ALM Originals

HTML vs CSS

2012-01-30T12:48:00.000-08:00

So what's the difference between CSS and HTML you ask? In short, HTML coding provides the basic structure and information to your webpage while CSS is used predominantly for styling. CSS is dependent; with nothing to style, CSS serves absolutely no purpose. But left to its own HTML is very basic, boring, and old-looking. So in many ways these two coding languages are co-dependent in order to code out a sleek and modern-looking webpage.

Book Cover Archive

2012-01-28T20:34:00.001-08:00

The Book Cover Archive is a great place to go for a quick source of design inspiration. You can browse the library, search for a specific title, author or designer, or even randomize and let the computer spit out the design as it sees fit. Go, take a look!

Excercise 1: 10 elements in every successful website

2012-01-23T16:01:00.000-08:00

1. Simplicity is KEY! A cluttered and 'over-stuffed' website will quickly drive visitors away. GetFinch has utilized this concept nicely with a very clean minimalist site implementing straight forward navigation.

2. Usability is equally important. On the internet, the user is left completely on his own to navigate through your website. IF a user cannot find the information that you want him to then it might as well not exist. Wikipedia is a well known user generated online encyclopedia that gained popularity through the years due to its user friendly interface.

3. Content While the internet is not set in stone and you can delete any questionable material that you choose from your site, you must keep in mind that you have no control of who is viewing the content that you generate. A lot of celebrities and political figures have made complete fools of themselves through their twitter feeds. Content should also be relevant to the core focus of your site.

4. BE ETHICAL! Just because content is out there on the internet for you to find and use, this does not always mean that you may lawfully re-publish or use it. The internet is an extremely valuable resource for inspiration but not everything on the internet is public domain. Copyright infringement will always be a strong source of controversy on the web. Many user generated sites either struggle to regulate against copyright infringing posts submitted by their users while others attempt to write off all obligations through disclaimers and user contracts. Funnyjunk is one such site.

5. Social Media is a completely necessary evil. A gift and a curse. At the top, the bottom, left, or right of every major website today is a link for the RSS fedd, Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon, Reddit, etc. etc. etc. One of the most consistent forms of advertising is and always has been word of mouth. On the internet people speak through the many many various social networks available to them. Increase the chances that your visitors will promote your site by taking out the extra steps and placing links to the leading social networks on your page. SN does a good job of incorporating social media including daily twitter and facebook updates.

6. Aesthetics are important. This concept plays into usability but goes so much further. A website can be user-friendly but if its ugly many viewers will be turned off by it quickly. This is a good example of a website that has a fairly straightforward user interface ...but it's ugly as hell. I bet you'll leave the page within a minute or so.

7. Cross Browser Compatibility is often neglected in the thought process of inexperienced web designers. This is a huge mistake. Designers must test, test, and test again while designing their sites. But only testing the functionality of your site on one browser (ex. firefox or internet explorer) leaves your site vulnerable to the the inevitable possibility of cross-browser incongruencies. Your site must also be optimized for the mobile web. The internet is more and more frequently being viewed on the go, specifically on smartphones, tablets and hand held video games. Facebook does a great job with keeping up with the times.

8. Sitemaps can be split into two categories: those meant for the viewer of the site to guide through the page and those meant for search engine spiders to read in order to optimize placement in search results. google's sitemap.

9. Be tasteful. Begining designers often over-design resulting in redundant features and unnecessary ones. KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID.

10. Have A Plan. When you finally do start working on a website of your own do yourself a favor and don't just jump straight into the site. Make a plan. Figure out what you want, direct your focus, sketch out your ideas, create a wireframe, choose color schemes, collect content, and then get to the coding

Viktor Hertz's (brutally) Honest Logos

2011-12-11T11:15:00.000-08:00

Viktor Hertz is a Swedish freelance graphic designer who decided
to re-create well known brand identities with an honest twist.
“An idea for a series with honest logos, revealing the actual content
of the company, what they really should be called. Some are cheap,
some might be a bit funny, some will maybe be brilliant. I don’t know.”

source

Fine Art x Design = Android Jones

2011-12-09T13:47:00.000-08:00

Andrew Jones is a prolific and talented designer with a strong fine arts background. He spent the majority of his younger years and education focusing on fine arts, specifically drawing. He soon began to incorporate the computer into his work and has since then continued to further blend the lines between fine arts and graphics arts. He is the co-founder of Concept Art and Massive Black inc., he actively posts online tutorials and new projects through his webiste, and even has begun to incorporate live digital painting colaborations with electronic musicians.

In the streets and on the walls: A.S.V.P.

2011-12-08T12:32:00.000-08:00

A.S.V.P. is a street art collective that I've noticed a lot of work from on my last couple of trips into NYC. During a recent interview with Amateur Magazine when asked about the meaning behind their monicker the response was simple;"That’s the first thing that everyone wants to know but we keep that to ourselves." When asked about their process; "Every piece on the street is made completely by hand. Everything is hand-screened, hand painted and hand-cut." I really love what I've been seeing. See more from the interview and a lot more work from the gang at ASVPart.com.

UNDFTD LA Billboard Project

2011-12-08T10:29:00.000-08:00

About the Project

The Undefeated Billboard Project is a unique collaboration between Undefeated, Aaron Rose and Nike. Perched above the Undefeated location on La Brea in Los Angeles, California the Undefeated Billboard Project is a reflection of our store and the culture it represents.

UNDFTD

Pepsi Logo Humor

2011-12-08T09:46:00.000-08:00

Pepsi logo illustration by MODY-89.
via logodesignlove

Stefan Sagmeister @ the Institute for Contemporary Art TONIGHT

2011-12-08T09:33:00.000-08:00

I'm really looking forward to hearing Stefan Sagmeister tonight in Philly. For those of you unfamiliar with the name, here's a brief bio via wikipedia:

Sagmeister studied graphic design at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. He later received a Fulbright scholarship to study at the Pratt Institute in New York. He began his design career at the age of 15 at "Alphorn", an Austrian Youth magazine, which is named after the traditional Alpine musical instrument.

