same goes for the "crapware", i hate it as much as the next guy but it is entirely possible to delete it, and rather easily but once again you have to know how to root the phone which is pretty easy. poor research and no facts article again.”

- S3nse

The internet has ruined everything

2011-02-16T21:31:00.002-05:00

Today Borders Books filed for bankruptcy. You know Borders, its that major book store that always had the best selection design books. Its that store that when in a pinch, or you were just going to write off the purchase anyway, had design books that were not all from the early 90s. You know its that book store that decided to stand up to amazon and come out with its own e-book reader and was willing to dump money into setting it apart from its competition.

As it stands Borders plans to close 30% of its stores and do major restructuring.

This topic is such a double edged sword for me. My entire professional life would not be possible without the internet and I love what I do and feel thankful everyday I get to do what I love to do for a living. With that said, for as much as the internet has given it has certainly taken away.

Typography, not in the curriculum?

2011-01-28T14:00:00.000-05:00

Was surfing Core 77 today and could not help but to notice this banner ad for Academy of Art University. I'm going to take a complete shot in the dark here and guess that typography does not appear in the curriculum?

Way to go!

Escape From Camden

2011-01-18T23:31:00.003-05:00

I read tonight that Camden New Jersey will be laying off 40% of their emergency service personal, a good portion being police. Camden, if you do not know, is already one of this nations highest crime and most impoverished cities and right across the river from the place I call home. I can only imagine this decision will make it a North American Leader for such categories.

So I did what most creative people do when they read something disturbing, I made a little social commentary poster about it, enjoy.

+ you can get hi-rez here

A few weekend things...

2011-01-17T21:05:00.000-05:00

First off, something I doubt anyone will actually care about but what is apparently a problem for some. After over 5 years of ownership I decided it was time to do a reinstall of the OS on my laptop. Before this turns into a flame-fest from mac owners, how about you spend your negative energy sending Steve Jobs "Get Well" cards. I have a Dell XPS m1530, It's a very fast dual core system to which I am very happy with. Shortly after reinstalling I discovered that my wonderful laptop lacked any computer / network card love. After some online investigation I learned that Dell in their infinite knowledge forgot to include the correct drivers for the network card on the back-up disks. For some reason many people have had a really hard time finding out where to download them so I'm posting a link.
+ Dell XPS m1530 network card drivers

Secondly I watched a wonderful video campaign for the upcoming EA game Dead Space 2, part of their "Your Mom Hates Dead Space 2" campaign. I have to admit after playing the demo I had thought it a little too stressful to play, ha yes I realize how that sounds it's also the reason I could not make it through Battlestar Galactica. But after seeing this campaign I think they have earned themselves a purchase.

Oh and finally congratulations to Natalie Portman on her Golden Globe win for Black Swan. I thought Black Swan should of won best motion picture but because facebook seems to dominate everyones lives I guess they figured why not the Golden Globes as well.

Remember when Fex-Ex was the best?

2011-01-14T10:06:00.000-05:00

What is this magical package, why it's my CS5 stuck in some lazy Fex-Ex drivers truck. That is if it even made it on the truck. Claiming that Philadelphia's historic Wanamaker building is closed at 9:03 on a Friday morning really isn't the best story to come up with if your not going to deliver it. I think I would of gone with, "my dog ate your package". At least there is some plausible deniability with that one.

I called Fed-Ex and explained to them how this is actually not possible and if you have decided that today is just going to be to difficult to deliver the package just tell me rather then making things up. They have assured me that they have gotten a message to the driver to try again. I'm sure sometime between his pot break(s) and his Dunkin Donuts marathon there may be a glimmer that the package is still in the truck and will make it here.

Fed-Ex, so far have you fallen. I sent Adobe a email suggesting that they switch their preferred shipping agent to UPS. You may be able to claim faster on paper but when you factor in the reliability problems why bother claiming anything?

Icons in Modern Living

2011-01-10T22:10:00.000-05:00

While I am certain I'm a little behind on such modern appliance design I was tickled to see a fun little icon for the popcorn setting on our new microwave. How cute, I actually hate popcorn but that fact does little to detract from its cuteness.

From the offices of the M.C.P.

2011-01-07T22:37:00.003-05:00

So like many others I got a chance to see Tron Legacy and I must say that I am a huge fan of the original movie and could regale you with tons of crazy facts about the original. But lets stay on topic.

