In a culture as polite and proper as Japan, we’re happy to find a little naughtyness lying just below the surface. If you we’re a fan of Joan Sinclair’s book Pink Box, you’ll probably be making a reservation at Misty Keaseler’s “Love Hotels: The Hidden Fantasy Rooms of Japan.”

No one apparently can get there fetish on quite like the Japanese as is made evident by “The Subway Room” (above left), “The Rocking Horse Room”, and “The Disco Room”, the last of which is covered with mirrors on nearly every surface for your viewing pleasure.

If you haven’t heard of PES then you’ve been missing out on some amazing work. PES, aka Adam Pesapane, creates imaginative stop-motion pieces with unusual objects for uniquely delightful animations. Oddly enough he claims not to have watched much TV as a kid. Be sure to check out Game Over, a tribute to early video games. The work on the PES website should keep you entertained for hours.

Our friends over at Design Sponge have put together an amazing guide to letter press studios all over the country. For those unfamiliar with the process, letter press printing involves paper being rolled over a stamp to make a print rather than the modern method of using a flat plate. The letter press process is much more expensive and time consuming than modern ones, but it allows for truly stunning results when used properly by employing the color, grain, and weight of the paper as a design element.

If you need wedding invitations, stationary, or want to do a short run print project, we highly recommend looking for a studio close to you for your next project.

Krown Lab is an architecture and interior design studio based in Portland, Oregon. Founded by Nicole and Stefan Andrén, the studio makes creative use of materials. They often incorporate items from Ikea or Home Depot into their work to create a product that is as cost effective as it is visually appealing.
For more information on the studio you can visit the Krown Lab website.

Celebrity director Michel Gondry will be signing copies of his film “The Science of Sleep” tonight in Hollywood. Gondry consistantly amazes through imaginative music videos, commercials and films. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet the man behind such amazing work. Apparently, only copies of “The Science of Sleep” purchased on location will be signed.

7PM February 22nd
Los Angeles Virgin Megastore
8000 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046

We’ve had quite a bit of fun the last few weeks trying to dissect Girl Talk’s “Night Ripper.” Girl Talk is to mash ups what Nine Inch Nails was to industrial, an amazing standout in a genre that we mostly consider to be “sorta okay.”

This album makes us want to dance like a mouseketeer that got into the liquor cabinet compared to the normal mash up routine of simply combining two songs to essentially remix both. Girl Talk (aka Greg Gillis) never seems to use any set of tracks for longer than 16 bars, turning bits of completely disparate artists (George Benson, Jay-Z, Los Lonely Boys, 3-6 Mafia, and Chicago to name a few on this track) to something completely new and special.

Night Ripper is available through Girl Talk’s label- Illegal Art. Due to the obvious legal problems this record is bound to face as it gains popularity, we’d suggest getting it sooner rather than later. If the Danger Mouse’s “Gray Album was any indication, this record is bound to stir up legal issues with the music industry as it continues to explode across the underground club scene.

The Jeremyville Sessions focuses on the rise of collaborative projects as the new art movement of the 21st century. With the rise of internet communication and technology, disparate designers from all over the world - folks that would otherwise never have worked together - are able to creatively share ideas and projects. Using his own experiences as a case study, Jeremyville showcases collaborative projects that he has worked on with over 300 artists and companies - covering a variety of mediums from original art, apparel, animation, toys and more.

Collaborators include the likes of Beck, Gary Baseman, Geoff McFetridge, Shephard Fairey, Ben Watts, Saiman Chow, Circus Punks, UNKL, and STRANGEco, just to name a few.

The book also includes a fold out poster, die cut sticker sheet, DVD featuring toy templates and animation, wallpapers, screensavers, a game, terviews, art shows, short movies, and if that isn’t enough, a signed original drawing by Jeremyville when you buy the book at from his site.

Pleix is a group of digital artists based in Paris, France. The group consists of both graphic artists and musicians, who create surreal, post-modern imagery. They are best known for the music videos they’ve created for Vitalic, Basement Jaxx and Plaid.

We’re pretty sure that anyone who uses dogs and lasers in the same video qualifies as a creative genius.

Designed by Italian architect, city planner and designer Angelo Mangiarotti, the Maritime watch is elegant and easily read. Completed in 1956, it is a classic design. Made of scratchproof sapphire crystal, stainless steel case and back, and leather strap. Water resistant. You can buy it here for $450.

Part of the first year of school for any design student includes a chapter on the Bauhaus and what might have been if it had not closed down in 1933. The style has been revisited and evolved although never seemingly on a large enough scale to be fully appreciated.
The closest it seems we can get are designers like Hugo Danti who take the simple, classic aesthetics of modernist design (like the tea cups shown above) and them apply them to modern technology like these designs for Nokia and Leica.