In 1991, he moved to Hong Kong to work with Leo Burnett's Hong Kong Design Group. In 1993, he returned to New York to work with Tibor Kalman's M&Co design company. His tenure there was short lived, as Kalman soon decided to retire from the design business to edit Colors magazine for the Benetton Group in Rome.

Stefan Sagmeister proceeded to form the New York based Sagmeister Inc. in 1993 and has since designed branding, graphics, and packaging for clients as diverse as the Rolling Stones, HBO, the Guggenheim Museum and Time Warner. Sagmeister Inc. has employed designers including Martin Woodtli, and Hjalti Karlsson and Jan Wilker, who later formed Karlssonwilker.

.sagmeister.com

HTML 5 Magnets from Cameron Moll

2011-12-06T08:52:00.000-08:00

Cameron Moll created these HTML magnets with his office ink jet printer and office depot magnetic sheets. This little project seems especially relevent to this class and could, quite possibly, be very useful to my professor in the future. Too bad our classroom doesn't have a good old-fashioned whiteboard... Moll offers up a free download of the illustrator files for this project on his blog.

NYC Skyline cup from Triangle Tree

2011-12-06T08:39:00.001-08:00

Triangle Tree is a Brand Identity firm located in Brooklyn, Ny. They designed this awesome NYC Skyline cup that is, unfortunately, not for sale...

Art Basel Miami 2011

2011-12-06T08:26:00.000-08:00

From December 6 through 9, Miami Beach, Florida, will host the 11th edition of Art Basel Miami Beach, the most prestigious art show in the Americas. More than 260 leading galleries from North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa will take part, showcasing works by more than 2,000 artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.

The exhibiting galleries are among the world's most respected art dealers, offering exceptional pieces by both renowned artists and cutting-edge newcomers. Special exhibition sections feature young galleries, performance art, public art projects and video art. The show will be a vital source for art lovers, allowing them to both discover new developments in contemporary art and experience rare museum-caliber artworks.

Top-quality exhibitions in the museums of South Florida and special programs for art collectors and curators also help make the event a special time for encountering art. And every year, a greater number of art collectors, artists, dealers, curators, critics and art enthusiasts from around the world participate in Art Basel Miami Beach - the favorite winter meeting place for the international art world.

Bellow is a video of Kenny Scharf working on a mural for Art Basel. Enjoy.

HCTN EPISODE 3 : KENNY SCHARF from Here Comes the Neighborhood on Vimeo.

Arizona I miss you!

2011-12-06T08:10:00.000-08:00

Desert Beauty from RC Aerial Cam on Vimeo.

This gorgeous video footage of a flyby of the Arizona desert shot on a RC Aeriel cam using Sony FS100 reminds me of all the amazing sights i saw on my last trip back in '09... It's been too long!

"Hero" Modern Pointilism

2011-12-06T07:56:00.000-08:00

Hero from Miguel Endara on Vimeo.

This amazing video showcases a wonderful exercise in pointillism. Miguel Endara’s father drew this piece called “Hero” completely out of dots. Who knows how they kept count, but in the end they said that there were 3.2 million ink dots on the page. That’s insane!

Audi AreA1

2011-12-01T13:22:00.000-08:00

The AreA1 Roadshow – combining a distinctive mobile brand space and theatrical Driving Experience, to launch the Europe-wide marketing campaign for the new Audi A1. To launch the marketing campaign of the new Audi A1, the Barcelona waterfront was chosen to stage the AreA1, an intensive brand and product experience that combines a distinctive Audi brand space with a theatrical Driving Experience. The architecture projects a high value message, presenting the new Audi A1 in intricate detail as it targets the young, urban crowd.

Visitors to AreA1 are led through a series of zones that follow a clear dramaturgy. First come several showroom modules that present the new A1 in perfect light. Next come exhibition areas designed to display product information, vehicle configuration and connectivity issues in a lively and engaging manner. The last stop on the visit is a small, central marketplace with a bar, seating, and WLAN. This meeting place is also the starting point of the Driving Experience, where visitors can join Audi instructors on a test drive of the new A1. The high-velocity journey incorporates full braking and sharp curves, before looping back into a sling test with 180-degree turnaround on a wet and smooth stainless steel plate, followed by a slow drive through the quarter pipe. The driving course, which takes up an area of under 3,000 sq m, will allow anyone to discover for themselves that this new small Audi is the real deal.

The design language of the modules was inspired by the A1’s single-frame radiator grill that forms a strong and recognizable modular brand architecture. The different kit – from S (165 sq m) to XL (1,000 sq m) – are flexible in configuration and size, and produce a variety of spatial compositions, as well as open and closed perspectives. The AreaA1 Roadshow also features a 10 meters wide x 8 meters tall Audi A1 landmark that illuminates Barcelona’s entire coastline.The concept of the German corporate statement “Vorsprung durch Technik” is exemplified by high-quality materials, surfaces and workmanship that give full expression to the architecture. Instead of using conventional display equipment with scaffolding, spotlights and loudspeakers, the AreA1 Road show consists of a single, distinctive design space, best described as a “mobile brand space.”