Prior to seeing the actual movie whenever I would see a trailer for it I felt as though I were 10 years old again, and lets not even start to talk about when those same trailers were released in 3-D. I began to become convinced that when I finally did get to see Tron Legacy the theater would be asking me to leave due to my squeals of pure joy and excitement. Alas the story of the movie left a bit to be desired however the visuals were pretty solid and the light-bike scene alone was full worth the ticket price.

On an unrelated but soon to be related note, along that same time I was turned onto the blog Letter Heady. Self described as:

“Letterheady is an online homage to offline correspondence; specifically letters. However, here at Letterheady we don't care about the letter's content. Just its design.”

This got me thinking, “wouldn't it be fun if the M.C.P. from the original movie had letterhead?”. It sure would!

Get Hi-Rez versions here:
+ Option 1
+ Option 2

Found Packaging

2011-01-04T22:11:00.000-05:00

Molino e Pastificio

First let me apologize for the image quality, I only had my Android with me.

This fantastic packaging was found in Di Bruno Brothers located in Philadelphia's historic Italian Market. So minimal and such a fresh approach to a color story for what would historically be bathed in earth tones or patriotic Italian banner colors. And with a complete lack of what is usually narrative imagery drawing the user back into a picturesque historic view of a simpler time period on a farm. Unfortunately I could not find much online about the pasta's manufacture or person(s) responsible for the design. If anyone knows please feel free to leave a comment.

Happy New Years!

2010-12-31T19:24:00.000-05:00

Would you like some Ground Pepper?

2010-12-04T12:10:00.000-05:00

New mix by friend Mr. David Hollands was released this weekend. Please feel free to enjoy these sexy tech-house grooves!
David Hollands - Ground Pepper by davidhollands

Welcome to my winter hell.

2010-12-02T22:11:00.000-05:00

Winter is here again and with it a regiment of evil soldiers has taken up a fortified position in my sinuses. It's wonderful winter allergies. While yes I do prefer having winter allergies over summer allergies, this realization doesn't seem to take the moment by moment sting out of dealing with them.

So forgive me if I am a little lax in regards to my posts this winter season.

Analog Past

2010-11-30T13:32:00.000-05:00

A fantastic find from Artefact Antiques located in Furlong Pennsylvania. I spotted this dial housed inside of a vintage Zenith radio cabinet. The cabinet was nothing more then a husk of its former self, missing all of its internals the only remaining element was the beautiful Zenith dial. At only thirty dollars this was a bargain indeed but I had very little use for a small dresser sized cabinet. I was fortunately able to barter the owner into allowing me to separate the heart from the scarecrow. Measuring 9 inches across and protected by space-age glass this typographic and mechanical wonder has found a happy new home. Will post more pics once I get it framed.

Wink Creative 2010 Selected Works

2010-11-29T10:17:00.000-05:00

A wonderful gift from good friend Brent Gairy, of Touch Intel, Wink Creative's 2010 selected works book.

I am a rather massive fan of Wallpaper Magazine. It has without a doubt been one of the greatest contributors to the creative person I have become today. Wallpaper Magazine was launched by Tyler Brûlé in 1996 after being shot by a sniper in Afghanistan, not kidding. The magazine was page-for-page one of the best designed magazines that ever graced our planet. In 2007 Tyler launched a new magazine entitled Monocle, dropping much of the overindulgent lifestyle in trade for globalist perspective on international issues the magazine is unmistakably a close relative of Wallpaper.

What does all this have to do with Wink Creative? Tyler Brûlé founded Wink Creative in 1998, the creative brainchild behind all of these magical brands in addition to adding his worldly creative prowess to such brands as Swiss Air, British Airways, and American Express Open.

Whats covered in the book? A visual breath of Wink Creative's work throughout the year of 2010 from logo types to publishing to corporate identity. Defiantly worth adding to your collection. How do you get your hands on one? I'm sorry to say, I have no idea.

Interested in more? Monocle has a podcast, check it out here.

Best $25.00 I spent all week!

2010-11-01T23:05:00.001-04:00

On a recent weekend jaunt to our local Anthropologie for some fancy shelf hardware I happened upon quite the find, Postcards from Penguin. For the low price of just $25.00 you get 100 classic Penguin book covers in the form of 100 postcards. It was quite the challenge to choose just a few highlights for this post. Either way you slice it, a great sourcing addition to anyones collection.

