Posted by Don Clark | Filed under Uncategorized
‘Tis The Season…
Posted by Don Clark | Filed under New Stuff
It’s unfortunate that we are unable to blog as much as we were, but our excuse is legit: We are blessed with much work. This has been an amazing year for us - one that had its ups and downs (mostly in the music world), but we are thankful for a very happy ending to 2008 and an extremely optimistic view of 2009. We want to thank everyone on our list: our beloved clients and our faithful fans/blog readers. 2008 wouldn’t have been the same without you guys.
Now if it would only stop snowing in Seattle!!
To Die As Kings
Posted by Ryan Clark | Filed under Design, Metal, Music, New Work, Packaging, Photo-Illustration
Just finishing up the artwork for new Solid State band, The Ascendicate. This is actually a band that I sought out and recently helped sign to the label. I’m very excited for the release of this record. The above image is the final cover (sans sticker, which displays the band name, album title).
Invisible Cookie
Posted by Don Clark | Filed under Just Plain Bad Ass
Many thanks to Chris Weiford for sending us this amazing IC cookie. We can’t wait to see if it tastes as good as it looks (I’m sure it does).
Grammy Nomination #4
Posted by Don Clark | Filed under Illustration, Music, Packaging
We’re just as shocked as you are, but it looks like we’ve received our 4th Grammy nomination in a row. This time it’s for our CD package/board game for Hawk Nelson’s latest album ‘Hawk Nelson … Is My Friend’.
We’re beyond grateful for the nomination - as well as the years prior. That feeling doesn’t seem to get old. Many thanks to Hawk Nelson and Tooth & Nail Records for the opportunity. My wife and I will be celebrating our 10 year anniversary the very same weekend as the awards, so we’re excited to have another reason to dress up.
Oh, if anyone is keeping score out there, Don and Ryan are tied for 2 apiece. I am thinking we may have set some sort of record for brothers in general. Is there a separate award for that? No?
The 2008 IC Top Ten (And Then Some)
Posted by Don Clark | Filed under Music
Not a bad year for music! Yeah, yeah, yeah … we realize there are a few more releases that are coming out before the end of the year. But are any of them good? Exactly. That being said, read ‘em and weep.
Don:
2008 TOP TEN
1. Portishead “Third”
2. The Night Marchers “See You In Magic”
3. Kings Of Leon “Only By The Night”
4. People In Planes “Beyond The Horizon”
5. The Out_Circuit “Pierce The Empire With A Sound”
6. Carolina Liar “Coming To Terms”
7. Copeland “You Are My Sunshine”
8. Keane “Perfect Symmetry”
9. The Helio Sequence “Keep Your Eyes Ahead”
10. Coldplay “Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends”
2008 TOP TEN HONORABLE MENTION
1. Snow Patrol “A Hundred Million Suns”
2. My Morning Jacket “Evil Urges”
3. Oasis “Dig Out Your Soul”
4. Your Vegas “S/T”
5. Secret Machines “S/T”
6. Dead Confederate “Wrecking Ball”
7. Royworld “Man In The Machine”
8. Young Widows “Old Wounds”
9. Starflyer 59 “Dial M”
10. Longwave “Secrets Are Sinister”
2008 TOP TEN METAL
1. Metallica “Death Magnetic”
2. Slipknot “All Hope Is Gone”
3. The Famine “The Raven & The Reaping”
4. Gojira “The Way Of All Flesh”
5. All That Remains “Overcome”
6. Bury Your Dead “S/T”
7. Scar Symmetry “Holographic Universe”
8. Meshuggah “ObZen”
9. Becoming The Archetype “Dichotomy”
10. Opeth “Watershed”
Ryan:
2008 TOP TEN
1. Elbow “The Seldom Seen Kid”
2. Portishead “Third”
3. Kings Of Leon “Only By The Night”
4. People In Planes “Beyond The Horizon”
5. Secret Machines “Secret Machines”
6. The Night Marchers “See You In Magic”
7. The Helio Sequence “Keep Your Eyes Ahead”
8. Copeland “You Are My Sunshine”
9. My Morning Jacket “Evil Urges”
10. The Out_Circuit “Pierce The Empire With A Sound”
2008 TOP TEN HONORABLE MENTION
1. Young Widows “Old Wounds”
2. Haunts “Haunts”
3. Carolina Liar “Coming To Terms”
4. Oasis “Dig Out Your Soul”
5. Bon Iver “For Emma, Forever Ago”
6. Goldfrapp “Seventh Tree”
7. Keane “Perfect Symmetry”
8. Starflyer 59 “Dial M”
9. Stereophonics “Pull The Pin”
10. The Subways “All Or Nothing”
2008 TOP TEN METAL
1. The Famine “The Raven And The Reaping”
2. Scar Symmetry “Holographic Universe”
3. Bury Your Dead “Bury Your Dead”
4. Slipknot “All Hope Is Gone”
5. Becoming The Archetype “Dichotomy”
6. Metallica “Death Magnetic”
7. Gojira “The Way Of All Flesh”
8. Disfear “Live The Storm”
9. Meshuggah “ObZen”
10. Trenches “The Tide Will Swallow Us Whole”
Tim (Feed The Creature):
2008 TOP TEN
1. The Walkmen “You & Me”
2. Fleet Foxes “S/T”
3. The Dodos “Visiter”
4. Coldplay ”Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends”
5. Kings of Leon ”Only By The Night”
6. Department of Eagles ”In Ear Park”
7. Vampire Weekend ”Self Titled”
8. Okkervil River “The Stand-Ins”
9. Deerhunter ”Microcastle”
10. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals ”Cardinology”
2008 TOP TEN HONORABLE MENTION
1. My Morning Jacket “Evil Urges”
2. Oasis “Dig Out Your Soul”
3. Portishead “Third”
4. The Helio Sequence “Keep Your Eyes Ahead”
5. Kanye West “808’s And Heartbreaks”
6. Wale “The Mixtape About Nothing”
7. The Raconteurs ”Consolers of the Lonely”
8. Beck ”Modern Guilt”
9. The Cool Kids ”The Bake Sale”
10. The Notwist ”The Devil, You + Me”
IC Gear Is Here
Posted by Don Clark | Filed under Design, Fashion, New Stuff, New Work
It’s been a long time coming. We are pleased to announce our new line of t-shirts on sale now at Feed The Creature. All shirts are printed on fitted American Apparel T’s, with custom IC collar and sleeve tags. 7 designs available in men’s sizes S-XL*. Merry Christmas!
