It always amazes me how colour can instantly make things clear. From a product on a grocery store shelf to a famous work of art, colour has a dominant role in translating the visuals the bombard us daily from “huh?” to “oh, I recognize that!” Such an ability is apparent in this clever “Lego Masters” advertising campaign created by designer Marco Sodano (along with agency Geometry Global and creative director Kenny Blumenschein). Using the ubiquitous Lego blocks like pixels, iconic works of art are recognizable simply through their iconic colours and compositions. The dreamy sea-hues of van Gogh or deep warm browns of Mona Lisa — this campaign is a brilliant showcase of powerful palettes…

(art above: “self portrait” by vincent van gogh, “mona lisa” by leonardo da vinci, “american gothic” by grant wood and “the son of man” by rene magritte)

(images via marco sodano)

Regularly diligent colour posting has returned. Really. I promise! Lately, whenever I see a flower petal, I think about this stunning recent advertisement for Sony’s new 4k TV (a collaboration between agency McCann, director Jaron Albertin and photographer Nick Meek). The ad features 8 million real petals dusted across a small town in Costa Rica (to symbolize the 8 million pixels utilized by the new tv’s screen). It took two weeks for the team to collect all of the botanical pieces and set up surreal scenes of petals exploding out of a volcano, sprinkling across rooftops, sweeping down streets and pooling in big blocks of colour. The goal was to highlight the sharp display and colour capabilities of the 4k TV. Mission accomplished. I just love the first shot of an everyday street enveloped in vibrant petals. No CGI or robots are needed with imagery like that. There is something simply beautiful about such a purely handmade installation being used to advertise such a technical product. The best work seems to feature dedication to both (and a deep love for colour too)…

(photographs by nick meek, screenshots by plenty of colour; details via designboom)

While I mentioned in a recent post that I wish more companies took colour seriously, there are brands who are simply synonymous with a particular hue or palette. Think of Tiffany and that clear aqua colour comes to mind. Same for Dr. Marten and sharp yellow, Levi and weathered denim blue, or Louis Vuitton and sumptuous chocolate brown. Those iconic colours and type are put to fabulous use in this project by art director and designer Antonia Brasko. A clever, handsome fusion of fashion branding and street art. I can only hope the paint colour matches the brand hue perfectly. The world needs more Tiffany blue graffiti…

(photographs via antonio brasko; spotted on trendland)

Not that long ago, I read a short feature about the colour library at J.Crew headquarters including how each hue is brainstormed, named and archived. My colour loving heart skipped a beat (or four). I love brands and designers that worship colour not only because it is a subject worthy of worship but because it is simply smart business sense. According to research, 85% of shoppers point to color as the primary reason they buy a particular product. I can’t count the number of times I have been entranced by an item only to wish the colour was slightly different (or in some cases, very different!) All creative and functional elements of a design are essential to its successful outcome but I often wish that more designers/companies put as much passion into the colour department as the sales department. Doing so can only benefit creative success and, in turn, the financial bottom line.

Above is a fantastic short film by J.Crew focused on their vibrant coat designs. It also highlights the brand’s love of colour and all of the art AND science that goes into making successful hue selections. I believe that so much of J.Crew’s success is related to their meticulous and wildly creative use of colour. Each season, I am excited to see what palette they have selected as the colours are always beautifully saturated, unique and seamlessly mixed (all without leaning too heavily on dictated trends). Yes, I would really love to visit that sublime library at J.Crew headquarters one day. What a dreamy world of swatches and colour cataloguing…

(video via j.crew, statistic via kissmetrics, screenshots by plenty of colour)

The very best of design combines aesthetic beauty with vibrant thinking and powerful solutions. I love the “People for Smarter Cities” project by IBM and Ogilvy because it truly brings that combination to life. The goal is to help cities all over the world get smarter (check out the details/interactive element here) and to spread the word, Ogilvy created functional outdoor advertising. A bench, a shelter, a stair ramp — I love the bright colours and most of all, the brilliant concept. It proves that advertising need not be flatly slapped on our buildings but rather, serve an actual purpose in urban life (and hopefully be a bit beautiful too)…

