Ahh, the good ol’ school days where slapping someone on the back during recess gave them the opportunity to slap someone else. Well, tagging these days has matured from playgrounds to the web-interface, but it has maintained it’s most fundamental element: its social counsel.

What, you may ask? How did a semi-violent, super competitive child’s play transform into the Web 2.0 system of classification system? Truth be told, it didn’t; yet, the game of tag identifies someone as a leader of a social context (even if you were super fast in Pre-K and immediately purged yourself of being ‘it’) and tags today identify information as important through a social media context.

Tagging, which we have all come to know, love and ubiquitously use, is a Web 2.0 (or semantic web) ontological system of classification system. Yikes, that sounds scientific jargon heavy.  Basically, [...]

Oh, the proverbial question: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? The debate can go around and around. Much like the debates of who inspired whom, what inspired what, and where on earth do ideas come from. And of course, how do they become adopted by society and wind up as trends.

Because, we think we called it via our Interior Design Takes a Spin feature: people, they like change. They also like pixels. And in this case, web cams. We recently spotted Pepsi’s Refresh Project, One People tv spot, where a variety of people on their web cams interact with one another. Each paper conveys a pixelated vibe, and as objects are “magically” passed between squares, the concept is unified as global sharing. Naturally, we delighted at the synchronicity to our fun interior finds. Of [...]

It’s no secret that Matt W. Moore’s vectorfunk graphics are single-handedly influencing an entire generation of artists. His fusion of graffiti, graphic design and watercolor are upbeat, intricate and extremely brand friendly. His work has appeared in countless magazines and print campaigns, from Nike and Burton to Wired and Mountain Dew. Moore’s Design and Illustration studio, MWM Graphics, is based in Portland, Maine and exhibits in galleries throughout the world, collaborating with clients from all sectors. Moore is also Co-Founder & Designer for Glyph Cue Clothing. Check out our Q+A for a glimpse into MWM’s daily routine!

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PP:  What websites and news sources do you generally start your day with-do you have a daily routine for news/blog/information consumption?

MWM: I get at least an hour a day of Cyber Surfing in [...]

It’s quite a treat having friends that double as industry experts. Not only do I have reliable sources to bounce ideas off of, whenever a email recommendation ends up in my inbox, I know it’s from a trusted source. This morning, my good friend and colleague, Alexandra Machinist, a Manhattan based literary agent, sent a heads up about The Visual Miscellaneum: A Colorful Guide to the World’s Most Consequential Trivia, by David McCadless. McCadless’ new book is a collection of his most recent info graphics, knowledge maps and data visualizations. For any designer handed the task of simplifying data, then this is the book for you.

A few sneak peaks of what you’ll find in McCadless’ book. Enjoy and support!

It feels good to be back. The past two weeks have been filled with round ups, predictions and general anxiousness for the decade ahead. While it’s easy to rev up for the big picture, it’s important not to forget the basic qualities of life that transcend all demographics.  Everyone has sentimental moments and it’s nice to see advertising and product teams shift their focus from gimmicky animation to simplistic messaging. Both American Express and Flor have chosen to step forward and focus on the emotive quality of everyday life. The above stills are part of a captivating TV spot that nearly stopped me in my tracks while running at the gym last week, a difficult feat for a non-TV watcher.

Partnering up with François Robert, Flor’s July release of rugs showcasing [...]

Whether you’re a fan of Santogold, Santigold or La Lucha Libre, knowing who any of these characters are means you’re clued into the Mexican wrestling scene (or you’re just a fan of good music). Variety acts such as these are joining the nightlife ranks, proving America’s fascination with Mexican culture is moving well beyond the menu.  Hola Mexico, a Mexican film festival, made the rounds this past summer, gaining support from corporate sponsors such as American Airlines, Chipotle, Dos Equis and Taco Bell.  Proving this trend is beginning to penetrate more traditional female markets, home good stores, such as Propeller Modern in San Francisco, are filling their shelves with Mexican inspired knickknacks. This glitter-lined tiger-striped piggy bank is just one creative take on this trend, proving the commercial fascination [...]

All creatives know that doodling leads to ideas. Ideas lead to innovation, and innovation keeps culture flowing. Interestingly, we’ve been noticing unruly markings in everything from media and textiles to graffiti and print. Some of our favorite adaptations of this trend come in the form of video.

Bruno Levy of New York City and Nimrod Weis of Melbourne, Australia are two multimedia artists at the forefront of motion graphics. This Modeselektor Deboutonner video incorporates thousands of photographs taken in Patan, Nepal over the course of a week. Using flashlights and long exposures, Levy was able to capture a truly magical landscape using simple tools and the notion of chance. Using a stationary, yet monumental sculpture, Lightscraper, Weis’ latest creation with Eness, is a light show projected onto a custom built aluminum structure, fabricated with a layer [...]