Lenticular and Cracker Jack

Last week I was looking for a lenticular printer. Thank sto those who had some sources. It was also brought to my attention not everyone was aware of what lenticular printing was. So, courtesy of wikipedia. . .

A lenticular lens is a single convex lens that magnifies light through a prism effect.

The term lenticular often refers to a printed image that shows depth or motion as the viewing angle changes. The term was invented and coined by the physicist Dr. Joseph Robert Fraler from Dallas, Tx. But in general lenticular is a term for the lens effect that creates a convex perspective of multiple images or light sources, but not necessarily a physical printed image. This lenticular technology can be used to create a lenticular image through the process of lenticular printing.

Examples of lenticular printing include flip and animation effects such as the winking eyes that were given as the prize in Cracker Jack snack boxes and modern airport advertising graphics that change their message depending on the viewing angle. This technology was created in the 1940s but has evolved in recent years to show more motion and increased depth. Originally used mostly in novelty items, lenticular prints are now being used as a marketing tool to show products in motion. Recent advances in large format presses have allowed for oversized lenses to be used in lithographic lenticular printing.

Amigo Leather Desk Accessories

Vacavaliente, 2005

I loves me a cool piggy bank!

Amigos have the quality of handcrafted leather products from Argentina, a country renowned for its excellence in leather goods. Unique and practical, Amigos happily accompany you at home or in the office. "Piggy" is an ideal coin bank for all ages and is easily emptied by releasing a flap below the tail. "Kangaroo" is a fine message center, holding papers and pencils or a cell phone in its pocket and messages in its mouth. "Caterpillar" can carry pencils in its humps, cards in its mouth, tail, or antennae, and other small items along its middle. See them all at the MoMA gift shop.

Blonde Giraffe

Mmm!

What do you get when you take pie, put it on a stick, freeze it and then dip it in chocolate? If you are in Key West you get a Pie Pop from the Blonde Giraffe! And that would be Frozen Key Lime Pie on a Stick.

And I know this is the meanest thing I could do as you can only get it in Key West or order it from their website at here. But good things do not come cheap! 15 slices will set you back $184!

But here is what you get! 15 slices of their award-winning key lime pie frozen and dipped in chocolate on a stick. Why does it cost so much? They send it Fedex Priority Overnight (12 lbs for box size 12X12X10) with $95.00; Dry ice (8 pounds) $6.50; Corrugated Box $1.00; Cooler $3.50; Miscelaneous & Handling $3.75; Key Lime Pie on Stick ( 15 X $ 4.95 ) $74.25; for a total of 184.00 Be warned! They are not responsible for any shipping delays, damage or your neighbors stealing your treats!

50 Graus

You know when you see something, smack yourself in the head and say "Why didn't I think of that?"

This is one of those ideas for me! To demonstrate the disappearing of a species, 50graus.org created penguins out of ice and let the public watch them disappear! The website is in Spanish so for those of you multilingual head on over and check out their other projects. The stickers are really cool! The link in the title will bring you to the flicker site for more images. Click here to visit their site.

Evanston night

Never thought this picture would happen as I have tried many time to take a picture of a beautiful moon.

Must have been in the star last Thursday night as I looked up and saw this sliver of the moon and a perfectly placed star.

Spring has sprung!

I came across this little guy in my garden this past weekend hiding amongst the muscari. His partner in crime was hopping around too!

Look at things differently: Part Deux

Yann Legendre, is a really interesting person and a really wonderful designer. Originally from France, currently working at Tanagram in Chicago. Last night he spoke at an AIGA event called Fresh Talent, and he is.

The above poster is one he created and one where he found his inspiration at the market.

As Yann tells it…"One Sunday at the market I bought a half pound of potatoes. At the bottom of the paper sack was a little succulent one whose destiny was to end up on a poster, not on a plate!"

That destiny came to fruition when the opportunity to design a poster for Les Bonnes (The Housemaids) came to Yann.

Look at things differently

This was an ad designed by Andy Hardy, a student at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids for the annual One Show College Competition. It didn't win, but a lot of nice work doesn't.