The lighting rigs were designed exclusively for AreA1, with programmable light and sound systems to ensure a spectacular show at night. The customized display furniture has clear edges and no visible joints or seams, and was specially developed for the occasion and is suitable for outdoor use. The hard-foam material from which the desks and other furnishings are molded, is coated with a special rubber material to form a surface that delivers a unique and striking feel. The entire structure sits on a slightly elevated 25 m x 34 m stage that is also constructed from high-quality materials. The stage integrates all the elements to create its own unique brand space in the middle of an urban environment – a true urban island in Barcelona’s prime location.
source

"Oblique" Cantilever Wine bottle holder

2011-12-01T12:59:00.000-08:00

Oblique is a wine bottle holder that is precision machined from 6061 Aluminum that holds the bottle horizontally such that the center of mass is roughly above the middle of the footprint of the holder. Thus, the bottle and holder are co-dependent on one another. The design is a result of the 'balance' between the CNC milling machine process considerations, efficient material use, shipping constraints, aesthetics, and cost. Oblique is designed in California and manufactured in Minnesota.
This could quite possibly be the perfect Christmas gift for any wine enthusiast, tech nerd, fashion savvy minimalist, engineer, artsy lush, or or or ...and the list goes on. I think I'll be picking one up soon... i'll be sure to come bck with a follow up on how well it functions with a half empty bottle.

Source

ALM Instagrams

2011-12-01T12:28:00.000-08:00

lately I've been getting pretty hooked on a relatively new (at least to me) iPhone App called Instagram. It's tons of fun and offers users the platform to express themselves creatively across an enormous social network combining the popular "like" feature from facebook and hashtag categorization from twitter. If you have an iPhone and haven't heard of this hot FREE photo sharing App yet than you should definitely take the 15 seconds and download it.

...And follow @almoriginals while your at it.

Adobe Muse (code name) web design sans-coding!

2011-11-21T12:27:00.000-08:00

Well, those in the graphic design field, professionally or otherwise, who have ever taken a beginner's class in web design know that Dreamweaver is no good. OR at least they are told so. Dreamweaver makes coding 'easy' but cripples young designers interested in web by providing too many shortcuts before they truly understand the basics. Aside from this there are a number of other issues regarding Adobe Dreamweaver and web design. But this is neither the time or the place; right now we're talking about something new! Adobe has recently introduced a beta version of a new software 'code named' MUSE that (adobe claims) allows users to design full HTML websites with absolutely no coding. For me, this is an incredibly exciting concept. Web design is hugely important these days, and until now this has made coding a necessary evil and an enormous obstacle. I'll admit, I haven't gotten a chance to download the free beta just yet but I am really looking forward to it. The muse.adobe site displays a showcase of sites designed using the software and from what I've seen the outcome looks favorable. Take a look at the showcase for yourself and maybe if your codeaphobic like me this is the alternative software for you!

typogra-what!?

2011-11-14T11:01:00.000-08:00

A brief lesson on typography from the Vancouver film school.

JUST caffeinated water!

2011-10-21T11:23:00.000-07:00

This great example of excellent typographical package design comes from lovelypackage.com an awesome site for anyone; design savvy or otherwise. Being a big coffee enthusiast myself the idea of a caffeinated water really intrigues me! too bad this brand is only available in England thus-far. the branding firm responsible for this design is a London-based group called Interabang.

Ian Francis

2011-10-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

Ian Francis is a British visual artist who has become well known for his contemporary surrealist mixed media works of art on canvas. He received his BA from the University of the West of England, UK in 2001 and has been showing his work professionally in international galleries since 2007. In his works Francis creates what he refers to as a "mediated landscape" drawing inspiration from cinema, street culture, pornography and random images from the internet. In the majority of his paintings he depicts groups of young, sexy, scantily clad semi recognizable celebrity like figures amidst a distinctive background of color wash and gyrating brushstrokes. The culminating depiction becomes an absolutely marvelous, completely surreal, sometimes hedonistic dream world that urges the viewer to jump in and join the party. I know the personally i have found a ton of inspiration in Francis' works since i discovered his work a few years ago on juxtapoz magazine's website.
When asked to describe his work in a recent interview Francis explained "I normally describe what I do as mixed media painting... the idea is to get different kinds of marks to work off of each other - so sometimes I'll paint/draw fairly accurately, then work quite loosely on a section, then break up elements of print on another section. At the moment I think a lot of the painting I do is too tight, it should really be looser and more expressive."

Sources:
Ian Francis homepage
Interview via Fecal Face

unatural dance moves+dubstep=a good time

2011-10-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

Interactivity?

2011-10-05T13:06:00.000-07:00

You're wondering what interactivity is, aren't you? So you turn from your screen and ask a friend; instantly you have answered your own question. Interaction can be broken down to its most basic understanding as any exchange between two parties or entities. Therefore interactivity can be explained as the capacity for interaction provided by any single entity.