Another interesting find at Anthropologie that fine day was professional MMA fighter Wilson Reis, who from what I could tell was there with his family. Good luck to Mr. Reis on his next fight!

Adobe CS, an Infographic

2010-10-25T09:04:00.001-04:00

I updated my Adobe Creative Suite infographic to include CS5. Get the full size version here.

Some back story...

When I upgraded from CS3 to CS4 I started wondering what exactly do you get for you upgrade price and what is the actual time difference between their releases. Full disclosure I actually have the Web Premium Suite however I think their Design Premium is a bit more popular, also a "web" specific version did no exist in the earlier releases of the suite thus making the infographic have some time-line holes. So I did some research and made iteration one of this graphic which can be viewed here.

Skip to 2010 and the release of CS5, ok I do realize I'm a few months late, but lets skip to 2010 and the release of CS5 anyway. It does appear as though Adobe is finding their rhythm with the releases and the prices they deem them to be worth. Perhaps one day if I have absolutely nothing to do for a few days on end I will remake this to include other products within the CS family and upgrade price in addition to the full retail.

* All historical data used for this was referenced from Wikipedia & Archive.org.

2012 is nearing

2010-10-19T09:58:00.000-04:00

“Flash hasn't presented any problem at all.”

- Steve Jobs October 18 2010

Mission Brand Confusion: Accomplished

2010-10-19T09:08:00.000-04:00

Last night I saw the new Kettle One commercial. I love Kettle One and I love their commercials. No other vodka makes a better martini, and their ads consistently put me in the mood to have one. It also doesn't hurt that their spokes person played a great character on Syfy channels Eureka. But I digress...

So I'm watching this commercial thinking to my self, "wow Kettle One is really steppin up the Circ De Soleil, and where is Ed Quinn did they fire their beloved spokesman?". Alas, this wasn't actually a commercial for Kettle One it was for a hotel in Las Vegas called The Cosmopolitan. You can't create a brand with another brands elements, because when you do you get blog posts like this and a fair bit of confusion!

Curious about that track? It's called Spread Your Love by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and the video is pretty cool too!

The Cosmopolitan:

Kettle One, Table:

Kettle One, Bar:

Kettle One, Street:

Happy Birthday Renzo

2010-10-18T09:14:00.000-04:00

How does the highly style forward mind behind Diesel's brand Renzo Rosso celebrate his 55th birthday? With a big ole bash staring such acts as N.E.R.D. and Wyclef of course. And what does his beloved brand get the man who undoubtedly has everything for his birthday? A very limited edition, vary large chronograph watch entitled "This is my time". The face of this behemoth highlights the day of celebration with a large typographic 9, 15, 55. Interested in owning one? With only 5555 of them made worldwide, and everyone attending this birthday party getting one along with the birthday boy himself you better find one soon. Philadelphia's very own Diesel store received only eight and after my visit now only has seven.

Check out some video from the event here & here.

Joy, A High Concept Scent

2010-10-12T09:10:00.000-04:00

Longwood Gardens, in Pennsylvania's Kennett Square region, currently has an exhibit going on titled "Making scents: The Art and Passion of Fragrance". This exhibit details the horticultural roots of perfumeries from yesteryear up to contemporary times. Profiling the “nature” framework that goes into building the creation of many of the most prolific scents throughout history including such iconic scents as Chanel No. 5 and Shalimar. Included in the exhibit were some fun back-story displays chronicling the motivations behind the brands. I found the story behind the scent Joy to be the most engaging.

“Following the financial crisis of 1929, the fashion designer Jean Patou asked the Spanish perfumer Henri Alméras to create a perfume that would symbolize joyful optimism and hope. Appearing in 1930, Joy was one of the most floral and "jasmined" fragrances ever created. Unlike most other luxury perfumes, whose head, heart, and soul notes emerge from a blend of different ingredients, Joy, according to some perfume experts, maintains a singular rose and jasmine scent at its top, middle, and bottom levels. Because the picking of jasmine flowers is an extremely labor-intensive operation–to harvest 8,000 flowers (about 2.2 pounds) demands a total of 2,000 hand gestures–Joy was at one time called "the costliest perfume in the world." This is not an exaggeration, since 28 dozen roses and 10,600 jasmine flowers to produce one ounce of Joy concentrate.”

Now that's what I call high concept!

