Cowboys- A Vanishing World

- This book is a collection of photographs taken by photographer Jon Nicholson.

-It is a documentary photograph collection, detailing what life is now like for the real Cowboys in America.

- '' The cowboy remains on of America's enduring legends. Representing freedom, strength and individuality, the cowboy is an icon whose reputation is constantly reinforced in popular culture by the great Western stories and Hollywood films.'' 

The danger however, is with the vastly modernizing culture in America over the past few decades, with Walmarts popping up everywhere and taking away the countryside, their home land is being eroded. Cowboys now also come under conflict from environmentalists who are active in criticizing their ranch methods, forcing some ranches who are unable to obtain permits to break up their land and give up what is usually a family, multigenerational business and way of life.

''These photographs reveal a world undergoing fundamental and irreversible changes and provide a definitive record of the cowboy as this great icon moves into the 21st century.''

-The layout of the book cannot be faulted. There is good use of white space, there is no overcrowding, and the photographs are not obtrusively big and shoved in your face. Text is kept to a minimum and thus when read, intensifies the images.  The images are moving and completely depict the way of life of the Cowboys.

- As a photographer, Nicholson has worked with unicef, has just signed a 3 year contract with McLaren/Olympus to be their official photographer, and has taken photographs around the world in places such as Texas, India, Cornwall, Liberia, Ethiopia and the  Falkland Islands. He  has also published many books, as well as exhibitions around the world, including portrait books of Linford Christie and Damon Hill.

-If you want to see more of his work, go HERE

The broons

- The Broons is something I grew up with.

- For those who aren't from Scotland, or haven't witnessed the thick scottish accent you can find when you are walking around Glasgow and the rest, you might not like this quite as much as the type of colloquial humour is pretty localised  to Scottish people. But, these books are so much fun. It is a very different type of graphic illustration due to the language, but the basic structure is fairly standard. 

- The books are based on a large Scottish family, and focuses on things such as Christmas and other Holidays... poking fun at what happens with most families. 

-It is really spot on to the language and humour that surrounds the Scots, and my family are big fans of these books. 

- If you want a bit of light hearted fun and a giggle... as you do find yourself laughing out loud to some of this stuff...then have a read. 

royksopp-remind me

- One of the best things about this music video is its originality. It is unusal and a bit odd- but great to watch. The graphics are seamless and intricate... pretty advanced stuff really.  It pretty much follows a woman through her daily routine, matching it with virtual maps and graphs. It is a new take to a music  video and really is one of the greats.

mosh

- I wouldn't say I was Eminem's biggest fan, but I do really like this video. The illustration is a mix between looking like a computer game and an animated comic. It covers different types of illustration and detailing and is really interesting to watch. The choice of graphics is pretty powerful and you really can't fault this video for skill or execution. 

- It moves between stories and Eminem's life, and his performances smoothly without confusing you too much. There are a few little digs at politics and George Bush thrown in for good measure too. It clearly has been influenced by Emninem himself as the video matches the story behind his lyrics, and mimics his views on politics.

- I think anyone who likes animation or illustration should watch this video as a base for what can be achieved and combined in one 5min46sec piece.

take me on

- This might be a bit of a blast from the past but I love this video (and the song)

-  I am a big fan of illustration, so I love the comic book element to this video. Yes its corny, and a little bit embarrassing, when the comic book hand reaches out and pulls the woman into the story, but the change of human film to illustration between the band members is great.

- I love the sketchy, jumpy quality of the illustrations, and it goes so far beyond the normal comic book style we have seen so often. 

- At the time this video was released, the appreciation of illustration and graphic novel based illustration wasn't really existent to the extent that it is now, which makes it really creative and I think I will go as far to say as it was ahead of its time, even if only by a few years. 

- The song is a classic and so is the video... so watch and enjoy.

A Street Car Named Desire

- Streetcar Named Desire originally was a play written in 1947 by Tennessee Williams.

- The book won the Pulitzer for Drama in 1948.

- It opened on Broadway in December of 1947 and closed in December 1949

- In 1951, a film adaptation was released, starring Marlon Brando, who also starred in the Broadway productions. 

- The film won many awards, including an Academy Award for Vivien Leigh as best actress for the role of Blanche. 

