ATL Creatives, update!

So far so good. We have received a lot of submissions, and the site stats are looking very unique; people from all over are stopping by to see all the hidden talent this city has! Keep those submissions coming in. If interested, send an email to: Submit@atlcreatives.com

Grid Systems in Graphic Design

I just finished reading Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Müller-Brockmann. It's an old book, but filled with great content. There is a quote in the last few pages that has stuck with me over the last few days..

"More and more, clients expect the designer's work to be logical and systematic, not only on economic grounds but also with a view to image creation and cultivation, for a unified conception for a corporate identity cannot be produced by creativity which is solely emotional in origin. Design demands a very high degree not only in emotional but intellectual capacity for creative achievement".

Are you a designer? If so, you need to read this book.

ATL Creatives, enjoy!

So myself and long time pal Rick Hill finished and launched ATL CREATIVES last night.

The idea was based around how the city has no real central place to find creative talent. Sure, there are portfolio's out there, blogs, etc, but nothing dedicated to the city of Atlanta.

From artists to musicians, producers, photographers, creative directors, writers and b-boys, the talent is here. Atlanta is a place driven by progression and ATL CREATIVES is the place to showcase the work.

Interested in submitting your work to the site? Send an email to submit@atlcreatives.com

Moan Your IP!

Ever wanted a really hot girl to moan your IP address? Well, now you can. I love the web.

StereoHype

Pretty cool site. Nice clean grid. Wish I had more to say..

It's back!

Looks like Coke + Wieden and Kennedy are at it again. Nice work.

Wood Textures

So I am working on a freelance project and needed a wood texture. I ran across this and wanted to pass it on. They are free! Check it out.

**Update: Better link here.

SIMON SCHAMA'S POWER OF ART

I watched this tonight and was pretty moved by it.

" Series Explores Dramatic Turning Points in Lives of Eight Artists and the Masterpieces That Changed the Way the World Looks at Art -

"Art is the enemy of the routine, the mechanical and the humdrum. It stops us in our tracks with a high voltage jolt of disturbance; it reminds us of what humanity can do beyond the daily grind. It takes us places we had never dreamed of going; it makes us look again at what we had taken for granted."

- Simon Schama"

Check it out.

Progression, yesterday and today

So I was talking to my buddy Kenny today and he brought up an interesting word; Progression. When I think progression, I think skateboarding and growing up.

I can clearly remember those late night sessions in Atlanta. One of the most memorable was the first time I did a backside 50-50 on the archives rail. Now, keep in mind that back when I was still skating people did not skate rails as much. Well, let me rephrase that. I think it was just really starting to come into play. We had gone through the big wheels phase, then the small wheel phase with tight white shirts, and crazy Plan B style curb tricks. (You have to have skated during the early 90's to get that)

Anyway, I remember driving out there with my buddy Chris. He had nothing more than a mag light in his trunk. I had seen this rail in videos; I think Gonz did a feeble down it at one point. Anyway, we got to the spot... It was dark.. All I could think about was security coming out, kicking us out and having to come back. Lucky for us, it was about 3 AM and dead quiet. The rail was dark, long and shaky. I rolled up to it a few times, trying to freak myself out. I knew in the back of my mind, "I can do this, I just have to focus". First ollie and BAM, I slammed face first in the dark of the night. Back up, I gave it another go. Not sure if you know, but rails are really a lot of hype. There is actually a good point in the center where you can balance pretty easily. Anyway...

I picked myself back up for the 2nd try. SLAMMMMMMMMMM! Right on my back. 3rd try and I got about 90% down the rail. I threw my board out just to get a feel for what riding out was going to be like. 4th try and everything seemed to work in slow motion. I remember focusing all my energy balancing on the rail, griding really smooth and then...... A nice clean ride away. Chris was like, "Yeah, oh my god". I can't tell you how great it felt to pull something off I knew I could do, but was just scared of. Thinking back (and not that I would go do it now) it really was not that hard. It was my dedication to progression that pushed the limits of what I could do.

What's funny is, this rule still applies to my daily life. Although I am not skating much these day's, I am very dedicated to the design work I do. I always want to learn and get better and learn and learn and learn. I make mistakes, I find way's to fix them and try to not make the same mistake. (I usually do make the same mistakes 5 or 6 times, if not more)

I love what I do just as much if not more than when I was a kid on my skateboard. The dedication to progression is still there, just in a different form.

I hope, someday when I am gone someone will find my old paintings and design work and be able to say, "Wow, I can see this guy really loved what he was into". Beauty is in the little things.

Don't give up | Poke

My poster just got back from the printer and I am really happy with how it turned out; I was a little sad to have to ship it to NY. Oh well, I hope the kind folks over at Poke enjoy it. Hopefully, you will be able to see it live from their web cam in the next few days. Here's to sticking with RGB colors and free site traffic. (laughter)

**UPDATE! Looks like my poster arrived safe in NYC.

**UPDATE! It's live on the Poke site! MouseOver the frame. Thanks guys.

Flickr and video?

Ok, so I am not sure how I feel about this. What do you think?

The web in 5 years?

What do you think the web will be like in 5 years? Heck, how about 10? Will we still be coming up with concepts for banners ads? Or, will we shoot stuff out into space? I was thinking about this a lot today. More soon as I gather my thoughts.

Very cool

Jackson Pollock by Miltos Manetas, 2003, original flash animation by Michal Migurski, check it out.

I LOVE clean type!

This will make you love it too. Ok, I am going home now..

Natas Kaupas

Very interesting thing that Natas Kaupas is doing these day's.

"You told me earlier that you are you are starting your own skateboard company, how fresh is this news?

Very fresh, yeah, nobody knows yet really but yeah along with a full time job, I'm starting 'another' full time job which is starting a skateboard company but it's gonna represent what I'm to now which is artwork, as in working with artists and being an art director. So I'm sponsoring artists instead of skateboarders."

Now that's what I am talking about!