6 Tips for Photography Lovers

// April 16th, 2012 // View Comments // b-Crowd, b-inspired, featured

Photography tools and tricks have changed throughout the years, but the universal love of imagery never fades. Here are 6 tips that will help photography lovers stand out from the crowd.

1. Don’t Limit Your Perspective

It’s a digital world, so what is holding you back from taking as many shots as you need? Take multiple shots at multiple angles of your subject. You will be surprised at how a simple perspective change can enhance the artistic quality of any scene. By simply moving your camera away from your regular eye level, you may be able to help others see what you see in your subject.

2. Remember the Rule of Thirds

When you’re following the rule of thirds you mentally divide the scene in the LCD screen into nine equal parts using a grid pattern, and you line up your subject up with these vertical and horizontal lines and cross sections.  The rule of thirds helps your photo have a more balanced appearance.  However, if your subject only has a big empty space in the opposite third of your camera’s LCD screen, your end result may be side heavy.  If your layout is side heavy, try balancing the scene with a less important object in the opposite third. Although some cameras include grid patterns to help users, this rule is a basic trick many photographers learn to do naturally.

3. Less is More

If you want to show how dew drops gather on a field of wildflowers, you would not necessarily need a picture of the entire field. Since your focus would be the dew itself, then in this case it would be best to focus in on one flower. To enhance your photography, keep your subjects uncluttered. By staying focused on only the scenery necessary to accentuate your subject, you can really make your photos shine.

4.  Don’t Forget Your Memory

Go ahead and invest in a larger memory card or two for your camera. If you don’t, you’ll be sure to miss out on the perfect shot due to a full memory card. If you remember to keep plenty of memory on hand, you won’t have to feel pressured to delete a potential masterpiece in order to make room for a new one.

5. Tripods Can Be Worth the Trouble

Although tripods can be hassle at time, when you use one you will be able to use more of the built-in features of your camera.  If you use a tripod along with the self timer setting on your camera, you will be able to join those exciting group picture shots. So be sure to tuck in your tripod as you pack up for your vacation.

6. Hold Your Breath

A simple trick to help you steady yourself and the camera is to take a deep breath, hold it, and then take the picture. The breath-holding method helps you to freeze before taking the shot and eliminates blurriness.

As with everything creative, there are no hard and fast rules.  These 6 tips can be very helpful for certain circumstances, but photography enthusiasts must determine for themselves the best way to share their world with others. Always remember that a camera is a tool, but you are the artist.

If you are looking for original artwork for your new website, brief the Exchange now!

mimosa creations

Top 5 most influential fonts for consumers

// September 7th, 2011 // View Comments // b-Crowd, b-inspired

Why do some brand logos seem to stick with us while others don’t?  Some brands take the plunge and either build their own font or use one that isn’t among the ‘safe’ fonts.  It can get boring to see the same logos using Futura, Times New Roman or Helvetica (well, Skype uses Helvetica).  Let’s take a look at the top five logos that businesses have used to set their brand apart.

1. Giorgio Armani – Didot LT Std Headline

This sleek font is named after a famous French printing and producing family in the 18th century.  Didot derives in name from its stressed lines and ‘modern’ look and feel.

2. Coca Cola – Coca Cola ii

This font just gives you that ‘it’s the 1950s and you’re drinking a cold Coke from a glass bottle’ feeling doesn’t it?  This distinctive logo has undergone a few changes – can you believe that it’s been around for 125 years!  But it still maintains its trademark ‘fishtail’ off of the C.  

3. Twitter – Pico Alphabet (modified)

Twitter’s font is a light-hearted twist on a very normal looking logo.  Now, the font is so widespread that just the T can be recognised around the globe.  Perhaps we’ll see more with fonts on Twitter in the future?  For now, here’s a website where you can write your name (or anything you want, really) in ‘Twitter’.

4.  Walt Disney – Walt Disney v4.1

The Walt Disney font may be the most loved and widely recognised font for children of the last 50 years.  Who doesn’t have warm and fuzzy memories of watching Cinderella or The Little Mermaid after seeing this logo?