- In 1995 it was made into an opera and was presented by the San Francisco Opera.

- I first read this book when we studied it at 6th form, however it has quickly turned into a book I have read many times. The play covers many themes, including reality vs reality, and the desperation to achieve the American Dream. 

- One of the intelligent things about this play is that you cannot easily take sides of certain characters. They are all complex characters and all have faults. You can see the side of each, yet I think ultimately the empathy you feel for Blanche overrides everything else. 

- What I found suprising was that the play was gripping and had an element of suspense... you always wanted to know what would happen next and what would ultimately happen to the characters. 

- It is a comment on the structure of society in America at the time, and debated wether abandonment of chivalric codes and manners was needed in the desperation to be successful.

- I think people should read the play before seeing the film, as it just isn't the same just watching the film, as more than anything else, large chunks of things get cut out and the ending is different to the play. To be fair though, the film is fantastic. Brando's and Leigh's chemistry and performances are faultless. They endear you, and draw you into the story. 

A Streecar Named Desire may be the book you studied and came to hate thanks to your annoying English teacher, however, if you go back to it...I think you might just change your mind.  

faeryland companion

- Put together by Beatrice Phillpotts, I got this book when I was studying G.C.S.E art and needed some reference images for a project on mythical stories.

- To be perfectly honest I have never sat down and read this book from cover to cover. Instead I have studied the images and artwork shown intensely and as a result have always been interested in the subject. The collection of work in this book is beautiful and varied... from basic illustration and sketches, to photography, to traditional art work.  

- The composition of this book is fairly jumbled and sometimes a bit visually confusing... it can also detract from some of the images, of which a few aren't really given as much space as they deserve. You get a lot of information and images on each page, which can get a little tiresome to see if you go through the book page by page, and there is a lot of text (probably why I didn't bother reading it all). 

- However, this book is a good reference book and easy to dip into now and again when you want to see a little bit of creativity. 

- I genuinely believe the woman who wrote this book is a little bit mad and totally obsessed with fairies, but there are some great pieces of art in this book. 

roadside america

- Written and photographed by Lucinda Lewis, this book is almost like a calendar of travelling around America to find the best vintage cars. Even though I am not that into cars, this is one of my favourite books. The photography in it is just insane, its so good! My copy has been used so much that some of the pages have had to be stuck in with cellotape.                                                  

- The combination of cars and their setting is what makes this book a lot more interesting than your other car buff books. The neon lights of the roadside diners and especially those photos taken in Las Vegas are amazing. 

- I also love the images where Lewis has just focused on a certain part of the car, be it the badge, the door handle of part of the engine, as these then become so interesting and I wouldn't even know what car it is from...but you see, car knowledge is not needed to enjoy this book. Anyone who likes photography would love this book. I always flick through it when I am stuck for ideas, even just to look at the compositions, or combinations of colours. The layout of the book is pretty simple. The photographs take up the right page and any copy on the left is kept to a bare minimum, with a calendar line running along the top of each to keep continuity. 

- It does take a while to really look at every page in this book, but it is so worth it. 

one more time

Although this video uses the type of illustration I am not usually that interested in, I love this video. It is full of colour, and most importantly has impact. The video is well constructed, changing view point and point of interest often enough to not get bored watching it. The created world is far fetched yet detailed and interesting to watch. The song is pretty iconic, and I think this video was the best route to go to with it. We are so often shoved over glamorous, 'look at how much money I've got' kind of music videos, and its a good thing when the creator behind it isn't bothered about the limelight so much, and wants the attention to be on his music rather than what he looks like or how many semi naked models he can get in the one video. 

