This is the blog presence of
MIYO | STUDIOS - a creative firm
specializing in Design, Branding,
and Identity.
In the world of brand development, it is important to stay current and the BLOG is the place where you can take a look at some of the interesting things going on around the world.
Welcome!
WEB | miyostudios
TWEETS | @miyostudios
FACEBOOK | miyostudios
No, this really has nothing to do with branding. But, the creativity, skill and process needed to create these formidable - yet somehow delicate - sculptures is certainly something to marvel at.
Bicycle chains and other garden variety chain links molded into the human form...Simply amazing...
Click the link to see several more images.
*camille
I have never seen anything quite like these colorful dimensional graphics, created by Moscow's Sicksystems.
The pieces of each composition is carved with a scroll saw, then hand-painted. The result is reminiscent of a cross between totem pole art and something that could be found in a Transformers movie.
The image of the sneaker piece above was one that I found particularly creative. But, click the link to Core 77 for lots of other examples. Great stuff.
*camille
This is simply a great video I had to share. It's about, well...the joy of books. Enjoy!
*camille
Inexpensive materials, nice graphics and good execution...you can't beat that!
*cf
There is a great new exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in the one and only NYC: Design For A Living World. A project conceived by The Nature Conservancy, the intent is to examine the nature of the products we use - where they come from, how they are made, and how they impact the world we live in. From the project description:
The Nature Conservancy invited ten designers to create new objects from sustainable materials sourced from around the world. Wood, plants, wool and other organic materials were transformed into intriguing objects, revealing extraordinary stories about regeneration and the human connection to the Earth's lands and waters. Together, designers and consumers can reshape our materials economy and help advance a global conservation ethic by choosing sustainable materials that support, rather than deplete, endangered places.
Create | Conserve | Inspire
From Kate Spade to Hella Jongerius to Maya Lin, the participating designers are among best in their chosen crafts and the thoughtful products they developed for the project are both beautiful and elegantly functional. Each of these talented artists, and I use the term deliberately, exhibit the ways in which design can address world-scale issues.
The desire to conserve materials reflects a general awareness that wasteful consumption, in its many forms, is not only unnecessary but irresponsible. When the materials we use have their genesis in struggling communities whose very survival rests upon their ability to make a living from the lands on which they live, it is imperative that we allow these communities to manage their resources wisely so that they are long term assets. There is a remarkable store of creativity that exists across the globe, ready and willing to be challenged with the issues of our time.
Design For A Living World is an inspiring example of the wonderful solutions that can result from re-imagining the uses of materials we encounter on a daily basis. There are too many photos to include all of them here, but take a look at a few of the raw materials below and try to re-imagine for yourself what they might inspire you to create.
(All of the beautiful photos are by Ami Vitale)
MORE FASCINATING INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN'T RESIST. TRUST ME:
One of my favorite television shows (currently it may be an unhealthy obsession) is The Deadliest Catch. Now, I happen to be one of the seven people in the world who do not have cable; so last year, when I discovered that the episodes could be had on Netflix, I took the time to add the first seasons to my queue (carefully spacing them so that I would never have two Catch DVDs at home at the same time - I love the anticipation! - but I digress...). After enjoying the first couple of shows, my initial impressions were clearly established:
As I've made my way through the first five seasons of The Deadliest Catch, the list above has remained largely unchanged, and the last note in particular is one that resonates for me. Case in point: In a recent episode, one of the crews found that a pipe that circulated fresh water into the crab hold had ruptured and was gushing a disturbing amount of water into the engine room.
Out in the middle of the Bering Sea, of course, there are limited options for on-call plumbers - as in, there are none. The crew's response? To stay calm and work quickly to cut up a rainslicker that they then used as 'tape' to wrap around the damaged pipe, securing it with metal ties. Together, the crew found a solution that was clever and effective.
I have found that The Deadliest Catch often has a lot to teach regarding the opportunity for creativity that awaits each of us in our next big emergency. Your challenges may not be life and death as they are in the middle of the ocean, but certainly we each face our own professional equivalent of a missing anchor ("Uh oh...we're going to need that..."). From the perspective of many 'non-designers,' there is an otherworld-ly quality to the nature of the design process and the creativity that results in seemingly simple solutions for complex challenges. However, in every profession there are opportunities to use unconventional approaches to work a problem.
As with The Deadliest Catch, the challenges each of us face are unique and often unsettling, but we should embrace them wholehartedly. Ultimately, these unplanned events can serve to test your creative mind and invigorate your passion for what you do.
10 CREATIVE LESSONS FROM THE DEADLIEST CATCH:
A quick post to start the weekend... The next time someone tells you how hard they worked licking envelopes on wedding invitations, send them this: A nuptual invite like you've never seen before... Enjoy!
*Shout out to Quipsologies for this one!*
Marian Bantjes is way good. I don't remember how I found her website. I don't remember what I was looking for. All I know is that when I saw what she does, I realized that she has an amazing artistic talent - exquisite in it's execution. Her work is intricate. It's creative. There's an essence of 'quirk' (I mean, really...cake?).
But, what I most appreciate is that she is willing to explore her already-pretty-darn-good-at-it craft, continuing to grow and enjoying the process:
I do not know if I am lazy or driven. A little of both. While I tend to work every day, from morning to night (I’m frequently working past midnight), my days are relatively stress free. In the summer I tend to take a lot of breaks and sit in the sun or go for a walk. I spend a lot of time thinking. Just staring into space and thinking. Does this count as work? Sometimes. When I wake up in the morning with the perfect solution to a given problem, have I been working while I was sleeping? Perhaps. - (An excerpt from Ms. Bantjes' About Me reflections)
I love that. To paraphrase Jack Nicholson's character in that movie, Ms. Bantjes makes me wanna be a better designer/writer/whatever I'm calling myself on a given day. Yes, Marian Bantjes is way good. And in a good way.
