Learn from the Photoshop pro’s - they aim to attract hundreds of designers, artists and the aspirational among us to a conference spanning three continents!

Not to be missed, Adobe Max collaborates with ADIM conferences to educate and remould the future of their industry. The famous voices from Adobe plan to hit San Francisco, California from 16 November til 19 Nov, and then head off to conquer Europe.  In those couple of days, top designers, photographers and more will take advantage of the intense instructional courses to learn pro skills and network with many others.

check out max.adobe.com for more.

More updates from the world of D&AD. The first monumental steps have been taken for the 2009 event, as the Jury Foremen have been decided. These leading creative specialists will ultimately decide who shall succeed in the next installment of the D&AD Awards.

For release:    Thursday, 9 October

D&AD Awards 2009 Jury Foremen Announced

The line up of Jury Foremen for the D&AD Awards 2009 was announced today. The awards recognise the best work in advertising and design from around the world each year.

Foremen are leading creative specialists and play a vital role in upholding D&AD’s high standards of judging.   They each lead a jury of creatives who will decide what work represents the best of the year and will be included in the D&AD Annual. They will then decide what work sets new benchmarks of creativity and is therefore worthy of a D&AD Yellow Pencil.

D&AD President, Garrick Hamm said, “Judging the best work of the year is a tough job.  I’d like to thank our Foremen in advance for upholding D&AD’s standards, encouraging lively debate and breaking up the fights – all in the pursuit of the best work.”

Eligible entries will be accepted from 15 October until 21 January 2009. Work entered before 19 November will receive a 10% discount.  Judging takes place from 20-24 April in London and the winners will be announced in June.

The campaign, created by TAXI Canada launches on 15 October at www.dandad.org/awards09. Details of D&AD jury members will be released from next week.

D&AD Awards 2009 Foremen

Ambient:  Mike O’Sullivan, Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand
Art Direction: Grant Parker, DDB London
Book Design: Damon Murray, Murray & Sorrell FUEL©
Branding: Glenn Tuttsel, The Brand Union
Broadcast Innovations: John C Jay, Wieden & Kennedy
Digital Installations: Matt Clark, United Visual Artists
Direct Advertising: Ian Haworth, WWAV Rapp Collins
Environmental Design: David Adjaye, Adjaye Associates
Graphic Design: Alan Dye, NB:Studio
Illustration: Marion Deuchars, M Deuchars
Integrated: Mark Cridge, glue London
Magazine & Newspaper Design: Andy Cowles, IPC Media
Mobile Marketing: Dan Rosen, AKQA
Music Videos: Lizie Gower, Academy
Online Advertising: Dave Bedwood, Lean Mean Fighting Machine
Packaging: Bruce Duckworth, Turner Duckworth
Photography: Tony Chambers, Wallpaper*
Posters: Tay Guan Hin, JWT Singapore
Press: Rosie Arnold, BBH
Product: Sebastian Conran, Conran & Partners
Radio: Ralph van Dijk, Eardrum
TV & Cinema Advertising: Mark Waites, Mother London
TV & Cinema Communications: Grant Gilbert, Double G Studios
Typography: Nick Bell, Nick Bell Design
Viral: Michael Lebowitz, Big Spaceship
Websites: Mauricio Mazzariol, Big Man
Writing for Advertising: Will Awdry, Ogilvy & Mather London
Writing for Design: Adrian Shaughnessy, Shaughnessy Works

Further press information: Maeve O’Sullivan, T: +44 (0)20 7840 1125, E: maeve@dandad.co.uk

ENDS

D&AD Awards 2009 Foremen Quotes

Ambient – Mike O’Sullivan, Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand
“The first time I experienced the honour of D&AD was getting into “the book” when I was a 23 year old art director in London.  So to be foreman of a D&AD jury 18 years later is pretty damn flattering.  Ambient is the category without borders. I’m looking forward to seeing where
the industry is going to take it to next. Roll on April 09.”