Adobe Air + Android = ^_^

2010-10-08T09:44:00.001-04:00

Android announced today that Adobe Air will now be available for download on the Android market. You can read the official release here. And if you would like a bit more of a technical overview you can find it here. On an unrelated note news was also released today regarding Microsoft's interest in purchasing Adobe sparking a very sharp rise in Adobe's stock. I can't help but wonder how this would effect the already fragile relationship between Apple and Adobe.

If this purchase does go though I would speculate that Apple would add some additional design oriented software titles their already popular Final Cut. What could some fun titles be?
Photoshop -> iPhoto
Illustrator -> iDraw
Dreamweaver -> iPage
Flash -> (nothing)
Flex -> uh well you can just get the SDK for free!

And of course every icon would have a fantastic highlight/reflection.

Study in Steel

2010-10-07T08:55:00.000-04:00

From my ephemera collection, Study in Steel. I found this fantastic piece when I was living in Pittsburgh at a book store in Oakland called Caliban Books. Pressed in 1962 this collateral set was designed to promote Pittsburgh's steel industry. For this set the Pittsburgh steel industry tasked Peter Muller-Munk Associates to:

“explore the personality of steel to develop design concepts for modern, indoor-outdoor family living.”

With a heavy Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce feel, I cant help but to wonder what this design would look like and focus on if it were done today.

Want to see more?

Advertising The Gathering : Day 9 Target Audience

2010-10-06T08:58:00.000-04:00

- Day 09 -

It's the Advertising The Gathering official card release. It's the reason we are all here but would never really like to fully recognize, it's the Target Audience Card! Interested in frustrating your creative staff? There is no better way then to slap down a friendly reminder that we are doing this for a specific audience and not their personal portfolio.

(click the images for enlarged view)

Get the ultra hi-rez card here.

- Card details -

Card Title: Target Audience

Card Quote: "I'm not paying for content!"

Card Details: Card caster must have at least 1 UX card in play. Target Audience card gains +10 confusion for each Target Audience card in play. When Target Audience card comes into play opponents Creative and UX cards must battle each other to the death.

- About the project -

I had this fun idea to do an illustration project focusing on different roles in advertising to which I would add cheeky bios but after starting the project I became really frustrated with my lack of illustration skills. So I brainstormed some better vehicles for the concept. What better vehicle then Magic the Gathering! Have no idea what that is? Half of me doesn't blame you and to be honest, the other half that does, could probably be talked into not blaming you either. So if you need a down and dirty overview check out what wiki has to say. I hope you enjoy it, I'm going to try and post one card every week day for as long as I can keep coming up with fun roles and copy to go with them.

Advertising The Gathering : Day 8 Copywriter

2010-10-05T09:08:00.000-04:00

- Day 08 -

It's the Advertising The Gathering official card release. Hide your lampshades and open your liquor cabinets here comes the Copywriter Card!. When your a small agency and you need to skimp on the roles little else is as instantly noticeable than when your "creative guy" magically becomes copywriter.

(click the images for enlarged view)

Get the ultra hi-rez card here.

- Card details -

Card Title: Copywriter

Card Quote: "Wanna catch a drink after work?"

Card Details: When Copy Writer card comes into play caster gains +5 concept for each Art Director card in play. Copy Writer car is tapped opponent must convert 1/3 of their budget to cover all bar tab costs incurred by Copy Writer card(s). When more then one Copy Writer card is tapped opponent must increase timeline by +10. If Copy Writer card survives 10 rounds of play opponent must cover Copy Writer cards antidepressant prescriptions.

- About the project -

Found Packaging: 8th Continent Soymilk

2010-10-04T14:28:00.000-04:00

While at my local Target this weekend I spotted a carton of 8th Continent Soymik. I dont really care for soy milk, which is starting to become a problem due to my increasing battle with an advancing lactose intolerance, but I do love this packaging. Designed by UK artist Ben Javens this design harkens back on an age of innocence. A time when we used to relish in our retail ignorance and not have to stand there with our smart phone translating the ingredient lists of every thing we put in our shopping cart. Now if they can just design some fun carefree rice milk packaging it will wind up in mine.

Advertising The Gathering : Day 7 Social Network

2010-10-04T09:09:00.000-04:00

- Day 07 -

It's the Advertising The Gathering official card release. The official crutch of the adverting industry. The Social Network Card! When you have completely run out of creative ideas or you find yourself in way over your head, throw down the Social Network card and you will have that big name client thinking you have your fingers on the pulse of any audience.