(video via ogilvy paris, images via/spotted on designboom & dezeen)

Bold typography, bright colour AND a handcrafted one-of-a-kind soul? Now that is the recipe for great print design. I love this simple but striking flyer design by Amsterdam studio OK200 for The Amsterdam New York Pop Up Show. Using the pink poster designs they hand-silkscreened for the event, the duo added a navy blue layer of flyer information on top. They sliced through the now chaotic surface to create 16 beautiful and unique flyers. I love the abstract typography crops and smashing mix of hot pink and navy blue…

(photographs via OK200)   

A fantastic print campaign for Expedia by Ogilvy & Mather that uses airport IATA codes to form clever travel-related phrases. There are over 9,000 three-letter IATA codes for airports around the world so I can imagine it was quite the task to sort through them and find witty copy. For example, WSH EWE WRE ERE (or Brookhaven, Ewer Indonesia, Whangarei, Erave) and SUN SEA SND SEX (or Sun Valley, Seattle, Seno, Sembach). I love the pops of colour and stamps in the corner providing a bit more context to the travel code wish. Oy, so simple and brilliant. There is plenty of fun to be found in the luggage carousel…

(photographs via/spotted on creative review)  

Statistics are just better when you add colour, yes? I love this data visualization of interior design colour statistics by designers Mie Frey Damgaard and Peter Ørntoft for global paint brand Jotun. A seamless combination of handcrafted design nd consumer data. I’m not completely certain about the colours selected but the diagram concept and its styling are fantastic…

(photographs/video via behance)

Modern neon, bright colour and strong typography — is there a better combination? The Melbourne Theatre Company utilizes all three elements in their 2013 season identity created by Interbrand. I love the custom typography called ‘MTC Neon” and its modern angles, glowing finish and nod to theatrical heritage. A glowing typeface could easily appear cheesy or fake in print but I think Interbrand does a smashing job of using the effect in an truly elegant way. Appearing on dark photographs and backgrounds, it allows titles and type to dramatically “light-up” different scenes (regardless of application). I particularly like the program covers as they highlight how the typeface could be used in photographed or physical 3D. Arts are an illuminating pillar in our society and here, Interbrand has crafted an identity that really captures that sentiment…

(spotted on and images via BP&O) 

Partners for Mental Health installation, by Blok Design (Toronto, 2012)

Vancouver Contemporary Art Gallery installation, by Rethink (Vancouver, 2005)

I love public art installations, especially when they are thought-provoking, colourful and initiate public interaction. A great example? The button wall at top created by Blok Design for the Partners for Mental Health campaign “Not Myself Today”. The identity, which uses different emotions and their corresponding colours, was turned into a wall of “mood pins” in a heavily travelled section of Toronto. It reminded me of a similar installation I saw in Vancouver a few years ago. Created for the Vancouver Contemporary Art Gallery, Rethink Communications printed 50,000 buttons with a single word representing one of a hundred possible responses to contemporary art. Both walls use colour and pattern in different yet equally compelling ways. They also serve as striking interactive public art that draws attention to important topics and sparks dialogue. Oh and they add rather fabulous colour to streetscapes and collars…

(photographs via rethink and blok design)  

Monochromatic paper craft makes a beautiful backdrop for Cédric Ragot’s new Henri Mazelier collection. Focused on turning the pocketknife into a sculptural piece of dinner cutlery, I love the juxtaposition of delicate paper shapes and sharp blades. The use of just one colour creates dimension but makes the knives the stylish star of the photograph…

(spotted on trendland)   

Fantastic posters for Kibon ice cream by designer Renata El Dib. Love the clever rolled edge hinting at ice cream cones. It’s amazing what a two-sided print and some iconic neapolitan colours can do…

(images via renata el dib)