AndyBrewer.net

Actual Size Business Card by Actual Size Creative

Andy Brewer — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:31:02 -0600

Over at dailypoetics.typepad.com, there is a great collection of innovative business cards. It seems that most companies have been on the unique business card kick for some time now, but none have impressed me quite as much as this card by Actual Size Creative.

When I think about the objectives behind a business card, I think of two things. One, to provide contact information and two, to be remembered. As human beings, images of people demand our attention, so what better way to be remembered than by your own photograph?

I see this technique as not only cementing your image with the card's recipient, but also boosting morale at work. These business cards embrace a sense of unique identity for their employees and a humanization of their business self. The relaxed, customized photographs convey uniqueness, personal choice and creative freedom. What employee wouldn't want that?

What we're essentially seeing here is the personification of the business card. To me, personification has always been one of the pinnacle achievements of a rich user experience. I'd be willing to bet that we'll start seeing more and more people and faces on business cards as this trend catches on.

Fray.com Website Design by Fray.com

Andy Brewer — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 23:46:21 -0600

The other day I stumbled across the new website design for Fray.com. As a designer myself, I get really excited about new design styles. One I particularly love, that I'm starting to see more of these days, is illustrations on the web.

The new Fray.com design features one of the biggest and coolest illustrations I've seen incorporated into a website design to date. Not only that, but the site boasts a clean overall design, with a smooth, readable flow as well. I personally find the over-sized hand and the boundaries that it crosses a welcome departure from the boring grid-like layouts that have spread like wildfire over the last year.

Overall, Fray.com has managed to create an amazing website with all the right things going for it. A clear message, a prominent call to action, great typography and powerful imagery. It's a prime example of how to balance creativity with usability, something all of us should aspire to.

The Great Wave at Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai

Andy Brewer — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 20:24:25 -0600

The Great Wave at Kanagawa has always been one of my favorite pieces of art and is a classic example of Japanese woodblock printing. The print depicts a massive wave threatening to capsize two tiny fishing boats with Mt. Fuji as the backdrop.

The color palette in particular grabs me. The deep, dark blue of the wave creates a sharp contrast with the bright white of the sea foam. Hokusai does not blend these colors, but treats them as individual layers, further adding to the epic effect of the wave.

But the color of the sky I think is the most interesting. The sky looks warm, hopeful and almost placid at the scene. The dark cloud around Mt. Fuji appears far away and gives me the sense that the two boats are not doomed, but actually have a favorable chance of returning home if they can just make it over the wave.