Phoebe Lesch | My responsive masterpiece
Phoebe Lesch is a sculptor from Munich who currently lives in Italy. I really adore her work and I am really glad that I was able to design her online portfolio.
Presenting art through design is a difficult topic and I was very surprised that the communication between the designer and the artist went so smoothly. No interference at all. The opposite: it was a great symbiosis.
Also the communication between the designer and the web developer (Marcus Nickel) was very constructive within this project. The result is a responsive masterpiece. Simple and stunning on every device. Look for yourself!
Or visit the artists website: www.phoebelesch.net
[© Frl.Pfeiffer]
Last nights last minute idea
Which freelancer – in any business area – has not experienced it? You are invited to an opening, very special people, press, TV, hopefully future clients. First question (at least for women): What to wear? Second question: Why haven't I decided which one of my business card ideas to print yet?
DIY – is this weeks motto it seems. So I did.
I really like the way the idea turned out. It was so much fun to experiment and again I made my hands dirty. The best thing was, that the few people I handed out a card to (the reality is that there were not too many future clients present at last nights event) loved it very much. I let them choose a colour... and I am sure – especially to the non-creative business people – these crayons left an impression.
[© Fräulein Pfeiffer ]
DIY Wave
Do It Yourself is everywhere and the last two years it really spread around my circle of friends. There is nothing better than finishing a project and finally realizing that you have a free afternoon in front of you...
Since my wheat allergy has stopped me from eating sweets (and pizza or anything unhealthy "wheaty" thing nearly) I decided to mess around in my recently very unused kitchen.
Banana-Chocolate Muffins.
The recipe for the chocolate muffins I got at smittenkitchen my very favorite recipe website. To pimp the muffins a little bit I did roast little pieces of banana with honey and mixed it under the dough.
Unfortunately the muffins did not really raise (due to the spelt-flour or the bananas maybe) but they taste delicious anyway.
I love to get my hands dirty once in a while! And now you have to excuse me, I have 23 muffins to eat.
[photo © Fräulein Pfeiffer]
Books under the christmas tree
I am a big fan of books under the christmas tree. In my digital dominated world I fall for the smell and the paper and the weight of books. If I am reading a heavy book I read it lying on my belly, a small book I take with me in my bag, a paperback book I read during a bath, a special hardcover book I treat specially as well, a book with important sentences I often underline them, a book with a beloved story I read again,...
If I am reading books on the ipad? > certainly no. Too many hours per day I stare into a screen anyway...
This year there were two very special books under the christmas tree that I would like to recommend:
"KREATIVITÄT AUSHALTEN - Psychologie für Designer" Frank Brezbach
A very special book about working as a designer in all its facets. It makes you think about your way of work and you instantly start analyzing your own working situation. I found it very helpful. Besides the very interesting content it is very nicely chaptered and it has an extraordinary beautiful typedesign. A must for every designer.
"WASSERFARBEN FÜR GESTALTER" Felix Scheinberger
After his first book "MUT ZUM SKIZZENBUCH" his second book is even more inspirational. The author dropped a dab of paint on every single book. So there are thousands of unique copies. Just one of the books you want to possess to put in your design and art library.
Well, I gave the one I bought to my dad as a christmas present >> so easter is coming soon just for you to know ;)
I do enjoy looking at my dads paintings inspired by this book though.
[photo © Frank Berzbach und Felix Scheinberger | Verlag Hermann Schmidt Mainz]
Manifesto 2012
# more art
# more beauty
# more time for important thoughts
# more handmaking
# more risk
# more output
# more reading
# more fresh air
# more laughing
# more cello
# more baking
# more thinking first about myself
Every new Day
The new year is arriving and so are the thoughts about a new calendar. Planners and organizers are my passion. If I could, I would have at least 5 of them. Sadly this would make more mess, than it would help to organize myself.
I have kept all my calendars since I was 13. It is a pretty nice collection. And once in a while on a lazy sunday I would take them out of the box take a trip down memory lane.
Every December I am getting really excited about searching the ONE for the upcoming year. To pick the right one, can be very difficult. It has to have a beautiful design and needs a practical layout, it has to have the right size and can not be to heavy. I will look at it every day, so it has to be love at first sight.
There are so many different ones – fun ones, amazing ones, just nice to look at ones, functional ones,...
