I like it. Jack Unruh adds emphasis to specific elements of his works by adding or subtracting detail and color, and by portraying some elements as real and others as dreamlike. Fascinating stuff.
http://www.jackunruh.com/home.html
If you believe that crop circles are the work of creatures from Neptune—skip this one—I'd rather not be the one to burst your bubble. That said, I love the design of circlemakers.org—for me, it is both bold and attractive.
If you use Google's search engine you've probably notice they add a little something extra to the Google logo from time to time to celebrate a special event or holiday. But have you noticed some of the more obscure dates they celebrate such as Monet's birthday and the 50th Anniversary of Understanding DNA? Here's an archive:
http://www.google.com/holidaylogos.html
My favorite type of photography involves the documentation of everyday things. Show me how people live their lives, the human condition, and off-the-beaten-path sites. That is just what designer, photographer Eugene Kuo does in his stunning travelogue of China.
http://www.226-design.com/china/
In her bio, Simone Zahradka characterizes her work as “inspired by carnivals, kitsch, love, chaos, circuses, garbage, pop culture, folk art, and 60's style”—if that doesn't pique your interest, nothing will.
The other day, as I was searching for Fling the Monkey, I came across sweatyfrog.com and their lineup of Kubricks, Minis, and Vinyls including Chihoohoo, DousDous OctoKakie, and the Peter Bagge Alien Family. Huh?
Storyopolis is a unique art gallery and bookstore that showcases the best in storybook illustration.
Until I stumbled across his Web site the other evening I didn't know designer Michael Schwab created the bold, bright icons for the National Park Service I have hanging on the walls of my home. (You'll see a few here—Alcatraz, Fort Point, and Muir Woods.) Tell me what you think.
http://www.michaelschwab.com/portfolio/posters/posters.html
The online version of a Smithsonian touring exhibition presenting “some of the great graphic images made in the United States over the past century.”
Or skip right to the collections—American Events...
I've used Image Club clip art for many of the designs I create for books and Web sites over the years so I was sad to see the collections disappear from the scene when Eyewire was acquired. Good news: the Image Club collections are back—by the piece and by the collection.
http://www.fotosearch.com/image-club/
For example, the illustration of the jukebox on this page:
http://www.ideabook.com/001_art/inside_art.htm
Can be had here:
http://www.fotosearch.com/ICL147/mus_086c/
Every so often I see something that really jolts me—the design of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism logo and it's Web is one of those somethings. To me, even if you don't like the style of the design (and I do), you'll appreciate what a powerful, on-the-money solution it is. The logo shows the diversity of islands and gives you a feeling that there is something distinct about each.
http://www.bahamas.com/bahamas/
Each island has it's own section and color scheme and is highlighted as a place on the logo. Gorgeous.
http://www.bahamas.com/bahamas/island/introduction.aspx?sectionid=6578
To all that add a first class collection of images that make me want to be there:
http://www.bahamas.com/bahamas/biih/index.aspx
Need something else to listen to while you work? The BBC has one of everything for everyone.
If you've read much of my stuff, you know what I mean about “jolt thinking,” questioning the basic premise—the what, why, and how of doing something. There is, for example, no design law that says a brochure has to be a certain size and shape. To the contrary, breaking the mold can be the breakthrough that gets a prospect interested. To that end, consider designing your next brochure in the form of a “zcard.” If you're printing more than a few thousand, and your client isn't afraid to do something different, check out this intriguing, proprietary format:
My definition of “jolt thinking:”...
Pirated-Sites.com showcases side-by-side comparisons of Web sites that are suspected of borrowing, copying or stealing copyright-protected content, design or code without permission. It is guaranteed to increase every designer's heartburn that we have seen something, stored it away in our heads, and later will design something that looks a little too much like the original.
Pirated-Sites.com: Design “theft” suspects