 Ashley
Wood ( )
Ashley Wood is an illustrator extraordinaire who uses
an energetic combination of traditional and modern painting
techniques to create vibrant cover pieces for books,
movies, comics and even television and video games.
The site for this great illustrator and artist does
his work justice as it demonstrates great typography
and excellent attention to detail. Site designed by
ximeraLabs
from UK & Belgium - who themselves feature some of the
freshest modern design we've seen in a long time.
  jump
tomorrow ()
The site is accurately self-described as a "flash journey",
and you'll understand once you cruise around this bizarre
scrolling landscape. We don't know how much of this
illustrated depiction is supposed to relate to the film,
but we have a feeling it will only make sense once the
film is viewed. The best aspects of the site are the
unfolding illustrations (ala early Once-Upon-A-Forest
modules) and the original video game style navigation.
The entire experience comes off like a twisted 60's
version of the Sims.
Rolled up by: Hi-res!.
 Dodge
Magazine ()
Not much of an actual 'web' design, but rather a series
of digital flat screens. Dodge, Issue #1, is a print-like
collaboration of several young and upencoming digital
artists who created a two-tone series of flat pixel
designs that are fun, and just nice to examine. At the
end, you'll also find links to all the contributing
artists' sites, which is useful in and of itself.
Designed by: XL5
Design & K10k
+ Contributors.
 120
Seconds ( )
CA
A place for people in Canada who are experimenting in
the digital medium to show off what they're creating:
byte-size entertainment including animation, shorts,
games, music, whatever. The site design, by Dotaku International,
breaks up the edges nicely creating a feel of an entity
in space rather than a program with holes to fill. The
backend uses Cold Fusion. This is a CBC initiative to
create unique space to showcase Canadian talents.
See also: Just
Concerts.
 Sleeping
Giants ()
This sleepy narrative recalls all the slow and hot feelings
of baking under the Midwest sun in summertime. The site
may be best compared to a CD/kiosk of sorts with its
focus on photography, large images and audio track which
replaces the usual need for text. Overall, the site
provides a nice layered patchwork feel which seems appropriate
for the client, Kodak, in this case.
Designed by: Second
Story Interactive.
 Adobe
Studio ()
The new Adobe Studio boasts a sleek, vibrant design,
and promises to become a worthy resource as a flexible
online collaboration environment for creative professionals.
The site is quite appealing, providing a breath of fresh
air and space amidst tight icon and navigation development.
The information and direction of the site is clear,
and one can even follow the track of design by hillman
curtis inc. in a type of showcase that focuses on
iterations in page and icon design. The tool itself
is now in beta. Check it out.
 800*600
()
This site is so simple it bothers me; essentially built
in two colors with one highlight color, 800*600 is the
site for an upcoming design annual being released from
Hungary. Although the layered graphics appear like something
one would imagine designed for China's coming Olympics
bid, if it is any hint towards the design style being
used in the book, then it should be well worth acquiring.
 the
ad*itive ()
the ad*itive bills itself as a cultural creative shop:
a place that connects brands and people together. This
is not a web shop - it is probably best described as
a new age marketing firm. The site design is highly
visual and subtly active, built in Flash and enhanced
by photography, sound, animated pictographs and good
typography. Web designers familiar with some of their
previous designs will accurately recognize this as the
work of One9ine.
 Renamo
()
Renamo is a tight and tidy little site for a UK marketing
company. The firm was recently re-branded with a military
theme and this site accurately extends that brand online.
The typography is well thought out (although it could
be a little more readable) and the individual design
concepts - using field reports and a topography map
navigation - all gel together wonderfully to turn this
site into a hot little design number.
Marched out by: twelve:ten.
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In this column: Oustanding 'Folio
Sites
Here's a few great indy (portfolio)
sites, which eventually will be filtered into the designhaus:indy
area.
 Joël
Guenoun FR
A typographer and graphic designer from France whose
work transcends the 26 letters of the alphabet to
create a spirited play of images and meanings - he
is an expert "smith" of visual metaphors who juxtaposes
the simplest shapes and letters to reveal something
that already exists - unlocking new ideas and concepts
of visual interest. Joël has printed 5 books,
and has featured work on cover designs and numerous
stunning posters.
 Joseph
Macleod UK
This personal site digs a bit deeper into design theory
than the usual eye candy we whip out on the homepage.
Mr. Macleod's business is a showcase of several explorations
upon the theme of enhancing mobile phone interfaces.
He examines new interfaces that enable 'function based'
activity to stimulate more emotion and feeling, rather
than more RSI. There's a lot of thinking that went
into these ideas - proving that at least a few(!)
of today's designers are not all about valueless flashy
graphics.
 XL5
Design Scotland
A talented and gifted illustrator and 3D artist named
Brian resides at this online space. The site takes
the form of a digital digest, presenting stills and
work links, but it also includes the very cool Dodge
Magazine (see review at left) and the meticulously
unfolding chronicle for Rustboy,
the star of the Rustboy Movie, both of which Brian
is intimately involved in creating.
 Demo
Design USA
A Detroit original, this designer who "loves music"
expels some insane illustrations from the membrane.
Demo-design, which revels in it's anonymity and brandlessness,
presents a tight mix of funky 'techno' design within
a super clean interface that gives out tiny nibbles
of great design and audio like a graphic Pez dispenser.
 miniml
USA
This terribly efficient postage-stamp sized site for
a fresh talent comes in only two sizes: tiny and minuscule.
The idea behind this portfolio revolves around keeping
it small and simple, but the concept really excels
because the artist is also a designer of miniature
bitmap fonts. Check out this original site and then
download up to 7 pixel fonts (at last count). Craig
K. works at Fourm
Design Studio.
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