What makes this particular contest so exciting is that most modern browsers now have a cool new toy for JavaScript programmers to play with: the canvas object. The canvas object basically defines an area on a webpage where a developer can programmaticly draw images using JavaScript. For the first time, web developers can use an open-standard, non-proprietary technology to create dynamic and engaging rich media.

Inspired by JS1k (but by no means talented enough to compete), I decided to create my own JavaScript and canvas-powered demo. It’s extremely basic compared to the JS1k demos, but it did help me learn a lot more about canvas, and it was fun to program! So, without further ado – I present to you… Circle Grow!

Placehold.it is a “quick and simple image placeholder service” for web designers and developers. To use, simply format the URL with the image size details of your choice and the image is created dynamically. For example, the following URL generated the image above: http://www.placehold.it/570×300. Various image formats, colors, and placeholder text can also be specified.

http://www.placehold.it

What is a Wayzgoose you ask yourself?  It’s a centuries-old celebration of the honored craft of letterpress printing. While The School of Visual Concepts’ Wayzgoose doesn’t date back quite so far, the ninth edition of this free, family-friendly event promises to be bigger, better, and Wayzgoosier than ever. The event will include steamroller printing, a marketplace, an equipment swap, and demonstrations.

We here at DC have been asked to participate in the Steamroller Smack Down. An event at the Wayzgoose where local design firms and artists are challenged to produce a poster which will then be printed in the SVC parking lot using a two-ton steamroller. The posters printed from this friendly competition will be auctioned off to the public to help continue the letterpress programs at SVC.

All of us here at DC will be putting our heads together to come up with something supremely Wayzgoosey for the event and look forward to the festivities.

Come and Join us on Saturday, August 28th, between 1-6pm
(DC will be delivering the smack-down from 1 – 2:15; free autographs from 2:15 – 2:17)
School of Visual Concepts, 500 Aurora Ave. N.,
Seattle, just east of the Seattle Center

For more information check out theSVC website and their Facebook page.

There is hope however. Imulus Design + Interactive has developed www.supportdetails.com, a simple web application that allows your clients to send you all the relevant details of their setup by just entering their email address and name and your email address. In fact, they don’t even have to do that much if you direct them to a “customized” link with the relevant contact info already entered (Mac geek tip: setup a TextExpander snippet of the link pre-filled with your email address as the recipient).

Check out http://www.supportdetails.com

Now, don’t get me wrong, Tortoise’s live performances are something to behold. While their studio work is produced nearly perfectly, they are true musicians who have mastered their instruments and play with the passion required of any good performer. Yet, as good as that show way (and believe me, it was incredible) the impression I left the show with was not how great the music was, but how great this one poster I saw was.

Mogwai, another great post-rock band, this time from Glasgow, was playing the same venue a few days later and there, tacked to the wall near stage right, was a small broadside promoting the show. The poster captured both the complexity and beauty of Mogwai’s music, which, while loud and imposing at times also seems to fuse science and art in a nearly hypnotic collection of sounds. At times it is frantic, at times it is peaceful, at times it veers off to someplace you’ve never been. And here was this poster that seemed to capture everything about the band.

It’s rare to find design that speaks so elegantly to its subject. Joe Sparano said, “Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent.” and the work of Patent Pending Industries is about as articulate of an endorsement of this as I’ve seen. Jeff Kleinsmith and Jesse LeDoux have been producing this kind of work as a team for over a decade.

It brings me a great deal of joy to be showcasing their work at Design Commission this August and September. The collection of over 140 poster designs for bands is, in my opinion, a definitive statement about the last decade of rock music and some damn fine design work to boot.

Opening Reception: August 5, 2010, 5 PM  |  On Facebook  |  Gallery Page