iKineo recently completed an exciting integrated campaign for local menswear store Loom. The first element of the campaign was 3 interactive window displays at their men’s multi-brand fashion shop in Parkhurst, Johannesburg. Customers can interact with the products displayed in the windows using their NFC-enabled smartphones. By simply scanning over a specific area on the window, passers-by can play with the products and make purchases through a mobile site that mirrors and introduces the new Loom online store.

Window 1 houses a pair of adidas Originals Torsion Allegra trainers, which you can rotate using your smartphone. A black Fred Perry nylon cycling jacket is displayed in Window 2. Little fans are positioned beneath the jacket making it move if you increase or decrease the fan speed. Window 3 displays the Berlin Boombox (a docking station for iPhones, BlackBerrys and MP3 players). With a smartphone, you’re able to control which song is played.

iKineo explained how it works, “For the windows, each product box was wired up to a Raspberry PI, running a NodeJS server and connected to the internet. Utilising NFC tags for supported smartphones or QR codes as a fallback, users could directly control each product box, activating electronics that had been rigged up through the use of the PI’s GPIO as well as the addition of Arduino controlled components.

The electronics included a stepper motor, computer fans and LED matrices. Once engaged, the press of a button on the mobile site we developed would bring the electronics in each respective box to life. From the mobile site, users could directly navigate to the e-commerce solution, where they could purchase the product directly.”

Interactive Window Displays:

LOOM-O-VISION - RFID technology woven into selected product tags – was introduced inside the store. The technology detects when a product has been picked up and displays a realtime mix of social, custom and curated brand content and designed experiences.

Instore LOOM-O-VISION:

Continuing the immersive retail experience, the team re-thought the largely disregarded till slip. “We wanted customers to leave the Loom store with something more than just their purchase. Inspired by BERG’s Little Printer, we explored the value of till slips and sought to encourage consumer engagement by providing functional and fun content through an existing and familiar shopping item. Rather than something that is easily discarded, we transformed the till slip into a useful, exciting and realtime artefact of a shopping experience.”

Loom-Locker Till Slip:

The integrated campaign reaches as far as a newly created set of packaging for Loom Online purchases. Each size – designed for accessories, footwear and soft goods – features a different pattern, screen-printed on the inside of the lid and inspired by the fine tailoring and different fabrics of the products stocked by Loom.

Packaging:

Loom also commissioned a selection of designers and illustrators to celebrate the opening of their new online store and Cape Town store with a poster series. The first poster offers a comment on the store’s rather discerning, eccentric client base, the second announces Loom’s e-commerce platform by evoking the internet experience, the third is an experimental typographic portrait challenging ideas of menswear, and the final poster pays homage to the store’s namesake and roots in fabric, dye and weave.

Posters:

Credits:

Creative director: Michael Zylstra
Technical director: Rigard Kruger
Developers: Jennifer Cohen, Warren Hall
Art director: Michael Tymbios
Copywriter: Gemma Cowan
Designers: Michael Tymbios, Simon Nicholson, Emma Cook, Daniel Ting Chong, Adam Hill
Studio Producers: Mignonne Saaiman, Zonica Strydom
Production Company: The Institute of Amazing Shit
Director: Duvan Durand
Editor: Duvan Durand
Design, Fabrication and Installation: The Michael Elion Company

www.ikineo.com
www.loomshop.co.za

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The insanely talented Anja Venter has, much to our delight, updated her website with new work completed over the first half of 2013. Her recent projects range from band posters and album artwork in her distinctive style to samples from her sketch books and work for clients like Nedbank and MK.

Anja’s freelance art direction, design and illustration is all done part-time while she pursues her PhD in ICT4D (Information and Communication technologies for development) fully funded by The Nokia Research Center. Her thesis revolves around archiving systems and visual communication in resource-constrained areas with a focus on developing an app for low-income kids who are interested in pursuing a career in design.

