The Minimum Bible Project

Exodus by Joseph Novak www.minimumbible.com

Ruth by Joseph Novak www.minimumbible.com

What happens when you mix an artist, a priest and a student? You get Joseph Novak and his striking Minimum Bible. Growing up in current times, it was very hard for me to feel any emotional attachment to the boring old pictures hung around the church. As expertly painted as they were, they still felt like something aged and stale. Stepping away from the conventional view of biblical events and images, the simplistic images from the Minimum Bible entice a fresh curiosity from people who would have passed by.

“The images and prints of this collection invite the viewer to consider the strange world of the Bible by stripping away the realism which dominates much of religious art; for a brief moment, to ignore the ubiquitous blonde-haired, blue-eyed portraits of Moses and Jesus and instead dwell on the symbolic word of Scripture. ”

— Joseph Novak

Some of the Minimum Bible's 66 images are straightforward (such as EXODUS image above) and others are more complex (such as RUTH image above). But Joseph Novak wants to make clear that he does not intend for the Minimum Bible to replace the actual Bible.

“The Minimum Bible is not trying to replace the Bible. Rather, it serves as a sort of visual diving board back into the text.”

— Joseph Novak

Big Sexy Beer Labels

Walking through the grocery store, I always take a detour down the beer isle. Am I a big drinker? Nope. I just love looking at the labels. Similar to how a bibliophile loves to look and collect books, I love to look at beer labels. To my husband's amusement, I've even started to collect some labels. These malted beauties are in a category of their own specifically because there are no 'hard and fast' rules to their designs. Each individual brewery decides on a theme or overall look for their beer with the intentions of making it stand out. The colors, the typography, the artwork… it’s all unique and spectacular. Unlike many other business fields, you can be as creative and fun as you possibly want or you can go with the more traditional but still colorful side.

I have compiled a list of my top 10 favorite beer labels that I hope you'll enjoy. If something you liked didn't make the list, leave me a comment to tell me your favorite.

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Photo courtesy of Alebrowar.pl

10. Alebrowar - Sweet Cow

Anything that catches my eye and makes me laugh definitely gets a thumbs up from me. I love the bold typography and simple color scheme of this label, but I have to admit that it's the creepy old guy in the cow suit (complete with udders) that made me love this label.

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Photo courtesy of MicroLabelGuide.com

9. Crooked Fence - Sins of our Father Imperial Stout

Please forgive the quality of the image. This label has been a hard one for me to track down. Crooked Fence has a plethora of delicious looking labels but 'Sins of our Fathers Imperial Stout' is by far my favorite. I'm a huge fan of art deco and this label just has me entranced. The pale blue and green color scheme is gorgeous and the simple artwork is so lovely that I could easily see this being used as a book cover.

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Photo courtesy of IndeedBrewing.com

8. Indeed Brewing, Co. - Midnight Ryder

Indeed Brewing Company is located in Minneapolis Minnesota and is quite the positive bunch. Every bit of their marketing elicits a smile from me - even the logo itself smiles. It's no wonder that I fell in love with their Midnight Ryder label. Come on... a suit wearing chap riding a brown bear with its own hat!?! The color is spot on for me as well. The cool blue and warm oranges seem to fit right in with the snowy state of Minnesota. And that typography is one of the best font usages I've seen on a beer label. The only reason this label isn't higher up on my list is due to the coffee mug the chap is holding. Umm... does he know he's supposed to be advertising for a beer bottle not coffee?

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Courtesy of Stillwater Artisanal Ales

7. Stillwater Artisanal Ales

Stillwater made their debut in 2010 with this lovely label. At first glance, I loved the overall color scheme and the 'tattoo'-ish feel of the artwork. When I began researching the label a little more I descovered that it was indeed created by a tattoo artist - Leeroy Verzosa from Ghost Town Odditorium. And I give them even more praise for having the background and foreground being different styles of colors. It really makes the artwork pop. If you like this label, I suggest you look at their Cellar Door ale.

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Photo courtesy of makeandappreciate.wordpress.com

6. Sierra Nevada - Ruthless Rye

This label brings me back to days gone by. I could see this being an old play flyer for a bar in the old wild West. The colors, the detailed scroll work.... even the typography is something that I could see being used in an old film. I definitely think this label is probably overlooked due to its subtle and earthy coloring, but the artwork is truly detailed.

