LORA ZOMBIE @ THE GLADSTONE

By the way, if you're around t.o on Friday, go check out the Lora Zombie art show @ the Gladstone. She's an urban artist out of Russia and she rocks my world. Also, go check it out because Eyes on Walls is holding it, and Tom Rowlandson and his company are pretty cool.

RSVP to the fb event here.

HERMIT

Hi. It has just been pointed out to me that I have been failing to use my blog. Work + school has taken over. While I get this stuff back in order, you can peep stuff on my online portfolio at http://craigmariah.grandportfolio.com/. easy

Architects plan a "pedestrain palace" - Paris 2100

A new exhibit, which is the work of Yannick Gourvil and Cécile Leroux of the architecture firm Collectif et alors, is now displaying pictures of what Paris is hoping to look like for the year 2100 due to climate change. This new and improved city will be "a pedestrian paradise," where pedestrians rule and there are no cars, a roof garden on very building, and redesigned river banks and biking systems, just to name a few improvements. Paris is calling this new city a utopian, as it would be nothing short of paradise if these plans were to actually follow through. It is wishful thinking, but nothing is impossible! Check out a full article on this exhibit at the Treehugger website here. Here are a couple photos they had displayed to give you an idea of what they have in mind:

Packaging fun with new Smirnoff Caipiroska collection

Okay, so I'm sure most of you designers have already seen this new brilliant packaging for Smirnoff, but I can't help but write a little something about it. I'm a huge sucker when it comes to packaging, and this is such a fun and interactive idea. Good enough that it makes me wish I could drink! To launch the new Brazilian vodka, Smirnoff Caipiroska, a promotional package was made by JWT Brazi. Bottles were created with the appearance and texture through a perforation for the flavors lemon, passion fruit and berries. This was done on a skin that was also made "peelable" so that it could give the consumer the feel as if they were peeling an actual fruit. Unfortunately, since this was created specially for a promotional kit, there is a limited supply of these bottles. If you get your hands on one - enjoy!
Take a look at some featured photos of this new design:

I'm Back (Featuring Daniel Mackie)

So - after a long overdue visit, I think it's time for me to write a new post! Things have been hectic in my life for the past while to say the least, but I missed this thing. With that said, I've got a short blog for everyone tonight (maybe two or three if I stay awake), about a few latest inspirations.

Recently, I have been trying to push my boundaries with painting, and began playing with watercolour (which I hadn't done in 4 years, and was never good at to begin with!). While attempting to work with this new and tricky media, I had browsed through some artists who work with it as well to gain some inspiration. The artist I most recently came across is Daniel Mackie, who at one point created works mainly on the computer, such as myself, working with photoshop. After ten years he put the computer design to the side to focus more on what he really loved to do, which was working traditionally with pencil and watercolour. I stumbled upon a few of his works online just the other day and liked what I saw, so I took the time to look him up which took me to his website and online portfolio which you can view for yourself here. Daniel has worked with a countless number of clients, and his works of art have provided solutions for design material such as editorial and advertising works.
I also recommend you take a look at his blog, where you can get a great insight and see some truly remarkable illustrations and process work.
Here are a few of my favourite works of his displayed below.

Process work for ongoing project

"Don Draper Portrait"

"Fear"

"Fairy"

Busy, Busy

Hey everyone. I've been so swamped with life on top of school that I haven't had any spare time to breathe, let alone blog! I'll be getting new posts up very soon (hopefully later today).
In the meantime, check out some of my work at http://www.behance.net/murrcraig. Cheers!

FUNiture on the Behance Network

Such great furniture by designer Luis Luna. Here is a preview below - go to FUNiture on the Behance Network to view the rest of this collection!

Velo Coffee Roasters: Chattanooga's only bicycle-powered coffee roaster

'Velo' is french for 'bicycle,' which is this company's main method for delivering their small-batch, specialty roasts. Velo Coffee Roasters has a great love for the city of Chattanooga (where the company is owned and ran), and strongly believes in treating their neighbours with special care - which is why they get their coffee specially delivered to the comfort of their own home. This company hits the streets daily on bikes to deliver to their city as well as supports the local farmer's market by selling their products there. They also try to encourage the consumers to visit their location personally to enjoy a fresh cup of coffee and get the opportunity to see how everything works. Not only is the idea and meaning behind this company great - but so is their packaging! Each order comes in one of these great bags which are protective, foil-lined, and heat-sealed to preserve freshness. Take a look! :)

Back to School (Artist Spotlight: Akiko Stehrenberger)

Stepped back into reality today - and it appears as though I actually missed it! I had my first day of my Graphic Illustration class, and my first assignment for the class will be to create a caricature of myself. Even though I am the worst illustrator, I'm really stoked on the class and completing this first project (especially because we can use any media we want which doesn't happen too often - hello paint!!). Our teacher (who is new to me but complimented my glasses so must be a cool dude) recommended some artists to research regarding the caricature assignment, which led me to viewing Akiko Stehtrnberger's illustrations - So rad.

Akiko graduated from the Art Center College of Design in 2000 and is working in L.A. as an art director and a designer for movie poster advertising while doing freelance work for magazines, portraiture, cd artwork and more. She has done such publications as SPIN, The Source, New York Press and more, and has received a great amount of recognition and press for her works. Akiko's editorial work includes some of my favourites by her, which I have displayed below. She has done illustrations of people such as Franz Ferdinand, Tupac, The White Stripes and more. 

Kurt Cobain
Acrylic. For article "Notes from the Underground" in Filter Magazine.
Artwork also hand-painted on guitars signed by Kim Gordon as sweepstake prizes
in promotion of the movie "Last Days" by Gus Van Sant.

Macauley Culkin
Acrylic. For "Deface the Face" competition, The Face Magazine.
Displayed in Lions Den/Puma group show 2006.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs
For LeBook.

Check out Creative Review's 19 page zine of her illustrated movie poster work for their January 2011 Monograph series - It offers a glimpse into the 'what might have been' world of movie posters with a selection of her Hollywood poster proposals that never made it. The issue was released on December 16 2010 and features 'Ones to Watch' for 2011, which is based around six very talented people who are believed to make their mark in the art world this year. This includes illustrator Gwénola Carrère who created the cover of the issue, seen below. I highly recommend taking a look at the issue! Lots of great things to be seen!

'This Is Dope' (Artist Spotlight: Kathryn Macnaughton)

Kathryn Macnaughton is an illustrator/graphic artist out of OCAD, living in Toronto, ON. Her work always draws my attention, using a great mix of illustration and collage with random patterns or shapes. She uses light pastel hues in her works which I find gives off a nice contrasting effect with her subjects (often porno suggestive) - which also often end up looking somewhat vintage, especially in her design/prints.

"This is Dope"

"Love Music Hate Racism"

"The List"