This is our city. This is Shanghai.

Showcasing the grandeur of your city through time-lapse? Why not?

Photographer Rob Whitworth and urban identity expert JT Singh collaborated to seamlessly weave Shanghai's urban facets--from its infrastructure, to its skyscrapers, to its street arts, and even to the city's lower stratum areas.

I guess tourism departments should better explore artistic approaches to their promotional videos because films like this would surely entice every tourist to experience what every country or city has to offer.

Off the Shelf: Worst Movie Tie-In Book Covers

While the trend of creating movies inspired by some of the greatest literature pieces influence some people to flip the pages of the books from where these films were derived, there are also those who can't help not to cringe—not only because these so-called visual renditions made their favorite works of fiction worse; but also because the book covers feature the faces of the actors and actresses who played the roles of their favorite characters.

Flavorwire compiled 15 Movie Tie-In Book Covers That Make Us Sad and I’m choosing my top five most hated covers from the list they made.


Because the face of the child is not intriguing enough (or perhaps, it's too plain, generic, and boring for Keira Knightly or Michelle Williams) to describe the atrocity and sorrowful reality that Kazuo Ishiguro expressed in his story. Yes, I am being sarcastic.


Emily Temple of Flavorwire compared this to how the Twilight books had their book covers--and I couldn't agree more. And since we're juxtaposing the original book from the rendition, Wuthering Heights' book cover seems to speak for our reactions: Why is that flower floating?


Haven't read the book, haven't seen the movie. That may ban me from commenting on how the book cover was made but thanks to the power of the internet, I learned that Stanislaw Lem's novel was actually a philosophic account about the inadequacy of communication between human and non-human species--and yeah, you could probably translate that with George Clooney's smooches.


The adaptation may be promising but it's a little unforgivable to take the look of this movie tie-in book cover. The attempt to achieve the glam and fashion of the '20s may pass the standards of the era, but the overall art direction of the book is just... awful.


And I'm choosing to keep myself mum with this one. The rendition would speak for itself.

Human Bodies

Pasted above is an ad made by an world renowned Sydney based studio--Electric Art. According to the source, the piece was created for 'Who Do You Think You Are?'--a BBC genealogy TV program that puts a spotlight on ancestry.

Advertising Agency: RazorJunior, Sydney, Australia / Creative Director and Art Director: Josh Moore / Copywriter: Nigel Clark / Photographer: Andreas Smetana /Agency Producer: Danielle Solden / Retoucher: Electric Art

Darren Aronofsky's Anti-Meth PSAs

After wowing millions of people across the globe with his epic movies like Pi, Requiem for a Dream and Black Swan, American film director, screenwriter and producer Daren Aronofsky shifts from the usual more-than-an-hour films to 15-30 seconders ads to make a stand against meth.

Below are the series of anti-meth PSAs he did for methproject.org

Vera Wang's Lovestruck featuring Leightron Meester

Don't you just love the dress? And the beauty of Leighton Meester of course. :)

Basket of Colors: Per Color by Marco Ugolini

Some people are just way too imaginative.And Marco Ugolini is one of them.

For him, the supermarket space is a space of manipulation. With the use of products he found at Belo Horizonte, Brazil, he made a fresh take on the usual stuff that a person often sees in grocery stalls.







Photographer: Pedro Motta
*None of the products were bought after the shooting.

More of Marco Ugolini's works at jesuismonreve.org

Hipster Superheroes

Ladies and gentlemen of the the subculture that declines the "culturally-ignorant" attitudes of mainstream consumers, meet your superheroes!

Caldwell Tanner, one of the popular illustrators of CollegeHumor.com, made use of some of the popular Marvel and X-Men superheroes to portray the effortlessly cool culture who "knew things way before they were popular."

No offense meant. Just go ahead and watch!


Meanwhile, here are some of the illustrations, also made by Tanner:








Funny, isn't?

--
“You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it.” - Robin Williams

Nid de Poule: Dazzling Potholes in Paris

Potholes have never been this pleasing.

Thanks to Julianna Santacruz Herrera's ingenuity, Paris' street potholes turned into colorful street accents.



Through the use of colorful strips of fabric, Julianna's visual intervention turned the shallow breaks and cracks in to vibrant shades that yielded fun on the gray streets of Paris.