a brief read; David Carson

2011-09-07T16:12:00.000-07:00

David Carson, born September 8, 1952 in Corpus Christi, Texas, is now known as the principal and chief designer of his own firm, David Carson design, Inc. and He received a BFA “with honors and distinction” in sociology from San Diego State University (a school which this young designer is currently kicking himself for not attending!). In the 1980’s, Carson took his first steps towards a great future in graphic design and typography by taking a brief graphics course at the University of Arizona and a three week graphic design workshop in Switzerland. It was during his trip in Switzerland that Carson met Hans-Rudolph Lutz, the professor of his workshop and his first significant influence into the world of typography. In his own career, Lutz published a ton of written works from many other prominent writers and designers as well as his own and also spent a great deal of time teaching at a few well-established Universities in both Switzerland and the United States. He is now known best for his killer design sense, but in the 1970’s David Carson was once a Professional Surfer, and a very good one at that. During his college career, he reached a ranking of ninth in the world.
Obviously, Carson’s background of surf culture and his emersion into the bohemian and creative lifestyle of Southern California at the time had a great impact on the man. He quickly became involved with a number of skateboard and surf culture magazines and through which began to create his signature style amongst the graphic world. Carson’s work in design, hated by some, admired by others, was regarded so highly when it first really began to surface in the early nineties because of his fearless approach towards the boundaries of what was regarded at the time as conventional design. He’s been referred to as the “father of Grunge” because of his affinity for the combination of “dirty fonts and non-conventional photography.” Among the first magazines to work with Carson were Transworld Skateboarding and Beach Culture; two companies through which he began to truly blossom creatively as a designer. He then continued on to Surfer Magazine followed by a brief stretch with How Magazine; a publication devoted to design. After gaining such valuable experiences from these mainstream periodicals, Carson decided to start his own venture entitled Ray Gun, “a magazine of international standards which had music and lifestyle as its subject.” Through this edgy and free spirited labor of love, Carson really exercised both his creative license and sense of humor. In one issue he even published an entire article interviewing Bryan Ferry in an illegible character font known as Dingbat, where tiny symbols take the place of each corresponding letter. Apparently this aesthetic choice was made in some relation to Carson’s own lack of interest in the interview itself; he was also sure to include an alternate and legible copy of the article in the back of the same issue.
David Carson’s time spent working on Ray Gun established him as a leader amongst the professionals of the industry and earned him the appraisal of "most important work coming out of America" from The American Center for Design. By the mid 1990’s Carson ‘s work was not only respected by the masses but being imitated as well, and young aspiring designers were striving to recreate his edgy style. The publicity continued to role in as he was referred to as "Art Director of the Era" by Creative Review magazine in London, featured in Newsweek magazine and graced the front pages of the New York Times as well as features in over 180 other magazine and news articles from around the world. His first book, The End of Print, is the widest selling graphic design book to date, printed in multiple languages and 200,000 copies sold world-wide. USA Today has even exclaimed that his work "may actually get young people reading again."
Today, Carson’s work spans all across the board from lectures at universities globally, to the title of Creative Director for the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, to works in television and film. He owns offices in Del Mar, California and Zurich Switzerland. It seems that he has reached the point in his prolific career, where it is truly possible to go in any direction with more than just a fare shot at success and he has undoubtedly established an immense network of powerfully valuable contacts. His extensive list of previous clients includes names as large as Nike, MTV Global, Budweiser, Sony, Suzuki, Quicksilver, and Mercedes Benz. David Carson may be best known for his non-traditional sense of the uses and implementations of graphic design and typography. His trademark usage of unusual font types and abstract photographic imagery is excellent in its portrayal of the ideas and feelings behind each design. In effect, his work has set an entirely new standard for rising graphic designers to follow, one that many young designers like myself are very open to and honestly, excited about. His work may be criticized by an older generation of designers who prefer their (dated) clean cut and traditional design standards, but it is instantly recognizable to and perhaps much easier for the teenagers of today to relate to.

Chip Kidd: from cover to cover

2011-08-30T08:18:00.000-07:00

As an ongoing project for my Digital Design II class this semester I will be posting weekly on a new artist/designer with a few examples of his or her work and a brief bio of the artist. This week's designer, Chip Kidd, is a very accomplished man within the industry who began by designing book jackets in the 80's for Alfred A. Knopf design team, a subsidiary of Random House Inc. the "largest English-language general trade book publisher in the world." Kidd is now not only a well-recognized designer today, but also the associate art director at Knopf, a published author, and musician. Since 1986, Kidd has averaged at about 75 book jackets annually. Upon first glance at Kidd's tremendous library of previous works it is difficult to establish a concept of constancy, but then we must think about the subject of his work; each novel is unique, and although we know better, most of us do tend to judge books by their covers. Chip Kidd tends to make light of his crucial role in the sales of the novels he works on. "I'm very much against the idea that the cover will sell the book. Marketing departments of publishing houses tend to latch onto this concept and they can't let go. But it's about whether the book itself really connects with the public, and the cover is only a small part of that." Being a comic book enthusiast Kidd has contributed cover designs for many DC comic books such as Batman, Wonderwoman and Superman. As a graduate of the graphics program at Penn State University, Kidd drew on his real-life experiences to create his first novel satirizing his experiences there. Since 2008 Kidd has been recording and performing music with a group by the name Artbreak, all the while juggling his ever-diverging creative career. The image below depicts just a few of the book covers designed by Chip over the years.

photo credit: 1, 2.

Kabanjak "Tree of Mystery" album

2011-07-02T12:18:00.000-07:00

This is just one of the many treasures you'll find after purchasing the new album from Kabanjak who makes up one half of the Ancient Astronauts, a personal favorite group of mine right now.

New 'ALM Originals' Video

2011-07-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

A new video compilation for your enjoyment. most of the items shown have been sold or designed specifically for individual clients. Don't forget to LIKE the facebook page!

New show & facebook page

2011-02-24T10:38:00.000-08:00

The new show will be this March 18th and 19th at Radley Run Country Club. Great art from 50 local artists, amazing food and drinks as well, what more could you ask for? Also do a quick search for ALM Originals on facebook and click the like button when you get there. A ton of exclussive shit headed that way.

2010 Art Gala @ UHS

2010-11-14T21:57:00.000-08:00

Just wrapped up the 2010 Art Gala at Unionville high school. It was a great show with over 90 professional artists as well as work displayed from Unionville students. A friend of mine brought his video camera so i asked him to put together a video of the show. Footage of my work begins at 1:47. Enjoy.

Chris Webby; The Underclassmen

2010-07-15T09:46:00.000-07:00

Chris Webby - The Underclassmen - Listen and Download

By now I know you're already familiar with the name. No intro necessary... Since our Hofstra days, Chris Webby has been on his grind; committing a focus to his passion that I can honestly say I envy and admire. With his newest mixtape, The Underclassmen, Webby has set a new standard that aspiring hip hop artists can only look to for inspiration. Seriously, my itunes library is stacked with tracks from this kid long before he changed his name, and since then in the past 2 years he's released 4 mixtapes, all free of charge. There isn't a whole lot more to say, just google the name and you'll find him everywhere; most notibly Datpiff where he hosted The Underclassmen, which in the past 1/2 day has already generated 4,000+ downloads. DAMN, webby. All i can really say is keep it up.

...and if by some strange occurrence you are new to this guy take a look at some of my older posts. you'll see.