Previously Anja has assisted in Research for The University of Washington’s Global Impact Study and the South Africa-Netherlands Research Programme on Alternatives in Development; has contributed to the front end design and conceptualisation of a Microsoft Nokia/UCT app which is aimed at educating midwives in Sierra Leone; and has played mobile and computer games with kids from Langa, Khayelitsha, Delft and Ocean View in the quest to make better games with meaningful interactions.

Pretty impressive stuff. For more visit nannaventer.co.za.

These are some of Anja’s latest with descriptions in her own words:

The Dollfins are one of the most prolific bands around basically spitting out hits as they sneeze. Every now and again the get together in their den and record some stuff with Andy, Mak, Xan, kitchen utensils and a case of lager. This is one of those products – a punk anthem about crack called “There She Goes” and a cover of the Cramps hit “Strychnine” (which I prefer to the original). Get it here. 

I was tasked with making an album cover for one of my favourite bands/general favourite humans on this planet.  The album title “For now we are young” lended itself to a kind of post-apocalyptic scenario where something could happen at any moment, in my head anyways. So I tried to create this anticipation in the illustration. Maybe a bunch of nuclear bombs are on the horizon or a massive alien spacecraft is approaching, in contrast with the devil may care attitude of the Beach Party crew, dangling feet over the pool, slurping on some brewskies, like whatever.

I did this poster for aKING in a quick sitting, but ended up really liking it. The bar is vietnamese so the band was looking for something tongue in cheek, hence the awkward drunken karaoke with Laudo and ominous rice wine pickled scorpions.

Some scans from my sketch books that I digitally reworked.

Every now and again I produce an Ink Canvass for commission or as gifts for friends. I draw these with Indian Ink, brush pens, technical pens and various sized brushes on white canvass.

MK Merch is a collaboration between myself, MK, Elma Smit and Yiorgos Spanoudis of the Greek Merchant. A range of designs inspired by music, African and Afrikaans influences on custom made garments for the MK market.

Kazazoom develops apps for the Mxit platform, and their advice questionnaire “Ask Kim” had been doing exceptionally well. I was tasked with creating an infographic based on specifications from the client that could be used for promotional and presentation purposes.

Illustrations for Nedbank. Agency: HKLM

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Si Maclennan is an independent art director, illustrator, and graphic designer living and working in Cape Town. He has marked just over a year of successful fulltime freelancing with a redesign of his portfolio site.

Since going independent, Si has been hard at work building his client base both locally and abroad, and has recently signed with a brand new South African illustration representation agency. His updated website features a streamlined selection of his best projects, old and new. He says, “I wanted to make this revision a bit more client-friendly. The focus is on the work, but I wanted to bring across a bit of personality, too.”

Having worked in the advertising industry, with international brands and with publications, Si has experience producing for both print and digital media. His work is continuously evolving into new directions and experimental spaces.

Some new projects include illustrations for Santam, a brand new FieldCandy tent, and a couple of educational infographics published with a public license so that anyone can download and reproduce them.

Have a look at Si’s new portfolio space at simaclennan.com. Here’s some of what you’ll find:

A t-shirt design for rapper K.O. Kid, and producer Ladro from Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Two self-initiated posters relating two contrasting themes, both released under the Attribution, Non-Commercial Creative Commons License. The first poster examines the microscopic environment of a single animal cell and the second relates this theme to the orbits of satellites around the earth.

FieldCandy collaborated with Company Magazine UK to create a unique concept tent based around current trends in textiles and fashion. Si was asked to realise the concept by producing this intricate, colourful, limited edition design.

The illustrations above and below are both part of a series of personal arwtorks exploring the theme of heroes and villains in modern film and television.

Art direction, icons and infographics for a website celebrating the rich history of world-renowned insurer, Santam. An interactive digital experience takes visitors on an animated journey through the World Of Santam – educating and entertaining users with bright and rich graphics.

Agency: Punk / King James
Creative Director: Matt Ross

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Jessica Vines is a creative director at Grid Worldwide Branding and Design in Johannesburg. Design has always been what she’s wanted to do and she started out earning a degree from the Greenside School of Design. She briefly strayed into below-the-line but soon headed back. She says, “Design has always been about simplicity and communication for me. A good strategy is so important.”

