Derek Designs Album Cover!

FROM BIRDWATCH:
“Excited to announce our album cover for our new record OLD SCIENCE. This design was created by the amazing Derek Ballard. Along with the artwork he gave a detailed explanation of the design. The meanings he attached to this idea, and the thoughtfulness he put into it mean the world to us. Better than anything we could have hoped for. Here is his description for his work. Thank you to everyone for the support. Album out Friday.”

FROM DEREK BALLARD, VAD Graphic Design Alumnus:
“Everything in the gold overlay is represented in an art deco style, with confident lines, clean type, and strong iconography. I created a symbol based on the sextant, a dynamic tool used by explorers, and a personal point of interest. Travelers, sailors and explorers found an invaluable advantage through celestial navigation. Looking to the stars with the use of reflections, angles and the horizon replaced their dependency on the fickle method of dead-reckoning and gave them a better understanding of their current position and desired destination. I feel the functionality of this ancient tool (looking forward through use of reflection) can be strikingly emblematic to the emotional themes woven throughout the album.

The background image is a hand, subtly illustrated. At first glance, it looks as though the fingers have dipped into the water below, implying purification. However, on closer inspection, it’s clear that each fingertip has been lacerated for the purpose of bloodletting – and the pool below is the consequence of which. This OLD SCIENCE was chosen as a poignant way to suggest pain, tribulation, and release. It connects with the physical discomfort most musicians feel after spilling their souls into the writing of music, playing until their fingers erupt. It’s my hope that this synthesis of imagery will visually echo the themes of hurt, reconciliation, and growth revealed through the audible and lyrical content of this album.”

CONGRATULATIONS DEREK!

ARTICLE: 15 Creative Gift Wrapping Paper Designs

To view this article and examples in their entirety, please visit – http://www.printmag.com/editors-picks/creative-gift-wrapping-paper-designs/

The recent Print Celebrates Design competition got me hooked on  creative wrapping paper design. Fortunately, in this vast network of incredible designers, it wasn’t too hard to find some great gift wrapping papers to show off.

From former Print Celebrates winners to amazing designs we found while browsing, these wrapping paper designs are sure to put you in a festive spirit.Check out these gorgeous, creative gift wrap designs:

ARTICLE: “Artist Imagines How Common Grocery Items Would Look if They Were Sold by Famous Brands Like Chanel and Apple”

To view this article in its entirety, please visit – http://laughingsquid.com/

In his fantastic art project Wheat is Wheat is Wheat, artist Peddy Mergui imagines a world in which prestigious brands like Nike, Chanel, and Apple sell humdrum grocery staples like milk and eggs. The results are wonderfully confusing to the poor consumer’s mind: witness eggs by Versace, Apple iMilk, and Nike fruit.

ARTICLE: 10 Intoxicating Beer Packaging Designs

To view this article in its entirety, please visit – http://www.howdesign.com/editors-picks/10-intoxicating-beer-packaging-designs/

There’s nothing quite like relaxing with a cold craft brew after a long day at work. But like many designers, we’re just as interested in beer packaging as we are in the flavor of the beer. There’s no point in drinking out of an ugly bottle when you can be a connoisseur of both creative packaging and fine brews, right?

If this sound like it’s up your alley, you’ll love Cool Beer Labels: The Best Art & Design from Breweries Around the World by Daniel Bellon & Steven Speeg. Featuring well-designed labels from craft and small breweries from around the world, this design book demonstrates how commercialized beer packaging design can be elevated to a whole new level. Get a taste of quality packaging design and great beer, and delve into an exploration of fun design and a celebration of the craft brew culture.

ARTICLE: Diet Coke Prints 2 Million Unique Labels…

To view this article in its entirety please visit – http://www.adweek.com

You thought Coca-Cola was getting personal when it rolled out 250 bottle labels featuring people’s first names. Well, Diet Coke just went and individualized 2 million bottle designs.

Coca-Coca Israel created the campaign, with help from Gefen Team, Q Digital and HP Indigo. (In fact, it was Indigo, which was founded in Israel, that helped Coke solve the enormous production challenges around the “Share a Coke” campaign when it first rolled out in Australia in 2011.) For the Diet Coke project—which echoes a similar stunt by Absolut in 2012—a special algorithm led to a unique design technique that allowed millions of designs to be completely auto-generated.

EXAMPLE: Continuous Package Design (Billboarding)

EXAMPLE: Clever Package Design using Illustrative Typography

EXAMPLE: Package Designs to Annoy

 

To view the design process in its entirety, please visit – http://portfolios.risd.edu

A conceptual look at behavioral change through “bad” design.

EXAMPLE: Package Design

To find more examples of creative package design, please visit – http://imgur.com/a/35OQf

Packaging

REDESIGNED CONSUMER PACKAGING DISAPPEARS TO ELIMINATE WASTE

Posted by Nanette Wong on 03.21.14 in Home Furnishings, News + Events, Technology

For his masters thesis, recent Pratt Institute graduate Aaron Mickelson redesigned mainstream consumer packaging to eliminate waste. How? By creating a package that completely disappears by the time the product is finished. The Disappearing Projectpresents 5 different solutions in a hope to spark conversation and change.

 

 

http://design-milk.com/aaron-mickelson-redesigns-consumer-packaging-eliminate-waste/