(click the images for enlarged view)

Get the ultra hi-rez card here.

- Card details -

Card Title: Social Network

Card Quote: "We need to leverage user generated content!"

Card Details: When Social Network card comes into play opponent must crowbar Facebook, Twitter or Foursquare into a non-related campaign. Every time Social Network card is tapped a “fresh” approach to integrating social networking must be presented.

- About the project -

Better than you.

2010-10-01T09:49:00.001-04:00

I really hate re-hashing other blogs content but this artist is far too talented not to appear on every design oriented blog. I found this link on creative mind Shane Cranford's blog who is also pretty talented.

This video is a documentary on London sign & glass-gilding artisan David A. Smith and if you don't feel put in your place after watching this then you may want to get professional help for your narcissistic issues.

David A Smith - Sign Artist from Danny Cooke on Vimeo.

No card today :-(

2010-09-30T09:10:00.001-04:00

Sorry every one, there will be no card today but have no fear I haven't completely dropped the project yet!

Advertising The Gathering : Day 6 Freelancer

2010-09-29T09:05:00.007-04:00

- Day 06 -

It's the Advertising The Gathering official card release. The jack of all trades, the too cool for school, the Casanova of industry. The Freelancer card! When you need something done no matter what the cost or some truly out of the box thinking or just some stolen ideas, this is the card for you. Just make sure to keep an eye on them around your more attractive employees.

(click the images for enlarged view)

Get the ultra hi-rez card here.

- Card details -

Card Title: Freelancer

Card Quote: "I don't know if you heard but I'm kind of a big thing"

Card Details: When freelancer card comes into play caster gains +5 speed, +5 concept. Opponent must also invite Freelancer to all agency social events and allow Freelancer to sleep with at least one employee a year. When Freelancer is tapped opponent must double their budget for each round Freelancer card is in play.

- About the project -

Advertising The Gathering : Day 5 Back-End Developer

2010-09-28T08:58:00.003-04:00

- Day 05 -

It's the Advertising The Gathering official card release. The ultimate in "virtual cool" with more online persona's then a Nigerian email scam artist. I present the Back-End Developer card. You want to take your project from amateur to pro and turn some real roi this is going to be a top card to play.

(click the images for enlarged view)

Get the ultra hi-rez card here.

- Card details -

Card Title: Back-End Developer

Card Quote: "I could be leveling my character in WOW right now."

Card Details: When Back-End Developer card comes into play card caster gets +10 development. Card Caster must have at least one UX card, and one Designer card in play. When card is tapped opponent must supply card caster with one can of the following, Mountain Dew, Red Bull, or Jolt.

- About the project -

Discount store accessories already?

2010-09-27T14:09:00.000-04:00

Recently on a trip to my local Marshalls I could not help but notice a fresh new stock of apple accessories. While Marshalls is certainly no stranger to Apple accessories this time was a little different. These were not your standard iDevice accessories they were in fact iPad accessories! The iPad was officially released on April 3rd 2010, this Marshalls stock comes in at roughly 5 months into its initial product cycle. I have no idea what this actually means however there must exist somewhere a infographic regarding the cultural impact a product has on society as it relates to the time it takes for said products accessories to appear at a discount store.

Now what you must be asking yourself is, "what were you doing at Marshalls?". Mind your own business, that's what I was doing at Marshalls!

Advertising The Gathering : Day 4 New Business

2010-09-27T09:17:00.001-04:00

- Day 04 -

It's the Advertising The Gathering official card release. The ultimate of all "yes-men", the purveyors of fine adult entrainment, and the source of the old saying "you would sell your own mother", I present the fourth card in the series, the New Business card. While it may be very difficult to pay your rent without this role it certainly does not change the stigma attached to it.

(click the images for enlarged view)

Get the ultra hi-rez card here.

- Card details -

Card Title: New Business

Card Quote: "I know this great steak house / strip club"

Card Details: When New Business card comes into play card caster doesn't really gain anything, if anything they actually lose a little bit of respect from their opponent. Every time card is tapped opponent must buy card caster a round of drinks and a lap dance.

