Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Diesel XXX Party Ad


The Italian brand Diesel made their name with designer jeans in the late 1980s and have since moved on to all forms of fashion apparel and accessories. The company is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary by throwing exclusive parties in seventeen major cities around the world.

A promotional spot was created by The Viral Factory using the theme of SFW Porn, in which pictures of hardcore pornography are altered enough to be considered safe for viewing at work. The images are typically drawn on using simple graphics software like MS Paint, creating amusing scenarios out of the body positions and facial expressions in the original photo.

The technique was adapted to moving images, with Biganimal creating clever animation and sound effects over a montage of pornographic movie clips. I've seen some creative and very funny still images of SFW Porn, but seeing it done over live action footage really takes it to another level. Hilarious stuff!

Monday, September 29, 2008

Garfield Minus Garfield


Garfield Minus Garfield is a brilliant and often surreal web project by Dan Walsh that completely removes the titular feline from his own comic strips. The fat cat's absence only adds gravity to the pathetic life of his owner, Jon Arbuckle. As the website says, "it is a journey deep into the mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against loneliness and depression in a quiet American suburb."

Garfield creator Jim Davis actually enjoys the concept, and Ballantine Books recently announced they will be publishing a collection of Garfield Without Garfield, featuring side by side comparisons of Walsh's doctored images and the original strips. More details can be found in a post on the GWG website.


Sunday, September 28, 2008

Battle of the Album Covers


An inspired and entertaining bit of motion graphics from 2006 in which famous album covers come to life and duke it out. Directed by Ugly Pictures and animated by man vs. magnet (Matt Smithson). Watch it on Vimeo.