The Edit Aesthetic

I just finished a small stationery re-design for a non-profit association that, in their best interest, will remain anonymous. The back of the letterhead features a list of all the board member names which require annual updates. Herein lies the subject of this post. This particular client constructed an elaborate and aesthetically satisfying piece of her own by listing the edits in a Mind Map-ish sort of way. I love the look of it and in spite of the visual complexity, I understood it all.

Kinetic Artwork

As a kid I had a fascination with the incredibly complex and always whimsical devices I would later come to know as Rube Goldberg Machines. Although in my youth I simply though of them as really cool ways to make breakfast (Pee-Wee's Big Adventure) or open your front gate (The Goonies). There is a great DIY aesthetic to the engineering of these devices that commands our attention no matter what age we are. And they remind us that the tangible world of physics, chemistry, engineering and sheer dumb luck still offer spectacles that computer graphics and super-slick art direction can't beat.

These are some of the more noteworthy Kinetic art pieces I've come across. Included are two works by Theo Jansen, a Dutch sculptor who creates large kinetic machines that can be set into motion by slight forces, such as a gust of wind or a gentle push.

The Way Things Go - Peter Fischli and David Weiss


Honda Ad

Theo Jansen - BMW Ad


Theo Jansen - Animaris Rhinoceros


Japanese Rube Goldberg Machines

Studiostein Has Arrived

If you've spent any amount of time exploring this blog, you've likely been directed toward a rather sub-par holding page at studiostein.com. Well, I'm happy to say that the site is now complete—ish. Over the next couple of months I will be making minor updates: creating a flash image scroller on the "Work" page; updating the portfolio; adding case studies; and more. Take a look around. If you come across any typos or grammatical errors—and you probably will—please let me know.

Aaron Cool

On a recent trip to California I drove through the town of Cool, a small unincorporated community with a smaller population than my high school. Cool hardly seemed to live up to its name—that is until I drove past a back road that caught my keen attention. Keep in mind, my name is Aaron:

Neighborhood Type - Part 1

Whether beautifully rendered or just noteworthy in their junkiness, these typographic finds always seem to catch my eye. Here is the first part in an collection of photos of found type from my neighborhood—Lakeview, Chicago.

Serendipity

Here is my Word It submission for September. This month's word is Serendipity: the occurrence and development of events in a happy or beneficial way. I took a very simple approach to this. Enjoy.

The Propagandizer

I just want to take a moment to announce a new project that my girlfriend Julie and I are starting called the Propagandizer. Click here to check it out. Spurred by the fulfillment of designing the 9/11 General Strike Poster, we are launching this project as a small contribution to a world desperately in need of change. I for one have never been the type of activist to march in rallies, stage sit-ins or throw eggs at the presidential motorcade, so we believe this undertaking will drown out any other attempts we could make to have our voices heard.

On a continual basis we will post original propaganda that you can download, print & post in your neighborhood if you are so inclined. If you disagree with the point of view expressed by the Propagandizer, let us know (as I'm sure you will). If you wish to contribute your own propaganda, please do so. Prepare your artwork as a PDF file and email it to this address. Please keep the file size below 5MB.