The BBC have been working closely with the renowned creative minds behind the music sensation Gorillaz, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlitt, to bring viewers an innovative Beijing Olympic title sequence.
If you haven’t been privileged enough to hear or see anything related to this wonderful piece of animation then click on to http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/monkey/7521287.stm. Stylized, smooth and with a contemporary cool soundtrack it’s entertainment at its best.
The animation itself is based upon the classical Chinese novel, “Journey to the West” and will feature across TV, radio, online, mobile and interactive coverage of the Games from BBC Sport. This is also part of a marketing campaign airing mid-July as the final countdown to the Games. The finished product will be to do with music as much as animation, so keep your eyes peeled for updates and more monkey business.

This is a challenge worth consideration providing unbelievable riches. Heading a specially created School of Design in Paris, internationally renowned designer Philippe Starck is teaming up with BBC Two to offer aspiring designers with the talent, drive and vision to create the next ‘must have’ products of the 21st Century a chance to work alongside himself and his team for a several month period.
Short listed applicant will be invited to and interviewed inn Paris by Starck, ten of which will be offered a place. For specific terms and conditions of entries visit www.bbc.co.uk/schoolofdesign/index.shtml and apply now. Expected deadline for entries is August 31st 2008.

The Spark Awards welcoming all designers, art directors, design firms and departments, ad agencies, marketing and branding practices, clients, manufacturers and student or novice designers to join in.
This new global competition presents a unique crossroads of design, where the interests of all participants in the creative community are represented. Spark happily accepts and promotes a wide range of design, designers and “creatives”, supplying a vast range of categories for you to enter in including Digital, Brand, Graphic, Product, Mobile, Micro and much more each with sub categories for specific subjects and styles.
The event is about change, designed change. “Change for the better: studied, researched, cognizant of criteria like sustainability, suitability, context, inventiveness, process, universality—and yes, beauty.”
The deadline for this competition is 5pm PST, August 1, 2008 if you have work at the ready. Entry fee fro each designer is $125 and $175 each series including students and non-professional. To qualify for these prices, entries must be uploaded and received at Spark by August 1. There is also a late deadline of August 25, for an additional $50 ($175/entry, $225/series).
For more information on special events and other incentives visit www.sparkawards.com

Check out this delightful website of the worksfrom Saizen Media

It’s magic! 

www.saizenmedia.com

Hey Kids

check out more cool creative apparel at www.karmaloop.com

These are some fresh designs at very pleasing prices

A friend of mine with lovely and innovative children’s illustration. Check it at www.adamstothard.com

Check out www.mattlayzell.com. A fresh animator with some dynamic and entertaining work

If you in and about the Greenwich Village area on the Friday 11th and Saturday 12th September weekend then check out PICTOPLASMA NYC. This ones for character design lovers.

The Pictoplasma project, founded in 1999 with the world’s first extensive inventory, collection and archive of contemporary character design. The event takes place at the 860-seat Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, Greenwich Village and visitors can digest an international scene of artists, designers and agencies that all share the dedication to explore character-driven aesthetics. The event serves an eclectic inspiration in latest trends through an extensive program of lectures, presentations, and screenings.

Visit www.pictoplasma.com/nyc/ for more information