5. Facebook – Klavika (modified)

Of course, no list of brand messaging is complete without mentioning Facebook.  This brand selected a simple, sans serif font that emphasised the technical nature of the social platform without seeming like a tech company.  Perhaps Klavika will surpass Disney as the most-loved font for Generation Y?

René Magritte: A is for apple, I is for irony

// September 5th, 2011 // View Comments // b-Crowd, b-inspired

Everyone’s favourite Surrealist, René Magritte, never  disappoints.  Magritte’s work is full of ironies about the human experience, emotions and impossible situations.  It’s not possible to describe Surrealism or the complexity of Surrealist artists in any one way – the concept of Surrealisim is ironic and explaining irony is like explaining a pun.    René Magritte: The Pleasure Principle, now showing at the Tate Liverpool, is no exception.

The exhibition boasts around 100 works of different media by the Belgium artist, many of them have never touched UK soil.  Instead of organising the exhibition chronologically, the curators chose to arrange the works by theme – an idea that makes sense, given that the Belgium Surrealist repeated symbols throughout his works.  To keep things simple, the curators arranged the catalogue alphabetically so that Magritte fans can easily discover the artist – as long as they explore the works from A to Z.  Magritte is most well known for his image-text paintings, men in bowler hats and apples paintings; however, these are just a sample from his career, which also includes many erotic works and commercial designs.

Photographs and rarely-seen home movie footage supports the paintings and helps flesh out the larger-than-life artist and his relationship with the Surrealist movement.  The artist once famously stated that “there is very little difference between seeing a work in reproduction and looking at the real thing”.  This is a sentiment that many Surrealists believed; reproduction and automatisation were common themes in Surrealist artwork.

Don’t miss:

Although the exhibition has received mixed reviews, it’s a rare opportunity to see so much of Margritte’s work all in one place.  Much of Magritte’s commercial work has been overlooked given the popularity of his flat, symbol rich paintings.  However, this exhibition boasts a broad scope of his commercial works, displaying his experience as a designer of wallpaper and fashion advertisements.

Give a miss:

Apples and bowler hats.  Much of the Surrealist movement dispensed with the “traditional” method of naturalist painting and instead embraced symbolism that explored the human condition.  The exhibition’s arrangement of works by theme (e.g. apples, bowler hats, image-text paintings), this dispenses with the depth of the works.  Seeing 14 men in bowler hats is, well, interesting, but doesn’t suggest that these symbols have a depth and meaning.  It would be just as effective to see a juxtaposition of 5 apple paintings as 14.

- René Magritte: The Pleasure Principle

Tate Liverpool 24 June  –  16 October 2011

The Museum of Broken Relationships: the ritual of romance

// August 30th, 2011 // View Comments // b-Crowd, b-inspired, b-scene

The summer is coming to an end, and so are a number of art exhibitions in London.  What show should you see in the final days of summer?  Well, you could go see whatever is on at the Tate Modern, or you take a chance on an alternative arts experience: the ‘Museum of Broken Relationships’, for example.

‘The Museum of Broken Relationships’ is a unique exhibition that is both visually and emotionally engaging.  Conceptualized in Croatia by Olinka Vištica and Dražen Grubišić, each work of art tells the story of a past relationship – good or bad.  The works of art are a collection of random objects that are donated by people from around the world.

A forgotten wedding dress, underpants and a crumbling garden gnome are showcased alongside the descriptions of the stories that they represent: passion, romance and remembrance are explored in these stories.  There is no single way to view this show; the objects could represent the symbolic value of the relationship or the ruins of a failed romance.  However way you want to view the exhibition, one theme is true throughout: the Museum offers creativity in place of destruction.

When viewing the exhibition, one can’t help but wonder about these people who are willing to donate objects of such sentimental value to be placed on public display.  Perhaps it’s a way to overcome a destructive relationship or to honor a positive one.