Banksy's Exit Through The Gift Shop film

2010-05-05T13:08:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late on this one as the film has actually already premiered (in a few cities) and of course a film about Banksy has had a buzz surrounding it for months by now. But if you have not already seen the film take a look at this official trailer and then check the Banksy Film site to see when it will premier in a city near you. I know i'll be heading over to the Ritz 5 in Philly this week to check it out for myself.

Modestep = dirty dirty dubstep

2010-05-05T12:50:00.000-07:00

Heard about this up and coming UK based dubstep collective on Dubstep FM. Amazing sound, and plenty more big things to come from them in the future to be sure. join their mailing list for a few free tunes including the one above...

Wu Tang x Bagua Loafers

2010-05-03T10:21:00.001-07:00

These official Wu-Tang x Bagua loafer-sneakers are on sale now at OverKill shop, Berlin. With only 360 pairs produced world-wide, now's the time to make an order.

Guru: A legend lost 4/19/2010

2010-04-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

Rest in peace Guru. You will be missed, but not forgotten.

Daily Inspiration: fortune cookie wisdom

2010-04-17T11:50:00.001-07:00

Got this fortune a while back at some Chinese place.. Can't remember where but the fortune really stuck with me, so I thought I'd share. (image property of ALM Originals, LLC.)

Elysium 154: Dreamy Australian Getaway

2010-04-14T15:03:00.000-07:00

The Elysium 154 Noosa Project is a large site consisting of 189 house allotments, communal leisure facilities (tennis courts, health spa, aquatic facilities) parkland and nature reserves located in Queensland, Australia, designed by BVN Architecture Firm.

via: contemporist

Quote of the day: John Steinbeck

2010-04-14T13:30:00.000-07:00

Since I am currently reading a novel of his, titled A Wayward Bus, and I have thoroughly enjoyed other books of his in the past (most notably, Tortilla Flat, a story I think everyone should get himself acquainted with sooner or later), I see it only fitting to leave you today with a few great quotes from one of the great(est) American authors...

"It has always seemed strange to me... the things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling, are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest, are the traits of success. And while men admire the quality of the first they love the produce of the second."

"It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it."

"I am impelled, not to squeak like a grateful and apologetic mouse, but to roar like a lion out of pride in my profession."

"A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us."

"I hate cameras. They are so much more sure than I am about everything."

-John Steinbeck

Hopefully this has been neither a quote-overload or a post that you just couldn't find the mental strength to paddle through. There's just too much wisdom in the lines above to pass off as unworthy of the five minutes it should have taken you to read it.

via: brainyquote

Mos Dub

2010-04-12T12:11:00.001-07:00

This mixtape brings to fruition an idea that i had years ago when I was first starting to get into the dub Greats like King Tubby, Augustus Pablo, and Lee "Scratch" Perry to name a few. My idea: wouldn't it be great to combine the naturally heavy thumps of the roots dub bassline with a true lyricist like, say... maybe Mos Def, why not? Well, unfortunately for me, I've never had the musical talent to play an instrument (aside from the recorder) let alone sample, blend and mash-up multiple tracks from far reaching genres to put together music that sounds perfectly fresh and new while remaining all together classic and timeless. I present to you Mos Dub a mixtape by Max Tannone (the guy responsible for Jaydiohead) and you can download all of his stuff for free right here

via: mos dub

iPhone Home Phone

2010-04-10T16:34:00.000-07:00

The Desk Phone Dock by Kee Utility for the the iPhone honestly doesn't really need much of an explanation but it is very pleasing to the eye and very convenient for the home or office (or both) considering how quickly the battery tends to go out on the 3gs...

astonishing street performance(s)

2010-04-09T10:21:00.000-07:00

Both artists use a looping machine to blend together layers of beautiful sound. kind of like a one-man-band 2.0 if you will. What i'm wondering is when these two will cross paths and put together some crazy collaboration of euro-street sound!

Exponential Times

2010-04-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

Did you know? ...that in one day the number of text messages sent globally exceeds the entire world's population? or that if myspace were a country it'd be the 5th largest in the world? ...Yes we do live in exponential times, and while it seems to be becoming harder and harder to find the right answers, maybe the creators of this video were on the right track by simply posing the difficult questions. just let this one marinate in the back of your mind for a minute.

The XX: VCR music video

2010-04-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

By now you must have at least heard the first single from this group titled "crystallized." If not then right now you may just be in for a treat. With a very mellow and down-tempo sound all the way through this Group's self-titled debut album has been received by nearly every critic with phenomenal ratings. The listeners and blogosphero-whatever-you-call-it have also been giving this young British group nothing but praise. Their sound is, just.. so unique. but instead of taking my word for it, just have a listen to this next track VCR.

Some cars simply deserve the best of the best...

2010-04-07T15:16:00.000-07:00

When you can afford cars like these then you better start considering your options regarding both security and aesthetics, because you know you'll need a safe place to show off the new toys. These pictures are just a few examples of what you might find in the Automotive section over at Da World Is Yours. Join the community today and start up your own conversation.
via: DWIY

Broken Bells: Danger Mouse x James Mercer (The Shins)

2010-03-10T18:17:00.000-08:00

If you're a fan of the music that either of these two have been a part of in the past then you may already have some idea of what to expect from this epic collaboration. I mean seriously, this is pretty huge. there should be no need for introductions or explanations here. Instead let's just let the music speak for itself. The album titled Broken Bells was released this Tuesday, and though I personally have yet to buy it, I did get a chance to sneak in a listen to the entire thing at NPR Music. And if clicking the link feels like too much of a commitment, try the video below first.

Panda Dub; Subcontraire EP

2010-03-01T16:10:00.000-08:00

Just came across this little piece of excellence in dub at ODG
Panda Dub is a young and upcoming french dub artist with some truly amazing skills. Do yourself a favor and click the link below and check the vibes.

download: Subcontraire

this is how to report the news

2010-02-22T22:18:00.000-08:00

Just in case you were curious... A pretty entertaining video poking fun at the cookie-cutter method used by every television news station in the world.

enjoy

It's just a deadbeat summer

2010-01-29T13:32:00.000-08:00

...So all aroud the world, at least in the northern hemisphere, it's been an extra-seasonably cold winter. here's a pretty cool track from Neon Indian that might help you get your mind back to a warmer place.

and if you enjoyed that track you might also take a listen to "should have taken acid with you" and "terminally chill."