* Children and Women’s sizes coming soon!
Top 10 Album Covers For 2008
Posted by Ryan Clark | Filed under Design, Illustration, Music, Packaging, Photography
There was a lot of great album artwork this year, but here are 10 that really caught my eye. Enjoy.
826 Valencia
Posted by Don Clark | Filed under Advertising, Just Plain Bad Ass, Packaging
What do you get when you cross a pirate store, Office & Dave Eggers? Brilliant packaging, apparently.
Carl Fredrickson
Posted by Don Clark | Filed under Animation, Film, Just Plain Bad Ass
We apologize for the lack of posts lately as we’re swamped with client work. However, I would like to take a minute and mention that I can’t wait to see what Carl Fredrickson is up to this May.
45 Days Artwork
Posted by Ryan Clark | Filed under Design, Film, Metal, Music, New Work, Packaging, Photography
We’ve been posting fairly frequent blog entries over at MTV’s Headbangers Blog, giving in-depth views into various design projects. This time, you can read about the artwork for Demon Hunter’s forthcoming 3-disc release, “45 Days.”
The Secret Machines
Posted by Ryan Clark | Filed under Music, Seattle
I cannot get enough of this record! If you live in the Northwest, see them at Neumo’s on November 6th. The live show is phenomenal.
Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons
Posted by Ryan Clark | Filed under Fashion, Just Plain Bad Ass
If you’ve got $3,250 burning a hole in your Dolce & Gabbana trousers, you’ll find an exquisitely crafted 24k gold human jaw bone ashtray here at Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons. Random odds and ends from necklaces to scarf bolos with a beautiful, old-world aesthetic. Very cool.
Beasts! 2
Posted by Don Clark | Filed under Books, Illustration
Ryan and I were honored to be part of the epic book Beasts! … and now we’re excited to see Beasts! 2, which I am sure will knock our socks off as well. Stay in the loop here.
Oh, and don’t forget to check out the cool paperback version of Beasts! coming soon.
The Weretiger (above) is by A.J. Fosik.
Death Kitchen
Posted by Don Clark | Filed under Just Plain Bad Ass, Metal
Ironically, I sometimes see this very same thing when I open my kitchen cabinets.
William Krisel
Posted by Don Clark | Filed under Architecture, Modern
One of my all-time favorite architects, William Krisel is being honored at a new show at MODAA in Culver City. Along with Joseph Eichler, Cliff May, Richard Neutra and others, Krisel was instrumental in developing California modernism as we know it today (over 30,000 living units to his credit). One of my favorites of his was the home he designed with Dave Palmer for Bobby Darin in 1955. Love that butterfly roof.
Scheisse Lamp
Posted by Don Clark | Filed under Furniture, Home, Just Plain Bad Ass
Absolutely loving the new Scheisse pendant lamp. Now shipping from Sweden.
Album Covers In The Digital World
Posted by Don Clark | Filed under Design, Music, Web Goods
Hardformat has some interesting thoughts on album covers in the digital world.
Looking Ahead
Posted by Ryan Clark | Filed under Design, Metal, Music, New Work, Packaging, Photo-Illustration
Here’s a glimpse at some imagery that we’re working on for the new record by Becoming The Archetype, titled “Dichotomy.” The theme of the album is loosely based on C.S. Lewis‘ “The Hideous Strength,” wherein Lewis writes of the dichotomy between man and machine. Brutal! Oh, and the album slays. Buy it November 25th!
Good Is Dead
Posted by Don Clark | Filed under Books, Design, New Stuff, Web Goods
Chip Kidd has a new website (finally!) titled Good Is Dead, which consists of his portfolio, blog, speaking engagements and other nuggets of goodness. I’m very excited about all of this, as I believe Chip is one of the all-time greats. If you don’t own this, you need to.
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