Here are my TOP EIGHT that have been in the inner selection for 2012:
TYPODARIUM – The Daily Dose of Typography
FEDRIGONI ANALOG-DIGITAL – concept by PHAGE
TYYP – with different types of paper and special designers infos (for example, DIN scales) equipped
LAUREL DENISE – the concept and layout is very well thought trough. (My very precious one for 2012)
BUBBLE CALENDAR – pop a bubble every day
POCKET CALENDAR and SKETCHBOOK by Peter Bi?ak – very beautiful indeed – seen at TYPOTHEQUE – comes with a grid to design your own type.
TYPOGRAPHIC WALL CALENDAR by Harald Geisler – not that new, but still amazing that modern vintage touch
DOT ON – a simple and functional way to organize projects throughout the year (This wall calendar is already hanging at my studio wall waiting for its dots)
There is only one more thing to do...to design my very own Frl. Pfeiffer calendar for 2013...
[© Typodarium, Phage, Tyyp, Laurel Denise, Bubble Calendar, Peter Bil'ak, Harald Geisler, DotOn]
iD-institute > Design around the world
THANK YOU iD-institute for featuring Frl. Pfeiffer to be presented in your directory among such big names.
Today a new global network is launched and will present its website INTERNATIONAL DESIGN INSTITUTE in Hong Kong at the Inno Design Tech Expo. The iD-institute is built as transnational platform for professional creatives. It is a network for designers, universities, clients and all the stuff for the business in-between. Starting in Germany, Switzerland, UK, Denmark, Austria, China, South Korea and Japan the iD-institute will help to connect creatives globally and find creatives locally.
With a beautiful design and a simple navigation system – besides all the designers, organizations and universities who are listed – there is a bunch of great tools and extra information like sample contracts, information about legal issues and the iD-safe for example: Timestamps for your ideas to protect property rights.
... I am still very flattered: EDENSPIEKERMANN, METADESIGN, FRL. PFEIFFER, MUTABOR DESIGN... and many more.
Such masters AND ME ;)
Anyway it feels good to be surrounded by idols.
[© screenshots from iD-institute website]
ImPRESSive
I like to do things with my hands. Ideas I create with the help of my sketchbook. Invitations I send out self made to real addresses and not to an emailaddress. Painting, cutting, sticking... I am not into "digitalism" at all actually. But with all the great software you are able to produce beautiful design as well... But in the end – the printing part. Again: Silkscreen, Letterpress,... I am very much into the crafted finishing on paper.
That's why I was very skeptical when I heard about this new App called LetterMpress founded by graphic designer John Bonadies and programmer Jeff Adams. A program that simulates a letterpress studio. First I was distracted by the odd sound effects and – for my personal taste – a bit too complex and slow navigation of the tool palette.
Last Friday I had a children's pancake party at my house and I thought, why not try this App again and play around to create the invitation card. After all I have to admit that I kind of fell in love with this program. Its a lovely tool for experimentation and playing around without getting your hands dirty...
Certainly worth it.
Still – the smell and the excitement of a real letterpress studio is definitely missing.
[© Fräulein Pfeiffer]
eine sekunde von mir
A short PREVIEW of my music video for Poenitsch&Jakopic was published today on youtube. I made an experimental music video for their song "eine Sekunde von mir" (one second of mine) from their brand new album HERZTON (heart tune). Filmed with my NIKON D7000, edited with Premiere and After Effects, made with love, ideas, sweat, overnight rendering sessions and lots of seconds of mine!
[© Fräulein Pfeiffer]
over your cities grass will grow
We all know Anselm Kiefer – if you don't know him, get to know him.
A documentary about his work was released in theaters last week: OVER YOUR CITIES GRASS WILL GROW SOPHIE FIENNES – the british director – completed an outstanding job here.
Architecture, Painting, Installation and Landscape melt and transform into an artistic synthesis. The film is spectacular. Everything just fits. The images (REMKO SCHNORR) the editing (ETHEL SHEPHERD) and especially the sounddesign (RANKO PAUKOVIC)... It puts Anselm Kiefer and his work into the light of beauty where it belongs.
Poetic observation – monumental thinking – a work of beauty in any terms.
Some days ago, Anselm Kiefer announced he wants to buy a nuclear power plant that has been taken out of service in Germany. I am full of curiosity about this controversy artwork...
[photo © mindjazz pictures | over your cities grass will grow 2011]