Book Design – Damon Murray, Murray & Sorrell FUEL
“In the face of technology, the value design can bring to publishing is more important than ever. Quality work can elevate the humble book into more than the sum of its parts - an object of integrity. I hope to see work that engages with content, and utilises a knowledge and
aptitude for the materials that make books such unique objects.”

Branding – Glenn Tuttsel, The Brand Union
“I am delighted to be Foreman of the 2009 D&AD Branding Jury, especially in Garrick Hamm’s presidential year. He champions uncompromising excellence in design and I intend to bring this rigour to the judging.”

Broadcast Innovations – John Jay, Wieden + Kennedy
“Telling a great story in a suprising way, disrupting our daily media and using technology to advance both creativity and community are the daily staple of global youth. Now let’s see if we “professionals” have kept up. Or will this be the greatest generation gap ever?”

Environmental Design – David Adjaye, Adjaye Associates
“I’m delighted to have been asked to be the jury foreman. I’m looking forward to seeing the entries and having the chance to debate the issues and opportunities around environmental design with my peers. Public, community and workspace design have such a direct impact on people’s lives, so I think it’s vital to recognise, reward and encourage good work in such an important category.”

Graphic Design – Alan Dye, NB: Studio
“D&AD has always been, and continues to be, the most prestigious and sought-after design and advertising award in the world.  The cream always rises to the top and I’m confident with this year’s smaller and select group of talented, diverse and experienced judges, we will recognise this. I’m thoroughly looking forward to being depressed by some fantastic piece of work that I wished I had thought of myself.”

Illustration – Marion Deuchers, IPC Media
“I am very excited at the prospect being the forewoman of the Illustration jury at the D&AD Awards 2009. I hope there is an exciting selection of work to look through and to have some lively debates with a diverse group of creatives about the use of illustration in the Design and Advertising Industry.”

Music Videos – Lizi Gower, Academy Films
“Music Videos have long been at the forefront of creativity across all fields of film making. They have traditionally provided an environment where talent is nurtured and where imagination is allowed to run free. As budgets continue to contract, maintaining that environment and creating work that meets D&AD’s exceptionally high standards of technical and creative skill becomes ever more challenging and impressive. Nevertheless as Forewoman of the Music Videos Jury, I look forward to seeing the same levels of inspirational individuality, and executional excellence that have always distinguished D&AD winning work.”

Online Advertising – Dave Bedwood, Lean Mean Fighting Machine
“I won a Student Pencil in 1998. I got drunk and managed to bite the award and kiss my kebab. Obviously I didn’t tell D&AD this detail before they asked me to be foreman of the Online Advertising Jury. I am honoured to be entrusted with such a task. My aim is to help traverse the fine line between the discipline required to uphold the legendary standards, whilst still celebrating the great work that is undoubtedly produced in this area.”

Photography – Tony Chambers, Wallpaper*
“Photography’s reach has never been broader, covering the worlds of Advertising, Editorial, Journalism and Art. It’s a great time to be an eye-witness to what should be the cream of the crop.”

Press Advertising – Rosie Arnold, BBH
It is a huge honour to be asked to be forewoman of the Press Jury – a medium I love, being emotionally involving and so reliant on art direction – my core skill and passion.

Posters – Tay Guan Hin – Regional Executive Director – JWT Singapore
“Poster advertising use to be quite a traditional medium but it’s fast changing into a fascinating category. Even the 2-D format is becoming increasingly innovative with the use of technology.  Recently, we’ve seen millions of colors change on buildings through the use of
a computer, shadows of dragons projected on walls, and even an exploding billboard!  In the end, only the simplest ideas delivered with wit will find their way to the top.”

Radio – Ralph van Dijk, Eardrum
“I am so sick of namby pamby radio. Come on! We’ve heard it all before. Any work worthy of a Pencil challenges, inspires and kicks you right in the ‘I wish I’d done thats’. It is high time  radio had a piece of that action.’

