Right Brain Positive

When I first saw this I was comfortably cool in my office. At the end of it I was sweating…

These guys are legends…

Ian Wright makes beautiful visuals out of things that we don’t usually consider ‘art worthy’.

He has worked for clients such as Givenchy and Issey Miyake with materials that most would consider scrap.

It makes one realise how special it is for children to be working with felt and crayons.

Link courtesy of QBN

A brilliant video used in a campaign by NAPCAN to prevent Child Abuse in Australia.

TokyoFlash Japan take watch design to a new level in that unique Japanese way. While the usability of these watches are debatable; the originality isn’t.

Check them out at www.tokyoflash.com/en/

When you work for a health retreat, you get to see a lot of health products. When you see a lot of health products, you realise that a lot of the design that goes into health products is quite boring.

The innovative people at “Help” (the name of the organisation that create the products you see above) agree with my observation. To quote their website:

“Many companies enjoy packaging their goods inside nasty materials covered in gaudy graphics.That’s because many companies are controlled by crazy people.”

They also believe in environmentally-friendly packaging. Here’s another hilarious quote from their website:

“Most of our packaging is made of molded paper pulp. We enjoy molded paper pulp because it is soft and it makes interesting shapes. Also because it is made from 100% recycled materials and it is compostable- which means one day, it will probably become a part of a large tree. Maybe you can cut down that tree and make it into a speedboat.”

But it’s not all about creativity and humour. In the health industry, it helps to be caring too:

“While some health problems are large, complicated and frightening, most aren’t the end of the world. A kind word and a little help can get you on your way again.

Help Remedies was created to make solving simple health issues simple. We find the best solution there is, and take away everything else. By stripping away some of the complexity and fear mongering of the health industry, we hope to make the category friendlier and more accessible, and in doing so empower people to make their own health decisions.

We think a little help, honesty and kindness will go a long way.”

Support caring, creative, humourous people in the health industry!
Check them out at www.helpineedhelp.com

There comes a time in one’s life where interior decoration becomes a point of interest. Ikea has been catering to these people for many years at a very affordable price. While their affordability is considered a ‘positive’, their generic styling can be considered a ‘negative’.

Enter Ikea Hacker. This is a place where people submit ideas about DIY projects (allowing their inner-’hacker’ to be unleashed) involving Ikea products that end up as ‘hacked’ Ikea products.

The results are mostly great. You can read about projects such as wardrobes turning into a computer workstation, space saving wall-mounted bathroom vanities and ideas on how Ikea can help your pet lose weight. Yes, there are a few tacky treats in here but there are plenty of gems as well. There’s even a forum for ‘hackers’ to get together and discuss their ‘hacks’. Ok, I’m taking this hacking thing too far…

Check it all out at http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/

Ever feel guilty about having a shoe fetish? Do you cringe at the amount of money you spent on your Manolo’s or rare Dunk SB’s? Buying a pair of TOMS Shoes won’t leave you with that guilty feeling!

Every pair of TOMS Shoes sold guarantees that a pair of TOMS Shoes is given to a child in need.

TOMS Shoes aims to combine fashion with a social conscience. Here’s a write-up that TOMS Shoes received in “Women’s Wear Daily” (August 10, 2006):

“Founder and designer Blake Mycoskie, based in Venice, Calif., last January traveled to Argentina, where he came across an organization that arranged a shoe drive for impoverished children. He was inspired to start the line when he found the country’s Alpargata canvas sandal. Mycoskie updated the shoe with funky designs such as a preppy stripe of a graffiti pattern, for $17 wholesale per pair. For each pair sold, the designer will donate a pair for children in Argentina. Since the May launch, Mycoskie has sold 10,000 pairs. The designer projected wholesale volume between $10 million and $20 million in three years. “The customer likes that they are also buying a pair for a child,” he said. “They feel like they can make a difference.” “

What a great way to make a difference!

Bill Shannon suffers from a rare disorder that affects the head of his thigh bone where it meets the hip joint. He needs to use crutches to keep him mobile but that hasn’t stopped him from becoming a performing artist with a uniquely, beautiful dance style.

I stumbled across the above clip of Bill Shannon from a random post on newstoday.com late last year. It’s a music video for the Rjd2 song “Work It Out”. It features Bill in fine style, moving smoothly through the streets of NYC with his custom-made crutches and a skateboard. It’s also worth noting that the clip was filmed in one shot; an impressive feat by the Videographer and by Bill as the performer.

When I first watched this clip, I was taken back by Bill’s smooth movement and creativity. I thought his crutches were a mere prop rather than a necessity. Bill moves so fluidly and effortlessly that he makes me wonder if his ‘disability’ really makes him less ‘able.’ He’s a a true inspiration for anyone who feels like life may have set them back with difficult circumstances.

This blog has been around since 2005, so it’s definitely not new. But any website that is considered by Time magazine’s list of “Top 100 Design influences” has got to be worth a look.

The Sartoralist is run by Scott Schuman, a former director of men’s fashion at Bergdorf Goodman in New York. His interest in fashion photography naturally led to a fashion blog. In The Sartoralist, Scott captures portraits of random people he deems as fashionable and adds his subtle commentary to accompany the image. Judging by the amount of comments he receives on each post, one can assume that fashionistas all over the world tune in to see what outfit Scott will post next.

The majority of the people that Scott shoots are found on the streets of NYC. From Uptown, the Financial District, to the LES (”Lower East Side” to those unaware of NYC’s current ‘hotspot’); he’s got the whole city covered. He also features people that have captured his attention during his sojurns through fashion capitals around the globe.

So what is it about The Sartoralist that get’s my attention? Besides picking interesting ’subjects’ and respecting the creativity that comes with clothing fashion, I’m always amazed at how well his subjects pose. It’s like they all woke up one morning and knew that thy were going to be featured on the The Sartoralist. Shooting an effective portrait is a rare skill. Scott Schuman definitely has it.