MY APOLOGIES! ! !

2009-09-07T18:44:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry for the not-so-brief hiatus from the usual posting frenzy here at ALM Originals, it's just that all of our attention is being tied up at the moment and being put into the development of the REAL website (almoriginals.com) which will soon be hosting the blog, the online gallery of products, art, and everything in between and yes, there will even be an online store! ...so hang tight for a bit, we promise, it will be worth the wait.. for the time being check out my posts on Da World is Yours and listen to some awesome dubstep tracks from Chase & Status and another from Silkie!

Enjoy

stay true to yourself, and remember to always Be Original.

Diego Stocco

2009-07-16T21:59:00.000-07:00

Diego Stocco - Music From A Tree from Diego Stocco on Vimeo.

Color-picker Pen

2009-06-27T12:37:00.000-07:00

with this amazing pen you will have an entire world of colors at your fingertips! Simply scan the color from any real-life object you can find and immediately begin drawing with the vary same color. Those familiar with Photoshop and other Adobe CS products know that most of the digital design tools offered are actually based upon analog design tools that were at one time, long ago, real life objects used by hand in the design process. South Korean designer Jinsun Park has reversed the process by creating this pen which is somewhat like the "eye-dropper" tool in photoshop.

via: popsci

Brush your teeth!

2009-06-25T18:45:00.000-07:00

Zoom into a Tooth
by Weird_Weird_Science

This video gives a noce little look with the accompaniment of a brief description of the very very close up and personal view of one human tooth... I'm actually going to go brush mine now, thanks.

....enjoy?

Quote of the day; Honest Abe

2009-06-23T18:08:00.000-07:00

"Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle."

-Abraham Lincoln
The man could really tell it like it is, couldn't he? ..I think this is one of my favorite quotes yet!

Pretty Lights; amazing music (for you to download!)

2009-06-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

I believe this guy is from Colorado, or at least further out west than here in Philadelphia, regardless i first heard about Pretty Lights from a friend of mine in school at Colorado State who has seen him live a few times. I loved the sound from the first song that I heard, and I've got even more good news for all of you free music lovers... You can download 3 (three!) albums worth of his music at no charge from his website here. If you feel guilty or just want to help an artist make his way, beneath the download links there is a donation button.

classic track; Black Star

2009-06-23T07:07:00.000-07:00

Thieves in the night... It's just one of those songs to listen to over and over again.

Puma Summer '09

2009-06-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

the new line from puma for the summertime, and would you look at those hi-tops!

via: monkeyboxing

are you open minded?

2009-06-22T17:12:00.000-07:00

Open-mindedness
by totocacapouet

...or are you just saying that? Chances are that you may be a little more closed minded than you've been assuming yourself to be, or perhaps those you have been accusing of close mindedness aren't so closed minded at all. This is an interesting mini-documentary exploring the concept of the "open mind"

Tim "Love" LEE

2009-06-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

I first heard Tim on the Chill station (84) on XM radio... liked the sound, so I did a little research and thought I'd share my findings. Smooth, ambient, electronic; if these types of sounds even occasionally catch your interest, i suggest you check out his music. while the song above is a Groove Armada remix, the song below is all Tim.

The Tortoise, Tim Love Lee from Simon Russell on Vimeo.

...a pretty interesting video as well.

Singapore's Digital Cloud building

2009-06-20T12:33:00.001-07:00

this bold new design from Singapore based Design Act is comprised of more than 3866 cubes of modular sizes and varying transparencies. Read more about the project on their website.

via:inhabitat

Nike SB "Pacman" Dunks

2009-06-20T12:13:00.001-07:00

here's a sneak peak of the upcoming Pac Man inspired high top Dunk SB's

via: individual sole

check mate designs

2009-06-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

I'm not soo interested in the game of chess myself, maybe because I never really won that often. Either way, here are some very interestingly designed and unique chess sets for your enjoyment.

via: beautifullife

9FF and Porsche retune the "widowmaker"

2009-06-20T11:14:00.000-07:00

For those Porsche fans out there not quite satisfied by the 520 HP GT2's 0-62mph in 3.7 sec performance the good folks at 9ff have strapped their "BT2" with 850 HP powered by a twin turbo, high(er) performance exhaust and an ECU upgrade to get you to that very same 0-62 in just 3 seconds. If that's nothing too exhilarating for you keep your foot down on the petal and you'll see what 200 mph feels like in 19 seconds. the BT2 tops out at 240, but if this is still a little to tame, there's always the GT9 toping out at 254 mph and 987 horsepower. Also be sure to watch out for the GT9-R due to drop from 9ff with an estimated 1,120 horsepower!

via: wired

Quote of the day; Salvador Dali

2009-06-15T16:42:00.000-07:00

You know who this guy is, don't you? ...don't you?

"Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings. "

" Mistakes are almost always of a sacred nature. Never try to correct them. On the contrary: rationalize them, understand them thoroughly. After that, it will be possible for you to sublimate them. "

"Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it."

-S.D.

quotes via: brainyquote

Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse make a mellow mix

2009-06-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

I'm not too familiar with the name "Sparklehorse" but I am waaay familiar with Danger Mouse, actually a big fan, and I've been so since the day that i first heard the "Grey Album" that he did a few years back.. Either way, listen to this mellowish indie vybe, sit back and relax.

...oh so you liked that track? give this one a try while you're at it...

NEW banksy!

