Creating a Cover: Narrowing our Focus

So this weekend we narrowed down our favorite cover images. We've now reached 5 images!
Everyone in the office offers their opinion. And it is always interesting to see who likes what. But in the end, you have to choose what works best—aesthetically, conceptually, as well as on the newsstand!
The next step, and possibly the most difficult step, is to start putting type on the cover. We'll post those results in the next day or two.

Fine Art Photography: Call for Entries

The Center for Fine Art Photography has announced a call for entries for 2 contests. The first is an open theme and the second one's theme is "Works of Man."

Tropicana's Old Packaging Is New Again

No doubt you've heard a lot about Tropicana's new packaging—and much of it not very good. It seemed as though much of the design community was less than impressed with the new packaging. Well, it appears as if designers weren't the only ones unhappy with it, as Tropicana's parent company is going back to the original design: ie the straw in the orange.
I would venture a guess that not only were consumers unhappy with the new design, but that as a result they weren't buying the product. No doubt design can help or hinder the bottom-line.
Via the New York Times

Creating a Cover from the Ground Up

Right now we're pulling together our next issue, CQ14. And we're at the point where we begin the process to choose the cover. Now as some of you may know, when your work is included in CQ, we request an 'inspiration' image from you. And we select one them as the image for our cover.
Laying the mock-ups on the ground, we slowly start to pick our favorites...
I will be posting updates on this process over the next few days.

Lunch with Steven Tabbutt

Yesterday we took a break from our busy day to have lunch with illustrator Steven Tabbutt. I am a huge fan of his work and was glad that he trekked all the way out here to meet us. Charles has written more about Steven and his work.

Via 3x3

Introducing our Interns

Creative Quarterly's interns (left to right):
Valerie, Jin, Jonathan

Sketchbook: Craig Frazier

A wondreful look at Craig Frazier's sketchbook.

Found at Quipsologies

Creative Quarterly Goes Across the Pond

We're pleased to announce that CQ will be distributed in the UK. Beginning with our current issue, CQ will be in select Borders stores. Brilliant!

Drawing Obama

Political caricaturist Taylor Jones breaks down Obama for you.
Found at Design Observer.

Handmade Nation

I admit that I'm a bit of a frustrated DIY-er. I have cross-stitched, knitted, flirted with sewing and continue to do some basic crochet. I would love to make my own books. Yet I've never been able to fully immerse myself in any one field. So I am so inspired by these upcoming events. Princeton Architectural Press is publishing Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design by Faythe Levine , Cortney Heimerl. And it is accompanied by a documentary film.
And, thanks to the good people at DART, I have learned powerHouse Arena is hosting a panel discussion with the authors on Feb. 11. The film premiere will be at the the Museum of Art & Design the following day.

James Castle Documentary

Last night, flipping through the channels trying to find something to watch before Flight of the Conchords came on, I stumbled across an hour-long documentary on artist James Castle on the Ovation channel.



I've been a fan of Castle's work for years. It was nice to see such a lovely little look at this artist. He captured not only his surroundings (rural Idaho in the mid-20th century), but also his inner thoughts. To see the entire documentary, here are the show times.

Paul Sahre's Problems

Last Friday night the NY chapter of AIGA hosted a lecture by Paul Sahre. The subject of his lecture? Problems. Specifically problems he's run into as a graphic designer.
It was refreshing to see a designer talk about his career and take a look at the pieces that (for whatever reasons) did not work. It was a nice reminder that a piece you work on can fail for reasons within your control and out of your control. Sometimes it fails on a technical or formal reason. Sometimes it can fail on a more personal level. And not matter how embarrassing or aggravating your problem is, you always learn something from it.
It was an engaging talk and Paul provided everyone with a lovely little pennant. A lovely little reminder when you're in the midst of a bad day that, yes, you're not the only one that has problems.

Everything tastes better with bacon. Even the internet.

Is your website missing something? Add some bacon!
Fount at Swiss Miss

Paper, Plastic, or Canvas?

Amidst all the despair in the last few years about the slow extinction of various design-friendly formats—the vinyl LP, the newspaper, the book, etc. — one vehicle for graphic design has vaulted to almost instant ubiquity: the canvas tote. More....

Found at Design Observer

CQ15 has been closed.

We've just closed the call for entries for CQ15. We're in the midst of processing what appears to be our most competitive show thus far. Our thanks to everyone who has submitted their work. We expect the judging to be complete by March 15, all entrants will be informed with our list of winners; be sure to add Creative Quarterly to your address book to make sure you're receiving our emails concerning this show and upcoming events.
And if you've missed this call for entries, don't worry, the deadline for CQ16 is Friday, May 1, 2009. Check here for updates, or join our mailing list.

Book Review: The Art Instinct

I have been a fan of the website Arts & Letter Daily for almost 9 years—I can't start the day without a look at it. A&LD is run by Denis Dutton, a professor of the philosophy of art, and he has recently published the book The Art Instinct. 

And this weekend the New York Times published a review:

[Dutton's] considered view (though he sometimes strays into more ambitious explorations) is that Darwinian aesthetics sheds light on literature, music and painting not by demonstrating them to be evolutionary adaptations, but by showing how their existence and character are connected to prehistoric preferences, interests and capacities.

I'm so intrigued! Yet another book to add to my wish list....

And don't forget to check out Arts & Letters Daily.