Jessica’s career has taken her from the Brand Union to Breinstorm to Grid, via Cross Colours. She makes a point to always work for people she respects and can learn from. She follows a design policy of thinking first and says, “There’s too much branding and design out there that doesn’t say anything, or make you feel anything. I want to make things that make people feel good.”

Jessica’s website offers an extensive look at the branding, packaging, publication design and illustration work she’s done throughout her career for various clients. Here’s just a taste.

Visit www.barhamvines.co.za for more.

Branding for Like Limited Editions.

Business cards for SLO•JO.

Illustrations of the 2010 World Cup stadiums

Rebranding for the AAA School of Advertising

Illustrations for “Just Ask. Who Was The First Snake Charmer?”

Illustrations for “Just Ask. How Did The Tiger Earn His Stripes?”

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Based in the city of Cape Town, creative studio MUTI has rebranded, relaunched their website and grown their team. Brad Hodgskiss of Mingo Lamberti and previously of Radio has joined Miné Jonker and Clinton Campbell. As MUTI, they combine their creative talents to provide a broad spectrum of illustration, typography and design.

The studio has been producing some excellent work over the last few months, and a lot of it. These are our favourite pieces ranging from infographics for Condé Nast Traveller to the beginning of a hopefully-ongoing illustrated series of Bond villains. First up are their contributions to Salon91′s type-inspired exhibition Back in Five Minutes.

Find more of MUTI’s latest here or on Behance.

We created this series of portraits in tribute to three infamous villains of the classic James Bond movies. They are Blofeld, Jaws and Largo.

We created a series of three infographics for Condé Nast Traveler, revealing the stats behind the scenes of a pool boy, cocktail waitress and housekeeper at their respective hotels in Beverly Hills, Las Vegas and Chicago

Poster created for Mingo Lamberti, an exclusive design goods manufacturer in South Africa. This was for their Tales of the Sea t-shirt range.

We had some fun creating this graphic interpretation of the Atlantic coast of South Africa. It shows the prominent spots along the western side of the Cape of Good Hope.

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Joburg ad industry freelancers Jeff Tyser and Kerryn-Lee Maggs left all the clients and deadlines behind last year and went on an epic 5 month adventure around Southern Africa. Along with their trusty Landrover, Andy (the landy), Jeff and Kerryn travelled 22 500 kms making their way through Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.

Being creatives they documented every kilometre of the way on their blog, Lost & Found, with stories, photographs to make you weep at your desk and a beautiful series of infographic-style poster summations of their stay in each country.

Africa Geographic have since been featuring their story and imagery as a weekly blog series, here.

Take a look at their journey at thelostandfoundblog.tumblr.com or follow Andy on Twitter.

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Muizenberg

Pauline Irvine is the designer behind the intricate and bespoke range of laser-cut stationery and paper products, ArtyMiss. The name being a play on the name of the Greek Goddess, Artemis. Pauline says, “In Greek mythology, Artemis was the Hellenic goddess of the wilderness, hunting and fertility. Her reference to femininity is descriptive of my delicate design style and her connection to the wilderness is reflected in the nature content of my work. Always depicted to be carrying a bow and arrow, the blade Artemis carries represents the laser cutting technique.”

Pauline studied Graphic Design at Stellenbosch University and worked in a various areas of design – magazine layout, corporate identities, brochures – before realising her dream of producing her own stationery range. She says, “Since I was young I have always loved making things with paper. My interest in paper cutting developed later, when I studied graphic design. We were encouraged to experiment with all sorts of artistic techniques, and it was then that I became really interested in using paper cutting as a form of illustration.”

ArtyMiss was officially launched in March 2012 at the Design Indaba.

Pauline keeps herself inspired by constantly trying new ways to work with paper and new methods to make her cards more 3D. Many mock-ups are made during the design phase to experiment with how the designs work best and to play with the effects of light and shadow. The amazing shadows that the cutouts create have inspired Pauline to consider making mobiles and lights in the future. She is also looking at making larger scale limited edition décor pieces.

