The Royal Mail has issued a series of Beatles stamps. One portrait stamp and several album cover stamps makes up the collection. Album covers featured include Help!, Abbey Road, Revolver, Let it Bee and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Hard to believe this is the first time the Beatles have appeared on a stamp.

Visit Royalmail.com.

For years the debate over aesthetic sacrifice versus the necessity of ‘minimalist evil’ has kept the potentials of up and coming visionaries at bay. While it can be argued that technology has held a cold grasp on the advancements of sensitive design, it can hardly justify why there has been an increasingly detrimental trend in the changes and progress of education and awareness. Whether you believe this to be a driven by economics, society, education or simple lack of concious exposure to the histories that have guided us, one fact has become ever more painfully clear over the past 3 and a half decades: philosophy has lost its art.

Yet, all is not lost and out of chaos comes organization. (Says Gyorgy Kepes, anyway). Finally an author has tapped into the basic philosophies of art, architecture and design while at the same time providing relevance to the current issues that have defined this century already.

The Philosophy of Sustainable Design by Jason McLennan takes an easily readable approach to the past, present and future of ‘Green Design’. His savvy presentation of the principles of environmentally concious art and architecture are done so for the aspiring novice as well as the veterans of the trade. While his tenor advocates to a high degree the need for sustainable progress, it is presented with logic and demonstration that is hard to ignore and deserving of appreciation. Even to the consumate skeptic. This is complemented yet further by his compelling predictions on the next century of man and design. A must read for anyone with an iota of appreciation for the environment, both hemically and aesthetic.

Additional links of interest:
Art Center College of Design, a great section with stunning examples of young, cutting edge visions of green concious design.

City of Tempe, a look into the new transportation center on the new Light Rail route. Demonstrates the integration of ‘Sustainable Strategies‘

Wikipedia

Traditional written blogs and now video blogs are changing the face of news coverage. We all know the power of viral video, but a more purposeful usage of video blogging is quickly emerging. With Google’s purchase of YouTube, and related distribution deals with major media companies, you’d guess that YouTube would be leading the way – and they are. They’ve signed up with NBC to provide exclusive clips and are now partnering with the Sundance Channel to bring you daily video blogs from the Sundance Film Festival.

The vblog will chronical the Festival through the eyes of independent filmmakers Arin Crumley and Susan Buice. (There own film “Four Eyed Monster” was nominated for two Spirit Awards). As funny as it is to watch people endless damage themselves doing stupid things, it’s nice to see the medium of online video start to take shape into something a bit more useful.

The first daily form the festival is embedded here (Jan, 19th). Find more info on Sundance’s YouTube page, and at Sundancechannel.com

We’ve followed these guys for a while on one of our sister sites T-Shirt Watch, and figured they rightly deserve a post over here. They’re tagline – Though Provoking Style™ – is a pretty good summary of their approach to design. It’s a feast for the eyes and the mind as well.

Shown below are the Worker Bee shirt, Mind Grenade, Monkey Wrench the Idea Virus collared shirt. You’re going to definitely want to hit SprayGraphic.com to get a good look at things because they’ve got a lot going on, including their new blog. Check em out on Flickr as well.

Mazda has launched a nicely executed Flash-based online Museum chronically the companies history back to the 1920’s. Fans of Mazda’s Wankel Rotary engines can trace it’s usage back to the beginning. There are more than a few prize finds I didn’t know existed like the Cosmo 21. A 2002 rebirth of the famous Cosmo Sport 110s (shown below).

The museum also showcases two new concept cars unveiled at the 2007 Detroit auto show. There are plenty of mind blowing pictures of the new Mazda Ryuga and Nagare. Also a behind the scenes video of the Nagare design team at work.
Site designed by Sarkissian Mason. Mazda Museum Online.