DESIGN Archive

I'm still practicing with Adobe Illustrator "Gradient Mesh" tool.
I imagined like... "How the icon is gonna be like, if Freemason makes an application for OSX?"
Actually, this is totally meaningless. I just wanted to draw something by the tool.

This above is the wire frame for this icon. I don't know how to erase the needless part. lol

I just wanted to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator "Gradient Mesh" tool.
It's so fun. The images are going to be fresh and very useful because they're vector data. But I gotta study harder... :[
I don't know how to control to make the mesh more minutely at the first time.

I'd not been updating this blog recently... Because of the project "Hadalove", for a skincare products series, and it has launched today at last!

This became a very important and unforgettable experience to me.
I had built the root concept of both TVCM and websites, and this (making a TVCM at the same time) was the first challenge for me, actually.
The concept I made was "Suri-Suri".
Suri-Suri means a sound of rubbing something, in Japan. And I guess this common expression is not only in Japan - if you have something really favorite, you would rub your cheek on it.
So, I wanted to tell "If you use this skincare products, it makes everyone want to rub your brand-new beautiful skin with their own cheek. blah blah blah..." through Suri-Suri.
And the products' main concept is "simple". So I didn't make the website decorative. A little bit too simple? Why not? hehe

BTW, when I was thinking about the famous standard Jazz song called "Cheek to Cheek", I got this idea suddenly. We often can find ideas, from some totally unrelated things. And I like this way better. I don't wanna get the inspirations from only internet, then express it only in internet again.

Anyway, please enjoy this website together with the sound. Don't forget to make it fullscreen first. And also enjoy the TVCM if you live in Japan.

Warp.net has been redesigned by Universal Everything recently.
The founder Matt Pyke used to be a member of Designers Republic. Their DNA exists still around the UK design scene, although Designers Republic has closed its doors unfortunately.
Warp's websites were built by Kleber for long time, but I couldn't find their name on the credit anymore. It means Universal Everything and Kleber are building a really close relationship, I guessed.
The production company for this website was Remote Location which is a obviously cool creative boutique.
Anyway, I really love UK web design industry's Ajax fundamentalism style! Very cool, mate!! =)

This below is "Warp Playlist". They're not only great artists, but also awesome business people!! Haha

Recently, two of great screensavers have been available to be downloaded. They have an opposite styles each. It seems like hybrid vs. pure (defined by Joshua Davis).
Which one do you like?

One of them was made by the world famous genius designer / programer Andreas Muller @ Hi-ReS! Absolutely beautiful! No one can make same like this. I mean it's a very unique artwork.
I'd heard that Florian who is the Hi-ReS!'s founder was studying about movie when he was an university student. And this is kinda famous story, the Drum and Bass artist Clifford Gilberto who belonged to Ninja Tune was that Florian, actually.
Hi-ReS! is not the bunch of programers (but of course the skills of programing are amazing too though). They are not only a web production but also a group that's standing at the part of an art field, I think.
This kinda group is very rare in this industry so far.

Hana OSX Screensaver

And the another one was made by THA which represents Tokyo.
Yugo Nakamura the founder of THA is kinda physics master. Before he came to web industry, he was designing some huge bridges.
I feel that his style is very technically. Also his taste of design is very simple. It reminds me like Bauhaus or early Swiss style.
Recently, he is collaborating with Kashiwa Sato often. Kashiwa Sato is one of the most popular designer / art director recent in Japanese advertising scene. Also this screensaver was made by two of them.
Kashiwa Sato's style of creative work is very simple and clean too. They are completely good matching each other, I think.

Kashiwa Sato Screensaver : "Texture"

The THA's one is kinda RSS reader, but the Andreas's one is not functional. Just beautiful.
It's possible to figure out their own different approaches by this story too.

Offf; Presentation of Joshua Davis in Lisbon, Portugal on Thursday 8th May 2008

He is kinda very funny guy. lol
I haven't gave any shit about Hotels' carpet never. But yeah, you're right. It's very kitsch and interesting man! LMAO
Well, I made a link list of those "Purists & Hybrid" persons who were listed on his presentation.

