duk design

Pantone Polish

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:13:00 +0000

SO excited about this great idea by Renata Veiga for Pantone Nail Polish and Eye Shadow! Honestly, I think pantone needs to expand upon their coffee mugs and create items for the entire house hold.. I can just imagine a completely Pantone decorated house.. sigh

Urban Simplicity

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:05:00 +0000

I don't know how I got signed up for the monthly urban outfitters catalog (because I really never shop there) but I'm glad I did because I absolutely love their layout and photography... so inspirational! I'm glad they are moving away from the 'hipster' movement (at least in their ads)

Simplistic Complexity

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:45:00 +0000

My favorite garage sale find of this week is this beautifully initialed turquoise and gold tray. I am in love with the overall simplicity of the whole piece married with the complexity of the initials design. The combination of the lines and dots, turquoise and gold, simplicity and complexity is everything I dream of.. and the best part is that it was only $1 :)

HP Ads

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:06:00 +0000

While I've always been an epson girl, I must admit that I really enjoy these HP ads. They are fun, modern and actually really interesting to look at! Still might not be enough to switch me over though..

via grain edit

ibook - book

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 02:41:00 +0000

All I have to say is this is a genius idea! I think this tops my wish list for the moment

Inspiration

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 04:33:00 +0000

This weekend Chels introduced me to the amazing french blogger / artist Garance Doré. I don't know which I love more.. her fashion or her illustration; they are both inspirational! I would fill my entire house with these beautiful drawings if I could! The french truly have a unique style of their own. Enjoy!

Garance Doré Blog

Vintage Ads

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:38:00 +0000

I loved seeing these inspirational vintage advertisements. While hand drafted design is outdated, time consuming and costly, the results are unreproducible. The care and attention that went into every detail definitely pays off in the end!

via Vancouver Archives

evolution of type

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:39:00 +0000

A hilariously true Evolution of Type. Maybe this will help to get Curlz and papyrus outlawed on computers! (click on the image to zoom in and read the red type..best part!)

Via Donut Project

Ampersand Blog!

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 04:45:00 +0000

I'm so excited about finding this amazingly simple blog dedicated entirely to the ampersand. A new beautiful ampersand is displayed every day.. and it's really as simple as that!

via http://ampersandampersand.tumblr.com/

the Design behind W Magazine

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:05:00 +0000

W Magazines lead Graphic Designer, Edward Leida, gives a sneak peak inside the creative process behind W Magazine.. very inspirational!

via Donut Project

Back in Balance

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:11:00 +0000

This weekend for my birthday, I was finally able to relax and get back into my balanced state of mind (almost). I was thrilled to finally be able to test out my newest purchase, a vintage lomo camera from Russia. While really knowing hardly anything about the camera and even less about the settings, I thought I would just experiment and make it an enjoyable process instead of studying every aspect of the camera. I was so happy with the outcome! Using regular kodak film and absolutely zero photoshopping, these were some of my favorite results:

Art History Crash Course

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:00:00 +0000

Having hardly enough time to sleep lately, I thought this crash course poster in art history was a perfect solution in saving time on memorizing those lengthy descriptions when it can really be summed up in one line.. if only this could be transformed into a series of posters covering every topic of art and design!

via design-milk

Sagmeister's Typographic Chair

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:09:00 +0000

Sagmeister never ceases to surprise me and it's always intriguing to see whats he's up to next. While 'vacationing' in Bali (or what designers refer to as vacation) he designed and created this typographic chair with phrases from his personal diary. I have a feeling this might catch on...

via quipsologies

No. 7 Type

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:04:00 +0000

I love this new creative typefce, Adhesive Nr. Seven. I'm ussually not a huge enthusiast of display typefaces (especially more grunge ones) but for some reason this particular font caught my eye. While the idea of using masking tape as a design element is pretty overplayed (in my opinion) a whole typeface created out of it, in black letter none the less, is a cool twist. With practically another arts and crafts movement beginning, this font could be a fun typeface, if used correctly, to convey that layered, scrapbook feel that a lot of people are striving for on the web.

