This is possibly the best business card I’ve ever seen.

The story goes that, comedian and actor, Steve Martin was approached by so many fans, asking for his autograph and for him to say something funny, that he had these cards produced.

Okay, so it’s not technically a business card but it’s close enough and demonstrates that business cards needn’t be bland and formulaic. They’re a great opportunity, frequently missed, to be distinctive and sometimes even... witty. This helps create that most desirable and elusive effect of being memorable.

On their blog, The New York Times share an interesting insight into the processes that went into creating one of the front covers for their magazine. The article shows, with explanatory descriptions, the creative journey from initial designs through to the final artwork.

See the full article here: The making of a cover

A new exhibition on influential graphic designer Saul Bass brings together a collection of his film posters, film titles and film festival posters.  Bass’ work is instantly recognisable - breaking all conventions in the 1950s and 60s, Bass virtually invented film titles as we know them today, and he was the first to synthesize movies into compelling brand images.

In a period when imagery is so easily manipulated electronically, Bass reminds us that a strong idea is always at the heart of great design. His work is as refreshing today as ever.

The exhibition is on at the Kemistry Gallery, London untill 17 March.

www.kemistrygallery.co.uk

Wow - this is a truly beautiful website created for the 'Monet 2010' exhibition in Paris. I recommend following the 'Journey' route. A masterpiece.

www.monet2010.com

Luis Cardoso from Sectorlight’s state-of-the-art digital imaging company, Lighthaus, has been awarded the prestigious ‘Visualization Pro of the Week’ – for his image of the Hotel Palacio patio in Lisbon. The award is judged by the moderators of CGarchitect.com – the leading online magazine for architectural CG artists and architects who specialize in 3D computer graphics and illustration – it has 50,000 permanent worldwide members. Well done Luis!

Here’s a an original and creative use of Google Earth by Thomas de Bruin. He has created an entire alphabet from images of natural features and buildings found using the software.

He spent a week working on the alphabet which includes uppercase, lowercase, numbers and punctuation. Most impressive is that he found all the characters in his home country of The Netherlands.

Googled by Justin Morgan

Poetry, wrote Samuel Taylor Coleridge, is the best words in the best order. The new poster campaign for Tate Britain doesn’t employ a single picture or piece of art – it communicates purely through the power of words alone. It's very fresh and very original – the posters imagine brand new collections based on selected (and otherwise unrelated) pieces from the museum’s permanent collection. For example, one is titled “The I HAVE A BIG MEETING Collection” and reads like a self-help guide for business meetings. It says: 

‘Meetings, meetings, meetings… all of them important, all of them crucial. How crazy is today’s world? Anyway, if you need a hand with a meeting, this Tate Britain Collection is designed to help you look good and ooze confidence. Lesson one: Important matters should be treated as small matters. In Room 6, Harvest Home by John Linnell should help you achieve this state of mind. You can almost breathe the fresh air from a stunning golden afternoon. Fill your lungs with its greatness, and always remember to make yourself bigger before entering a room. Now it’s time to take a look at a champion. Teucer by Sir Hamo Thornycroft, near the Millbank entrance, portrays one of the heroes of Homer’s Trojan War. This monumental bronze archer teaches us to never lose focus on what we’re aiming for. Now we need to work on your look. Eyes are the most powerful weapons in meetings. Stare at the portrait of Queen Elizabeth I in Room 2. Study her eyes and her pose because she’s the model to follow. Don’t even dare to leave the room until you’ve nailed that look. Finally spend some time in front of The Battle of Camperdown by Philip De Loutherbourg. This breathtaking sea battle dominates Room 9 completely. Meetings are often a lot like this, but take heart from the fact that this painting still depicts the precise moment of victory. So off you pop bravery’s the name of the game, and remember, for maximum effect, we suggest you experience this Collection twenty-four hours prior to your meeting.’

Other posters in the campaign include: “The I HAVE A HANGOVER Collection”, “The I’VE JUST SPLIT UP Collection”, “The IHAVEN'T BEEN HERE FOR AGES  Collection”. Each poster takes us on a themed journey describing the artworks in a very new and engaging way. They capture the imagination of those that read them - even those that might not usually consider themselves museum go-ers... and that's no mean feat.

Read and re-read by Justin Morgan