Month: March 2020

In these strangest of times, where our global civilization is under siege from a virus, stories like these make me most proud to be a human.

These 3D-printed valves are pieces that need to be replaced for each patient using a ventilator. They were printed by Cristian Fracassi (@cristianfracass), a civil engineer with a Ph.D. in polymer science, and Alessandro Romaioli, a mechanical engineer, to help nearby hospitals keep up the fight against coronavirus amidst the shortage of supplies.

They have already started a second adaptation using scuba masks: https://www.isinnova.it/easy-covid19-eng/. For those who have a 3D printer, there are links to print the adaptive pieces at home.

Together, with innovation, and patience, and determination, we can survive.

I have always loved poster art and the way different artists have successfully integrated their own style with the clear communication of important information.

I’ve seen a number of cool animated posters that are animated gifs – the central image is animated but the space isn’t really broken up.

This animated poster by Michael Socha seems to take it to a different level, and I’m digging how the animation moves the viewer through space to end at the information. I hope we see more works like this scrolling through posts on social media. Posting here to show the animation class – and to recommend for clients for event postings.

Check out his latest reel and look through his website…there is an interesting variety in style and pace, and some really cool experimental loops.

This piece grabbed my attention for a few reasons.

The motion design is solid, and it syncs stylistically with the music.
The collage style itself works in the same way, and even better is the short write-up Director and Animator Peter Pak added:

The Godfather of Harlem main title is an homage to the contemporaneous collages created by African-American artist, Romare Bearden (1911 – 1988), during 1960s Harlem. He is best known for his photomontage compositions made from torn images of popular magazines and assembled into visually powerful statements on African-American life. We felt his art was appropriate to the show because it shared themes and portrayals of social inequality and the African-American experience that the show similarly explores. The main title INTENTIONALLY reflects many of the techniques, aesthetics, and themes of Romare Bearden, and is a purposeful design for the opening credits of the series not meant to stand separately from its cinematic purpose.

It is my hope that interest in the show and the main title will lead to a larger awareness of the artworks of Romare Bearden and other African-American artists.

Peter Pak