Documentary filmmaker and producer Gary Hustwit has a new film about German designer Dieter Rams coming out in 2018, … More
Category: Design
SIGN OF THE TIMES: LAIDBACK SURFER HAND GESTURE GETS A SPICY UPDATE
“Shaka” or “Shaka, brah!” Maybe you’ve heard this expression. Maybe you’ve uttered those words in earnest salutation or ironically. Maybe … More
EXPOSED: THE STARBUCKS LOGO HAS A MAJOR DESIGN “FLAW,” BILLIONS AFFECTED, ETC.
Yes, savvy reader, it’s true. Almost everybody’s favorite Seattle, Washington-based, international speciality-coffee chain has a design flaw in its familiar, … More
RADICAL: COCA-COLA CHANGES ITS TYPEFACE, BILLIONS AFFECTED
This shit for real, y’all. Coca-Cola, the global mega-brand and carbonated soft drink, is getting a slightly new look. It’s … More
LOST & FOUND: TOY FIGURES OF ANGRY EDM DJs
During our annual Mew Year’s House-cleaning ritual we uncovered these two toy mini-figures of DJs. We love (and are slightly … More
GRAPHIC DESIGN X MATCHES — LIT AF!!!
Our annual New Year’s ritual of doing some house cleaning and organizing, throwing things out and making room for all … More
DESIGN LUST: SURFBOARD SHOP THINLY DISGUISES ITSELF AS ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FIRM
It’s no secret that we here at Global Graphica are fond practitioners of surfing, the so-called Hawaiian “sport of kings.” … More
DEAD PRINT MEDIA: THE NEW ISSUE OF APARTAMENTO MAGAZINE ARRIVES AND WE’RE GIDDY
There are few things in life that make us positively giddy with excitement. These few things are … Good waves … More
The Hotness: The Sexiest Airplane Tail in the Friendly Skies
Hands-down the the Hawaiian Airlines airplane branding is the sexiest ever in the goddamn history of the world. Period. It’s … More
New Issue of International Hipster Design-Porn Mag “Apartamento” Arrives!
We love Apartamento magazine. And so should you. The new issue of this mag devoted to “everyday interiors” and design/designers … More
Alexander McQueen Skull Tee is Dope and Terrifying
The dopeness and terror of this shirt is so obvious that to describe it no further words are necessa…
The Otherworldy Furniture of Designer Rick Owens
Neverending Robotic Loop of Toy Train
This video is mesmerizing. And awesome.
“Man of Malaysia” Book Cover Design
Many years ago, when I was in my late teens and early twenties, I was travelling two or three times … More
Vintage Surfboards
The artwork on these beautiful vintage 1970s-era surfboards is surprisingly well-preserved even though the boards themselves show some of the … More
Branding Sardines
Stunningly Cool Patterns Created by Video Feedback
When you aim a video camera at a live video projection generated from the same camera in real time, the … More
“Black Cat” Logo
The logo for Intelligentsia Coffee’s “Black Cat” Espresso is the head of a black cat. It’s a bold and literal … More
Locals Only
Last weekend, we stumbled upon this throw pillow with the words “Locals Only” embroidered on it at the Mollusk Surf … More
Warm Minimalist Shelf Architecture at A.P.C.
The Parisian clothing and retail brand A.P.C. recently opened a shop in Silver Lake in Los Angeles. Like may of … More
What the Original Gold’s Gym in Venice Looks Like Now
The original location of the iconic and legendary bodybuilding mecca Gold’s Gym is a block away from the sands of … More
Beautifully Designed Dead Kooks Surfboard … Malibu, Los Angeles
Last weekend we went to Mercado Sagrado, a two-day festival-like event showcasing music, fashion, food, art and surf films held … More
U.S. Election “I Voted” Sticker
Today is election day in the U.S. If you’re eligible to vote and haven’t done so already, go do so! We … More
Halloween Expression on a Campground RV
Some campers at the Carpinteria Beach campground near Santa Barbara, California decked out their camper with some funny, inventive Halloween … More
“But First, Coffee” Curb … Silver Lake, Los Angeles
The curb in front of the Alfred Coffee in Silver Lake, Los Angeles has been cheekily employed as signage, and as such a … More
“Airportraits” by Photographer Mike Kelley
Photographer Mike Kelley photographed airplanes taking off from airports around the world and then composited the images to provide a … More
The Awesome Design of a Vintage Porsche 912 … Los Angeles
We’re not “into cars” nor have we aspired to possess a stylish sports car. That said, we love great design and … More
Cool Design … Matchbox from Santa Monica Yacht Club
The beautiful nautically inspired design on this box of matches is for the Santa Monica Yacht Club, which is a … More
“A Quick Perspective”
Kevin Wisbith runs a YouTube series called “A Quick Perspective” and has posted a series of images on Imgur that show … More
Vintage Apple Macintosh Computer in Design Gallery of SFMoMA … San Francisco
At the recently re-opened, renovated and expanded San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMoMA), there’s currently a first-rate design exhibition that … More
A Visit from Apartamento Magazine Editor Omar Sosa … Los Angeles
We recently attended a small talk with the co-founder and editor of Apartamento magazine, Omar Sosa (pictured at right). The … More
Golden Winged Adidas Sneaker Designed by Jeremy Scott … LACMA, Los Angeles
Mural of Native American + Hipster Vehicles … Leucadia, California