"Computational Design... Purists vs. Hybrid"

Purists, using code to create the visuals.
Ben Fry | Golan Levin / Flong | Casey Reas | Robert Hodgin / Flight404 | John Maeda | Toxi | Marius Watz / unlekker | Amit Pitaru | Jonathan Harris / 27 | Martin Wattenberg | Jared Tarbell / Levitated | Josh Nimoy | Mark Napier / potatoland | Manny Tan / uncontrol | Ed Burton / Soda | lennyjpg | Simon Geilfus / Kinesis | eskimoblood | Lia

Hy brid, mapping artwork to coded systems.
James Patterson | Joshua Davis | Erik Natzke | Geoff Lillemon / Oculart | Niko Stumpo

And this below is a conversation with Joshua and Tali Krakowsky (imaginary forces) at FITC Canada.
"Everything in One Night"
Cool dude! ;)

Joshua Davis | Studios

Offf
FITC Canada
imaginary forces
Kyle Cooper

Stussy was my youth. Every time when we were skateboarding, going to some gigs, having a date with girlfriend..., Stussy was there with us. Thx! :P

Recently, I'm using such a beautiful screensaver "DROPCLOCK" made by Yugo Nakamura's creative squad called THA Tokyo. And SCR is kinda experimental lab founded by the members.
He's the one of genius programmers, and he always on the top of web creative scene for long time.
About 6 years ago, I offered to do a job together to him. I'd got very impressed at that time. And the website that we made got the Cannes Advertising Award.
He was a very relaxing guy. But the atmosphere from his inside was totally different with the other creators. I could tell that he had very strong confidence. Nuf' respect!

Information from: IWKN

SCR | DROPCLOCK

Recently, I'm trying to change the design of my blog THUGLIFE.
This design's theme is "The most dangerous blog you've ever seen before." lol

Actually, every Japanese think like Osaka is one of a very rough places. Especially everyone in my home town Tokyo think like that. You know there are only people who's very loudly, ignoring any rules at all, only talking about money... blah blah blah.
...I've got an idea from that.

But this logo above is just made by me without any thinking of that.
Just making what I wanted in anytime, and then mixing everything. I like this way to create something, whatever.

Well, I'm gonna be making it customize little by little for a while.
Keep it real!!! ;P

You can create a GIF Animation from any YouTube movie you like, on this website. You need only the address. Nice!

P.S.
This is the original movie.

Gickr.com

Lately, some illustrations on flyers caught my attention many times. Those must be created by same artist, but I didn't know who was it at all.
At last, I found the artist on the net, and I was very surprised. My image of the artist was like B-boy or some naughty guy.
But the artist was a young woman!
Whatever, I really like her artworks. I'm dreaming of a chance we can do some job together. Big up!

What Tokyo Bitch is;
"Material, not spiritual. Erotic and silly flashin' pink!!
piiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bliiiiiiiiing!!!!!!!
Tokyo Bitch iz da gang ov female playaz doin' nuttin' but fun thangz!
We do bitchin' partyz like Aerobitch and Juliana Tokyo 2006.
Fun! Horny! And Flamboyant! Diz Iz TOKYO BITCH STEEEELOOOOO!!!!!!"

Ayako Hishinuma Blog
Tokyo Bitch Myspace
Tokyo Bitch

I dunno why but I just wanted to make it, suddenly. lol

"Send real letter messages tather than just a greeting card.
Buy letters and create words to display around your home."
I got these letters at last! I ordered these at the website about 2 weeks ago.
These were a little smaller than my image, though.
Well, how can I use these ones for? lol
Actually I have no idea, please gimmi some ideas for that!

I designed the cover of "Joho-Dai-Bakuhatsu (Digital Big Bang)" and also over 250 pages of presentation slides of this book.
This book was written by Mr. Ryuhei Akiyama, who is the boss of my division named "Interactive Communication Division". This book is about his future-vision of digital information industry, basically.
Anyway, this was very interesting book, so I could enjoy myself doing this job.
At last, it's started to sell in stores today. Read this and let me know your opinion about it, please.

Joho-Dai-Bakuhatsu

Japanese leading Web Art / Ad squad called tha* ltd. has released a brand-new-very-interesting screen saver. Everyone knows that this company has established by Yugo Nakamura who is the most respectable and famous Japanese web-technological artist.
I had had a only single opportunity to do a job with him, when that time, I totally understood why everyone call him as A genius.

Programming: Keita Kitamura
Design: Taro Hanamura

Idea: Erica Sakai
Direction: Yugo Nakamura

tha* ltd
SCR

"Anyone can make Kraftwerk T-shirts easily, if you use these fonts."
Caution: No sideburns only!!!!!!

KRAFTWERK Font Archives

I designed this flyer for a club event which invited a very wicked house DJ called Presslaboys from Italy! I was too fxxxxxg busy recently, so I couldn't spend enough time for the details honestly. That's so sad. Anyway, I might go this event. Let's get drunk!