NEW M/M Work

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 02:49:00 +0000

Having had an extremely long and stressful work week I was thrilled to take a 5 minute break and indulge in my new Print Magazine that recently arrived. I was instantly re-inspired after seeing new work from my ultimate favorite pair of designers: M/M! Poster design for Théatre de Lorient

McFancy

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:17:00 +0000

In order to give other high fashion labels credit I thought I would share this hysterical new branding strategy that merges together the highest and the low; the result is McFancy. The temporary chain is created by the cool hunters who say, "First is McFancy, an upmarket temporary McDonald’s store that launches at Fashion Weeks around the globe. McFancy is part art installation, gathering spot and, of course, a restaurant that offers a traditional McDonald’s menu but packaged in a way that makes a playful yet stylish nod to the lifestyle of the highly desirable, influential consumers that attend Fashion Weeks."

VIA Love, Obsess, Inspire

Chanel Branding : Part II

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:18:00 +0000

Not that I'm obsessed with Chanel or anything but after writing my last post I found this even more bazaar branding strategy! While this is not an actual Chanel product (yet) the idea was formualted by art student, Ryan McSorley for his senior project. The concept is to lightly brand the skin with an impression made over night from sleeping with this headband that leaves a mark. Usually we do everything possible to avoid these types of marks but Ryan has definitely turned the tables and used it to his advantage. Maybe a bit too 'out there' for the average consumer but these are definitely the kind of ideas that get a brand noticed!

Chanel Branding

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:53:00 +0000

I have to say, these Chanel temp. tattoos are probably the only acceptable exception for a tattoo in my book. While normally I would never be attracted to the look (even if it was temporary), something about these clever Chanel tats really intrigue me. It's branding to the most literal degree which in turn requires the highest level of brand loyalty. Chanel can pull it off but can others do the same?

via Elle UK

Royalty-Free Vintage Prints

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:24:00 +0000

I'm so excited about finding this amazing website crammed with royalty free vintage prints! All the prints on the website have outlived their copyright laws which means they were created before 1922; it also means they are now free to print, use and enjoy... and with thousands of options, there is a lot to enjoy! Check out the site for yourself here

via one of my favorite blogs: The Donut Project

vintage Russian LOMO Camera

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:33:00 +0000

I was happy to see that I just received my belated Christmas present in the mail yesterday; a vintage Russian LOMO Camera(made in USSR). After browsing through Leicas and Roleis I settled on a lomo because of the strange visual effects the film is known to expose. I have a lot to learn about this camera even before I start to use it but my objective was to re-learn the ropes of a manual film camera from taking the pictures to actually developing them myself in the end.
Can't wait to share the outcome!

Design Influence #2 : Unique

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:19:00 +0000

While bazaar might be the overall theme of the year, I believe it will be highly supported by influences such as vintage, collectibles and unique items. While the digital era still steams forward, we are appreciating more than ever the value of craft and quality (most likely because we lack so much of it in our day to day lives). Thrifting, Rummage sales and buying vintage are all ways to find and express uniqueness in a world being engulfed by the ordinary.

Judge a wine by the label

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:27:00 +0000

Yesterday I was very happy to attend Los Angeles' first annual California Pinot Noir tasting. Family owned growers from all over the coast of Cali came together yesterday to showcase their best Pinot's. My favorite part of the event (besides the unlimited Pinot Noir) was browsing through the creative and fun wine labels that represented the product so well. Many of the labels were un-cared for and basically an after thought while some really stodd out from the pack. Not surprisingly, the well designed and creative labels definitely drew a larger crowd! Here were some of my favorites at the event:

Designers Word of the Year: Bazaar

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:28:00 +0000

If there was one word to describe the shift I believe design is going to take this year it would have to be bazaar. We are just plain and simply fed up with reality so we are turning to fantasy and stretching the boundaries of the real to its extreme. I forcast that we will start to see a lot of influence (especially in the design sense) from bazaar sources such as the already popular Cirque du Soleil and the re-invention of fantasy driven Alice in Wonderland.

Social Networking

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 02:45:00 +0000

This great poster pretty much sums up 2009 for me.. while I never fully emerged myself in Twitter, I have to admit that I tried it out for a month or two. While social networking is useful in so many ways.. where does it end? Or better yet.. where do we go from here??

design via Danny Jones Design

Pantone : Color of the Year

dukdesign@gmail.com (Vanessa Hansford) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:47:00 +0000

I was excited to see that Pantone's color of the year pick for 2010 is Turquoise! Leatrice Eiseman, of pantone, states, "Through years of color word-association studies," she said, "we also find that Turquoise represents an escape to many -- taking them to a tropical paradise." ..exactly what we need now a days, an escape from reality. While rough economic times usually spur pale, calming colors, this bold approach is exactly the kick we need to start off the new year in the right direction. Look out for the color, you will probably start seeing it pop up around you this year.