From afar, one might mistaken these unique artwork in to scarves dropped by someone's who's in a hurry. But in a closer view (based on these photos), one can clearly see how the materials were thoroughly folded to create an appealing look on what used to be annoying cracks on decrepit cements.



Julianna's project is a good idea but not along the public streets, especially here in the Philippines. I think it would work better in personal backyards/patio. Agree?

--

Personal blah:

An update finally! Yay!

OOC post: Sharing you one of the photos I took last year during our Bohol trip. I can feel that summer's ending here in our country and I haven't had any beach trip yet because I'm busy with work. Sad. So yeah, to refresh my memory with the matchless beauty of the shore, I'm posting this picture.

The Facebook Influence

The genius of Mark Zuckerberg seems to conquer all.

It didn't just influence our parents and even our grandparents (mind you, I personally know people whose grannies are still up for social networking) to sign up and connect with other people digitally through the technology of Facebook; it also continues to influence inspire the way of thinking of some "creative" people to do ads for their clients. Ah, yes. Facebook has affected even the minds of some people who should, perhaps, be producing more creative outputs than the intelligent Harvard student's internet masterpiece.

Ad for a bookstore by Tzomet Sfarim


For The Horror Festival by Draft FCB (Lisbon)


For Gold's Gym by Jotabequ Grey (Costa Rica


For Welt Kompakt


For Opticana by McCann Erickson (Israel)


The first two ads are OK for me but the last ad is just... unforgivable.

Redesigned movie posters by Matt Needle

Designer Matt Needle, a graduate of a three-year design studies at University of Wales, Newport and is now working as a freelance designer and illustrator, has created his version of some movie posters that perhaps fascinated or inspired his prowess in art and designs.









Aside from movie posters, Needle also created his versions of discographies and famous logos, typography designs, pop arts and other interesting compositions that were requested by his clients. To view more of his creations, you can visit his online portfolio at mattneedle.co.uk.

"WTF is a Bieber?" - Ozzy Osbourne

Best Buy ad featuring Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne and Justin Bieber. Yeah, you read it right. The Prince of Darkness, his wife and Justin Bieber.

Aside from the newest 6g mobile tech, the ad also speaks about the fast changing technology, which is a huge factor that highlights the so-called generation gap. There are a lot of trends nowadays that our parents can't understand and sometimes, even those who are in their 20's and 30's feel alienated with the things that our today's teens admire. Well, I'm just in my early twenties, but I have to admit, I am one of those people who don't get what's so amazing w/ that blonde kid with full bangs. Oh, anyway, this blog is not about Justin Bieber though so I'm just going to end it here.

Go and watch the ad. It's quite hilarious!

Not bad, right?

Rayban never hides from creativity

Never hide.

This is the recent battle cry of the notable eye-wear brand. Aside from conventionally promoting its name in the market, Rayban recently launched a guerrilla marketing campaign that uses the never hide tagline. The promotional tactic is really intriguing since they have people who put "Never Hide" stickers in shape of a Rayban sunglass in posters, statues and wall arts.

Here's the video of Rayban's clever campaign:

Tidbits: What is guerrilla marketing?

A guerrilla marketing campaign is a promotional tactic that is out-of-the-box and unconventional. This type of advertising is practically interesting because the execution is often interactive. Although it doesn't have a big budget compared to above-the-line advertising, the approaches are creative and practically eye-catching.

The Colors of Sweetness: Kim Neil's Pantone Cookies

Freelance designer Kim Neil has a different taste for art.

Inspired by Pantone chip tins, Kim baked cookie doughs that served as the "base" for her creation. As a designer, she knows the exact shades to achieve her concept. And through using an edible marker, she was also able to put labels on each baked Pantone cookie.

Kim's delectable masterpiece is practically a perfect treat for art events, themed birthday parties and even for children's art class. Also, the genius designer generously shares the steps in making these concept-and-sugar-filled sweets, just in case you want to make one for yourself or for your loved ones. Click this LINK to learn how.