‘I’m thrilled to be Foreman at D&AD and I’ll be encouraging my fellow judges to recognize and reward the IDEAS that move the game on; new formats, odd lengths, unexpected voices, and beautifully crafted pictures.  There are so many ways we can moved by what we hear, yet we barely scratch the surface on radio. Bring on the work that goes straight to our soul and bask in the well deserved glory.”

TV & Cinema Advertising – Mark Waites, Mother
“It’s an honour to be chosen as the foreman for next year’s TV & Cinema Jury. A D&AD Award is so special because they’re so tough to win. It’s my job to make sure the 2009 jury don’t make it any easier”

TV & Cinema Communications – Grant Gilbert, Double G Studios
“Being foreman of the newly named TV & Cinema Communications Jury 2009 is an amazing honour. This year it’s all about visual communication in all it’s forms, not just graphics. Today we are seeing many designers, directors and studios using a number of different mediums to convey and promote their ideas and for me this is a very exciting time.

Viral – Michael Lebowitz, Big Spaceship
“I’m tremendously excited to chair the D&AD Viral Jury. I’m looking forward to spirited discussions as we contend with the challenge of rewarding great creative work in a category that in many ways is defined by effectiveness.”

Website – Mauricio Mazzariol, Big Man
“One of the most diverse categories, Websites has been the heart and soul for many great campaigns. Next year we will celebrate the few ones that can make a difference and push the industry to a higher level. I’m looking forward to see what’s coming next.”

Writing for Advertising – Will Awdry, Ogilvy & Mather London
“The visual tricks available to advertisers are now more clever, more magical and more freely available to all.  More than ever, it is writing - however compressed - that reveals the real soul of an ad, deciding whether the reader should trust its message or not.  I think our jury will be looking for great writing that makes that difference.”

A completely free and unique service has become available online for making your own virtual environment.

Photosynth, born in August, is an intelligent photomerger where images can be fused together to create a 3D realm. A couple of pictures to hundreds of a particular scenario, can be uploaded to photosynth.com and it’ll make a virtual environment in-front of your eyes. It maps the images of the scene by recognising data points, and gives you the chance to see each image seperately, spinning the environment around.

When all your images are uploaded you can zoom in/out, and even walk around the virtual environment created with total free reign!  What’s particularly fantastic about this, is that Photosynth retains original Jpeg quality. I know what thinking - 400 jpeg pictures would take a lifetime to stitch together and buffer, but it doesn’t! Photosynth only uses what’s neccessary to fill your screen resolution without compressing the Jpeg.

Currently only available for Windows XP and newer, the boffins at Photosynth are working on a Mac compatible version. Images need to be Jpeg, but it doesn’t compress for the Synth.

Check their website, where you can login for free to create your own photosynth, or view the gallery of hundreds of synths created by existing users.  www.photosynth.com

It seems that Adobe CS4 is already expanding its creative horizons with its inspiration of innovative software extras. This time we’re talking about the soon to be released Adobe Configurator 1.0.

Essentially this software will permit users to create and organise their very own tool palettes and arrange applicable functions into task-based chunks. Actions, file options such as saving file formats and exporting files and even video footage are applicable and accessible with a click of a button. Creation is made easy through simple upload utility, selecting Window> Extensions> Select Model in Photoshop CS4.

Through this software Adobe hope to harness the wisdom of the Photoshop Nation and in turn maximise the productivity across vertical industries including medical, creative, architecture etc. It will also serve to improve concise edification through resourceful tutorials and within in-house training. It’s surely set to revolutionise the digital software market.

Shipping sometime this October, if interested keep an eye out at the official Adobe Labs website.

www.labs.adobe.com

We’re big fans of Taschen’s art books, so it was pretty exciting to hear that it has opened a new bookshop in London to complement its existing stores in Los Angeles, New York and Paris, with plans for further expansion in the future. For more information, please see the press release below or visit www.taschen.com.

