Will the real MJ stand up

The Ebony magazine cover is the most recent cover of Michael Jackson and is just as photoshoped as the image that appeears in our McQuade book. The inside article uses photoshop and lighting to give MJ the appearance he wants and to hide any of his flaws.

Graphic Design Has Arrived

Catalog Cover

This catalog came in my mail on Monday. When I first saw it I said to myself, “What is this?” This Nordstrom holiday catalog does make any sense. Yes, the cover uses snow but it does not make me want open it and purchase anything. The does not draw me in I just wanted to down or throw it out.

I barely noticed that it was from Nordstrom. The scan makes the name pop more than what the actual cover shows. The cover uses a foil stamp that blends in with the illustration.

I am assuming they are creating a visual holiday story but it doesn’t connect. I think it would of worked better if they would of used happy people on the cover. The illustration just does not say happy holiday.

Exhibit

There is a great exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery of African American Portraits. The exhibit highlights different African Americans throughout the ages. The exhibit does a great job putting you in the era. Seeing the progression of BW images to color is amazing. There are images from W.E.B. Du Bois to Gordon Parks to Wynton Marsalis. The cropping of the photographs captures the personalities and the times. The photographers establish an identity of all their subjects.

If you love photographs I recommend this exhibit.

Green Ad

This is a very clean ad. Most ads that promote green living seem to think we need a lot of green in the ad in order to get the point across that the company has gone green. This HP ad uses a little green which does not take over the page.

TIME Special Issue

I was in the grocery store Monday. When I saw this cover that caught my eye. It is a great example of good cropping. The cropping shows the impact global warming is having on the planet. The designer allows you to connect with a living animal and his environment. The bear appears to be trying to get on solid ground but there is none because of global warming. By making the issue more vertical it forces you think this goes on forever. The size opens the cover up.

The use of hierarchy is excellent. The magazine moves behind the topic, which is rare in the magazine world. Global Warming has become more important than the magazine masthead just by making the masthead smaller and making the headline larger and bolder. I applaud Time magazine for taking a back seat to the purpose of the special issue.

Graphic Advenger

This is a GREAT SHORT.