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Photo Courtesy of flyingdogales.com

5. Flying Dog Brewery - Doggie Style

You can't talk about beer labels without listing the Flying Dog Brewery. Their artwork (not to mention beer names) have become something to see. When I first saw a Flying Dog Brew, I was amazed with the style of artwork it had. No one else had ever done anything like it. Immediately I thought of "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" by Alvin Schwartz and illustrated by Stephen Gammell. The ink blots and disturbing title typography really hooked me in. Now the funny names have kept me hooked (Raging Bitch, anyone?)

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Photo Courtesy of Grimm Brothers Brewhouse

4. Grimm Brothers Brewhouse - Little Red Cap

I've had an obsession with the Brothers Grimm since I was a little kid. I even thought I would one day make a t-shirt company based on the Grimm fairy tales. Now, was I surprised that I was hooked on beer labels that were based off the stories?... Nope. But what I was surprised about was just how beautiful they were done. Everything about these labels are gorgeous from the typography to the color choices, but it's the Little Red Cap that I love the most... nothing like a sweet innocent girl with an axe. Even the Farmer's Daughter artwork is beautiful with the golds and browns playing nicely off the bottle.

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Photo courtesy of CupicCreative.com

3. Marshall Brewing Company - Sundown Wheat

The Sundown Wheat from the Marshall Brewing Company was a complete surprise to me. I'm still unearthly drawn to it. While the artwork is very detailed and storybook-like, it's the color that has me entranced. I believe this is the best sunset art I've ever come across. The golden orange and yellow they used is so believable and alluring that I can't keep my eyes off of it. I tried looking at their Atlas brew but my eyes always drifted back to the Sundown Wheat. Whoever the designer was, congratulations... you have picked the best possible colors and have gained a fan.

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Photos courtesy of Wychwood.co.uk

2. Wychwood Brewery - Ginger Beard

The Wychwood Brewery has tapped everyone's imaginations to come up with their brew lines. The Hobgoblin was one of their first drafts, but I'm drawn to the Ginger Beard the most due to my love of Lord of the Rings and 'World of Warcraft'. In the back of my mind I can even imagine the dwarf speaking like Gimli. But all of their brews have such charming characters that I could spend all day talking about each of them. The delightful leprechaun with the grumpy horse, the menacing demons playing dirty tackle, and the folksy fiddler are all so splendidly drawn that I could just see each of their characters being in a story of their own.

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Photo courtesy of tappedwisdom.com

1. Old Dominion Brewing Company - Morning Glory Espresso Stout

The Morning Glory Espresso Stout is my favorite so far. While I'm a female and I frown upon throwing a half naked girl on everything, I think Old Dominion did this one right. I loved the days of the original pin up girls - always covered but nevertheless exuded a subtle sexuality. Even WWII bombers featured some of the most beautiful pin up artwork. For this label, I believe Old Dominion chose the color and textures of this image perfectly and the label just seems to jump out to you. Not to mention that the detail in the aircraft outside the window could've been overlooked but is even crisper and believable.

Shia LaBeouf: Inspiration or Plagiarism?

Image of Shia LeBeouf from GQ.com

Shia LaBeouf is getting quite hot under the collar lately due to a ton of negative press. In May of 2012, Shia LeBeouf presented his short film at the Cannes Film Festival titled “Howard Cantour”. Once the short film became available online, many critics began citing how similar the film was to “Justin M. Damiano” by Daniel Clowes. At first LaBeouf pleaded that he had only been inspired by Mr. Clowes. On December 16th, Mr. LaBeouf tweeted using his handle @thecampaignbook “Copying isn't particularly creative work. Being inspired by someone else's idea to produce something new and different IS creative work.” Shortly after, many began voicing that the stories were so similar and the script was written word –for- word exactly like Mr. Clowes’s book. Then Mr. LaBeouf began copying quotes from other famous people for his apologies including Lars von Trier, Mark Zuckerberg, and UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

Clowes’ editor, Eric Reynolds stated “I presumed that LaBeouf would be smart enough to change everything just enough to make it his own thing and shield himself from any legal liability, even if it didn’t excuse him from being a weasel.” This leads me to my next issue- what is inspiration and what is plagiarism? I believe that if you take someone else’s idea, you’re copying that person. There’s many different ways to be inspired, but it usually involves a style or over all feeling. If a person has to word something differently or use a different color to keep from getting in trouble, that person is probably plagiarizing. There’s many times that I have seen something that inspired me or a new technique that I’ve never thought of trying, but I always try to give credit to the artist, even if it’s just a link to the original work.

