Secret Still

Jordan Gray seems like one of those guys that wakes up in the middle of the night with a fantastic idea, and then doesn’t go back to sleep for the next few days while working on it. That’s how I think of Spike Jonze, too. There are a lot of people with great ideas for projects, but only so many who absolutely have to see them made. Jordan definitely has the great ideas, just take a stroll through his portfolio and that will be clear. But he clearly has the follow-through. How else could he have made a feature film? Or a badass comic? Or such great type choices? If we’re separating the men from the boys here, Jordan’s chest hair is curling out of his flannel shirt. I’ve really got to stop making my metaphors sound so homoerotic.

Jordan Gray

Damn, them some good logos. He good.

Yeah, I know I’ve mentioned him before, but it’s too good to not mention again.

Ben Pieratt

Designer Mikey Burton rounds out design week with a solid portfolio of seriously unserious work. Great use of type, great use of color, and most of all a good eye for overall effect. I’m sorry to tell most of you in school for design degrees out there, but the latter talent is innate, not taught. You got it or you don’t. Mikey’s got it, and he’s making good use of it. Dude even did the identity for 20×200. I’ve got a couple of those cards attached to prints that I bought from 20×200, so I’ve now got work by some of my favorite artists, and one of my new favorite designers. Score.

Mikey Burton

Today’s designer spotlight is another type master, but this time the focus is more on hand-drawn type. Comparable to the prolific work of Andy Smith (previously mentioned), the work of Jon Contino specializes in amazingly well-crafted, hand-drawn letterforms. I haven’t drawn any type for a few months now, but one look through Contino’s portfolio and I got flooded with ideas. There are even a couple of tricks I’m going to swipe for future tattoos. If I’m willing to afix it permanently to my skin, it must be great.

Jon Contino

Some damn fine type work. That’s really all it takes to catch my design eye. Don’t fuck that up and you’re homefree.

Dreamers Ink Aesthetics

LA-born, Bay Area transplant Richard Perez caught my finely tuned internet eye recently with his colorful posters, clean type work and clever branding. That’s three adjectives that begin with “c”, and I’ve got like 30 more in the chamber ready to fly. You’d all do good to remember that if you ever decide you want to get into an adjective battle with me. I got an 800 verbal on my SAT way back when, and then I fell asleep during the math part. I was more than a little hungover. Why bother to tell you all this rather than talk about Perez’s work? Because it’s good enough that you can see for yourself; my adjectives are unnecessary.

Richard Perez

The hand drawn type of Andy Smith is the stuff that my dry dreams are made of. Yes, dry. C’mon, I’m not that into type. No one should be that into type. But even if you are one of those type obsessed crazies, Smith has a veritable cornucopia of typographic pornography to spend some alone time with.  No more sweatily reading McSweeney’s in the Barnes and Noble, now you can get your oddball type fix online. Make sure to pay special attention to his shop section to see the amazing screenprinted mini-books he’s created. Those are the Perfect 10 of type porn. I think I’ve gone too far with this already.

Andy Smith

If there was ever someone in the art/design world to model yourself after it would be Australian Timba Smits. Dude has slap-your-mouth-good work in practically every medium, runs a gallery, does art direction for some great clients, and publishes Wooden Toy Quarterly. I’m pretty sure the man never sleeps. But his cokehead-like diligence has piled him up one hell of a portfolio, which you should devote the next 20 minutes to browsing. And when you’re done with that you can start trying to juggle thirty projects like he does. Just follow his lead.

Timba Smits

I had Jessica Hische’s website open all morning yesterday, and due to day job conflicts I didn’t post anything about it. Of course, Drawn! posted about her while I was being lazy. It’s a dog eat dog internet out there, and it looks like I got eaten on this one. I’m well aware how that sounds. Regardless of me being a day late and several dollars short, Jessica Hische has a wonderful, cut-out illustration style and a supreme mastery of typography. I kind of want to bathe in her fonts. I’m well aware how that sounds.

Jessica Hische

David Pache has compiled a great visual list of some of the top brand identity designers in the world today. But instead of showcasing their various works, he just displays their own logos. The best way to judge a design firm is by the design they do for themselves? If you’re looking for inspiration, or just an interesting comparison of styles, then this will probably give you a good half hour’s worth of viewing pleasure.

100 Brands of Interest