Category: Inspiration

The first time I saw Dinara Kasko’s edible creations, I didn’t realize that they were pastries. I thought they might be some kind of geometric study or miniature sculptures. Then it hit me, I could actually eat these things! The simple geometry, clean lines, and delicate balance of form and shape not only appealed to my design sensibilities, but my taste buds as well. Weird combination, for sure. I don’t think a piece of design or architecture has ever literally made my mouth water.

She graduated university in Ukraine, with a background in architecture , worked in photography, and was a designer in the Netherlands. Coming from such a rich design-centric background, it makes perfect sense that Dinara would be applying these methods and techniques to her pastry making. By utilizing 3D printing and silicone molds, she’s able to create these unusual but beautifully crafted desserts.

“In general, element forming is one of the main factors for me as a designer and a pastry chef. I should also note that photography, frame composition, and products presentation also play an important role,” Dinara explains in So Good Magazine. “This is a manifestation of me as an artist, making cakes and photographing them as objects of art. Why not? Tasty and beautiful, that’s great.”

I couldn’t agree more Dinara! Follow her on Instagram for more delectable design @dinarakasko

What I love about design is the unexpected and delightful result of combining things that normally aren’t thought of in relation to each other. How they can take on new and interesting forms or expressions. 

In this case I’m talking about flowers and parades; two pretty boring things in my eyes. When I was a kid, I remember having to sit through the parade at Disneyland and absolutely hating it. A few years later when my family went on vacation to Vancouver and just HAD to visit the VanDusen Botanical Garden, I had a similar reaction. Not my cuppa tea, still isn’t… But together at the Corso Zundert parade in the Netherlands, it is damn impressive. 

This annual celebration is themed around the country’s main export, you guessed it: flowers. But these floats aren’t your typical hot air balloons or piñata looking paper ruffles (the paper mache ones are pretty cool though). These complex structures with mobile parts are adorned with vibrant dahlia flowers that give off an incredibly organic and natural feel. I’m sure it smells pretty good there too. 

To learn more about The Parade of Flower Sculptures in Holland, Click Here for a video.

I recently saw one of my favorite authors speak. Simon Sinek visited San Diego’s Creative Mornings and gave an inspiring talk. Although he introduced the talk as being about observations of millennials in the workplace, the ideas resonated with me beyond that specific context.

Simon put forth a case for thoughtfully participating in the workplace–and in life. He railed against the overuse of cell phones and spoke of the importance of empathy for anyone who hopes to lead others.

He challenged the audience to consider how much we’ve become dependent on social media for our sense of self-worth. He warned of an entire generation growing up without coping skills or social skills, and of increasing numbers of people turning to devices, instead of people to meet their emotional needs.

He also pointed out that suicide, depression, and accidental deaths from overdoses are on the rise with the current generation of teens/young adults, and that the desire for instant gratification and resulting lack of patience are causing a void of deep, meaningful relationships that young people are increasingly unable to develop.

He finished by talking about the prevalence of a money-before-people attitude in our corporations, and how it is destroying workplace culture. 

You might be asking, “How was this talk inspiring?” Well, I invite you to watch it for yourself. I left with the inspiring sense that I had heard a well articulated, much needed speech delivered to a large group with the power to spread that message further. 

Simon Sinek delivered the truth with clarify, insight and courage. If you weren’t there, please watch the video. And then spread it further.

https://creativemornings.com/talks/simon-sinek-251/1

I was born in 1984, just a year before PageMaker was introduced on the first line of Macintosh computers. It wasn’t until I was in art school 25 years later that I realized how truly remarkable digital processing was for graphic designers and publishers.

As a kid, I took it for granted that there was always a means of mass producing text and imagery. Not knowing the specifics of how that production actually worked, I figured if the ancient Egyptians had scrolls, that my magazines were nothing to get overly excited about. Oh how wrong I was.

After learning about the history of print techniques and how traditional graphic designers worked prior to the digital revolution, I immediately regretted not holding on to all of my uncle’s old surfing and skateboarding magazines from the 70’s and 80’s. The pages were crafted, literally, with film and acid, emulsions, intricate cuts of paper, ink and glue… I wonder (doubt) that I’d still be a designer had I been born 30 years earlier.

Scientific American magazine turns 171 years old this month, making it the oldest continuously running publication in the United States. They’ve put together an awesome article chronicling their part in the evolution of print since their inception. There’s a print from the very first volume published, a series of illustrations showing the process of creating cover art, and a video with former Art Director, Ed Bell talking about the beginnings of desktop publishing. Read it here.

I started following the illustration work of Mickey Duzyj while working for Everlast in NYC. Some of his illustrations were featured and sold at No Mas, a New York based brand that my team at Everlast collaborated with. No Mas makes apparel, art and media dedicated to “The Thrill of Victory and the Ecstasy of Defeat.”

This referee explanation of “The Dougie” as the inside cover of a Grantland quarterly is one of my favorites.

This summer I was once again exposed to the work of Mickey when I started diving into content on The Ringer. It’s a new venture built on Medium by Bill Simmons and crew. Mickey Duzyj and Elias Stein did a killer job on the branding and illustrations. The content is dedicated entirely to sports and pop culture. If you aren’t using Medium to devour content, you need to be.

Mickey’s work is all over the sports world. I get excited every time I unexpectedly see one of his illustrations. Hopefully you will find the same joy in his work. The perfect lines and his unique style always capture something epic, and I love everything he creates.

You’ve probably heard the exact opposite of that statement right? Aside from seeing gradients used in tech and mobile app logos, it’s not often that you see them in things that you would actually want to wear or have in your home. So while gradients may have gotten a bad rap from their misuse, here are 10 products that are aiming to correct that by injecting some summer vibes into your life.

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