Images of Miranda's thievery provided by You thought we didn't notice

An interesting site to view plagiarism is You thought we wouldn’t notice…but we did. If a person spots plagiarism they post it side by side with the original. The backlash from artists is so strong that it usually forces the plagiarist to apologize and remove the fake art. One story that strongly shows the line between true art and plagiarism is the story of Josafat Miranda. Mr. Miranda was making and selling paintings of other artists’ photography without giving them credit. Although Miranda was truly painting these pieces, he was using copyrighted photographs (Shown Left) as a guide. Once You thought we wouldn’t notice got in touch with the Gallery owner that had been selling Miranda’s art, it was all taken down and removed. The sad part is Josafat Miranda truly believed that he didn’t need to give credit because the artwork was ‘a tribute’. However, even when you are making 'a tribute' it's always wise to cite the original artist. I highly doubt that someone would take you seriously if you said you were the original artist of the Mona Lisa.

When you absolutely love someone's art, the smart thing to do would be to copy that art to learn the technique. This DOES NOT mean that you can then pass off your copy as an original. If you become famous by copying others' work, won't you always be worrying about being caught? That guilt alone should spur you in the opposite direction. A true artist can appreciate beauty without copying. Whip out your own camera and take your own photos. There are numerous tutorials you can find online if you need any help. After all, new techniques and technology are being thought up every day to help expand your creativity and vision. Learn everything you can, always strive to improve, but make sure to  give credit where credit is due.

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All sources:

http://www.gq.com/style/suit-guide/201004/shia-labeouf-photos-wall-street#slide=1

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/02/showbiz/shia-labeouf-plagiarism-apology/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2533819/Shia-LaBeouf-blames-plagiarism-woes-drug-habit-mea-culpa-lifted-rapper-Gucci-Mane.html

http://youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com/blog3/2012/12/12/see-art-steal-art/

http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2012/12/miami_artist_busted_for_steali.php?ref=trending&page=2

https://twitter.com/thecampaignbook

Friday Favorites

Life is all about learning and immersing yourself into new things. So every Friday I will release my Friday Favorites : Artists who are currently inspiring me. Please enjoy!

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1. Rowan Newton

I'm in love with Rowan's art style. It's messy, yet very controlled. The colors are bright and vivid and stand out amazingly on cardboard. I've even seen some of his beautiful artwork on wooden boards with the texture showing through. I believe it's all of the negative space that really makes his work stand out. Instead of coating his work with paint to make it look uniform, he lets the medium and canvas flow together. As a kid, I always knew that cardboard was a beautiful thing. :)

To see more of Rowan's beautiful work visit http://rowannewton.co.uk/artworks/ .

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This beautiful piece of art was created by NO THEFT and Amanda DuFORD

2. NO THEFT and Amanda DuFord

This piece really caught my attention because it's based on scrapbooking. Anyone who knows me also knows that I enjoy scrapbooking. The layering, the texture.... every bit of it is lovingly thought out. All of the pieces were cut out and water-colored to be such pure pastel perfectness. Did you know that the raindrop is actually 2 feet tall? Wow!

To learn more about this piece, please visit http://panigot.blogspot.com/2010/10/no-theft-x-amanda-duford.html

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Each amazing crayon was hand carved by Diem Chau

3. Diem Chau

Diem Chau has an amazing ability to carve statues in Crayons. You won't believe how much detail is in each and every one of them. This piece is one of three groupings that depict a letter of the alphabet and an animal or item that begins with the letter.  She even carves into pencil lead.

To view more of Diem Chau's work, please visit http://tinyhaus.blogspot.com/

A Pantone New Year

Happy New Year's Eve, everyone! 2014 is slowly beginning to appear. It always amazes me when I think that it's already 2014 on the other side of the earth. With each new year comes a new set of colors for the world to live by. When I was a child, I often wondered why all clothing companies used the same colors at the same time. As I entered college, a teacher jokingly referred to the color selection as coming from 'the mysterious powers that be'. I now understand that the colors are actually chosen by Pantone (a corporation known entirely for their color coding system). So it only makes since that they are THE people to go to about color. Without further ado, here are the 2014 Pantone colors:

1. Violet Tulip

This tint reminds me of the Wisteria plant. I could see this being really popular around Easter time.

“A romantic, vintage purple, evokes wistful nostalgia”

— Pantone's Leatrice Eisemann

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2. Radiant Orchid

The second color is also in the violet family but it's much bolder and a little more on the red side. I have to admit, I'm excited about this one. It's surprising how little it's used because it's such a versatile color - not too bright or too dark. For an unexpected pop, I'd probably pair it with #5 Cayenne

“A bold counterpart to Violet Tulip”

— Pantone's Leatrice Eisemann

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3. Placid Blue

This one is my favorite purely because my entire wedding was organized around it. This color blue is so muted and lovely that I don't see how anyone could dislike it. It reminds me of antiques, hanging cotton laundry and the sky.

