small stakes

Check this guy out - minimalist poster art...thanks Jett for the link. Simple, sweet, conceptual - music! Done. Get working again...

FODA STUDIO

If you haven't seen FODASTUDIO's website in a little while, now would be a good time to view their new work. Jett started the firm while most of us were still infants of architecture in good old Lubbock. It's not surprising that us kids from TTU have some type of idea what direction we'd like to go. ie: Jett paved the way graduating from our alma mater. The studio has expanded their talents of branding, type, rendering, marketing, packaging & creating - its lighter, softer, fluid, juicy, and gritty (due to the mix of designers) - relaxing the sleeker and refined earlier tectonics Foda forcefully threw down. Props to the studio for bustling all around the Austin scene as well as NY and bringing some crafty work to the table - we expect more...

Suburban Subjects

I found this post over at BLDGBLOG and though it was applicable to this continuing theme of suburbia and perception of place. If you haven't visited this blog yet do yourself a favor and read Geoff Manaugh's, ex-senior editor of DWELL, insightful posts on architecture and urbanism.
post link

Game Over/Continue? Exhibit

This is an event that almost fell under my radar but luckily I recovered it. Two big names in the art and indie game design communities have teamed up to put together one of the sweetest art shows I have read about. The boys at Giantrobot and Attract Mode threw the Game Over/Continue exhibit to celebrate their new union and new project artxgame. Though this is not the first art exhibit by Giantrobot, it is the first one featuring games developed specifically for exhibition.

Four super-talented illustrators were teamed with some of the biggest names in indie game development. The results were four interesting and beautiful titles developed by the experimental and collaborative duos. Check out the Offworld post for more information on the games and exhibition. As a long time gamer I have never been more excited in the scene. I have been disillusioned in the past with all the money being focused on new and profitable projects like Resident Guitar 12: Ultimate Fighter; Episode 7. Events like this allow for more opportunities for interested designers to make a stupid concept a realization.

Link List: tuts+

Hopefully you all have noticed these links over in the link bar to the left. I stumbled upon these resources when they were in their infancy and this network has quickly grown into the greatest boon for visual designers. The tuts network contains hundreds of tutorials, freebies, articles and other goodies, divided between photoshop, illustrator, web design, audio design, after effects, and flash. Take a couple of minutes to stroll through these sites and check out the tutorials. In just a couple of months I learned good web design and killer photoshop skills just from a few of these guides.

where the wild things are

UH WTF? Its release on film is imminent! cool. Spike Jones as the director is about to attempt to capture on film what I remember to be one of the most poetic, picturesque, and imagination provoking illustrated children's book ever.
book trailer

ornette coleman

1950's - 1960's influential jazz saxophone musician famous for harmolodic jazz "free jazz." Originating from Ft. Worth, TX - Ornette started playing at a young age. Texas was not the place for jazz so he travelled to LA. He started his quartet and began his career exploring 'free jazz.' The man is a beast and has garnered awards and some incredible recognition. He currently resides in NYC.

This weekend while Tyler was in town and we were sharing music, architecture websites etc. he directed me to Aaron Boucher's (TTU buddy) current work which is the Ornette Coleman website - here. So while we were attending the Austin Record Convention today, I came across an Ornette Coleman LP, This is Our Music. I'm about to drop it on the turntable and check it out...

on the back of the LP:

"...the most important part of our music is the improvisation which is done as spontaneously as possible, with each man contributing his musical expression to create the form."

-Ornette Coleman : This is Our Music, The Ornette Coleman Quartet released on Atlantic.

HULU

FYI: there is another cool website for viewing: HULU & hulu blog. Check it out. Try Secrets of the Parthenon: Nova

Bejamin Zander on music and passion

Shining eyes. This clip is one of the most positive clips on TED that I've come across - his enthusiasm and passion for music reminds me of Dr. Jones' passion for architecture. The fact that they are British and look similar, gaunt, older gentlemen, with poofy white hair is amusing. This is awesome!

Voltaic Solar Bags and Solar Chargers

When i saw this i instantly thought about the ideas of the Espacio Transiente. This is basically a backpack that has solar panels on the back. I will let it introduce itself.

"The Voltaic Converter is our most versatile solar charger. It is a small light weight day bag with a compartment for a water bladder, so it is ideal for biking and hiking.
Multiple attachment mechanisms mean it can work as a pannier on a bicycle, a tank bag on a motorcycle, a saddle pack, or a day bag attached to a lager rucksack."

I think this is a great idea that one could incorporate into a mobile way of generating free electricity. With enough of these in a small array you could easily power a laptop, television, stove or heater.

You solve so many problems with the ability to have unlimited electricity whenever you need it. I think even weaving the voltaic into the fabric would be a huge convenience.

voltaic systems

On another note, if you had these on a space suit could you some how stay in space forever?