magnum.

so i will give you a sneak peak on the latest and greatest from max cox.

wait for it...




BAM.





the assignment: create a newsletter about whatever you want. the only rule is that it must adhere to what you believe the words look learn think make craft can adhere to. our newsletter has to have a cover plus six different 10in x 14in spreads. we are also partnered up with one other classmate to do this.

our newsletter is going to examine the ideas of trends and fads and how they affect the design process. there are many different factors in life that affect what you see, how you see it, and how you apply it. there is reason behind everything, even if the reason is no reason.

jim and i hope to explain the importance, while in the design process, of understanding trends and where they come from and why. through research and the understanding of these things, one can find all kinds of inspiration to become the trendsetter.

as a sidenote, being trendy is not a bad thing. as a designer, you are bound by fate to it. there is no escaping. i just read an essay by rick poynor titled the designer as reporter where he says this: there is a sense in which almost any piece of graphic design could be seen as a kind of "visual journalism." the most effective visual communications are almost always of their time. design captures and condenses into seductive graphic form the mood, concerns, inspirations, aspirations, fads, obsessions and stylistic tics of the day. it functions as a constantly updated report on the way we live now. this is why it dates so rapidly and eventually becomes such a vivid reminder of the era that gave it life. even design that aspires to bypass this process and somehow become "timeless" usually ends up tethered to its point of origin in some way.

that brings up another point that me and jim would like to get across. its perfectly fine to be trendy. there just needs to be a reason for it all. design can't just be pretty. it needs to have some content so that in ten years or a hundred years time, it will still matter. all trends are inspired by or are started for some reason. understanding these reasons should be inherent in designing anything. the visual of the tattooed fashion models being assembled is a quirky way to illustrate how these trends, fads, and ideas are taken and used in constructing (pun intended) one's own design.

the roughs above are very rough mind you. we are just barely beginning this project. the body copy in the spread is just filler text right now. i'm excited though. this could end up being really cool.

say word.

SAY IT.

kaaaazaaaaaaaaaaaam!!!!!!!!!

oh gosh, it's a seven foot magical rapping genie. it's genius. why don't we have a sequel? the idea alone has unlimited potential. the movie practically writes itself. give me fifteen minutes and i'll give you a three hour epic and a spinoff miniseries.

anywhat, on to equally great things.



thanks to my cuz on the north side, i was referred to m. ward's collaboration with zooey deschanel. he's awesome, she's hot. luckily, she can sing too. say word.

here are four songs.

that's a link from another blog that also talked about this beautiful duo. enjoy.

call it, friendo

wow. i've wanted to see this movie ever since i first heard about it last fall, but it took forever for it to get to utah. i'm pretty sure it's still in a limited release. anywho, wow. it was great. it's not your typical hollywood drug money chase movie. it's far from it. the coen brothers did a remarkable job filming it. it's set in 1980 west texas and they make it look absolutely gorgeous–and not in a fake way. they take that stark lonely landscape and make it a character itself in the film. there is no music during the movie at all. the suspense is there though. the character of anton chigurh (played by javier bardem) is absolutely chilling. he's a force that just can't be stopped. llewelyn moss (played by goonie josh brolin) is also amazing. hell, tommy lee jones is great in it too.

simply put, no country for old men is the best movie i've seen in a long, long time. if anyone you talk to has seen it, and didn't like the ending, tell them they're retarded. the ending was perfect. without spoiling anything, i will say this: the movie is an allegory about life and death and the inability anyone has to see what's coming. death is the only certain thing in life and it will always be there. it can't be stopped.

now go see it. it was well worth the eight bucks broadway theater charges.

now, i need to see there will be blood. that is supposed to be fantastic as well.

more cowbell!

yeah, so i finally finished editing a butt load of medical forms at work. worst job ever. thankfully, now i can get back to doing things that i actually enjoy. here are two things i done did today. look at them and then tell me how good of a designer i am. go ahead. i will wait.



and i did the bulletin version of the depression exam room poster. i added a chair, a table, and a lamp. those are all necessary things.



don't forget: uncle jesse loves you and always will.

colon closing parentheses

GO SEE THIS.

juno is great. it's precious, really. absolutely fantastic. it's the kind of movie, that without being cheesy, makes you feel good as the credits roll. it makes you appreciate things. loved it. it'll most likely be over-quoted and hated on in the weeks and months to come, but it doesn't matter. i liked it.

I have nipples, Focker. Can you milk me?

I wonder what it would be like if I actually typed with correct punctuation? Hmmm. We'll have to try it out for a bit, I suppose.

Yes, we are speaking royally now. Destin is a very important man.

So there's this design firm. Their name is Pentagram. Some amazing designers work for them. Recently, they just redesigned the Dairy Today magazine.

Amazing and hilarious all at the same time.