“A picture-perfect, tranquil and reassuring sky, induces a sense of peaceful calmness”

— Pantone's Leatrice Eisemann

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4. Dazzling Blue

While I'm a huge fan of blue, this color kind of puzzles me. It's not really a Royal Blue, but it's not a Navy either. I'm curious to see how it will be used this year.

“A scintillating, polar opposite to Placid Blue”

— Pantone's Leatrice Eisemann

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5. Cayenne

Now here's where we get some hot fire. Cayenne is the 'red' of the group but it's much more of a mango or clay brick to me. I love this variation and I can definitely see it in a restaurant setting.

“A high-pitched red, adds a dash of spicy heat to neutrals”

— Pantone's Leatrice Eisemann

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6. Celosia Orange

Keeping with the fiery and exotic feel of  Cayenne, the Celosia orange really brings that 'Bird of Paradise' flower feel. Carefully keep it subtle to avoid following the path of Halloween.

“An optimistic, spontaneous hue”

— Pantone's Leatrice Eisemann

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7. Hemlock

Hemlock stands alone as the only green hue in the bunch. It reminds me of the pastel sugar mints that my grandmother used to keep stored around the house. Hemlock's cool, minty color could easily be used as a neutral if paired with #5 Cayenne and #6 Celosia.

“A summery, ornamental green, provides a decorative touch that’s very different from the greens of recent seasons”

— Pantone's Leatrice Eiseman

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8. Paloma

Paloma is a medium warm grey. I have to admit, it took me a while to convert from Black to Grey as my chosen secondary color. From clothes to type, black had always been the easiest choice. Grey, however, has finally knocked black out of its throne and replaced it. Subtle and modern, grey is here to stay and Paloma is a wonderful shade of it.

“Paloma serves as a quintessential neutral, interesting enough to be worn alone or combined with any color for sophisticated poise”

— Pantone's Leatrice Eisemann

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9. Sand

Sand is exactly what it sounds like... sand. It's that creamy, tan-ish color that we've seen paired with everything every year. Although, this one is a little more warm tinted (much like #8 Paloma). I suppose it only makes since due to all of the warm colors in the mix this year.

“A lightly toasted and amiable neutral, conjures images of the beach and the carefree days of summer”

— Pantone's Leatrice Eisemann

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10. Freesia

Freesia is another vibrant and tropical color in the lineup this year. I'm sure we'll see a lot of Freesia around the summertime (possibly on beach-bound bikinis everywhere). Pair this color with a light wood texture in your home for something minimal, modern, and energetic.

“A blazing yellow that is sure to illuminate wardrobes this season”

— Pantone's Leatrice Eisemann

Friday Favorites

Life is all about learning and immersing yourself into new things. So every Friday I will release my Friday Favorites : Artists who are currently inspiring me. Please enjoy!

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This beautiful image is by Raul Allen and called "La Reina de la Remolacha (detail)"

1. Raul Allen

Raul's illustrations are very nostalgic. They all feel like they have already been time tested and time weathered. Beautiful and soft, they remind me a lot of Alphonse Mucha's coloring.

View more of Raul's work at www.RaulAllen.com

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2. Tauba Auerbach

When I saw Tauba's RGB Colorspace Atlas, I was in awe. It has every imaginable color inside its pages. This was truly a labor of love. 

To view more of Tauba's work, please visit www.TaubaAuerbach.com.

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RGB book by Tauba Auerbach

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Art of Seung Mo Park

3. Seung Mo Park

Have you ever seen something so beautiful, creative and mind-blowing that you literally stop and ask yourself "How in the world did they do that?!?!" Well, that is the artwork of Seung Mo Park. At first I thought his work was charcoal or pencil, but come to find out.... it's wire mesh! Like, he literally cuts pieces out of wire mesh to make these beautiful images. Wow.. Just Wow.

To view more of his work, please visit http://www.seungmopark.com

Working from an Idea

When I have an idea in my mind of what I want to create, it's hard to resist jumping right onto my computer. However, it really is best to sit down, pull out the pencil and paper, and start sketching it first. Sometimes things just flow and develop naturally that would otherwise be overlooked. My favorite method is to grab a piece of computer paper and draw the basic outline of what I want to create. Next, I lay a page of tracing paper on top and draw what ever comes to my mind. The tracing paper is a lot easier to erase on and I can draw outside of the lines while still visualizing my boundaries.

