Joey L.

It's been a while since I've had time to write. I've been nicely busy with all sorts of interesting new opportunities - very exciting. I will post about these soon.

In the mean time I'd like to share the portfolio of Joey L. He's a Canadian-born photographer and director based in New York City. I am in awe of his amazing use of light and his way of documenting the beauty of hidden cultures and beliefs. Simply beautiful.

www.joeyl.com

Something Old, Something New

Ok so you've organised your desk, made a cup of coffee, sharpened your pencils, placed them in a straight line, created a new playlist... read the brief... reorganised your desk... and stared at a white screen. Now what?

This article by Mark Mc Guinness lets us know that it's ok to use an old solution as the starting point for a new project

"Every creator knows the terror of the blank page. When you start on a new creative challenge and you have no idea how you are going to solve it, the virgin paper (or screen, or canvas, etc.) seems to stretch off endlessly in all directions. There are so many things you could do, it's impossible to know where to start.

 Next time you find yourself in this situation, ask yourself this question:

"Have I ever solved a problem like this before?"

It doesn't matter if the problem isn't an exact match - scan your memory for something even remotely similar. Then go back and revisit your old work, to see if there's anything there that could help you now"

Will this approach push you into an endless abyss of repetition? He says we should set new challenges while building on old knowledge.

Almost has a philosophical ring to it.

The age of infographics

I'm busy working on a magazine spread and my first challenge seemed to have been including all the information without making the layout too text heavy. Luckily we're like sponges - my spark came from seeing infographic designs on almost all of the sites I follow.

Being "pressed for time" is the new black, which is why user friendly operating systems and simple, cleverly presented bursts of info are so effective. It makes sense to think that we've become more inclined to feed complex facts in a quick and clear way, especially since the info world is so saturated already.

The facts without the frills.

Cavemen were the pioneers of infographics, using cave paintings and maps to communicate. It's true, map making came way before the fire in the belly for communication with words! So what makes the infographic stand the test of time then? It basically boils down to the simple fact that, in comparison to words, visuals have the potential to make you click in a split second.

Here's a cool article that talks about the overview, principles, tips and examples of infographics.

Notice that I'm blabbering on about the concept while I could have just made an infographic!



I found this one on Mashable. Awesome isn't it?  In my books, this guy is a keeper for sure ;)

 

Mitchell Kanashkevich

I have found my photographic hero. 

Bold and full of emotion, depth and personality is the work of Mitchell Kanashkevich. His angles and ways of painting with light are well thought through and though some of the poses are staged, the images offer a natural feel. Since I have a love for faces and have done some traveling myself, I find the style, the affinity for folklore and the curiosity for people, simply beautiful.

With love from Oudtshoorn

It's almost time for the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees, and we are in preparation for the second year of presenting a week long cultural workshop to the street children of Oudtshoorn.

Being regular festival-goers, we were moved by the scenes of little homeless people from the area singing on the sidewalks year after year, so in 2011 we initiated a weeklong project to involve and inspire these children as part of the festival.

We aimed at encouraging concepts of respect, personal motivation and using talent to increase self-esteem and academic success and since then, we've had amazing feedback from the social workers of the area. Some went back to school, some found work and others joined a local dance group.

What really touched us was the gratitude they showed in being exposed to artistic expression and basic recognition.

Looking forward to seeing them again this year.

© Maryke Howard | Tinbird Creative

© Maryke Howard | Tinbird Creative

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If you'd like to contribute in any way you can contact us at hello@tinbird.co.za. Thank you!

The work of Mr. Siero

This morning I came across the portfolio of mr. Siero. The layouts and typography show a simple and modern style full of character, and is accentuated by the way he presents his work. Pretty neat.

1:1.6

It seems that we have a pre-programmed inclination to organize elements so that they make better sense. Proportion and balance is beautiful. It has a calming effect on the viewer, which makes the design so much more appealing.  I find it fascinating, this affinity for divine proportion.