2009-06-13T15:14:00.000-07:00

Over 100 new original works from Banksy are currently hanging in the Bristol Museum of Art in London replacing the usual Picasso's and Rembrandts normally lining the walls. The museum was closed down for most of the past week in order to stage this enormous display and as a part of the deal with the only 2 members of the Museums Council who knew of this show beforehand, Banksy's identity is still unkown even to those he colaborated with in order to pull off this stunt!

as Banksy himself puts it; "This is the first show I've ever done where taxpayers' money is being used to hang my pictures up rather than scrape them off."

watch the video above for a little more info and a mini-tour oh Banksy's new works!

via: BBC

another set of sneakers

2009-06-13T11:16:00.001-07:00

...another slightly-older pair of my hand painted sneakers, again, new sneakers, art and other items all very very soon to come!

the beach is my inspiration!

2009-06-13T10:06:00.001-07:00

Who doesn't love the beach? and this shot is just amazing to me, hope you enjoy.
click the image for the larger (full) view!
image via: photopharm (romania)

My toys like me

2009-06-07T17:24:00.000-07:00

this group is a recent discovery for me, and for the most part I'm really digging their sound.. take a second to listen to this track, you might just like them too.

ALM's Original sneaker of the week...

2009-06-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

painted these for a good friend of mine back in '07... new sneakers, other new products, and NEW ART! all coming very very soon, keep your eyes peeled.

Old School track: Tupac

2009-06-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

came on in the car yesterday and i just had to bump it! such a lead back bass-heavy beat...

Hind House by John Pardy Architects

2009-06-05T12:31:00.000-07:00

located near Wargrave on the banks of the River Loddon, this house is a completely one of a kind design, built to serve three main purposes; private bed rooms, public living spaces, and guest accommodations.
John Pardy Architects
via: trendir

Microsoft Natal; wow!

2009-06-05T08:32:00.000-07:00

and you thought wii was cool and futuristic? this is pure craziness! no more video game controllers, voice recognition, completely hands-free video games.. above is the commercial for the Natal, and bellow is its introduction at the E3 conference.

Lost Generation!

2009-06-05T08:26:00.000-07:00

we are all part of this "lost generation" ...watch the entire video to discover the truth and the beauty of this seemingly pessimistic commercial brought to you by AARP.

Let the beat build (for real)

2009-06-04T22:14:00.000-07:00

Nyle "Let The Beat Build" from Nyle on Vimeo.

no, no weezy here, not cam'ron either... just a few good musicians having some fun. I guess i'll just quote the video's bio to rap this one up:

"This video was filmed in one take, with audio being recorded simultaneously with the film. The video features Nyle (www.nyleraps.com) and is produced by Last Pictures (www.last-pictures.com) and 194 Recordings (www.myspace.com/194recordings)"

almost cut my hair today

2009-06-02T22:33:00.000-07:00

...I mean really, i almost did! Not really sure what stopped me, but while I sit and ponder, take a moment to enjoy this classic CSNY.

(a few) Quote(s) of the day: Jeremy Clarkson

2009-06-01T13:41:00.000-07:00

“Speed has never killed anyone, suddenly becoming stationary… that’s what gets you.”

“I’m sorry, but having an Aston Martin DB9 on the drive and not driving it is a bit like having Keira Knightley in your bed and sleeping on the couch. If you’ve got even half a scrotum it’s not going to happen.”

“A turbo: exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster.”

via: ridelust

...and as long as i'm on my guitar kick, check out this Ormsby!

2009-06-01T13:31:00.000-07:00

I will admit out front, I am an artist, not a musician. I gave a pretty weak attempt at learning guitar a few years ago and haven't really looked back since. But, if by some chance, I were to one day pick up the guitar again, and actually make music with it, I would really hope I could do so with this.

Ormbsy Guitars

Andy Mckee; amazing guitarist

2009-06-01T13:24:00.000-07:00

artist spotlight: DAIN

2009-06-01T09:11:00.000-07:00

street artist DAIN is becoming quite the legendary representation of Brooklyn's finest in graffiti.. above are a few examples of what you might find from this artist while walking the streets of any one of the five boroughs.. If his work interests you, be sure to take a second and watch the youtube interview I pulled from juxtapoz too! ...very interesting stuff!

2010 Vantage V12

2009-05-30T16:45:00.001-07:00

Posted by rocksta on DWIY
more info on the vehicle here.

toilet art?

2009-05-29T17:47:00.001-07:00

direct quote from BBC:
"Decorated toilets are displayed as part of an art show in Kiev's Independence Square to mark the 100th anniversary of the lavatory. The Ukrainian-Russian art union, which organised the show, are suggesting people sit on the loos and think about problems triggered by the economic crisis."

...how thought provoking!?

close calls!!!

2009-05-29T15:10:00.000-07:00

Chance
by titounetsan

this is a compilation of some of the craziest close calls probably ever caught on camera! You may have already seen a few of these clips, but most of these are extremely ridiculously lucky chances. The only problem: the soundtrack is beyond whack unless you are in far east europe in the late 1990's? ...my advice, turn the volume off and enjoy.

Puma Monsters

2009-05-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

The Puma "Monster" Pack is apparently inspired by the genre of monster movies where giant sci-fi creatures fight it out to the death.. I'm a little stumped here, this must be some sort of cult japanese film tribute type thing? close ups of the other three sneakers at the link bellow.

...and as always, i like the Clydes best...

via: eukicks

Scanz; local hip hop talent

2009-05-29T10:11:00.000-07:00

Scanz is one talented dude; I first heard about this kid from a friend of mine.. actually a personal acquaintance of his who was doing some promotional work for him at the time. So my buddy gave me Scanz's sophomore effort, The Basement Chronicle which is actually available for free download (just click the album title above). I'm gonna be honest with you, for the past week I have only had 2 cds with me in the car: dre's chronic 2001 and this new Scanz album, and I've just been listening to them both back to back to back! Scanz is not just a talented rapper, but an ill producer as well, and to top all of that off, he's working with some very established members of the industry of old an new; namely KRS ONE and Mr. Lif.. check out the album's debut music video bellow and be sure to download the album above and listen to some really great tracks.