I haven't met anyone who doesn't like this video...but let me know if you feel different! 

corner of the earth

This is my ultimate all time favourite video that Jamiroquai has ever produced...ever! (and he has turned out some pretty amazing videos) 

It is surreal, a bit artsy, but in terms of creativity and skill of execution this video is exceptional. It might be a bit odd to get so excited about a music video, but this really is special. It is truly amazing what people can create and follow through from idea to final product. From initial idea to story board, to content to camera work, this is just great to watch over and over again. Every single person, either interested in the arts or not, should see this at some point in their life. The song is pretty decent too.

paranoid android

The illustration in this music video technically is very simple and basic in terms of smooth movement and continuity of scenes. The content is surreal, strange and very very odd. However, set against this song, it somehow just fits. I can't explain why, because I know its all a bit weird, but I think this is a great video for the song, and shows that sometimes you don't need to be flashy and impressive in order to create something that people will want to watch. It's all a bit alternative and stuff, but a good video to see at least once...so watch it! 

gorillaz

- As much as they are known for the music, Gorillaz are famous for their bizarre band make-up, in that the 'members' of the band are actually illustrated characters... even going as far as constructing technologically advanced holograms for various on stage performances. 

- The Gorillaz have fun, slightly odd music videos where these characters now each have their own distinct personalities which are kept to exactly in every video. 

-I personally think they are pretty creepy looking, and sometimes get wierded out by the videos, but think that I had to mention them purely down to sheer creativity and the chance to challenge the music industry and be successful in doing so (the fan base for them is huge.

jcb

- This is a bit of a flashback but do you remember how this single became a number one hit upon second release in December 2005? 

-Its by a band called Nizlopi who come from near where I live, Leamington Spa, and was written about one of the band members Luke's problems with dyslexia at school and his escape to working with the dad. It was originally released in June 2005 and only got to 160 in the charts. 

-I think there is a lot of charm that comes with the song, its lyrics and its video. It's simple and honest, and from the heart. 

- The video is actually my favourite part of the song, and it was made by Laith Bahrani. I love the simple illustration of the video, and the image of the jcb has almost become iconic. I love the fact it is predominately backed onto lined paper, like you would get in exercise books, as it really is a childhood memory kind of song. The whole video is fairly non complex, but it is charming and endearing and I love watching it. Its a great unusual song for Christmas time, but it is easy to associate with, having the main theme of family- which is what most people think about at Christmas.

1408

- 1408 is a tense thriller based on the novel by Steven King.

- stars John Cusak and Samuel L Jackson.

- Cusak plays a skeptic who makes his living by publishing his investigations into paranormal events. He insists on staying in a haunted room in the Dolphin Hotel despite numerous warnings and stories of the 56 deaths that have occurred in that room by manager (played by Jackson) 

- People who enter the room have an hour to survive and the film takes you alongside Cusak in his hour in the hotel room.

- The clever film work and subtle special effects add to the suspense build up, my favourite being the cracked, bleeding wall, holograms of previous visitors to room 1408, and the scene where there are multiple explosions followed by a flooding of the room.

- There is a convincing performance from Cusak, who suprisingly draws you in to the story, helped by the fact there are frequent flashbacks to his life, building your 'relationship' with the character and you do end up feeling emphatic towards him,  which is unsual for me as I don't normally get impressed by thrillers due to their unrealistic events... but this film manages to stay on the right side of thrill and suspense without getting too carried away- you really are battling along the way on what side of reality you should be on. 

- The camera picks up on various little hints, and often reverts to showing you what the character would actually see, then quickly going back to surrounding views. There are quick flashes of genius throughout this film, thanks mainly to the film work.

- The hotel reminds me a little of the one we stayed in when we went to New York, and Cusak is right at the very beginning when he states that 'all hotel rooms are creepy'

- Overall, even though when the trailers come out for it in the cinema and I thought that it looked rubbish, this is a really impressive film and I definatley would recommend it to anyone who likes a bit of a thriller!   

Romeo and Juliet

- Shakespeare's ''star-cross'd lovers'' is the ultimate love tragedy.

- When I first got told we were covering this text for our G.C.S.E coursework I wasn't really that excited. I have to admit I am very split in Shakespeare's work in that I love some and can't stand others. With Romeo and Juliet however, get you hooked. Once you get past the initial language boundary (and my text had modern day translation), you find yourself sinking into this story. It might now be a cliche to love this book, and so many things have been based on this such as West Side Story, this really is a fantastic book to read. 

- It is gripping, fast moving (everything happens in two and a half days) and covers themes from Love, Loyalty, Fate & chance, and Family, and so has as many oxymorons in theme as it does in the actual text.