- About the project -

The Real Imaginarium

2010-09-24T14:48:00.000-04:00

Are you a fan of places like Restoration Hardware or Crate & Barrel? Well there exists a place on the interwebs that is the ultimate historic source of all these dups and it's all for sale and it's all magically fantastic! It's called Modern 50 and there you will find an endless source of original furniture, storage, art, and oddities. Modern 50 describes itself as:

“A multi-disciplinary art and design collective which strives to create an ever-evolving nonlinear consumer lifestyles collection. Discovering intrinsically valuable decorative arts and furnishings to convey a different impression of 20th century design. Reclaiming salvaged materials, using uncommon combinations and adhering to modernist tenets we are confident that we can give to you the unexpected and the unforgettable.”

While most of these items may be a bit cost prohibitive at the very least you can view this as a wonderful source of inspiration.

As a side note this is the most magically perfect bench ever made and they just so happen to have it, well sort of. Unfortunately it's sold and the fact that its sold is somewhat of a gift and a curse. The gift being that I was no longer able to see the price. Cheers to whoever added this to their collection.

Advertising The Gathering : Day 3 Designer

2010-09-24T09:01:00.001-04:00

- Day 03 -

It's the Advertising The Gathering official card release. I present the third card and the companion card to the Art Director card, the Designer Card. Sure they are cheap but look at that burn out rate! Better strategize that campaign assault!

(click the images for enlarged view)

Get the ultra hi-rez card here.

- Card details -

Card Title: Designer

Card Quote: "I do all of the work while the Art Director gets all the credit"

Card Details: Card caster must have at least one Art Director card in play. When Designer card first comes into play card caster gains +10 concept and a free flyer design for your indie band. Designer card looses -10 focus for each additional Art Director card in play. Designer card burns out -3 concept for each round in play.

- About the project -

IDEO lets us know that there are people out there thinking miles ahead of Apple

2010-09-23T11:57:00.000-04:00

The Future of the Book. from IDEO on Vimeo.

From the brilliant team at IDEO a fantastic lesson not just thinking outside the box but rather blowing the box into a zillion pieces. There are so many fantastic little nuisances with this project on top of all the real world applications that take this e-book experience to a level far beyond current market trends. I remember having similar excitement over the Microsoft Courier project, but alas that was canceled. So here is hoping that Nelson / Coupland / Alice will one day see consumer light.

Advertising The Gathering : Day 2 Art Director

2010-09-23T09:02:00.000-04:00

- Day 02 -

It's the Advertising The Gathering official card release. I present the second card, the Art Director Card.They may cost more then just a Designer card but theres no better way to impose your creative will on your opponent!

(click the images for enlarged view)

Get the ultra hi-rez card here.

- Card details -

Card Title: Art Director

Card Quote: "If it wasn't for my unique vision this place would be nothing!"

Card Details: When the Art Director card comes into play target opponent must sacrifice two UX cards.

Art Director card gains +2 attitude, +2 execution for each Copy Writer card in play. If there are more than one Art Director cards in play, cards may battle each other.

When Art Director card is tapped it is always right.

- About the project -

Advertising The Gathering : Day 1

2010-09-22T08:46:00.002-04:00

- Day 01 -

It's the Advertising The Gathering official card release. I present the first card, the Client Card. Sure the casting cost is a little high but look how much of a headache you can cause your opponent!
(click the images for enlarged view)

Get the ultra hi-rez card here.

- Card details -

Card Title: Client

Card Quote: "I want it on my ipad!"

Card Details: When the client card comes into play, opponent looses all ability to create realistic goals for the duration of game. Opponent must tap all creative service cards for 2 turns. Caster must sacrifice all client services cards: Remove all client service cards from the game.

- About the project -

Amusements For Your Pleasure Drops Tomorrow

2010-09-21T11:44:00.001-04:00

I'm droppin some funny bits tomorrow so stay tuned for a new series I like to call "Advertising the Gathering". How out of control will this idea get? Well like every other fun idea I come up with it will start off stronger then freight train and kind of putter out over time :-), but rest assured it is guaranteed to be a little out-of-line and worth a pass around the AIM list.

Vintage Luggage Tag

2010-09-21T09:09:00.000-04:00

From my ephemera collection, a 1960's Luggage tag from Holland for the SS Rotterdam. A fantastic find from an antique store located very close to Terrain At Styer's. I certainly hope Mrs. Virginia Florence enjoyed her stay in New York.