When I have a pretty good idea of my drawing, I grab a fine point pen and start outlining. Once all of the pencil marks have been erased and the picture is outlined, I scan my image. There are many different techniques that you can use from here. Some graphic designers like to use Photoshop and its many paintbrushes. I prefer to use Illustrator. (I'm such a vector girl.) This weekend I plan on showing everyone how to make a vector appear grungy and textured without ever touching Photoshop.

What does a Graphic Designer do?

When I told my father that I wanted to be a Graphic Designer, he immediately pulled out the local newspaper, pointed to the ‘Help Wanted’ section and began to tell me that I would never get a job with a degree like that. For many people who work with their hands, I can understand that logic. My father was raised in a time before the internet or cell phones, and a television set was still a fairly new luxury that many didn’t have. The most marketing meant to his generation was going door-to-door handing out business cards or a hand painted sign that hung above your front door. Graphic Design has come a long way from that.

So what is Graphic Design? Dictionary.com describes Graphic Design as “the art or profession of visual communication that combines images, words, and ideas to convey information to an audience, especially to produce a specific effect.” I like to think of Graphic Design as art that does work. Typically in the way we think of art, it is simply something beautiful or that makes us ponder at life. Sometimes fine art is sold, but the creation is often purely aesthetic. Graphic Design, on the other hand, is normally created to convey information. While both are beautiful to look at, fine art makes you think of questions and Graphic Design can help answer them.

We are bombarded by Graphic Design messages every day. When you wake up in the morning and put on your shoes, look at the tag or label. That logo and even type were made by a Graphic Designer. Drag yourself into the restroom to brush your teeth. What toothpaste do you pick up: the Colgate with its bold red colors or Crest with its cool blue? Both of these were designed by a Graphic Designer who probably agonized over the color scheme for weeks. You get the idea. Everywhere we look, every magazine we pick up and every credit card we use were designed with love and passion by a Graphic Designer. The reach of a Graphic Designer is limitless, and so are the job opportunities. Every single business (whether large or small) uses the talents of a Graphic Designer in some fashion.

Now, when I sit at my desk at work, I smile remembering my father’s words… and I send him samples of everything I make.

Friday Favorites

Life is all about learning and immersing yourself into new things. So every Friday I will release my Friday Favorites : Artists who are currently inspiring me. Please enjoy!

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This beautiful creation is by Sidney Lim YX on Behance.com

1. Sidney Lim YX

Sidney Lim's work is simply stunning. Normally, when I view work I can tell if the artist was male or female. Sidney's work, however, was so breathtakingly beautiful and delicate that I couldn't believe that it was made by a man. Absolutely stunning and a mark of a true artist.

View more of his work at http://bit.ly/IxAFJk

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2. Marco Sodano

My inner child wants to just take a moment to announce my new favorite artwork. 

Lego.Mona.Lisa.... enough said.

View more of Marco's work at http://bit.ly/1cStLr6

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This Lego beauty is by Marco Sodano

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Valentines by Nabil Nezzar

3. Nabil Nezzar

Using graphite, color pencils & water color, Nabil Nezzar creates some of the most ethereal images. Realistic, yet unearthly, his images have such a beautiful quality to them.

View more of Nabil's work at http://www.nabilnezzar.com/

Are you good enough to be a LinkedIn friend?

Photo credit to MarketingDirecto.com

Yes, I'll admit it.... I grew up through every social media craze there ever was. Myspace... had it.  Live Journal... had it. Twitter... still do. Facebook... well, you get the point. So it shouldn't surprise anyone that I marched on over to my computer the moment I heard about LinkedIn.

It was so professional! I felt like a kid on the first day of school with brand new erasers and perfectly sharpened No. 2's. I could post all the skills I possessed and even ask for endorsements (which are the technical versions of referrals). With an online resume, I found it much easier to keep things up to date.

When I finished creating my profile, I patted myself on the back for a job well done and leaned over to my husband to ask him to friend me... and he declined. While I tried my best to lick my wounds and be understanding, my husband began explaining his logic.

"LinkedIn isn't like Facebook," he said. "You don't just friend people that you know. These are people that are a good professional connection and that you would use as a reference."

So that got me thinking. I guess those high school friends who are still going through their 'frat boy' stage are probably not the best to be friends with. However, I can't help but wonder - if they are on LinkedIn then aren't they wanting to grow professionally? Sometimes it's not the people themselves who are important but the connections they bring. What if Sally doesn't have a job but her aunt is the hiring manager at a wonderful firm? I, for one, would want to be on her good side and be counted as a great friend. Being friends with someone is always a great thing in my book. Friend me anytime!