PRESS RELEASE:

TASCHEN opens London store

TASCHEN is delighted to announce the opening of its London store today, 6 October 2008. Located on the newly developed of Duke of York Square, just off the Kings Road, right next to the new Saatchi Gallery, the store will stock the entire range of TASCHEN books covering art, photography, architecture, film, lifestyle, travel, pop culture and sex.

The London store follows the huge success of TASCHEN’s five stores around the world, in Paris, Cologne, New York, Beverly Hills and Hollywood. Like all other TASCHEN stores, the space has been conceived by the world famous French designer Philippe Starck, with a ground floor at street level and a gallery space in the basement.

About TASCHEN
TASCHEN’s Great Adventure began back in 1980, when eighteen-year old Benedikt Taschen opened a shop in his native Cologne, Germany, to market his massive comic collection. Within a year he began publishing catalogues promoting his wares, but it wasn’t until 1984 that his first art book breakthrough occurred: he purchased 40,000 remainder copies of a Magritte book printed in English, reselling them for a fraction of their original price. From a young age, Taschen had been interested in art but found that art books were too expensive and hard to obtain, and the success of this daring move proved that Taschen was not alone in thinking that the art-book market should be democratized. Soon he began reprinting books under his own name for budget prices and the next year he published his first original title and the first book in the Basic Art series: Picasso. Before long, high-quality-yet-still-inexpensive hardcover books were added to the lineup and in 1989 the landmark double-jumbo Van Gogh: The Complete Paintings hit bookstores around the world.

Starting in the late 1980s, TASCHEN established subsidiaries across the globe and continued to cement its reputation as a publisher of excellent-value books while branching out into new areas such as architecture, design, photography, lifestyle and classics. In 2000, TASCHEN surprised the world by breaking the record for the most expensive book published in the 20th century: copy #1 of Helmut Newton’s SUMO, signed by over 80 celebrities featured in it, fetched a record-breaking $304,000 at a charity auction. A year later TASCHEN launched its cinema collection with Billy Wilder’s Some Like it Hot. Then, in 2003, TASCHEN tipped the scales with its massive, legendary Muhammad Ali tribute book, GOAT.

Twenty-eight years after Benedikt Taschen opened his little comic shop, TASCHEN has grown into one of the most successful and unique publishers in the global market, publishing an eclectic variety of books for people of all tastes and budget ranges, distributed worldwide in over twenty languages. TASCHEN has opened bookshops in Paris, Los Angeles, New York, and now London, with plans to keep expanding to new cities such as Bruxelles, Berlin and Miami as our Great Adventure continues. For the future of publishing, keep your eye on TASCHEN.

A whole new load of calenders and diaries available for you to personalise and design.

check out www.photobox.co.uk/shop/calendars-and-diaries

Press release below

Photobox.co.uk has launched its extended range of innovative personalised calendars and diaries for Christmas.  Customers can take their pick of eye catching wall calendars or handy desk designs. And for the first time photo diaries, which are available in two sizes, with a photo for every week of the year from just £8.99.  All of which make them affordable and unique Christmas presents in the hectic run up to the festive period.

These latest additions to a line of fully personalised photo products are designed to get people to be more creative with their digital photos. There’s something for everyone, from on-the-go professionals wanting to carry a little of their family with them, to busy mums seeking more organisation in their lives.All of Photobox’s calendars and diaries can start with the month of your choice, making them perfect gifts throughout the year. They also have all UK holidays printed on them, ensuring it’s easy to plan time around those precious bank holidays.

The A3 Poster Calendar, A3 Double Page Calendar and A3 & A4 Wall Calendars are available in a choice of black, white, or seasonal pages.  Just take your pick and add your photos to complete the look.
Two new desk calendars also join the range, giving a choice of week-to-view or month-to-view, and with the Deluxe Desk Calendar you can add up to four photos per page.