A love of travel keeps the ArtyMiss designs fresh, taking cues from the intricacy of Indian jewellery and the organic beauty of Alphonse Mucha’s Art Nouveau paintings. However, it’s the designs with local content that Pauline finds most popular so she makes sure to draw from local imagery too.

Find more at www.artymiss.co.za.

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The Winner: Estian Fourie

Last night eight of Joburg’s best designers were challenged to create film posters in just one hour for ‘Shotgun Garfunkel’, 3 Jozi production companies’ attempt at breaking The Fastest Film Ever Made record.

The event was hosted at Wolves in Illovo by The Fastest Film Ever Made team - Team Best, Localala and Ghost Sheep – along with their friends at Halo advertising. The action was streamed live on their Facebook page and the winner was voted for over social media.

Congrats to Estian Fourie for taking the prize!

These are the results:

Eras Gous

Shaun Hill

Chris Valentine

Shaun Botes

Sheldon Stewart

Koos Groenewald

Nicholas Christowitz

Pics of the event by Jeff Tyser -

Follow #FastestFilmSA on Twitter to keep updated and get info about the screenings. Check out www.facebook.com/FastestFilmEverMade to see what they’ve achieved so far.

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Canadian born, Cape Town raised Ben Johnston has been hard at work this year so far taking on the daunting task of developing his own CI and completing a series of beautiful type-based pieces for the exhibition Back In Five Minutes. All in between freelancing for global clients including Disney, working on local magazine covers and editorial illustrations, and leaving his day job at Zoom, Ogilvy after 14 months to explore the industry overseas – specifically the US and Canada.

While in the process of immigrating, Ben is busy with a fresh batch of type works. He plans to exhibit in Toronto at the end of this month and hopefully across the US in the near future.

Ben is self-taught and started focussing on traditional graphic design after a brief stint in industrial design. He enjoys creating typographic illustrations from scratch and his industrial design experience allows him to bring these to life in both 2D and 3D.

With his sights set across the ocean, Ben still has plans to exhibit back in Cape Town over this year and next and is hoping to take part in more group shows at Salon91.

Find more from him at www.behance.net/benjohnston.

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NicSocks is a loud, local, limited edition sock company started by Nicholas Haralambous. Nicsocks are manufactured in Cape Town, environmentally friendly and proudly South African.

The latest range is available as of today and is a collaboration with graphic designer/illustrator Daniel Ting Chong. The collection is the first of the Artist Foundation, an initiative to produce limited edition ranges designed by local artists.

Nic asked Daniel a few questions about his experience designing socks. The interview is up on the NicSocks blog. Here’s a bit of their Q&A:

NS: Why did you take on a project involving socks of all things?

D: Every year I try do a self motivated project that is out of my comfort zone, it is the best way to grow as a creative. When this collaboration dropped in my inbox, I couldn’t wait to begin. I think there is great merit in doing something that you’re really naive about and learning about all the new processes.

I have never designed for socks before and thought it was a great opportunity to learn about sock textile design. One’s vector graphics gets translated into a stitch block, which essentially is like working in pixels. I thought that was really interesting and wanted to push that process as much as I could. The other reason why I took it on was because sock design has been quite mundane over the years and I wanted to inject something really fun ideas into socks.

NS: Was this project particularly challenging?

D: Definitely and that was the great part. You can’t always design and expect it to be perfect. Working with restrictions is great, but it’s always interesting to know the limits of it and try push it. When designing these ranges, I had to understand the colour palette limitations but more importantly the stitch count alignment. My approach to the designs were that the pattern needs to repeat continuously without anyone noticing the start and end of the pattern. I think this approach on the sock makes it more interesting because whether you’re wearing it with pants or shorts, you’ll always have a great crop of the pattern. The difficult part of having this approach is that the sock designs are translated into very limited software which crops off sections and only allow 7 colours on one line.

Read the rest of the interview here and shop the range here. 

nicsocks.com

www.danieltingchong.com

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