"Any good designer knows the way to a client's heart is through her stomach." - Kim Neil

The 2010 that was: Top Movie Poster Picks

Movie posters undoubtedly play a vital role in promoting films since these visuals serve as print advertisements for the movies. Actually, I'm quite drawn to posters since I love how the design speaks the theme or provides a glimpse of what the story is all about. There are even times that I would choose to watch a certain film because I was intrigued by its poster. Which is why, I somehow conclude that just like print ads of products, posters should be effective and creative to make the audience watch the movie.

Last 2010, there were more or less 100 movies and documentaries produced and a few of them had imaginative concepts for their movie posters. I had my pick and below are my top 10 choices:

10. Black Swan (directed by Darren Aronofsky)

Poster design by Bemis Balkind

There are 8 posters made for this amazing movie but this is actually my favorite. Honestly, I expected more from the poster since this indeed is a great film. Although there's no doubt that Natalie Portman looks stunning and the visual suggests a dark theme, I'm not that contented with its overall design.

9. The Last Exorcism (directed by Daniel Stamm)

Poster design by Ignition Print

The tone is practically terrifying and haunting, so you won't be surprised if one of your friends wouldn't want this on their bedroom walls even if you gave this to them as a gift. And that for me, makes this poster beautiful -- superb concept, effective visual.

8. Kick Ass (directed by Matthew Vaughn)

Poster design by Ignition Print

Great art-direction. This poster actually seems to be a cover of an action-packed comic book.

7. Nightmare on Elm Street (directed by Samuel Bayer)

Poster design by Ignition Print

I'm a fan of teaser posters and I love how the makers did this one. The typography, the choice of words and the visual are all perfectly combined to tell you what the movie is all about.

6. The Runways (directed by Floria Sigismondi)

Poster design by Mojo

If you have seen the movie or if you know the band, perhaps you would be singing "Ch-ch-cherry bomb!" when you get to see this poster. The whole artwork is just so nice and wise, I would probably love to have this poster on my wall and even apply the design on my shirt.

5. Toy Story 3 (directed by Lee Unkrich)

Poster design by BLT and Associates

Cute. Fun. Tastefully done. This poster also reminds me of the scene where all the toys were inside Andy's box. And because the characters in this movie are all iconic, there's no need to put the title. Thumbs up to the artists behind this fantastic artwork.

4. Alice in Wonderland (directed by Tim Burton)

Poster design by BLT and Associates

I love how this beautiful masterpiece presented all characters of the movie. There's something about this poster that says it's Tim Burton's film. There's also something about it that would remind the feeling of being into fairy tales.

3. The Crazies (directed by Breck Eisner)

Poster design by The Ant Farm

As I have mentioned, I have a thing for teaser posters especially if they don't say too much about the film. The simplicity of the visual and the eerie treatment make it so eye-catching, you would probably get interested to watch this movie especially if you're into blood and gore.

2. Inception (directed by Christopher Nolan)

Poster design by Ignition Print

Aside from the fact that this is probably the best movie of the year, the 3D feel of its visual is really striking. The whole artwork is tastefully done and you could practically tell there is "hard work" in this poster.

1. Buried (directed by Rodrigo Cortes)

Poster design by Ignition Print

Hands down to the artists behind these superb posters. Five posters were made for this movie and these three are my most favorite. I like them too much, I can't choose among my top three choices that is why I decided to post them all here. The first one's cluttered in a beautiful manner and it's probably my most favorite among the bunch. I love how the makers used the reviews (text) to give depth to Ryan Reynolds.

Runner ups:

Daybreakers (directed by Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig)

Poster design by Ignition Print

When I saw this, only one thing came into my mind: I want that as a t-shirt design. The visual is minimal yet it clearly speaks what the movie is all about.

For Colored Girls (directed by Tyler Perry)

Poster design by Ignition Print

I'm a fan of watercolor illustrations that is why this poster became a part of my choices. It may not be the best but I like the execution and the colors used.

From Paris With Love (directed by Pierre Morel)

Poster design by Ignition Print

Combining the Eiffel Tower and a gun may not be the best idea of all but in this case, it's really nicely done. Seeing Travolta's name in the poster would surely make you conclude that this is an action movie, thus the pistol is just perfect to set the mood of the movie. Oh and the iconic tower? It's pretty obvious why they used it.

Devil (directed by John Erick Dowdle)

Poster design by Bemis Balkind

Menacing. Clever. I've seen the film and this poster gives proper justice to what the story is all about.