Personalised Photo Diaries are available in standard and large sizes (approximately A6 & A5) with a week-to-view layout, featuring a photo for every week. Plus the durable transparent polypropylene cover means they’ll stay in great condition throughout the year.
Diaries and calendars both take 6-8 working days. They can be ordered in time for Christmas right up until the first week of December. Please check the Photobox website for updated last order dates for Christmas.

If the golden oldies - Dandy, Beano - have turned into memories, bring it all back by making your own. Everything and anything comic is available from comicbrush.com, so get uploading and you never know where it might take you…

www.comicbrush.com

press release

Stacks of high quality comic clip-art, backgrounds and props
in a huge range of genres - from Judge Dredd to Barack Obama,
from the Arctic to a cartoon living room - are available from
Comicbrush.com, with more always on the way. All you need to
do is upload a bunch of digital photos and start “brushing”
them. Before you know it, Paris Hilton has gate-crashed your
party, thought-bubbles reveal all the gossip in a (previously)
harmless group photo, and your cat has turned into Rambo.
Nothing will ever be mundane again.

Comicbrush.com is free to use. It’s free to upload your own
photos or drawings, free to create a comic, free to share it
by email, upload to a social networking site, free to send to
an iPhone or iTouch, and new free Comicbrush artpacks are
released regularly. Premium artpacks are also available to
purchase with points, which are cheap and easy to buy securely
from the Comicbrush Store.

Create unique comics personal to you, your family, your
friends, your job, your weekend, your stag night, or your
plans for World Domination. Draw inspiration from anything you
like, even you can’t draw. Have a brush with life, the
universe, and everything, with Comicbrush.

The date has been set. Both professional and student photojournalists have until November 15, 2008 to propose new projects for the next Getty Images Grants for Editorial Photography. For more info read on….

Press release below: 

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE NOVEMBER 15 FOR NEXT GETTY IMAGES GRANTS FOR EDITORIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Both Professional and Student Photojournalists May Now Apply

NEW YORK, NEW YORK and LONDON, ENGLAND – October 1, 2008 – Both professional and student photojournalists have until November 15, 2008 to propose new projects for the next Getty Images Grants for Editorial Photography to be announced in February, 2009.

Getty Images awards five professional level grants of $20,000 each, totaling $100,000 annually to fund, inspire and support the best global talent in photojournalism. Two grants are awarded each February and three each September.

To celebrate the grant program’s fifth year, Getty Images expands its commitment to photojournalism by adding a student category to identify and encourage promising photojournalism students throughout the world. Four grants of $5,000 each will be made annually to students under the age of 30 who are enrolled in a full-time, accredited photojournalism course. Two student grants will be awarded in February and two in September.

Both professional and student grant recipients will also receive collaborative project execution support from Getty Images photo editors as they pursue their documentary projects.

Applications must include a written proposal of 500 words to explain the scope, significance and journalistic merit of their chosen project, and a supporting portfolio of 20 to 25 images of the applicant’s previous work. Grant applications are accepted in digital format only and complete submission guidelines, plus additional information on previous winners and their projects can be found at www.gettyimages.com/editorial-grants

Judges will be announced in mid October for the grants that will be awarded in February 2009.

350pages havelaunched their latest range of free-format templates and functions. Users are able to drag ’n drop the customisable objects wherever they want. Users simply select a template, add a ‘floating object’, drag it into position and then customise it. If this interests those of you inquisitive about mutlimedia then read on….

Press release below:
The 350pages expert designers have ensured that 350pages is loaded with hundreds of world class template styles and layouts for its users to create their own websites, but sometimes they want something different.

To satisfy this need, 350pages has just launched a new range of free-format templates and functions, so users can drag ’n drop the customisable objects wherever they want. Users simply select a template, add a ‘floating object’, drag it into position and then customise it.

