Monday, May 11, 2009

CHECK IT OUT: Wellmedicated.com

My friend Thom brought to my attention WellMedicated.com, a design site with some great lists.

Click on the pictures below to check some out:

50 Amazing Gig Posters Sure to Inspire


50 Incredible Film Posters from Poland



25 Imaginative Illustrations Inspired by Film

There are many, many more posts of interest over there so be sure to check them out!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Book 4, Background Info: Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck


In 1960 and at the age of 58, John Steinbeck decided to make one last trip around the United States. With his French poodle Charley and a pickup truck converted into a camper, he traveled across this country, roughly around the boarder of the continental US.



Trying to find and talk to the "New American" he purposely tried to avoid major highways and cities, opting to travel the old, quiet back-roads that once linked this country together.

What's interesting about this work is that it is not so much a "road book" but rather a report of the death of early America. Steinbeck needed to see for himself whether or not the hard working, simple country he knew and had brought to light in novels like Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath still existed. While he still came across pockets of this simple life, he was begrudgingly taught that the world that he once new was dying with his generation.

With the proliferation of nuclear arms, the Vietnam War, violence stemming from the civil rights movement, etc., history has taught us that this age of American innocence truly faded away just a few short years after this book was published.

Click pictures above to check out more information on Travels with Charley.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Slightly New Format on Design Covers

Upon further reflection, I've realized the folly of my ways. How dare I just include the front cover of a book when there's AT LEAST two other printable areas?!

From now on I'm going to change it up a little bit. Upon selecting a book I will state whether that book was hardcover or paperback. If the book was hardcover, I will design an entire dust jacket (front, spine, back and two inner flaps). If the book was paperback, I will design a standard cover (front, spine and back).

Be sure to check back this week for some background info on Travels with Charley as well as a new cover design that has caught my eye.