Brian Paul Nelson – Branding / Design / Illustration">Brian Paul Nelson

Hundreds of timeless mid century modern advertisements are collected over at this flickr set. Most of this work could still be relevant today which really speaks for itself it terms of when something is done right, it can last a long time. It would be great to see some of these companies go back and pull designs like this for some of their ads today.

MCM Ads flickr

Simplicity is a prominent aspect of my life and my work. Some however think the word “simple” or the term “simplicity” means easy or unchallenging. While I’m not one to completely disagree with them, especially when the use of the word could be accounted for in that way, simplicity to me and within myself and what I do, is more about uncomplicating and genuinely understanding the world around you. Looking at something, someone or some occurrence in your life and understanding the true, undeniable meaning of it. Getting to the bare bones, unraveling and interpreting what or whom is presented in front of you and taking a step back and thinking before and after your actions and the actions of others. And that, in a lot of ways, is not always as easy or as effortless as you would hope.

The reason I’m explaining this above is because I reached a point in my career that my old Atlas identity wasn’t speaking volumes enough with who I really am and what I love to do with the art and design I produce. When I branded myself as Atlas it was because I wanted something unique, unabridged and my own. Their were other artists and designers out their with my name (Brian Nelson) and I didn’t want to be lost in that crowd. In some ways, when I look back on it now it was selfish of me to think that way. Atlas was crowned with profuse meaning and will always be special to me because it was me and it was my personal brand that I created at the start of my career. It has lasted for a few, unforgettable years that have been crucial in my development not only as a designer, but also as a man just trying to make his mark on the world. I wore that brand with pride and that pride will always be a part of me, but it was time for a change. It was time to simplify.

What could be more honest and uncomplicated than me, my name, my identity? I am who I am and I love what I love and there is no changing that. Learning to embrace who you truly are takes courage and that courage leads to a passion-filed life. Design is just one passion of mine, but it’s a substantial one that reverberates throughout my everyday life. It’s a part of me, it’s a part of my brand as a designer and as a human being and it’s something I can’t change and don’t want to. This is where I have landed within my thoughts, my career and my life. It’s all umbrellaed under who I am, Brian Paul Nelson.

brianpaulnelson.com
A bunch of new work is coming over the course of this year…stay tuned.

Some nice collage work from Paris based Laurindo Feliciano. I enjoy how each piece contains a range of emotions when you spend time overlooking all of the elements.

Some great time-lapse photos of fireflies from Japanese photographer Tsuneaki Hiramatsu. The shots near the river were taken close to Okayama City in the Hokubo area and capture a certain type of firefly called the Genji Botaru. Where the shots in the woods were taken near Niimi City and the famous Tennoohachiman shrine and capture the Hime Botaru firefly.

Hiratmatsu used time-lapse photography to take several continuous exposures so you see hundreds, if not thousands, of small firefly lights, and then combined those exposures in post-production. Each photo where the firefly lights become trails is just one long exposure.

These pictures feel like a dream and take me back to when I used to catch fireflies and keep them in jars as little pets.

Seattle’s own Hilliard’s Beer is a relatively new startup with some nice branding underway that is being produced by Mint Design. From the beginning they have been detailing the process of creating this beer and evolving the brand over at their site. Their approach with allowing the public to see the behind the scenes work as this startup is brought to life is intriguing and helps instill a deeper personality within their brand.

This video is simply mesmerizing. It was shot on August 27th, 2011 by cinematographer Chris Bryan at Teahupo’o, a small village off the coast of Tahiti. The French Navy had declared the day a double code red, prohibiting and threatening to arrest anyone entering the water. You’ll quickly see why. With “Lower Your Eyelids to Die with the Sun” by M83 further enhancing the experience, I could watch this all day if it lasted that long.

Via Colossal. Video from MPORA.

Great flickr set of Golden Guides. I remember these gems from my childhood and always thought they had something special to them. The covers are straightforward and streamlined like they ought to be and the texture of the paper coming through on the covers definitely seals the deal.

Beautiful project from German designer Stefanie Golla on the process of how bees make honey. Her use of photography to showcase the approach of how honey is created and gathered brings an imposing look into the procedure from beginning to end.