janfeb2006preview

Colorado Posters William Huber Hambly & Woolley Loren Long OBIE Awards Color Predictions Branding the Games Italian

January/February 2006 Eight Dollars www.commarts.com

76

January/February 2006

Loren Long

Left: “Interior illustration from The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper. One departure I attempted to make from the 1954 version was to give each engine its own distinct look. It was certainly a new thing for me and it ended up being the most fun. This is the Shiny New Passenger Engine who was, of course, way too busy and important to help the little broken down train and all the dolls and toys that needed to get to the other side of the mountain.” Semadar Megged, art director; Gauch Patricia, Philomel Books, client.

Interior image and cover from The Little Engine That Could. “I have always loved this book and when given the opportunity to illustrate it myself, I wanted this to show through. I wanted to tribute this classic and its different editions, not replace them. This image is Little Blue as she is chugging up the mountain, which also became the jacket art.”

This page: “Cover art for Mile’s Song by Alice McGill, a novel for young readers. Going back about five or six years, I recall suddenly beginning to get calls for book covers. I noticed they were always for young readers, never books for adults. I’m still not sure if this was a result of my style, or my perceived reading level.

Regardless, I loved the process of reading a story and creating a visual to be its face. This is a great book about a little boy who escaped the South through the underground railroad. I think the best covers portray the mood and tone of a text, not always a specific moment in the story.” Bob Kosturko, Houghton Mifflin, art director.

“Interior image from When I Heard The Learn’d Astronomer by Walt Whitman. Whitman’s text is minimal in this eight-line poem. He tells us nothing about our protagonist except that the character attends a lecture by a noted astronomer. It was my job to create a visual storyline to accompany Whitman’s words.” Dan Potash, art director; Kevin Lewis, Simon & Schuster, client.

Communication Arts

77

86

January/February 2006

The 63rd Annual OBIE Awards Left: Wants/Needs 3D Lampshades billboard for Target, Merit Series Campaign, Retail. Dave Peterson, art director/creative director; Ilan Rubin, photographer; Ellen Frego, print producer; Gayle Malcolm, account supervisor; Peterson Milla Hooks, ad agency.

This page: Pepsi Mini Cans, Merit Series Campaign, International. Christina Yu, art director; Avtar Takel, writer; Jack Neary/Terry Drummond/Alan Madill, creative directors; Shin Sugino, photographer; Stephanie Nerlich/Darlene Remlinger/ Nicole Lupke, account services; BBDO Canada, ad agency; PepsiQTG Canada, client.

McDonald’s Milkshake Straw billboard, OBIE Award, Food & Restaurants. “This one is pretty simple—we’ve all had milkshakes, nothing new there. So it really just became an exercise in exploiting their famous thickness by having some fun with the medium, of the board itself. This was the quickest read we could think of. As it turns out, turning the shakes upside down is in fact how they check to see if the machine is working properly. And suddenly we don’t look so clever.” Brian Shembeda, art director; Avery Gross, writer; John Montgomery/Mark Tutssel, creative directors; Greg Mohrs, photographer; Leo Burnett, ad agency.

Communication Arts

87

2006 Winter Olympic Games

This page: Fence fabric system, banners, hockey venue banner and medals podium backdrop. “The Look of the Games is comprised of two colorways: Torino Blue and Torino Red. The palette represents the daily contrasts in the environs of Torino: the bright days and electric nights, and the city landscape against a mountainous backdrop. Black, used for the first time as part of the Look of the Games palette, logically separates and connects day and night.

The purpose of the Look of the Games is to bring color and energy to the fields of play— creating an Olympic environment that is distinguishable from the World Championships or other athletic events.

A further intent is that the Look will elevate athletic performance. And, in fact, athletes often express that when the time arrives to compete, the combination of the Look of the Games and the Olympic Rings push them to a higher level of performance.”

96

January/February 2006

of pictograms that majestically interpret the breathtaking performances of the athletes they portray.

With a nod to Italian fashion (and the slim-fitting body suits that cover the tops of their skiers’ boots), one of Thomason’s first aesthetic choices was to flare the pants of the figures. “I wanted them to look like they were made of smooth, aerodynamic material—like the plastics and metals of Italian industrial, furniture and automotive design,” she says.

Letting it go and beginning again When the 20th Winter Olympic Games begin next month, TOROC’s motto “Passion lives here,” will be on display at every ceremony, venue and facility. Scripted in red, it’s a graphic and textual reminder of the Olympic spirit and an eloquent expression of the Italian culture. It’s also symbolic of Iconologic’s ongoing participation with, and commitment to, the IOC, and shaping the Olympic image.

While indisputably high-profile, the design journey that

accompanies each Olympic Games is also challenging and ongoing. By the time Torino’s Look of the Games is presented to the world, Iconologic will already be knee-deep in work for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

In the midst of a design practice, where Olympic projects comprise only a small part, Iconologic’s work for the IOC begins again. CA

This page: (top three rows) “The Olympic Winter Games consists of fifteen different sports, each of which is visually represented by its own official pictogram. Pictograms enliven Olympic merchandise and information graphics, and serve as a central component for the Look of the Games.

Since a pictogram must express the ideal form of the sport it represents and the details must meet the approval of each sport’s official federation, the design execution is particularly challenging.”

“Paralympic athletes compete at a level equal to that of Olympic athletes.

These athletes express often the concept that their equipment becomes one with their bodies; the Paralympic pictograms describe this fusion.”

Communication Arts

97

fresh

Zela Lobb

1

2

Location:

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

I’ve been illustrating for two years, and had done murals for seven.

Duration:

Staff:

One.

Education: Illustration program at Sheridan College, Oakville.

Cultural Influences:

Graffiti, tattoos and

the Victorians.

Environment:

Home sweet home.

I love life, love my work and try to find the fun in everything. I also try to make it a habit of not answering questions that give away my secrets.

Philosophy:

114

January/February 2006

4

3