If they prefer, they can create their website using one of the stylish pre-defined layouts or they can use that as the basis and then ‘float’ any object to move it into a new position.

The simple and intuitive user interface which doesn’t need any technical or graphical design skills makes the creation of a website easy for anyone.

350pages enables users to edit each object on the page. The instant visual preview
and fully WYSIWYG page editor enable them to fine-tune the appearance of their website quickly and easily. Users can experiment with different colour schemes using the innovative colour editor that gives them suggested matching colours and gives them easy access to different ways of choosing specific colours.

The unique Graphics Editor provides over 1000 high quality graphic headings, navigation buttons, logos, dividers, rotating text, etc for the user to customise. Graphics can also be rotated to produce vertical or upside down images and text. Users simply choose a design, add text and instantly see a graphic created specially to fit onto their page, with the colours correctly adjusted for the best possible appearance.

350pages includes many photo features - a photo editor to crop, resize, rotate, enhance or add special effects, a photo uploader that resizes upon upload, image thumbnails that open up as larger versions, photo galleries and photo slideshows. There is also a library of over 2000 photos and clipart.

350pages includes integrated e-commerce functions enabling users to sell from their website. It has been optimised to assist users with their presence in the search engines. 350pages also includes the hosting of the website with a massive 250MB of space.

“350pages is ideal for anyone wishing to create their own website, whether it is for an individual, family, musical band, club, homeworker or small business. It is very cost effective for those looking to save the cost of using professional website designers and it has the advantage that they can update the website from anywhere, whenever they wish”

350pages is available for £4.99 a month or £45.99 annually, including VAT.
There is also a Lite version available for £2.98 a month or £24.99 annually, including VAT and also a Free version.

For further information go to www.350.com

Want to witness Adobe’s new CS4 in full flow? From October 23 to the end of November, you can visit any of the locations listed at the bottom of this press release, and watch Adobe reps do their thing!

It’s a free train too, so no entrance fee

Adobe CS4

www.adobe.co.uk/cs4tour

press release info

Adobe Systems has today announced that it will be taking its very latest Adobe® Creative Suite® 4 products ‘on the road’. Launching at CreativePro Expo on October 23 and running until November 27, 2008, this tour will showcase CS4 first hand to the UK’s creative industry. The presenters will be demonstrating how to create ground-breaking work across virtually any medium.

With four different sessions to choose from - CS4 Design Premium, CS4 Web Premium, CS4 Production Premium and CS4 Master Collection - Adobe will be revealing hundreds of enhancements and new capabilities to enable creative professionals to develop innovative experiences across every media. This will include top tips on how to utilise some of the many new shortcuts and features that have been introduced in the new suites for designing, building and distributing experiences that extend across print, web, video, rich internet applications, interactive and mobile.

Adobe will be touring eight cities in the UK and Ireland, launching in London at CreativePro Expo in Olympia, before heading to Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Bristol and Dublin. There will be something for everyone in the creative industry including: graphic designers; web and interactive designers; web and application developers; broadcasters and post-production professionals; videographers and filmmakers; visual communication trainers and educators.

Eric McCashey, Senior Marketing Manager of Creative Solutions at Adobe, said: “Adobe always works closely with the creative community to ensure we continue to develop ground-breaking products for our customers.  This tour is a great way for us to meet customers who use our software everyday and demonstrate how they can achieve brilliant results using Creative Suite 4.”

Tour dates, cities and venues;
23rd-25th October 2008 - London, Creative Pro Expo
6th November 2008 - Manchester, Odeon Cinema
11th November 2008 - Birmingham, Odeon Cinema
13th November 2008 - Sheffield, Odeon Cinema
18th November 2008 - Edinburgh, Vue Cinema
20th November 2008 - Newcastle, Empire Cinema
25th November 2008 - Bristol, Vue Cinema
27th November 2008 - Dublin, Cineworld