Timeflex

From designboom: "Timeflex by Maria and Igor Solovyov is a non-permanent, self-adhesive time piece designed for use in situations where time keeping is essential but wearing a watch is not practical (such as during sports, sunbathing, laboratory work etc)." Very cool idea. See more good design ideas at solovyovdesign.com.

Bookshelf: For the Record

For the Record: The Life and Work of Alex Steinweiss by Jennifer McKnight-Trontz and Alex Steinweiss (plus an introduction by Steven Heller) is a beautifully illustrated history of Steinweiss's album cover design (a concept he invented in 1938, at the age of 23––before this all albums came in plain brown wrappers). As the publisher's blurb says, "(t)he Steinwiess style went hand in hand with the golden age of jazz, classical, and popular music dominated by Columbia, RCA, Decca, Victor, and London Records." Beautiful and innovative design, and another one to add to the book list.

Burnt Toast Cover

The Fall 2007 issue of Burnt Toast magazine is out, with a cover by me (plus an inside illustration, too). Both the cover and the inside illos were for the feature article on cheese tasting. BT recently had a nice writeup on the apartment therapy kitchen site, too.

Globe and Mail Illustration

I have an illustration in today's Globe and Mail. It's on the front of the Travel section, accompanying the article "Sailing Solo" by Kira Vermond. It doesn't seem to be running in the online Globe, though, so you'll have to get the print version to see it...

Update: Looks like they've just updated the online Globe, as you can now see the article with my illustration here. Today only, though!

Why Design Won't Save the World

Why Design Won't Save the World is a thoughtful opinion piece by David Stairs, examining the current exhibit Design for the Other 90%, currently on at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York until September 23. Stairs coordinates the graphic design program at Central Michigan University and is the founding editor of Design-Altruism-Project, as well as the executive director of Designers Without Borders. Shown here is the PermaNet by Vestergaard Frandsen (Photograph by Palle Peter Skov). Via Design Observer.

Groovy Glass

Modhaus has a lovely set of graduated glass bowls on their website right now, which I'm rather liking––no indication of provenance, but they definitely have a Danish '60's vibe. Largest bowl is 6.25” high with a 7.25” opening; middle bowl 5.5” high, 4.5” opening; smallest bowl 3.5” high 3.75” opening. Cost for the set of three is $45.00 (US).

Red All Over

Voice: AIGA Journal of Design has an interesting piece by Lincoln Cushing in its online archives. Called Red All Over: The Visual Language of Dissent, it's a short history of the revolutionary poster, and how these images are still referenced in popular culture today. Read the article here. Be sure to check out the sidebar of posters, too. Shown here is a 1979 work by Brian Davis for A&M Records.

Bookshelf: Taking Things Seriously

This looks like a fun read. Written by Joshua Glenn, it's called Taking Things Seriously: 75 Objects With Unexpected Significance. The publisher's blurb describes it as "...a wonder cabinet of seventy-five unlikely thingamajigs that have been invested with significance and transformed into totems, talismans, charms, relics, and fetishes: scraps of movie posters scavenged from the streets of New York by "Low Life" author Luc Sante; the World War I helmet that inoculated social critic Thomas Frank against jingoism; the trash-picked, robot-shaped hairdo machine described by its owner as a chick magnet; the bagel burned by actor Christopher Walken, moonlighting as a short-order cook." Perfect summer reading, and now added to the book list, too. Via The Book Design Review.

Dr. Strangelove Day

I'm a little late on this, but Coudal declared August 7 Dr. Strangelove Day. Check out their blog for loads of amazing Strangelove (and general Kubrick) related links, including an inside look at the making of the movie, plus the always handy Atomic Bomb calculator wheel. Via Design Observer.

New Website

I've finally got a website set up for my illustration work. Design-wise, I've kept it quite simple (though I may add more later), so that the artwork is front and centre. I'm also in the process of getting a (more concise) domain name registered, which will make finding my work via Google etc. a lot easier, too. Have a look here.

Update: The domain name has been registered, and you can now find my website at www.lorilangille.com.

Adam PW Smith Show

Good pal Adam Smith is having a show of his flash-free performance photography at Red Cat Records in Vancouver. Called Performance 04, the show opens with a vernissage tonight (August 3) from 8 to 10 pm, then moves across the street to The Main for a special performance by The Modelos and Mark Pickerel. It promises to be a great time, and I just wish I could be there. The show will be up at Red Cat Records until the end of August. Be sure to have a look at Adam's work here.

Anton Corbijn

Photographer Anton Corbijn has a wonderful website of his work. I fell in love with his early photos of U2 and Echo and the Bunnymen way back in the day, and, judging by his most recent work, he's still exploring, finding ways to make his chosen medium ever new as well as moving into new ones (such as his new film about Ian Curtis). Have a look here. Shown here is his book of photos of U2, covering 22 years of his friendship with the band.