Alongside the romantic shrines are objects donated by people living and working in the Covent Garden area as well as commissioned works in response to the exhibition.

Do you have a campaign that needs original artwork?  Submit a brief and get started today!

What crowdsourcing means for the art market

// August 24th, 2011 // View Comments // b-Crowd

What can crowdsourcing do for the art market? Well, first of all, the art market needs a radical change as prices have plummeted and auction houses are struggling to make the sales of even the most famous artworks.  Of course, world-renowned artists such as Jeff Koons and Damien Hurst will continue to rake in money.  What about the other artists out there?  The ‘auction house’ method doesn’t seem to cater to the rest of the artists who don’t benefit from traditional methods.  What is the other option for artists?  Art market 2.0.

This is art market 2.0

The online sphere has opened up endless possibilities for artists wishing to market themselves and their work.  We’ve talked about the ‘artist’s aura’ in the past, meaning what defines the work and sets it apart as authentic. This theory applies to the online world as well.  Artists can join online communities to create digital portfolios to gain more exposure in addition to their personal website.  They can develop their personal brand and an online following for both their work and their artist persona.  Cloud technologies have opened up a new ‘markets’ for artists as well, one’s that doesn’t depend on the rigidity of auction houses.

b-uncut provides is a new kind of market: art market 2.0.  Artists can join the Creative Services Exchange to pitch for work with brands from all over the world.  These artists can post their portfolio, blog and connect with a fast-growing community of creative professionals globally.  Businesses who are looking for original artwork can now find it in a unique way.  The Exchange helps businesses who are looking for creative work outside their network or region, a niche skill-set, or who want to expand their budget.  Art market 2.0 is a valuable resource for businesses who hadn’t considered including original artwork as part of their campaigns in the past.  Now they can, with the help of the Exchange.

Crowdsourcing 2.0

‘Crowdsourcing’ is a method that many businesses are turning to as part of their research and development programmes since its processes are well-discussed and proven to be effective.  Crowdsourcing 2.0 is ‘expert sourcing’, in which both the crowds and the businesses are managed.  This is a technique and not the businesses in itself.  With Crowdsourcing 2.0, the crowds are screened before they can join and the projects are managed by a team to ensure that everything stays according to plan.

Co-creation

Online communities can act as a platform for artists to meet and exchange ideas, or even collaborate.  With an online Exchange, artists can collaborate with one another to pitch for projects.  The ability to co-create art is now possible with the online Exchange and is a valuable resource for artists who are looking to expand their artistic presence.

Looking for original artwork for your next campaign?  Submit a brief and get started today!

#ilovelondon: art after the riots

// August 19th, 2011 // View Comments // b-Crowd, b-inspired

Brilliant art often derives from difficult times.  The recent riots throughout London have inspired ad hoc campaigns to spread positive feelings throughout the city.  The London clean-up groups, the social media #ilovelondon campaign and artists have gathered to promote the love for this amazing city.  During the events, designers, artists and even amateur photographers took part in documenting and reacting to the unrest.

Nick Scott. Be Safe. 2011.

Some artists are using their work to give back to the community.  Hackney-based designer Nick Scott created a series of inspirational posters, which sum up what the non-rioters were feeling during the events.  The artist is selling his work at blog.narcsville.co.uk.  All proceeds going to help young people in Hackney, London. 

David Lewis-Baker. London Riots #5. 2011.

London Riots #5 by UK-based artist David Lewis-Baker is a conceptual piece in that depicts the various emotional responses resulting from the riots.

It’s often said that great art is born from major events in history.  The recent unrest in London has proven to be an event that everyone has an opinion about – some were in the thick of it and others watched the events unfolding on the news.

The street artist known as Pochoir put this piece up quite recently. If you notice, the ‘riot’ sign is the same colouring as tourist signs in London.

Pochoir. 2011.

Do you need creative work for your next campaign? Submit a brief and get started today!

