 bryan christie
posted: March 5, 2010
Do you know Bryan Chrystie? You've probably see his work. He's quite amazing.
He does a fair amount of editorial, primarily covers, for the New York Times magazine, Wired, GQ and so forth. This one for Newsweek is quite amazing.
You may've seen this one on TV during the Olympics. I don't know what program he uses (its ain't Photochop) but no one can do what he does.
Bryan lives here in Maplewood, NJ. I remember getting a call a few years ago from one of his assistants (at the time he had a staff of FIVE) asking if I could come in and talk to Bryan about doing a logo for his design firm (imagine that, an illustrator calling his studio "design"). But it works. He is a designer or sorts. And a fine artist too. And a bad ass jazz saxaphonist (he plays regularly at one of our local haunts, Cent'anni).
Anyhoo, I was perplexed by the call and I ended up just giving him an au gratis stack of (logo) type. And he returned the favor several times in the form of large format printing (one of which, my Miles Davis portrait, will be up tonight at the Society of Illustrators Advertising and Institutional opening). I've convinced Bryan to come on out tonight and see what happens at the Society. 
Yeah. This is something he whipped out on a napkin.
Good stuff, eh? I was showing someone his stuff the other day and they said "oh I love that clean, infographic type stuff". Bullshit. I think his "work" rises to the level of "art". Sure, its problem solving to a degree but if you've been to the guy's studio (he actually has TWO studios) and see how he works you get a real sense of what inspires him to create these images.
Ironically, one of the pieces he had on his wall was something I had too- this Matisse. It never gets old.
In background are some mini-stretched canvasses from Thomas Fuchs, Gary Taxali, Thilo Rothacker, Joel Castillo, Greg Mably for my 40th a few months back. 
OK, thats all. See you tonight at the Society. Say hello to Bryan. Heres his mug. And http://www.bryanchristiedesign.com/index.php is where you can tool around on a website.
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The Neediest Times
posted: March 3, 2010
This is the New York Times. Strong. Bold. Recognizable.
Here is the mark again. Does it remind you of something? Something other than what it represents?
Are we getting there? You know it reminds you of something.... some... thing...
Slightly religious in gesture, a bit sugar cubey in form, this is the "handle with care" icon most often seen on the side of cardboard boxes that house the homeless.
This is the main area where the identity lives, online. It takes on a life of its own doesn't it? Really stands out, right? To me, it says a few things: 1) Chinatown massage "parlor" 2) U.S. Hand Clapper's Assoc 3) packing material safety instruction graphics 4) pillow fluffers society logo 5) director's guild forum
6) anything but nothing to do with caring or giving.
Before I show you my new solution (designed au gratis) I want to show you the assets I have designed for the New York Times which are in current use both in the paper and online. More often than not, the linear style that I often work in is chosen to represent a good deal of content, mostly local things, like "City Room" (typewriter) or "City Critic" (thumby hands). What I find compelling about Ochs story is that it is personal. Much more personal than the "handle with care" box graphics used to flag the charity.
Here are some sketches I did before deciding what was right. The hands come off as trite, and ethnicity-charged whereas the two people interchanging something is a better representation of Ochs's story.
There you have it, New York Times. You didn't ask for it but you needed it. So take it and go make some money for Neediest Cases. 
If you have a worthy cause or need something "handled with care" give me shout. I promise not to toss you into a douchebag container. Opinionator, New York Times
posted: March 1, 2010
We've seen this huge, clunky waste of real estate for a while now. Don't quote me, but its high time for an opinion. 
It took me one guess. Franklin mother fucking gothic. Did you know Franklin gothic was named after Ben Franklin?
By all biographical accounts, Franklin, although revered, was no saint. He had an eye for the ladies; despite the fact that he was married. He was said to have consorted with a number of ladies outside of his marriage and was not above paying for whores every now and then.
In addition to being a member of the Freemasons, an ancient fraternity linked to the occult, Franklin was also a member of "The Hellfire Club," when he lived in England. The Hellfire Club was an exclusive, English club that met sporadically during the mid 18th century. Its purpose, at best, was to mock traditional religion and conduct orgies. 
While the above factoid may be just an opinion or a complete fabrication made up entirely in my mind, the fact thus remains; the current design Opinionator graphic sucks Ben's giant balls.
New York Times, take this free key (sorry) and let us please electrocute (sorry) this testicular cancer and handle opinionator more astutely, carefully, and with both hands. yer lovin', F 
the recycled (s)crap i used for this. from real simple and ad age jobs. good night. thank you and have a pleasant tomorrow. Smile Train Redesign
posted: February 1, 2010
you've seen it. 
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