These ones made by Robert Hodgin a.k.a. flight404. Titled Magnetic Sphere (audio by Karri O). You can make this kinda movie with your favorite songs in the iTunes! Check this Magnetosphere visualizer.
But reggae, ambient or something like slow ones aren't good choice for this. :S

And this one below is Pleix's new shit for Groove Armada! This method of making movie is completely opposite with the first one. Totally unautomatically. Both good though, Innit?
And this one below is Pleix's new shit for Groove Armada! This method of making movie is completely opposite with the first one. Totally unautomatically. Both good though, Innit?

Adobe's bland-new website called Sugorock.net has just launched today.
I joined this project and made 3 characters. I'm so proud of this opportunity, because all the other artists are very famous and representing recent Japanese art scene. Luck guy! ;)
The characters that I made are "Toro". It used to be a lantern before, but now it's just a decoration item for a traditional Japanese garden. I wanted to put an adult, traditional atmosphere to your blog by this.
...whatever.
Sugorock.net

My man Mr. Harigai's creative farm called Adapter has launched a brand new web-magazine just this April!
The title is Public/image, and there are a lot of informations about Japanese art, design, events, music and the other movements, basically.
Mr. Harigai's design world is very sophisticated and urbane all the time. Also the informations are picked up by his precise point of view.
Why don't you check'em out and learn what's happening in Japan right now.

[No Image]
I just wanted to make something move.

Print this out on a sticker sheet, then paste that near a faucet. Do it yourself.

These are a part of flyers that I designed very before for the nu-skool breaks party Remixer Remix and the house party Viento Del Mar.

Corporate World Meet Web2.0
I love this joke very much. Esp the AC/DC and the fruit (t-shirts) ones. Certainly, almost every recent logos look very bright and reflect to the floor.

Actually I've had a very sad news recently. A person at my old company's who was a coworker has died by a traffic accident. He was a totally good person. So happy, laughing all the time, and very warm...
We were working together making some websites and ads. He was a very talented producer.
And now, I've just remembered this essay. I was introduced to this by my friend who is a copywriter, when I was working in my old company with him. And I've been very influenced by this since then.
So this essay makes me remember that era, and that era makes me remember this essay.
I want everyone to read this, if you are making something. It might effect to your creative thinking I think.
Well, He and I were making something together, and got a lot of things from that experiences. I really wanna say thank you so much to him.
Rest in peace...

"Taste for Makers" by Paul Graham
English: www.paulgraham.com/taste.html
Japanese: shiro.dreamhost.com/scheme/trans/taste-j.html

Mom just give me a Pepsi please
All I want is a Pepsi, and she wouldn't give it to me
All I wanted was a Pepsi, just one Pepsi, and she wouldn't give it to me.
Just a Pepsi...

What is Hip Hop?

Oh my! These are dazzlingly cool! SO-SO-SO-SO-SO why does it gotta be so damn HO-HO-HOT-HOT-HOT???
...But this page is supposed to be divided into 10 pages at least. Too fxxkin' heavy yo! lol

photospace.jpgI love this project named PhotoSpace very much!
Recently, Flash source codes (Action Script) have become totally complicated. That means, writing scripts from the beginning is getting meaningless. If someone writes this kinda base source only once, we can share and customize it.
This idea is not brand-new at all. We've called it as "Open Source" in the internet industry already.
But in Flash world, it is one of the very fresh movements I guess (but yeah, some designers for example Joshua Davis, they've already shared their Action Script since a long time before. But it's a rare case. Isn't it?).
I think, sometimes this kind of things are called "Web 2.0", "Mush up" or something like those kinda words (usually mixed with XML, Javascript...). But I still don't understand exactly the meaning of that yet.
I just wanna call it as "Lazy Way" instead (of course it's a good meaning!). lol

I made a simple example by this.

I just wanna eat this.

This is the view from my old apartment which is in Koishikawa, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo. Very close to the Tokyo Dome Stadium. Whatever.

This has just dropped portable game player named "Suda Professional Cursor". Very vintage coloring and unbelievably simple cross buttons only it has.

Please watch out for cars when you're dancing on the street. Promise.

Please watch out for other teachers when you're dancing around a destroyed principal statue. Seriously.

I have just finished designing a new year greeting card for my friend (she used to be my boss).
Actually, this opportunity made me realize that I really love to be able to draw illustrations again. I was only drawing for my whole childhood.
When I was a student in elementary and junior-high school, I had been studying waterpainting and oilpainting in an art studio. Of course I didn't have a Macintosh or anything like that, so I had no other choices besides analogue art, at that time. Recently, I've started to want to learn those kinda analogical things again.
I think I've clicked too enough already... (But still I made those illustrations by the Adobe Illustrator though. lol)