Whiskey & Chocolate

2010-09-20T09:11:00.000-04:00

After almost a year of looking we have finally found the typographically focused piece for our kitchen. From Pennsylvania graphic designer and artist Brian Barto I present our fun new Liquor & Beer sign.We are very pleased!

You can check out more of Brian's work here.

Digitas Health Philadelphia hosts UX summit

2010-09-16T09:41:00.001-04:00

Included were many internal speakers from both the Philadelphia and New York offices discussing new and emerging technologies wrapped around the conceptual and tangible points of usability. Headlining this event was Semantic Foundry's very own Will Evans. Chocked full of informational theory much was presented and much was learned. And now for the bad news, the audience was tasked to separate into teams and present a solution to a rather open ended no specifics RFP. I will not bore you with specifics but needless to say it was heavily focused on the government and health care. "Wheres the bad news" you ask? The team I was on came in second :-(. Kudos to the winners!

Shhh... Keep this to yourself.

2010-09-14T09:28:00.000-04:00

These days there seems to be no shortage of design inspiration thanks to sites like ffffound and this isnt happiness. However finding ideas that are not rehashes of rehashes of rehashes is becoming fewer and farther between. I can really only take so many minimal retakes on classic movie posters or clever ironic typographic proclamations before I'm ready to move on. Finding really good really pure design has turned into a bit of a "you need to know someone to get in" sort of experience. With designers holding their truly good resources closer to the vest then a Bush era congressman, locating those finer sites is no easy task.

Well today you get to add a great link to your toolbox with Leeds Play Bills. Supported by the Photographic Archive of Leeds, this collection of historical playbills is nothing short of a typographic candy store! But wait, it gets better, each fantastic piece is also available in a "view enlargement" size. With enlarged resolutions over 1000px you will be able to get in there and get some great texture details. Act now, supplies are as limited as the interwebs memory banks. Go Now.

Flea Market Historical Finds

2010-09-13T09:34:00.000-04:00

Quite the find at the Philadelphia Flea Market this weekend. The 1948 Printing Trades Blue Book, chocked full of pre Mad Men era graphic arts tools and services. Well worth the $10.00 price tag this slice of graphic arts history. This gem will find a well deserved place on the shelf.

Want bigger more detailed pics? You can check them out here.

Too good for McDonalds?

2010-09-10T13:33:00.000-04:00

I saw this commercial while getting ready for work this morning, created by the talented team over at Leo Burnett.

Upon first glance I would have bet a fair deal of money that this was actually a car commercial, with its soft-sell and wonderfully whimsical style. By the end I could not help but think to myself "Isn't this a little to good, perhaps a little to thought-out and conceptual for McDonalds. The same McDonalds whos standard brand includes "Hey let's just do what we know everybody loves" apparently said "Hey lets do something really cool instead!".

I don't know whether to congratulate Leo Burnett on a fine execution or having the ability to convince McDonalds to try something different.

The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.

2010-09-09T10:00:00.000-04:00

Apple, in a bit of a back-peddle after the display of the Unreal Engine running on the iPad has released its death grip it has retained over developers regarding "sanctioned" tools for iDevelopment.

Details Here

Best Copy Ever!

2010-09-08T23:09:00.001-04:00

When I was a freelancer the tone in all my brand copy danced around cheeky luxury, but I must say this takes it to a whole new level. I do not know who is responsible for this piece of literary excellence but this blogger says drinks on me. (As seen in the fall 2010 issue of the Philadelphia Magazine)

The Umbrella
“A stylish woman strolls through the lobby. Her doorman gives her a knowing smile as she heads down the block to her favorite boutique. While inside, a steady rain begins to fall. Caught off guard by the weather and reluctant to emerge from shelter, she opens the door and to her surprise finds her statuesque doorman waiting with an umbrella. The woman is escorted home safe, sound, and pleasantly dry.

Another everyday encounter of luxury living legendary service. Experience it for yourself – exclusively at the Residences at The Ritz-Carlton.”

Keep Calm, Hacked

2010-09-07T21:21:00.000-04:00

My previous blog was so hacked I had to remove it from the world of 1's and 0's forever :-(. This will be the new home of Nespodzany Daily.

Carry on while I attempt to get things back in order.

The Magical Feeling of Travel

2010-09-07T21:16:00.000-04:00

Taken at Tiffany's in downtown Philadelphia these window displays capture the vintage feeling of adventure associated with travel from days past. Hats off to the team over at Tiffany.