Nomint for Google Art Project

Greek animation production company Nomint, which recently opened their new offices in London, created the below amazing video for Google's Art Project. I found it breathtaking. A crisp, smooth celebration of art (project)! 

(Images & video via Nomint.gr)

Public Bureau Series 2 Preview

I proudly present the preview of the yet-to-be-titled second series of Public Bureau.

More images are available on the P/B Facebook page. 

annakoumoushi spring/summer 2012

Though we posted this project around the interwebs a while back, I am officially re-announcing it here too. 

For this project we went on a more… colorful direction and Ioanna, the new happy face of annakoumoushi, was a great model. 

You can catch the project in it's entirety at the IPWT website. 

In annakoumoushi we trust.

"The Inside Job" for Avant Garde

And while we're at it: the April Avant Garde Issue, marks the 2-year anniversary of AG. The topic for this issue, irrelevantly enough with the 2nd birthday, focuses on Pornography from many points of view. I was thrilled to shoot the fashion editorial for this issue, which was styled by Margarita Papatheodoulou, and we aimed for a trash-porn 80s inspired theme. Despite some people reacting to the topic and even reading it as vulgar, we feel that our trash porn task was fulfilled. So there. Take a look at the full shoot over at my website, or in the latest issue of Avant Garde.

Avant Garde Press: Redesigned (a while back)

Last summer, two of the most inspiring and admired fellow designers/friends; Christina and Myria and myself, took over the redesign of an independent free press publication. For this we formed a little design alliance called mychart. 

About the publication: Avant Garde is a free press publication which elaborates on stories related, but not limited just, to arts, culture, fashion, design and matters that affect, or are part of, the contemporary reality of the island.

On the new design: Departing from the initial use of the term Avant Garde, which derives from vanguard: the very front line of military formations during operations, we created the new identity of the publication. With references to military semiotics and by graphically distorting or exaggerating, if you like,  the strictness and order found in the military visual world, we created the new brand/identity of the publication. Along with this new identity, we created a series of icons and gimmicks that correspond to the categories, themes and stories in the publication and which work with clean and "sturdy" typographical treatments. 

The covers: As the new design team of AG, we were assigned the first three covers of the revamped version. Each month a guest, or invited designer creates the cover and people are also free to submit ideas, so anyone interested can mail their ideas over at the AG website. The first re-installment  of AG came this past August, with a "Summer Love" overall theme (Can't you feel the heat?), and for this issue's cover Christina was called to the task. The second redesigned issue was Superhero-themed and I was the designated cover designer this time. I usually block when I am asked to render something that's vast and vague at the same time; and though I had something very Roy Lichtenstein in mind, I decided to deviate my initial thought (something that doesn't happen very often) and go with… well, what I went with. Have I mentioned that I really love superheroes? Then for the third redesigned issue Myria went with a very hand-made feel for her cover, with all the trimmings and an awesome custom made font. From there on our guest designers took over. Last January I designed the cover for the Wine Routes of Cyprus issue which stood as an impulsively interactive cover. 

All the issues are available for online reading at the AG website, (the publication is in Greek).

IPWT Website Revamped

The IPWT website is up, revamped and running. Some new projects have been added and more will be uploaded in the next days. Pop by. Say hi.

One Of Those Stories

The ceiling of the "crypt" where the Verdi tombs were located.

I apologize for the style this post is written in: the "all over the place" style. It was such a great experience that I put it down the way it happened so I wouldn't leave anything out.

While we were in Milan, passing through my old neighborhood we came across the Casa di Riposo per Musicisti (Resting Home for Retired Musicians) where Giuseppe Verdi's tomb is. One would guess that it being in my neighborhood would mean that I knew what it was. But alas, for some reason I always thought it was some sort of an embassy, or consulate or an official government building. This retirement home for old musicians was built and founded by Giuseppe Verdi himself. Later on, as the story will evolve, we will find out that Verdi had asked that the retirement home started functioning as one after he died, for he would be embarrassed to be thanked by his fellow musicians. The house was completed in 1899 but remained closed until 1901 when Giuseppe Verdi had died. 

As we were standing outside the building, trying to figure out if we could go in or not, this short, surprisingly quirky and willing old man popped up and told us that we could go in and see the tomb. We went in and a short-haired angry lady adamantly pointed out that we could only see the tomb and that we were not allowed to go anywhere else.

Click to read more ...

Milano: Familiar Feeling

A few months ago, I was called to take an impromptu decision on traveling. I don't do that much. Ever, actually. The destination sort of begged me to book that ticket. Milan was calling. Again. After nine whole years! 

So, long story short, last week I was in Milan. I do travel, given the opportunity, but I am not what one would call an avid traveler. This time the territory was kind of familiar. Not a lot has changed since I left Milan, except perhaps the construction of a huge expo center and the ongoing construction of a group of skyscrapers near the center of the city. Most of the places I went to, the cafes, and restaurants in my old neighborhood remained the same, again, with the exception of my block's Blockbuster; that's gone. 

I don't know if it's the fact that I am older (improved as I like to put it) and more experienced now, I don't know if it's the fact that my Italian is much better than it used to be or the fact that my life feels quite in-place right now, but I really felt "at home" as much of an exaggeration as it may seem. I was able to do everything without -personally- needing to use anything else but Italian, the people no longer seemed to be distant and cold, as I remembered them. It felt the way it should feel: familiar. 

I was in great company (thank you Mouskou sisters!) and we had a great time enjoying "gli aperitivi" and all the delicious dishes and happy hour buffets (we'll leave that thick pizza of the first night out of the list). And yes, the idea of a mozzarella bar was genius! Well, some shopping did occur as well and some serious visual stimulation and inspiration came along in the process. 

Also, imagine my surprise when I found out that one of my Korean classmates from 2002 was in town too for business! 

Now that low fare airlines are a reality here too, I'll definitely, absolutely visit Milan more. Not just for fun. Hint Hint.

Click to read more ...

Not Even Italian!

Illustration of Virginia Raffaele imitating Belen Rodriguez in a skit on how to properly sit on seats.

So, given that I have all the time in the world (NOT!) I decided to run a little (and I do mean tiny) blog in italian and mainly focusing on the marvelousness of Virginia Raffaele (at the moment, but more will eventually come along). I had pointed her out in my 2011 post for her amazing character of Paula Gilberto Do Mar but fallen head over heels for all of her impersonations ever since. 

So, long story short, "Ma Io Non Sono Nemmeno Italiano" (But I'm not even italian) is a mini collection of all the Italophone sources of fascination, or in this case, humor. So far, I've managed to render -mainly via typography- some of the thigh-slapping situations and skits Virginia Raffaele delivers live every Sunday on Rai 2's "Quelli che il calcio…" which (gasp!) is a live show about soccer!

Oh, and tomorrow I fly to Milan. Really.

I Discovered That...

As I grow older (though I like to believe that I'm growing better) I come across things that make sense to me. I guess, some things are, in fact, triggered by a certain age, when it comes to understanding them. I don't claim to have made the discovery of the wheel, or fire and I am certainly not writing a self improvement book, but certain things need to be expressed, one way or another.