Now this is something else! Time lapse, tilt-shift wizardry from Sam O’Hare – director, photographer and visual effects artist coming out of NY. I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Gobsmacked I am! Thank you.

Processed Identity is a new website that is dedicated to sharing the different creative processes designers use when developing visual identities. The site has been up for 2 months now and there are 4 case studies plus articles and discussions related to the creative process with the aim of highlighting the benefits a customized and structured process can achieve. The site was launched in light of the increase in both availability and popularity of stock logos and “brands” that can be downloaded instantly, (not to mention crowd sourcing to add to the list). It looks like it could shape up to be an insightful resource. Keep an eye out.

It’s all about the grid – here, here and oh look: here. GRIDS (title does exactly what it says on the tin), published by RotoVision not only serves as a compendium of exemplary designs (featuring the work of Matt Willey, Peter Crnokrak, George Adams and Airside to name a few) overprinted with their underlying grids, but includes an accompanying CD containing all of the examples in both InDesign and QuarkXPress. A truly indispensable resource to say the least, considering the modest price to go with it.

Human Studio (a.k.a Human) is a multi-disciplinary creative studio coming out of Sheffield, UK. Founded by former tDR director, Nick Bax, who is currently a visiting lecturer at Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts, they produce some dazzling visual solutions for a global client roster. The portfolio is quite brief, so it warrants a quick look when time permits.

Bureau Ink is the online portfolio of Markus Schäfer, a graphic designer based in Hamburg, Germany. Although he has some really nice commercial work in his repertoire, it’s his personal works which I find most interesting, especially the ‘Exposed’ series. I’d love to know how this was executed technically.

This interesting article reports on overcoming the all-too-familiar creative block. Featuring an impressive line up of well known and prolific designers and artists, each individual sharing their most effective cures for the syndrome – some of these are pretty interesting. Try it. You might be what you’ve been looking for…

Chez Valois are a Montréal-based design and branding agency who strive to connect people and businesses through design. I’d like to see more on their site, but what’s there is a very striking mix of packaging and print design; applied with a consistent and common approach. Worth repeat views in chance of future updates…

Interesting little interview here about the recent re-design of a personal classic of mine – FHM Magazine. Refreshing to hear a designer plain speaking, for a change, as opposed to being over post-rational about the design process. Also looks like they’ve done a great job too.

Like movies? Like music? Like cool and unpredictable editorial design? Like illustrations by Paul Willoughby? Then check out Little White Lies. Put together by the London-based creative agency The Church of London, this alternative little magazine started, and still is, a self-initiated and self-financed entity. Proud proof of what a great deal of personal passion and hard work can manifest. I’m liking it.

Whilst flicking through this month’s Artichoke, I came across an article about this interesting new-age artist of all mediums – Dan Hill. The work which was featured in the article – not shown here, but a series of photographic juxtapositions; aesthetically not too far removed from tDr’s ‘Impossible Architecture’ series a few years back, prompted me to dig deeper. Although relatively little can be found about him (for instance, a folio site of sorts) I have discovered he is first and foremost a practicing architect and has been working at the forefront of innovative information and communication technologies (ICT) since the early ‘90s and responsible for many innovative, popular and critically acclaimed products and services. Dan’s blog, CityofSound, features a Graphic Design’ section amongst other things and is definitely worth a look – if only to see how such a mulit-talented artist is applying is own unique take on the profession. It’s predominantly experimental work, but refreshing none the less.