- I don't think I need to waste time in telling anybody what the story is about, as, well, everyone should know. This is really about wanting people to go back and reread it, as most people see it as a text they had to cover at school and so have put it aside and never looked at it again. It is simply a classic love story, and if you don't want the read, you could always just check out the absolute corker of a film by Baz Luhrmann!  

Forty Words for Sorrow

- Forty Words For Sorrow is a book written by Giles Blunt 

-It is set in Algonquin Bay, a freezing Canadian town near Toronto. The main character is John Cardinal and you follow his chase to find a serial killer who is in his prime before he catches his next victim. There is also a running flirtation with Cardinal's new female partner Lise Derlome. One of the talents that Blunt has is creating characters who are believable and intriguing. The story is well written and full of suspense.

- I came across this book when I was on holiday in this little motel in California, where if you had finished your book, you could place it on the bookshelf and choose a new one to take with you. I must have read this book at least 6 or 7 times, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a bit of a chase thriller book. (it makes a change from reading John Grisham books all the time at least) 

The Giraffe and The Pelly and Me

- This book is a classic written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by the great Quentin Blake

- It is an interesting tale about a young boy called Billy who one day dreams of owning his own sweet shop. After a tale of twists and turns he ends up owning the building he loved so much.

-It is light hearted and a nice story to go back to and read occasionally as it has remained in my memory since I was little.

-I am a great fan of Quentin's illustrations, and this book doesn't let you down. The characters' movements and quirks are vivid and exciting. 

-The scratchy, loose, blotchy technique is a fantastic principle of illustration and her style is unique against any other illustrator I have ever come across. 

The Secret Staircase

- The mice of brambly hedge first appeared in 1980, Created by Jill Barklem.

- It is hugely successful still with translations into fifteen languages and sales of over four and a half million copies. 

-There is even merchandise available ranging from china (I have to admit I have a plate and a cup) to chocolate, and there are even animated films made for television.

-I think that the fact people are still interested in these books and enjoy the stories, is refreshing as it is a nice change from seeing things that are 3d animated or involve some sort of over excitable characters.

-This is my favourite of the stories as I am a huge fan is the detailed scenery and attention to detail, from the characters clothing to the plates on the shelves in the background. 

-These again are books that make you feel a little fuzzy inside and thats all thanks to the memorable characters that Barklem creates. I certainly will keep these books for the future, as they are definitely ones to be passed down the family.

Martha B. Rabbit

- This book is the reason I first became interested in illustration. 

-Martha B Rabbit is a cook, who after being broken into, seeks to find work to keep her going over the Winter. 

-She becomes the cook for the fairies and makes a friend in the kitten, who go on to cook together once the winter is over. 

-It is a warm and caring tale, Barber has written a children's book yet there is an air of maturity about it, as well as the good old fashion morals and manners thrown in for good measure. Each page is illustrated delicately and with huge amount of attention to detail. The characters are lovable and the fairies themselves are beautiful. 

-This is a great book to re read in the Winter time and always makes you have a little glow inside. 

-Anyone who comes across this book would love it.

the snowman

- First things first- I LOVE the snowman.

-I am a huge fan of illustration, and think the magical story line of this film is mirrored by the type of illustration perfectly. As soon as you see an image of the snowman, before anything is said you get this little glow on the inside... and I love how it has become so iconic, it is still shown every single year at Christmas, and long may it continue! 

step brothers

- Step Brothers stars Will Ferrell and John C Reilly and is a comedy with the story that two 40 yr old men who were still living at home have to learn to live together when their parents meet and get married.

-The reason I am posting about this film is because I think the ability of these two actors to recreate the childish mannerisms and facial expressions so exactly is really impressive, especially that of Will Ferrell. The whole way through the film, Ferrell doesn't let it slip once. He manages to keep in the true mindset of a child perfectly. I think it would be more difficult to do that than people might think. To make people laugh is a lot more difficult than people think. Often actors can get judged for having things easy, and in someways they do, but what they offer is entertainment, and there is a lot to be said for that.

-It is a really enjoyable, fun, light hearted film which you can watch again and again. 

andrew degraff

- Andrew Degraff

- Although born in  Albany, he now resides in Brooklyn NY.

