ejnord.com | design blog of eric nord

GOOD is great!

When I first thumbed a print copy of GOOD, I was puzzled… how can this be an American philanthropic magazine?!?! GOOD has the sort of clean and crisp aesthetic one would normally associate with something profitable, capitalistic, or, well… European. But, no… straight out of Los Angeles, do-gooders finally did it right!

http://www.good.is

Mil3n
“Me”
1418px x 1418px

Áron Jancsó (aka Milen/Mil3n) is definitely an artist to watch. While his work is primarily typographic and vector-based. The above “me” piece shows his ability to blend analog and vector elements. Milen’s “street culture” background, combined with his keen understanding of traditional design has yielded a unique and tasteful style. And his emphasis on experimentation bodes well for future work, including his soon-to-be-released “Ogaki” font.

Milen’s Flickr Photostream

Phill Stroman (aka “Soulman”) is a record collector, DJ, and MC who has been at the center of the international beat digging scene for several decades. This mix of 60s/70s rock and psych records is a sonic time capsule, perfect for afternoon escapes and late night meditations.

Soulman – Truth Is Forever mix

This is just a little workout I did in Photoshop, using brushes I’ve collected over the past month.

View Large

As part of its 2003 redesign, The Guardian newspaper commissioned Christian Schwartz to design a custom font that would serve as the anchor of both its print and web layouts.

Christian and the Guardian team found inspiration in the classic “Egyptian” typefaces, and injected a healthy dose of contemporary style. The resulting family has a full range of both serif and sans serif weights. And with its blend of classic and contemporary, and a sturdy balance between style and authority, this family’s rich palette of character is a great compliment to the minimalism of the Guardian website.

For years, designers have eagerly inquired about the possibility of using these fonts. And many designers — including myself — pretty much gave up on it. But as fate smiles, I am pleased to report the rumor that Christian will be releasing it to the public… and soon!… supposedly this summer.

This is my nephew Miles, in the process of assaulting me. He noticed the camera and put on an innocent look, so as not to give away his sinister intentions.

http://jasonsantamaria.com

Rather than fidget about and fill his blog with daily bits of inane banter, Jason opts for the semi-regular big-impact article format. And while his entries might be infrequent, he graces each one with a fresh layout, characterized by large fonts, diverse color schemes, compelling artwork, and slippery columns. By varying his layouts, Jason brings the flexibility of magazine design to the rigid world of web publishing. And the result is like fire and ice.

In the web design world, I believe there are (3) main categories of designers. The first is shitty designers. And obviously Jason isn’t one of those. The second is designers who have a good sense of grid and type. Jason is definitely one of those. The third category is designers who use lots of photography and fine art, but lack some of the mathematical intuition involved in solid grid and type work. Jason manages to take the best of the latter categories, while dispensing with any shortcomings.

Jason is that rare designer who combines a mathematical sense of grid and type, with the creative sensibilities of a fine artist. And what a combination it is.

How To Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul
by Adrian Shaughnessy