The Brit Insurance Design Awards: stylish and sustainable

// August 8th, 2011 // View Comments // b-Crowd, b-inspired

The Brit Insurance Design Awards exhibition currently showing at the Design Museum in London, displays some of the most groundbreaking designs from around the world.  Known as the “Oscars of the design world” this exhibition showcases some recent themes in innovative design: sustainability, transportation, green building and office furniture.

This year Stephen Bayley is chair of the jury, joined by art and design curator Janice Blackburn OBE, graphic designer Mark Farrow, novelist Will Self, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Kingston University Penny Sparke and Simon Waterfall co-founder of digital agency Poke.

On March 15, judges announced that the British designer Samuel Wilkinson and the product design company Hulger as the overall winner of the Brit Insurance Design of the Year 2011.  The designers blew judges away with their innovative low energy lightbulb Plumen 001.  While not the most aesthetically pleasing of the designs on display, this invention has [great things to offer]: it is both stylish and more energy efficient than the average bulb.  Known as the “world’s first designer lightbulb”,  the Plumen 011  is formed by two intertwining glass tubes.  The bulb uses 80% less energy and lasts eight times longer than the average incandescent bulbs.

Here are some other stylish and sustainable designs on display at the Design Museum:

Sustainable commuters’ bike:

The VANMOOF № 5 is a stripped-down commuters’ bike.  The designers have removed anything unnecessary and upgraded essentials.  The bike boasts a solar-powered LED light actually built into the frame of the bike and a lock and cylinder chain lock integrated in the frame.  The LEDs are solar powered and can be charged through a micro USB cable from your mobile phone.  All you have to do is out of the frame, wrap it around a pole and turn the key in your frame.

Generating electricity by walking:

Pavegen Systems may be the future for community lighting.  The Pavegen System looks like a slab of fake grass embedded in the pavement.  This slab harvests kinetic energy in high footfall areas and then converts it into electricity.  The electricity is stored within the slab and then is converted into light on the Pavagen slab, local advertisements or pedestrian lighting.  Keep an eye out, these may be popping up around London soon.

With so many innovation gadgets and gizmos on display, it’s no wonder the judges had such a difficult time picking the overall winner.  I do recommend a visit to this museum though.  You’ll probably see a gadget that we’ll all be using a year from now.  Or, maybe it will spark some ideas for your own inventions.

Have a gadget, gizmo or design that you want to get off the ground?  Submit a brief to the Creative Services Exchange and get started today!

Top 5 mobile apps every artist should be using

// August 5th, 2011 // View Comments // b-Crowd, b-inspired

Earlier this week, we discussed the top 5 ways artists can self-promote through social media, and today, let’s take a look at the top mobile apps for the arts.

1. Connecting artists to local businesses

ArtVenue’s goal is to spread art throughout local communities by making it easier for artists, venues, and art lovers to connect.  This app helps artists find local businesses that are interested in displaying original works.  The app is similar to online dating in the sense that artists upload a bio and portfolio, and the app helps connect them with local businesses or artists that may have similar artistic tastes.

2.  A little bit of art history goes a long way…

Art Lite gives art fanatics background on famous masterpieces that they stumble upon.

3.  Share your portfolio with fans

Apps like iPixFolio lets you create a portfolio that you can share through mobile devices.  The app can create mulitple galleries, a share option for fans and an artist statement.  Artists’ blogs and social media channels are also integrated in the app.

4. Sell artwork anywhere

OK, Square isn’t really a mobile app, but it’s an add-on for smart phones that is proving to be groundbreaking for artists.  Now small businesses and artists selling works at festivals or outside markets don’t have to turn away business just because the customer can only pay by card.  This function allows smart phone users to swipe their credit card to take payment anywhere, anytime.

5.  Search for artistic venues in your community

Portland, Oregon is a hub for the arts.  There are two new Portland-based apps that can help art lovers wander the city and discover hidden galleries: the Public Art PDX App and the Heathman iPhone App.  The Public Art PDX App combines the information from the Regional Arts and Culture Council, a database with over 450 public art works, and Google maps.

