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March 2007

Making old, new »

Just ran across these wonderful blockprints created by illustrator Mona Caron for Odell Brewing Co.

Blockprints by Mona Caron...

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March 2007

For the serious writer »

If you write lots of copy, check out the Visual Thesaurus. It is an interesting way to explore the connections between words and their meanings. I have used the Random House Word Menu for a few years—this looks like the next logical step. (Willing to share your experience with the Visual Thesaurus? Click Comments below.)

Thinkmap Visual Thesaurus...

Word Menu...

More copywriting ideas with The Copywriter’s Handbook

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March 2007

Behind the scenes at Adobe »

Wondering what new technologies and innovations the folks who brought us tools such as PhotoShop and InDesign are working on? Adobe Labs offers pre-release access to downloads, samples, documentation, release notes, tutorials and more of upcoming products.

Adobe Labs...

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March 2007

Communicating new ideas »

Ever wish you could be a fly on the wall when emerging technologies are pitched to venture capitalists and corporate developers? You can. DEMO marries great ideas with the folks who can make them happen. Their site is interesting on two levels: to see how the pitches are made and how complex concepts are communicated—and to get a taste of technology in the works.

DEMO.com...

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March 2007

If you appreciate great advertising »

Whether you are Mac or PC, you can appreciate the brilliance of the “Get a Mac” ad campaign. It personifies little boxes of chips then psychoanalyzes them. Ridiculously one-sided, but funny, smart marketing.

The US versions of the spots...

The UK/Ireland versions of the spots...

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March 2007

Organizing identity guidelines »

If you've ever attempted it, you will deeply appreciate the thought and energy that went into building this comprehensive identity guidelines site for John Hopkins. Beautifully done.

The John Hopkins Identity Guide...

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March 2007

Don't like this world? Create your own. »

This just goes to show you can come at marketing a product from a million different angles. Makes you wonder—if I sat you down and challenged you to help me sell mint gun, where would you head?

Cool Breath Power...

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March 2007

Icons: an exercise in focus »

Don't know if you have ever attempted to create an icon. If it does nothing else, it gets you focused on the fundamentals of what you want to say. The folks a Funnel Incorporated do it for mega-clients such as Banana Republic, Turner Broadcasting, and Owens Corning—a good indication they're pretty good at it.

Funnel Incorporated...

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March 2007

An interesting exercise in the organization of information »

If you, like me, are fascinated with the process of communicating ideas visually, this “A Periodic Table of Visualization Methods” is worth a look. If you are REALLY interested—you can read a

The table...

The accompanying paper...

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March 2007

The economical use of color »

The economical use of color (green, red, black) and type gives the GreenHomeGuide placid feel about it—almost a non-design.

GreenHomeGuide...

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March 2007

The retoucher defined »

Before Photoshop and other digital editing software, photo retouchers mounted a photographic print on a board and retouched it using, among other techniques, an airbrush—its virtual version is a mainstay of the Photoshop toolbox. Many talented folks made the transition to the digital platform and still practice their magic today. One of those is Lee Stokes. This page shows an example of the various pieces he uses to compile a complex image and the result.

Lee Stokes, the retoucher...

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March 2007

Adding screen previews to your Web »

Snap allows you to add high quality, informative link previews to your site. I've seen it used on a few sites recently and thought it was worth sharing.

The Snap site...

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March 2007

Inside the art of type design »

At the 2007 Macworld Conference and Expo, Extensis hosted a discussion on font design. They cover topics such as trends, licensing, the scope of the process and so on.

The Extensis Font University...

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