Nothing fancy or tricky here…just a 90° turn. What a perfect image used in a really smart way!

Godoylab

Year: 2003 - 2004
Material: Sugar
Size of lamp: 20 x 20 x 31 cm

Recently, I met Emiliano Godoy at a Design Symposium called viral:CULTURE at Columbia College Chicago.

He is a pretty smart guy doing some really cool work in the realm of sustainability, and industrial design.

A brief bio of Godoy goes something like this:
With experience in furniture, products, architecture, urban furnishings, art and exhibits design; Emiliano Godoy works primarily in projects about applied sustainability. He has worked for companies such as Saint Gobain, EHV Weidmann, Pepsico, Holland Chemical International (HCI), Pipeline Integrity International (PII), Pipetronix, Frito Lay/Sabritas, and the Museo de la Ciudad de México.

Sugar Objects: In this project, Emiliano Godoy proposes an approach to design in which a product’s lifespan is matched by its material’s longevity. He uses sugar as an example of a short-term, environmentally friendly material for products.. Emiliano poses a scenario where objects’ appropriate disposal is imbedded in their construction, using nature as a source and destination for these objects.

One of the application of the material is the table lamp, built of eight identical wedges, pictured above.

Check out some more of the amazing things he has done at GODOYLAB

Braille

What does this say?

For all you Manic Mondayites this is a rather tax-tile post!

Happy Friday the 13th

It is after all just a number. Here are some back stories to some of the most common unlucky superstitions.

Walking under a ladder
When a ladder is leaned up against a wall, it forms a triangle which symbolizes the Holy Trinity. When you walk under that ladder/through the triangle it shows a lack of faith in the Trinity. To counter the bad luck from walking through it, they say to walk backward through it while making a wish.

Spilling salt
Salt was highly valuable and used as both currency and as medicine. Being wasteful was not looked upon favorably. So when you spilled some salt, it makes perfect sense that you would then throw yet another pinch over your left shoulder to remove the bad luck.

Breaking a mirror
Mirrors are said to reflect oneself, and they do quite nicely. To avoid the seven bad years of luck you should either bury the mirror in moonlight or throw them into running water. Still not sure why it is bad luck.

Crossing a black cat's path
Black cats were believed to be witches in disguise. Crossing one, bad luck. Meeting three in succession. . .good luck.

Some signs of good fortune on this unluckiest of days:
• Sneeze 3 times before breakfast
• Put a dress on inside out (women only?)
• Pick up a pencil in the street
• Carry an acorn
• Sleep facing south
• Drop a glove
• Spill wine while proposing a toast

Orange

In front of Grand rapids, MI City Hall, the 54-foot-long, 43-foot-high, 42-ton La Grande Vitesse (French for "the great swiftness" or "the grand rapids") gives people an airy, soaring feeling. The city's sculptural emblem is known as "the Calder," even a cab company is named after it, six other sculptures by Alexander Calder also grace Grand Rapids.

Most people would take the picture on the left. I like seeing it as the color composition on the right.

Blue

This is the "Blue Bridge" in Grand Rapids. It is one of several pedestrian Bridges across the Grand River. It is the only one that is painted blue. I do not know why. I am not even sure if it has a name. All I know is it is the first bridge south of the Pearl Street bridge. I seems I actually know very little about this post other than I like the color and like the structure and pattern of the steel against the sky.

There is lots of colorful metal work in Grand Rapids that I will share tomorrow!

Ladyhawk

A confession. I have seen the movie "Ladyhawk" starring Matthew Broderick, Michelle Pfeiffer and Rutger Hauer more than a few times!

There is a Peregrine falcon that now calls Evanston home. She has chosen a rather comfy looking roost in the public library where a falcon-cam has been installed to watch. Every other day since April 3rd, she has layed a beautiful red-colored egg!

Watch here.

viral:CULTURE

Video created by Andrew Palermo

For more information on the design symposium including speaker schedule and bios, click here.

Workshops
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All events including workshops are FREE. To sign up for a workshop, email rzeid@colum.edu