- His work has been shown in New York, San Francisco and Calgary.

- His clients include Merge Record, NY Press, GAP, Duke University, Visa and Leo Burnett.

- The range and diversity of this illustrator is huge, which I'm sure you can see by a couple of the examples of his work I have shown above. The subjects of his work cover everything from politics, to typography to art.

- In the numbers, the skill and the fact they are all so precise is what makes them so impressive. You really have to look at them to see the buildings he has created.

- The group of illustrations above that are just a few I found on his website. Some of my favourites are his collage illustrations, especially the airplane. And, I love the caricatures, as the faces are so interesting and highly skilled. I hate to say it but I think Degraff combines illustration and art with his work, something which is so difficult to do and do as well as he does.

- The last image is a painting he produced which I think is captivating. With the subtle colour use and composition, its almost a bit magical. What else can I say apart from I love him!

check out more of his work HERE 

the art of...

- Although it might be a little cliched to those hard core graphics people, I find that this book is a bit of a bible. 

-It not only is an interesting read, but it is a great reference source that I have been using since I first started uni. Particularly for me, I love the amount of illustration and the quirky layout changes that you find throughout. 

-The book pretty much tells you a little bit about everything ranging from ancient history to modern design techniques. The writing style is open and honest and colloquial. It is easy to follow, despite being full of information, as it is well balanced between imagery and copy. 

- Shown above is one of the illustrations that you find whilst flicking through, and I have used many examples in my research work for many projects. The best thing about this book is that the information can be adapted for pretty much any brief set.

- I always look through this book for ideas and inspiration when I get set a new brief, and I think this book is a must have for any student on a graphics based course. Although it can be a bit expensive, try buying second hand on amazon and it is definately worth it! 

exceedingly good cakes...

shreddies ad

- Both of these ads have the feel good factor and really do put a smile on your face. 

- They are both created by a design company called McCann Erickson who have also produced work for sony ericsson, xbox rock band, heinz snap pots, heinz salad cream, AA's  'A New York Minute', staples, mastercard and bisto

- But the best part is their website. It is illustrated, clever, interesting, easy to navigate and a fresh approach to using illustration. The website portrays the light hearted yet hard working approach the company has to its workers and actually really makes you want to work for them! 

- Another site to look at as well at the moment is their new link 'moody Britain'

- It is one of the few websites that I always go back to and think everyone should see it at least once!

alice hawkins

- Above images of Maggie Gyllenhall taken by Alice Hawkins.

- At 28, Hawkins has produced a very diverse portfolio, her work being renowned for colour usage, her relationship with her models and her range of topic models, she is much more than just another fashion photographer. 

- Her advertising covers companies such as Agent Provocateur (shown above), Smirnoff, Orange, Topshop and Vodafone, and her work has been seen in editorials such as Pop, I-D, Harpers Bazaar, Russian Vogue and Brazilian Vogue.

- This campaign achieved great media attention, as Gyllenhall was seen by some as unusual choice, especially seeing as she followed Kate Moss. However, Gyllenhall's understated and unusual beauty is exactly what Agent Provocateur was looking for. Serena Rees, the co-founder of Agent Provocateur said, ''Maggie is not an obvious sex symbol, she is interesting looking, confident and beautiful in a way that is non-threatening, which makes her appealing to men and women alike.'' 

- This type of campaign wouldn't really shock anyone who is aware of her previous film work including the film Secretary and many other indie films.

- In these photos, Hawkins has captured Gyllenhall in fantastic poses, ranging from the glamourous to the risque (some show her wearing hand cuffs), she really lets her beauty show through. The photos are sexy but elegant and not trashy, which has a lot to do with the photographer as well as the model.

- Hawkins has a knack of being able to capture the beauty in her models, rather than just a blank stare. 

- If you like these photos and want to see more work, it can be found on her website.

steven meisel

- Considered one of the most successful Fashion Photographers ever lived, Steven Meisel first gained acclaim for his photography of friend Madonna and his work in Italian Vogue.

- His campaign cv includes shoots for Versace, Valentino, Dolce & Gabanna, Calvin Klein, all the Prada campaigns since 2004, Anna Sui and models including Gemma Ward, Saha Pivarova, Coco Rocha, essica Stam and Snejsns Onopka, all of which have featured in his Prada work.

