Sometimes it’s nice to see design projects purely for the love of design as found here. The idea is simple; reinterpreting classic albums as books. The images take us through several design styles and techniques that relate back to book design rather than album sleeve design. The results range from clever nods to travel literature to my personal favorite, the children’s book illustration style of the Pixies Surfer Rosa. Bookmark the page as new titles are constantly going up and it’s exciting to see what album will appear and what aesthetic the designer uses for it.

Here’s a simple yet interesting site to check out for an overcast New York Wednesday. The site, designed by Mike Bodge, posts a snapshot of the average color of the sky in New York City and is updated every five minutes. It sounds basic and you’re thinking “Ok …why?” but there’s something so simple and captivating about the site. Below is a screen capture of a dynamic color shift.

I enjoy rolling over the color swatches and seeing his snapshots, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of simple shots of New York. I recently saw these images from Brooklyn in 1974, that were quite interesting. The image below struck me the most as it appears to be taken in DUMBO Brooklyn, before it was given the acronym to appeal to potential renters and buyers. If you remove the gas guzzling cars and swapped them out with a Prius or two the shot could be taken today, there might be a Starbucks there now and trendy bars but the feel of the area remains with it’s hulking industrial buildings obscuring the skyline.

“Look familiar? Yes, it’s another sweet installation from Swoon, this time at the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA). Just as stunning as her light-infused piece from the Art in the Streets exhibition, this suspended ocean goddess is entitled Thalassa and is made of wood & paper and located above NOMA’s Great Hall with layered tentacles created from scavenged materials stretching to the mezzanine. Inspired by her reaction to the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster, the piece will be on display until September 25th.”

It’s easy to get caught up in the final product of an artist’s work. Swoon is a street artist who has transitioned to galleries and has always impressed me with her intricate paper sculptures. I first saw her pieces around New York City and loved how her work evolved and really got ambitious when given the chance to exhibit in galleries.

This link gives you a window into her process. Don’t miss the opportunity to see what goes into something so elaborate. You can watch a great clip here with Swoon and learn more about what goes into her artwork.

New York Magazine has a great write up on Mark Grotjahn’s new show Nine Faces showing in New York City now at the Anton Kern Gallery.

Jerry Saltz writes “Happening upon his paintings is a wild surprise; you’re reminded of the pleasures of the open, the out-there, and the untamed.”

So are these paintings worth the weight Saltz puts upon them or are they just some lines on a canvas haphazardly applied? His praise is bound to spark conversation about the merit of abstract art but I simply choose to enjoy the lush images and the space they create. Simplicity can be appreciated on so many levels it just takes someone to capture that and convey it. Sometimes it’s as easy as taking a snapshot with your phone or just doodling while you’re on hold with customer service. I look forward to seeing these paintings in person to see if they live up to the expectations set by Mr. Saltz.