Scanz ft. Mr. Lif & Akrobatik - "The Gauntlet" (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO) from FourHourFuture on Vimeo.

enjoy.

Roots throwback: Sly & Robbie

2009-05-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

Thievery Corporation interview with NPR

2009-05-26T15:21:00.000-07:00

Just follow the link right here

Thievery Corporation - Shadows
Uploaded by hushhush112. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

...I don't know about all of you, but I still can't get over this amazing music!

intel programable matter

2009-05-26T15:07:00.000-07:00

via: massive change

Ill Kieth Harring jacket (rihanna)

2009-05-21T20:59:00.000-07:00

Came across this photo on Kanye's blog.. He was primarily commenting on how well-done this particular photograph was taken by one member of the paparazzi or another. However i think the most interesting part of this photo is Rihanna's coat which looks to me a lot like the late great Keith Harring's work.. If it's not his and just a knock off it would be offly disapointing.

more info on the artist, Keith Harring.

Twisted off the Grey Goose

2009-05-20T11:17:00.000-07:00

this is perhaps the most ridiculous thing ever posted here at ALM Originals to date; an unaltered photo of a goose that is really flying upside down! if you take a closer look, you will notice that the goose has twisted it's neck completely around, so as it flies completely upside down, it's head is right-side up.

“The wind was making life difficult for the flying birds,” said Mr MacFarlane.

“Some were expert at controlling their flight, while others were being tossed around in mid-air.

“On closer inspection of the image I realized it had flipped upside down but kept its head the right way up. “Quite a feat!”

via: EDP24

When I say just listen...

2009-05-20T08:37:00.000-07:00

...I usually have my reasons. Cee-Lo, post-Goodie Mob, pre-Gnarls Barkley! Don't sleep on this one.

Peter Funch candids

2009-05-20T08:00:00.001-07:00

This third image has caught a lot of buzz recently... what luck, to catch an entire sidewalk's worth of people in the middle of New York City, all in mid-yawn! ..I believe this version of the image is actually a cropping of the original which has even a few more yawners joining in on the action. take a look at the link bellow for a ton more examples of Funch's work.

via: V1 Gallery

Solar Stadium; Taiwan

2009-05-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

WOW, way to go Taiwan! ...an entire Stadiums worth of energy provided entirely by solar energy (that means energy from the sun's rays stupid!). Designed by Toyo Ito in the shape of a dragon, this design is not only stylishly green, its also pretty cool to look at.

The 14,155 sq meter solar roof houses 8,884 individual panels providing enough energy to power the stadium’s 3,300 lights and two jumbo vision screens. The stadium seats 50,000 spectators and will host the 2009 world games later this year. Apparently, on off-days the stadiums unused power will be fed into the local grid, providing 80% of the nearby area's energy requirements. Overall, the stadium will generate 1.14 million KWh per year, preventing the release of 660 tons of carbon dioxide into atmosphere annually. Crazy-cool stuff! Ok America, time to get the ball rolling, hmm?

via: Inhabitat

Matte black Phantom

2009-05-20T07:16:00.000-07:00

MATTE BLACK ROLLS ROYCE PHANTOM

Not to sound tooo poppy but did you know fucking Lindsey Lohan is rolling around in this car? ...I really didn't know the girl had such good taste.

Lo Dunk Sb; something simple for spring

2009-05-20T06:29:00.000-07:00

via: soledictation

Daily inspirations; tatted up

2009-05-18T15:12:00.001-07:00

...So, what's your take on tattoo art?
via: Shiroi Kaze

Drunken Monkeys

2009-05-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

This will be my last post for at least a day or 2... need to get some pending work out of the way!

Quote of the day: Roland Barthes

2009-05-13T22:07:00.000-07:00

"There is only one way left to escape the alienation of present-day society; to retreat ahead of it: every old language is immediately compromised, and every language becomes old once it is repeated."

Roland Barthes, The pleasure of Text

because it's summertime and i feel like outkast

2009-05-12T18:43:00.000-07:00

Bob Dylan is the dopest folkist you ever did('nt) see

2009-05-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

A historical and musical legend in his own right, Bob Dylan proved once again last week how humble a true musician can be when he went unnoticed on a public minibus tour to John Lennon's childhood home. He was not recognized by a single one of the 13 other members of the tour group. John Lennon (of the Beatles in case you're a moron) and Bob Dylan were both well recognized and vastly influential musicians of the 1960's.

"He took one of our general minibus tours. People on the minibus did not recognise him apparently," the spokeswoman said. "He could have booked a private tour but he was happy to go on the bus with everyone else,"

Dylan was in liverppol last week for a stop on his European tour; the man is 67 years old, still performing and acting like more of a down to earth individual than most of us common folk here on the internet!

The house, called Mendips, has been restored to its original 1940s style by the trust and contains early Lennon memorabilia.

via: BBC

a brief read; David Carson

2009-05-11T22:51:00.000-07:00

David Carson may be best known for his non-traditional sense of the uses and implementations of graphic design and typography. His trademark usage of unusual font types and abstract photographic imagery is excellent in its portrayal of the ideas and feelings behind each design. In effect, his work has set an entirely new standard for rising graphic designers to follow, one that many young designers like myself are very open to and honestly, excited about. His work may be criticized by an older generation of designers who prefer their (dated) clean cut and traditional design standards, but it is instantly recognizable to and perhaps much easier for the teenagers of today to relate to.

Sources:

Image sources:

Artist spotlight: Brian Dettmer

2009-05-11T14:42:00.000-07:00

Artist, Brian Dettmer uses an exacto knife and tweezers to destruct, reshape and recreate old books into new works of art. Pretty cool stuff if you ask me. And if your upset that this man is defacing and destroying your valuable books you can always get your reading done online, right?

via: coolhunting