Do you need someone to build your app?  Submit a brief and get started today!

Top 6 album cover designs

// July 21st, 2011 // View Comments // b-Crowd, b-inspired

In honor of the passing of Alex Steinweiss, the incredible innovator and artist who holds the unique title of inventing album cover design, let’s take a look at some of the most off-the-wall album cover design out there.  This is a selection of some of the best uses of graphic design and creative illustration in album cover design from the past few years.

While most of us probably don’t buy CDs anymore now that we have Spotify and Pandora, some avid must lovers still have a few dusty records of the Rolling Stones or Simon and Garfunkl albums on their shelf.  Still, we can appreciate great album illustration.  Here’s a look at some of the recent graphics that catch the eye even if the music isn’t to your taste.

Looks a little bit like Japanese wave painting, doesn’t it?

2). DJ Shadow – I Got a Rock

DJ Shadow never fails to impress – with its electronica/pop/hip hop sounds and its album cover art.

3).  Fleet Foxes – Helpessness Blues

Maybe we’ll have to start listening to Fleet Foxes’ music now before its album cover artwork.

This album claims to have a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young vibe with some jazz undertones.  While this melody isn’t reflected in the artwork design, if the music is as good as the album cover, then it’s worth a listen.

4. Mastadon - The Hunter

The Hunter is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Mastodon.  While the design sticks to the freaky theme of other heavy metal bands, it’s more creative and has more thought into the reaction of the viewer.

5). Lady Gaga – Born This Way

Of course, Lady Gaga has to be included in this list.  She is an off-the-wall work of art all on her own.

6). The Sounds – Something to Die for

The Sounds are known for keeping track of the creative direction of their brand image.  The clean graphics for the design of Something to Die for shows their shift from a smooth electronic sound towards House and Synthpop sounds.

Looking for an illustrator for your next album launch?  Submit a brief to the Creative Services Exchange and get started today!

The art of bicycles: judging a book by its cover

// July 15th, 2011 // View Comments // b-Crowd, b-inspired

With all products, the quality of its design can sometimes be more important than its function.  This phenomenon is known simply as ‘judging a book by its cover’, and although many of us try to steer away from making our purchasing decisions based on aesthetics along, it is sometimes unavoidable.  Why are we drawn to some products over others?  It’s whether we are swayed by its design, enough to purchase a product solely based on its appearance rather than what we would use it for.  This applies to bicycle design as well.

In urban environments, you will often see avid bikers on sleek, uni-colored fixed gear bikes.  They require some skill to ride, but it’s their design that makes them more attractive.  Of course, you’ll also see a cyclist decked out in sports attire, riding a chrome road bike covered in graphics.  What is it that sets these two apart?  How do we choose the design of a bike?  As a cyclist in London (I have both a 1970s Bianchi road bike and a Brompton) I can appreciate both the aesthetics and the function of bicycles.

Let’s take a look at some of the best bike designs out there.

Vintage

Bicycles collectors often have one or two vintage bikes that they take out when they want to show off.  Some of the culprits include older models of Peugots, Bianchis or Raleighs.  These bikes attract those who want the feel of a sturdy vintage design, but are willing to compromise on usability.

Fixed gear

Some avid cyclists prefer do-it-yourself bikes – ones that they build from scratch and paint themselves.  These flashy bikes are the transport of choice for the real cyclists.  Without multiple gears or a brake (you have to back peddle to stop) this takes a certain amount of skill to wield.  In London, as in other urban environments, there are die-hard fixed gear advocates that are as attached to the simplicity of the design as they are to the experience in riding them.

Bamboo

While some will argue that carbon bikes are the epitamy of bicycle design, the real champion is the bamboo bike.  While not as aesthetically pleasing as some of its competitors, it is durable and more comfortable than aluminum, steel and titanium.  Bamboo bikes also take the cake for smoothness, beating out its closest competitor: carbon frames.