Saturday, January 10, 2009

Currency Art . . .


My Money, My Currency by Hanna von Goeler

I guess this artist pays a dollar for her canvases.

"My currency work originated in California, while I was studying at UC Davis. I was very interested in camouflage at the time. This interest led me to create my first paintings on dollar bills, between 1992-94, in which I camouflaged / painted images onto and into bills. A family matter led me to the east coast, and faced with the costs of living in New York City on an artist’s budget, I continued to paint on money."


via



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Friday, January 9, 2009

Working Crossword Puzzle design on building in Ukrane . . .


The people of Lvov City in Ukraine decided to add another attraction for visitors. In this artistic project it was decided to place a giant 100' (30 meters) wall on one side of the multi-stored residential houses.



There is one interesting detail about the design of the puzzle. It looks like a blank puzzle by day, but at night when special lights are on the words, the finished puzzle becomes visible.

The questions for this crossword puzzle are located in different point of interests of the city, like monuments, theaters, fountains etc. Visitors walking around the city can try to answer the questions and write down the answers. When night comes to the city they can meet at this house and check their degree of intelligence.

Very clever indeed! via english russia



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Fabulous designer typographic laptop bag in leather . . .


Leather Bag designed by Assouline made by Cole Haan - $450.00

Beautiful genuine-leather unisex bag, ideal for carrying books or laptop computer. Embossed with numerals from the Didot alphabet. The inner canvas is lined with convenient zipper pockets. Made by Cole Haan for Assouline.

details



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Tuesday, January 6, 2009

HELVETICA ~ A film about this typeface TONIGHT on PBS at 10PM :: Independent Lens Documentary . . .

"Helvetica" Historians and designers talk about fonts, and why Helvetica reigns as the most popular.
Read more about this documentary on Independent Lens tonight (12/06/09) on PBS.

Check your local listings for time of airing in your area. You can watch a preview on the website. In the New York area, its on PBS tonight at 10pm.

Looks good...can't wait. I live for fonts!




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9 Design Blogs to Follow in 2009 . . .


9 DESIGN BLOGS TO FOLLOW IN 2009

Here is another worthwhile list.

via The Letter



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Who Knew? . . .

Wow. I always thought the Foot Guards were wearing tall bearskin hats.

via The Ad Mad



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Sunday, January 4, 2009

2008 Lists of Top Design Blogs, Best Design Articles, Free Downloads and More . . .


Top 90 Design Blogs Ranked by Alexa






Top 25 Ad Blogs for 2008 Ranked by Alexa






Best Design Articles 2008
This site has numerous tutorials & downloads.
It's my favorite site of all!





2008 List of Lists in Every Imaginable Category



You will have to bookmark this post in order to peruse all of these lists. I have barely scratched the surface myself. I found the first two Alexa lists while reading The Denver Egotist and the last two by doing a Google Search. Have fun and don't hate me too much when you get lost reading and clicking. Plowing through everything will be almost like reading the entire internet. I love year-end lists of all kinds, especially the ones that might help me improve my own blog. Enjoy!



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Saturday, January 3, 2009

Rare 1937 Bugatti supercar found in English garage. Could bring $4 million+ at Paris auction . . .

In this undated image released by Bonhams, an extremely rare 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante, is seen in a garage in Gosforth, England, where it was found by relatives after the death of the owner, an elderly doctor who last used it around 1960. The Bugatti, one of only 17 ever made, is expected to draw a record price when it is auctioned in Paris next month. (AP Photo/Bonhams)

LONDON – It was the equivalent of finding an old Picasso or an unknown Beatles tape hidden away in your uncle's attic.
Relatives of Dr. Harold Carr found an extremely rare 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante — a Holy Grail for car collectors — as they were going through his belongings after his death. The orthopedic surgeon, who died at age 89, was described by relatives as an eccentric hoarder who never threw anything out.
The dusty two-seater, unused since 1960, didn't look like much in the garage in Gosforth, near Newcastle in northern England.
But only 17 were ever made, and when it's cleaned up and auctioned in Paris next month, experts believe it will fetch at least 3 million pounds ($4.3 million) and possibly much more.



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The Little Prince illustrated quote . . .

Quote from The Little Prince, one of my favorite books.

Google Images



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Thursday, January 1, 2009

Paul Newman | Unique Typographic Design . . .

I am amazed by the design creativity exhibited in this 2001 film festival poster that uses a unique combination of typography and photography to so simply convey the quintessential Paul Newman (1925-2008).

It actually took me more than one look to "get it" (you have to crook your neck twice). First to the left; then to the right. I've done it for you below.



--> ffffound



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Happy New Year from Benjamin Franklin | Illustrated Quote . . .





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Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Lost Portrait by John Everett Millais of Effie Gray discovered in Dusty Attic . . .

A dust-covered painting found behind an old mattress in an attic has turned out to be the work of a famous artist estimated to be worth £50,000. November 23, 2008 -- Somerset, England -- An unnamed 45 year old woman had been given the art work for her ninth birthday in 1972 but stored it in her loft for years and forgot about it until she put her house up for sale. An eagle-eyed auctioneer who was valuing her belongings spotted the oil painting and was stunned when he realized it was by 19th century artist John Everett Millais. As well as being worth thousands, the dusty painting has also shed light on a 150-year-old scandal of a love triangle involving Pre-Raphaelite artist Millais. The portrait is of a woman called Effie Gray who was married to Millais's mentor and art critic John Ruskin at the time. Millais, whose work includes the famous Ophelia painting, met and fell in love with Gray in 1853 while he used her for another painting, the Order of Release. Gray was in a loveless marriage with Ruskin and left him to marry Millais three years later. They went on to have eight children together. The painting, which has Millais's signature on the back, shows Ellie Gray in a "passionate" and thoughtful pose while she was aged in her mid 20s. The 14” x 11” painting was auctioned at Christie's in 1961 and bought by a Bond Street dealer who later sold it. It was eventually bought by the consignor's mother at an art gallery in 1972.

The painting was scheduled to be auctioned at Chilcotts of Tiverton on December 9, 2008. I have looked and looked and can't find the selling price. The website for the auction house will not open. I will update this post when I learn the hammer price. UPDATE: I contacted the auction gallery and learned that this painting was withdrawn at the last minute. Take care of your antiques and they will take care of you. 

Monday, December 29, 2008

Marilyn Monroe photos by Bert Stern sell for $146,500

Associated Press – In this Sept. 9, 1954 file photo, Marilyn Monroe poses over the updraft of a New York subway grate. December 17, 2008 -- NEW YORK CITY A collection of photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken for Vogue magazine the year she died has been auctioned in New York for nearly $150,000. A spokeswoman for Christie's auction house says the 36 photos taken by Bert Stern sold for $146,500 on Tuesday. The pre-sale estimate was $100,000 to $150,000. Christie's says the photos from a 1962 shoot were the last professional images taken of Monroe before she died that year of a drug overdose. They ran in Vogue instead as a memorial. The buyers were anonymous. View 12-photo slideshow here. Bert Stern's best known work is arguably The Last Sitting, a collection of 2,500 photographs taken of Marilyn Monroe over a three day period, six weeks before her death, shot for Vogue. Stern published Marilyn Monroe: The Complete Last Sitting in 1992. In it, he recounted being enchanted by her until a near-intimate encounter after the second day of shooting; he then realized that she was deeply troubled.