This is Ska!

Still real busy (what else is new), but I wanted to share this with you blog-o-sphere!
Rad video, I really want to get my hands on this full documentary.


I'm really into this Kiehl's Soy Milk and Honey Body Polish.
I can't remember the last time I've been so enamored with a bath product.
A+

"never trust a man who looks like Omar Sharif"

It's about 42 degrees in Baltimore, and the middle of October? What is this?!
I'm completely unprepared- my coats are in Jersey. All I've got is this stylish fashion-cape, but it's warm so we good.

Fall break starts today, I'm staying around instead of heading back up north. Gotta get some work done and embark on some entrepreneurial ventures which will remain hush hush for the time being.

But anyway I had a (surprisingly) good crit in experimental type for my final cyrillic hang tags. Ken was really into them. I was unsure of the final product just because they felt a little too playful and a little too naive, you know? But Ken said that it worked and it was kind of reminiscent of J. Otto; which I could get down with- I liked Olive the Other Reindeer.

Here are jpgs of the tags before I printed and cut them out on fawn stonehenge. They fold down the middle. There is a string that ties around the folded center and then around the tag on the other end.


Plush - Holiday


Plush - Valentine


Plush- Spring

I presented the hang tags in three different colorways, with the intention for the boutique to change them with the season, look for that month; making the tags themselves feel like more of a covetable item than just an indicator

In other news: the Duck Sauce video for aNYway finally came out.
I AM OBSESSED. So amazing.
I'm so happy for the Fool's Gold Fam. Enjoy!

Duck Sauce "aNYway" (Surface To Air version) from A-Trak on Vimeo.

on my grind, you know?

Per usual- this has been a busy week!

Matt McNary from Hammerpress came to Baltimore for the first time. Jenna graciously agreed to drive/accompany me to BWI to pick him up Monday afternoon. The only airport I'm familiar with is EWR otherwise known as Newark International; so it was fun to go explore. It was a pretty surreal experience, everything was very clean, shiny, and surprisingly quiet minus the sudden bombast of the airport's version the "if you see something say something" announcements.

Went to Soup's On for lunch and Brewer's Art for dinner on Monday- two Mt. Vernon staples I'd never experienced, but thoroughly enjoyed! Had interesting design/production discussion over dinner with the chair of my department , the shop tech for our printmaking facility, Matt, a graphic design grad student, and two other undergrad friends. Also had a celebratory Domo slurpee (see photo above) after a real successful AIGA membership drive.

I'm actually excited for my upcoming photo imaging / flash projects - will keep you posted as they further develop.

VH1 Hip Hop Honors are on right now - y'all should tune in, it's mad good.
(LOVE RUSSELL SIMMONS & RICK RUBIN)



I gotta go find a blanket or something- it's freezing in this historic (drafty) apartment.

xo
mel

blogging smogging

I don't really update my blog as often as I should.
I've been doing a lot of traveling and discovering more about places I've already been.
Which is absolutely wonderful!
ALSO for the record, Duda's in Fell's Point served me the best crab cakes I've eaten in Baltimore to date. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

For whatever reason I can't post this video but here's a link.
I've had a Dean Martin loop in my head the past two days.
I guess I'm turning into my grandpa.





Class starts on Monday- AH!

FINALLY!

I'm starting to recover. I had surgery on the first day of spring break, and have either been in a ton of pain or in medicated lala land since. But today, I'm actually feeling so much better! Which is really excellent because I have so much work to do before heading back to Baltimore. Also on a positive note, I won't have to wear thick black RayBan's every day in order to see!

I'm off to write a Modernism paper, I actually like Henri Matisse a whole lot. Claire and her mom took me to see this great show at the BMA before spring break, and it was a lovely experience. (Also one of the guys from WitchHat was a guard?) It was so nice to be able to see in an almost tangible way how the art I'd been studying in class really changed the way people at the time were seeing things. I was so impressed with the prints they had in the exhibition. It only made it worse that I wasn't able to get into a printmaking class this semester. AND I AM A CONCENTRATOR!! But, that's okay. I'll just take a bunch next semester.

I turned 20 yesterday

and today I can't focus at all!

I have so much on my mind, so much to do, a paper to write and no motivation to write it.
The other night I made this drawing,


which is some how going to be the basis for a toy, I'm thinking puzzle?

I got these really great enamel paints and some wood, hopefully the lazer cutter will be agreeable. I really just want to start testing these materials and get to painting, but I mean ya gotta prioritize, ya know?

But anyway yesterday was really fun, my friends are great. Thanks for everything guys!

Also, for Baltimore-ons I had the Yellowtail sashimi last night XS, in addition to Tuna Amazing rolls, and they were delicious. Beyond delicious. I would go as far as saying, Total YumYums.

I can't get this song out of my head, I've loved it since I was a little girl, and it just gets better every time I listen to it.

Since everyone is already decorating

Phil Spector's A Christmas Gift For you is my favorite Christmas album. It's perfect. 

Not only chock full of Ronettes, the Crystals and sonic enlightenment, but in a beautiful package! I'm familiar with the christmas gift album art but I absolutely love the minimal double album.

Sometimes I struggle with the idea of Graphic Design and being a Graphic Designer.

But as I discovered over thanksgiving break, album art always brings me back to understanding why I love design.

There is just something really great about it. It's such an undertaking to make a physical representation of something so intangible as song, it's fascinating. I love the minimal repetition and clean shapes of albums from the 50s and 60s, mostly the instrumental ones as the shapes often mimic the rhythm and syncopation of the music. I've been collecting records/album art for as long as I can remember, it's awesome to be able to appreciate them now with a new understanding of design. 

recent-ish work

These aren't fully developed pieces so much as they are working to be part of a whole.

Primarily, my work focuses on the interaction of color and pattern.
Enjoy working methodically to create these forms
especially through the retractive process of cutting away from paper.
I strive to find a rhythm within the pattern to further expand upon.


More Work Soon!

YES

we can

Alexander Girard

I was browsing the House Ind. site today and found these awesome wooden blocks.
They got me interested, and I have thus fallen inlove with the work of Alexander Girard.
The colors are perfect, the integrity of the design is wonderful.
I absolutely love everything about his work.
Repetition of pattern and color, the shapes, disposition of things.
Ah! It's wonderful.

Why didn't I know about this before!?!
Apparently they had a big exhibition at the San Francisco MoMA last year. [I need to go to the West Coast].

But anyway, I just want to learn more! To Google we go.

Da Doo Ron Ron

Brucenesday

So you can download and print out hand written setlists from Bruce's 2008 tour.
Now the 3rd night at Giant's stadium is hanging on my wall.
So Good!



Love this video.

I want to go for a walk or a picnic or something. No class tomorrow.

PMA

Positive Mental Attitude
Psychic Friends Weekend

photo by zach

no regrets?

I found this yesterday. The 90s. Wow.

But anyway, it's really cold here in Baltimore, I left all my sweaters in New Jersey. My house doesn't believe in regulating temperature so it's freeeezing. I'll be posting some design work soon, the crit is tomorrow.

I finally got to paint again over the weekend and do some sketch book work. Also bond with 13 of my closest friends.

It feels good.