- The examples shown above are some of the most accomplished images from his Dolce & Gabanna campaigns. Meisel manages to create a scene where the models are so polished that they almost look like mannequins. Everything about these photos are beautiful, the clothes, the scene, the models, everything! I love them- they are intriguing, interesting, unusual, memorable and just very well captured.  A lot of thought and preparation would go into shoots like these, especially when there are multiple models and unusual settings to consider, and every time Meisel pulls it off. He really is a great photographer and anyone interested in photography or fashion should check out more of his work.

steven klein studio

-Photographer Steven Klein has a huge portfolio of work but what I am most impressed with is the website. Its sexy, cool, a little bit dirty even, setting the tone perfectly for his work. I won't spend loads of time talking about this site, you just need to take my word for it and spend some time looking through it. GO NOW!

-Klein's work can be seen in GQ, Vogue, POP, I-D for, Armani, D&G, H&M, Dsquared2, Nike, Pepe, Valentino and YSL and he has worked with pretty much any celebrity you can think of.

-He is another one of my favourites and you just have to check him out!

fuel for life

-The new 'Fuel For Life' campaign is fantastic! I came across it firstly in a magazine, where instead of the usual mundane fold over flap that reveals a sample of the fragrance, this Diesel perfume makes it integral to the overall advertisement.

-The design company to thank for it is Fred Farid Lambert

-The series of ads are a perfect combination of old and new, putting a sexy twist on a fairly old fashioned era. The images subtly ooze sex appeal and elegance and really do work in selling the fragrance.

- The guys behind the brand are party holders, socialites, and hard-working. 

-Unfortunately their website is currently under construction but I am hoping for big things if this is anything to go by. 

-Although their design company is fairly new-created on the 9th Jan, they have managed to win 5 clients for global communication projects who are EuroNews, Bongrain, Lagardere Active Media, Centre Pompidou and United Biscuits.

calvin klein obession

-This is the latest commercial released by Calvin Klein, which I first saw in the cinema and was a little suprised it was a trailer for a 12 certificate as I feel personally that its a bit too raunchy and should be limited to certificate 16. However, I also saw it on a Sunday morning on tv, which again I felt was a little inappropriate. I don't know whether it is me being a bit prudish or I am right in thinking that maybe this ad should be saved until a little later on due to the very adult style of content. With big discussions in society about lack of knowledge about sex education and Britain having one of the highest underage pregnancy rates in Europe, I'm not saying this type of advertisement is totally to blame, but it doesn't help... it encourages adult behaviour from those who look up to Eva Mendes as an actress. 

-Its even been banned in America by TV Network bosses for being too sexy. Eva has even admitted she was ''thrilled'' that the ad was considered too saucy for US broadcast... ''I love it. That means the ads are totally Calvin, totally provocative and a little controversial.''

-I am a fan of the ad, as I think it oozes sex appeal, the style of filming is perfect and it totally fits the scent of the fragrance, but I just think it should be restricted to a time when it would fit the correct target audience.

tim bret-day

-The top example was seen most recently in the Sunday Times Style Magazine...  a bit risque for some Sunday Times readers I would imagine! It is a life size party scene exhibited at the Louise T Blouin Foundation for Agent Provocateur which has recently been projected onto the Tate Modern and Marble Arch.

-The above photographs are some examples of work by a photographer named Tim Bret-Day, a photographer who has worked with the England Cricket XI, Elle MacPherson, Natalie Imbruglia and Danni Cipriani, in locations from Mexico to Istanbul.

-Bret-Days' Editorial base includes, The Face, Marie Claire, Flaunt, Sunday Times Magazine, Arena, ID and many more.

-Celebrities photographed include David Beckham, David Bowie, Callum Best, Kylie Minogue, Erin O'Connor, Michael Owen, Gordon Ramsay, Frank Lampard, Rachel Hunter, The Rolling Stones and Lenox Lewis

-Campaigns and Advertising work include Harvey Nichols, Adidas, Mercedes, Marks and Spencers, Smirnoff, BA, Ikea, L'Oreal, Oasis and more.

