blog GAMIL: an insider look at design » Design

Sticky Branding – Gamil’s Specialty

aly — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:38:00 +0000

We spend a lot of time on this blog showing our readers what other great designers are doing. From time to time we think it’s necessary to show what we do. As you can tell, we’re not an ordinary design firm. We launch inventive products, we create events, we do new types of websites with cool brand identities. A lot of this comes from our enthusiasm to use a genuine grass-roots approach that is as dedicated to our community as it is to great design. Overall we believe our efforts come together in a way that make the unfamiliar familiar and that our efforts are both from the people that it’s for. When is our work for the community? When is it for our selves? When is it for our clients? For us it’s hard to get that separation. That’s what makes our work “sticky.”

BRAND NEW’s V-day Redesign

britt — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:38:22 +0000

Valentine's Day Rebranding (via BRAND NEW)

Today over at BRAND NEW (a fabulous site that shows before and afters, as well as sharing of opinions of corporate re-branding efforts) there is a great post about Valentines Day. If you live in one of the countries that celebrates this holiday with all the pink, red, chocolates, and roses… You’ve seen some tasteful Valentines “things” but moreso MANY untasteful, ugly, and tacky Valentines things.

A few of the writers of BRAND NEW took on the challenge of Redesigning Valentine’s day. They tackled the Heart as an icon, the color pallette, as well as Cupid.

Below are the new “Cupids”…

Love Puppy by Jessica Hische (via BRAND NEW)

Chief Valentine Officer by Amanda Woodward (via BRAND NEW)

Heart Worm by Von Glitschka (via BRAND NEW)

What do you think about their effort? Like it or hate it, cast your vote here!

Cut Paper Inspiration

britt — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:02:54 +0000

Today is one of those days, where just a little pretty inspiration is needed. Below are a few pretty cut paper things to check out..

Beautiful Cut Paper video made for NZ Book Council (via Paper Crave)

Artwork “Looking back” (2006. Acid free A4 115 gsm paper and glue) by Danish artist, Peter Callesen (via OK Great)

photo from petercallesen.com

Lastly, an installation, “Corner Forest” by Yuken Teruya using toilet paper rolls (via Design*Sponge, via mandr, via swissmiss, via lushlee)

photo from yukenteruyastudio.com

Top 50 Design Blogs named by The London Times

britt — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:51:23 +0000

Yesterday, The London Times named their list of top 50 Design Blogs. Of the millions of blogs out in www land, the blogs chosen have focus’ on interior, product, and graphic design. Check them out for last minute Christmas gift/decorating inspiration or just for the need to see new and beautiful things and places.

Some of my personal favorite blogs made the list including…

#40 Chez Larsson a Swedish blog written by Benita Larsson on Design/Organizing/DIY blog

#36 Oh So Beautiful Paper Invitation/Stationary/Everything else paper blog written by Nole in Washington, DC

#31 Making it Lovely Chicagoan Nicole Balch, a woman who LOVES pink everything, writes about her house to home renovation style & journey

#2 Design*Sponge Brooklyn writer Grace Bonney features reader projects, artists home interiors and so much more

WordPress Open Source CMS Wins Award

britt — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:30:15 +0000

A couple weeks ago, WordPress (WP) was awarded the Overall Best Open Source CMS Award from the 2009 Open Source CMS Awards. You can read WP’s response to the award on their blog here.

We Joined the WP train a couple years ago when we started blog Gamil, and have since learned how powerful it can be as a CMS system. Congratulations WP we agree, you’re awesome!

Below are a few sites we designed with WordPress CMS.

ABOVE: Our portfolio site is powered by WordPress

ABOVE: With WordPress SPARKcon festival website was able to organize 50+ events & details leading up to and during the festival

ABOVE: WordPress was chosen for Triange Technology Executives Council website, because it is a great Open Source CMS

ABOVE: We chose WordPress for Blue Flame Tattoo’s website because of the ease to update the artists galleries

Robyn Hitchcock, I Often Dream of Trains in New York DELUXE Edition

britt — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:47:15 +0000

I Often Dream of Trains in New York DELUXE EDITION

Gamil Design worked with Yep Roc and Robyn Hitchcock to create a deluxe CD package for a limited Deluxe Edition of “I Often Dream of Trains in New York”. The classic looking CD package unfolds and transforms into a phenakistoscope, or moving picture machine. Original CD and DVD artwork can be viewed as animations through the included viewer. Gamil developed and produced the package concept, design and artwork. Each part of this deluxe package was made in the USA. This Deluxe Edition can be purchased at Yep Roc!

Robyn Hitchcock Deluxe Edition

Robyn Hitchcock Phenakistoscope Assembled

Check out the video below that Yep Roc put together showing the phenakistoscope in action!

Blue Flame Tattoo gets a new website

britt — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:34:22 +0000

Blue Flame Tattoo came to Gamil Design wanting a new website that was simple yet decorative, and able to accommodate large galleries for each of the artist. We designed a custom Wordpress theme which includes a homepage slideshow. Check out our portfolio site for more information on the project. or check out the new Blue Flame Tattoo website.

Architect-y Footwear: Zaha Hadid for Lacoste

kelly — Thu, 21 May 2009 12:45:31 +0000

It used to be that architects were also obligated to design chairs. Now that trend has shifted to shoes, at least for Zaha Hadid. Her recent endeavor is a footwear line for Lacoste.

The design and texture is based on series of overlaid and repeated patterns to give the shoe a dynamic fluid feel. A winding strap touts a bi-stable metal band to support the shoe at ankle or knee height for men’s and women’s editions, respectively. (Note: bi-stable metal band= snap bracelet technology)

Intrigued? You must act fast and internationally. This is an extremely limited edition of only 850 pairs available at exclusive boutiques in Paris, London and Milan.

Hadid is no newcomer to footwear, she has also designed a pair of unabashedly Zaha-esqe shoes for molded footwear sensation, Melissa.

Via Dezeen

Lisa Hannigan, “I Don’t Know” and “Lille”

britt — Wed, 20 May 2009 13:50:30 +0000

Today is looking to be a busy day, so here is a quick little eye/ear candy to start the day. Lisa Hannigan is an irish singer songwriter that I’ve been listening to for a few months now. Her album “Sea Sew” came out last September, and I am loving the Crafty/(very well done) DIY feel of both the album itself as well as the videos for two of her songs (“I Don’t Know” and “Lille”). For some reason I am having a few problems actually posting the videos here so check out the “I Don’t Know” video and “Lille” video on Vimeo. Below are screenshots from the two videos.

screenshots from "I Don't Know"

screenshots from "Lille"

Masking, Packing, and Duct Tape Options

britt — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:24:23 +0000

Here is a little round up of beautiful options to replace some of those adhesives we all have at home…

Masking Tape option from Happy Tape. Happy Tape has a great selection of solid and printed-pattern spools of Japanese washi paper tape.

image from happy tape

Packing Tape with lace motif options in either black ink or white ink at Rockett St George. Rockett St. George is a gift and homewares online store from the UK.

image from Rockett St George

Duct Tape that is stylish and fun by Fortis Design (Headquartered here in Raleigh, NC). The Designer Duct Tape comes in 4 different designs.

image compiled from Fortis Design