-Not only is his work pretty amazing, but his website is pretty original too.

Bret-Day is one of the most talented photographers with one of the most impressive resumes and catalogues of work that I have ever seen. He is one of my favourite photographers of all time and I have the feeling I will continue to be a fan of his work, as I have never been disappointed yet. 

I definately recommend anyone interested in Art, Photography, Design, Graphics...and even if not, please checkout his work.

vera wang princess

I don't have much to say about this ad but I love it. I'm not usually one for overly feminine pieces of design work but this is truly magical. It has been long running and proved iconic for the perfume, which happens to reflect the ad perfectly, a very romantic and feminine fragrance. Anyway, look out for it! 

lacenebula.com

-lacenebula.com is an ornate and feminine website, very much tailored for its young, female target audience. 

-work would mostly be recognised in Vera Wang's Princess fragrance.

-my only slight criticism is that the layout and tabs are slightly old fashioned, yet there are elements of design intelligence with the layout and typography used.

-I would recommend anyone who also has an interest in delicate, interesting jewellery to check this website out.

Fallon

'i am' orange ad

sony bravia balls, paint and play-doh

skoda baking of ad

cadbury ad

-The clips above are some examples of a design company called Fallon. 

-Created by Pat Fallon in 1981, he had a vision in 'creating sucess for our clients and ourselves with ideas that suprise the world'

-Has bases in Minneapolis, London, Singapore and Tokyo

-Fallon has created a wide variety and range of design work, with clients including Cartier, Holiday Inn, VW, Time Magazine, nbc, Baby Velvet, Budweiser, Skoda, Eurostar, cadbury, Tate, Children in Need, Eurostar, sony and created the new  bbc radio identities

-All the advertisements in the clips I have posted have all received great media attention and acclaim... which is difficult to do today with so much competition out there... most desparate to create the most 'cutting edge' results.

Instead, Fallon has chosen to continually produce high quality, imaginative and fun results. These examples not only caught my attention, but remained in my memory and even became topics of discussion between friends and family...the favourite being the debate on whether the cadbury ad was good or not! However, despite what my housemate thinks, there are people that appreciated the Cadbury Gorilla ad, which arguably has been the best ad produced all year, with the colour of purple representing the brand right up until the last credit, as it won a Film Grand Prix Lion award at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. You see, this is the ingenious of the company, they create discussion provoke thought (which is admirable seeing as some design company was paid to come up with the compare.com ads!) 

- the sony bravia balls ad not only also won awards but enabled the artist whose music accompanied the ad reach new found success and fame in the UK. The mood of the ad is majestic and uplifting, set perfectly with Heartbeat by Jose Gonzalez.

-the new orange ad makes a huge impact when seen as a trailer in a cinema, again making the audience drawn in to the ad because you would have no idea the ad was for orange right until the end (as generally most non graphicy people wouldnt notice the subtle use of the orange trademark colour in little flashes here and there) It makes you feel like you know the cyclist, and captivates your attention and imagination.

-the skoda ad was uplifting, with another fantastic choice of music, keeping the ad fun and unusual... different from most car ads seen around today.

House of Holland

- featured in 'I Am What I Am' section of this weeks fashion special Sunday Times Style Magazine is the creator of House of Holland, Henry Holland.

- Holland is an upcoming and very talented fashion designer that is being very playful with other designers at the moment. His t-shirts act to take the piss out of other statement tees that have been around over the past year.

- however, the more you delve into his work the more you find how skilled and talented Holland is. I think he is definitely a designer to follow in the next couple of years.

- the bio follows the fun style of his fashion work, shown on his website

One day Henry had an idea,

And a genius one it was clear,

For a range of t-shirts,

That were so hip they hurt,

''Anna Wintour'll love 'em'' he cheered!

So he set about thinking of slogans,

That the fash crowd would lap up like no-ones'

His fave celebs,

Designers (and plebs),

None were safe, and he had so much fun!

That's how House of Holland was born,

(on the name he never was torn),

''Buy this Coleen!''

His first t-shirt screamed,

And so Heat magazine got on board...

The rest, as they say, is history,

And there really is no great mystery,

If you want to be cool,

At work, play or school,

Better snap one up pretty damn swiftly!