Japanese Election Campaign Posters on a Wall … Naka-Meguro, Tokyo
The optics and media of Japanese political election campaigns are fascinating for their restraint and orderliness. Campaign posters for the various … More
LED Animation at 21_21 Design Sight … Akasaka, Tokyo
Decorative Eye-Palm Artwork at A-Frame … Mar Vista, Los Angeles
“Media Litro” Bottle of Mexican Coke at Ammo … Westwood, Los Angeles
Bowie Denim Jacket … Los Angeles
This blue-jean jacket is so boss. This pic could be evidence of formula for sartorial cool that deconstructed goes something … More
Re-Purposed Shipping Container at Iron & Resin … Ventura, California
Cool Design … The Hess “Moraga” Surfboard
Cool Design – Vintage Thunderbird Car … Venice, Los Angeles
The Chanel Surfboard of Model Gisele Bundchen … Venice, Los Angeles
There’s nothing more we can say about this. The picture says it all. Well, ok, actually, there’s something we … More
On the Scene … Customers Waiting in Line at BriGela … Kiyosumi, Tokyo
The Beautifully Designed Space at Hourglass … Venice, Los Angeles
The flagship store of cosmetics brand Hourglass is a testament of exemplary, beautiful retail design. The shop is located on trendy … More
Japanese Summer “Hanabi”-Themed Billboard Ad For Coca-Cola … Tokyo
Japan has a long-established, globally recognized and highly-developed sense of aesthetics, especially when it come to design and graphic communications … More
Design … Boxes of Juice and Water at Butcher’s Daughter … Nolita, New York
For decades mass-market juices and milk were sold in paper-box cartons, but in recent years all sorts of other juices … More
Design … Surfer Magazine’s New Logo and Format
Surfer magazine has boldly introduced its new, artsier design and wider format with this stark black-and-white cover illustration in a … More
“Can’t Steal Our Vibe” Sign at Lone Wolfs (sic) Surf Shop … Venice, Los Angeles
We love this … The Lone Wolfs (sic) surf shop on Lincoln Boulevard in Venice, in Los Angeles, was recently … More
Design – 10 Years of Mobile Devices …
We did a little spring cleaning yesterday at our NYC HQ and discovered a box full old cellphones and gadgets. … More
The Beautiful Retro-Cinematic Style of “Expencive Porno Movie” (sic)
“Expencive Porno Movie” (sic) is not your ordinary surf film. Directed by Argentine surfer and filmmaker Tin Ojeda and released … More
Classic Surfboards … Malibu Beach
These are some sweet, beautifully designed (and, we’ll guess, expensive) longboard surf boards lined up a long a wall (but … More
Why Do Ski Trail Maps All Look the Same?
Because most of the maps for the world’s large ski resorts (about 75% of them) were hand-painted by one man, … More
Toy Surfers
These small, green plastic-molded figures of surfers poised in various stances on their surfboards are a riff on the iconic … More
Vintage Alfa Romeo Parked on a Snowy Sidewalk … Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Freitag Bag Display Window … Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Surfboard Design and Brekkie … New York
Awesome New Hats and Hoodies at Saturdays … SoHo, New York
We’re fans of Saturdays, the cafe-surf shop and clothing brand inspired by the surfing lifestyle. Its original flagship store is … More
Stenciled Emoji Street Art Logos … NoLIta, New York
Goodbye to Chuck Klosterman IV …
One of our New Year’s resolutions was to sift through our library here and choose books to throw out, give … More
Logo and Signage at Bang Bang Tattoo … New York
Shiny Cool Super-Minimal Unbranded Bag of Bear Pond Espresso Beans
On our recent visit back to Tokyo, we picked up a bag of freshly-roasted espresso beans from Bear Pond Espresso … More
Media … Cool Japanese Surfer Magazines
Pictured below are copies of some local Japanese surf media we picked up in Tokyo. Given our addiction to surfing … More
Cool House in Tokyo’s Naka-Meguro Neighborhood
Architecture … Tadao Ando’s 21_21 Design Sight Building in Akasaka, Tokyo
The sleek, low-slung gray structure that is the 21_21 Design Sight building in Tokyo’s Akasaka neighborhood was created by two … More
Style & Design … Window Display and Shopper at Rick Owens Tokyo Store
In Tokyo … Awesome Ads in the Tokyo Subway, Vol. 2
The second of two examples of recent ad placements in the Tokyo Metro. This one is part of a Tokyo … More
In Tokyo … Awesome Ads in the Tokyo Subway, Vol. 1
This recent indoor billboard ad (pictured below) in Tokyo subway stations is part of an integrated marketing campaign promoting the … More
The New Issue of Acid Magazine Just Arrived …
Issue No. 3 of our favorite Euro-centric, global, artsy, small-format indie surf magazine has just arrived. We love Acid magazine, … More
A Brief Video Typography Tour of Brooklyn & Queens …
“Water is the Most Essential Element of Life Because …”
This signage made our day. It’s in front of the Jolly Goat, a tiny espresso bar in Hell’s Kitchen, in … More
In New York … Awesome Street Art by Jason Woodside for Mister Spoils
This sweet abstract-geometric mural on Eldridge Street in New York’s Lower East Side is a commissioned street art piece by … More
The “Don’t F*** It Up” T-Shirt
Awesome dude Hiroshi shows off his “Don’t Fuck It Up” graphical t-shirt at the rooftop BBQ party in New York … More
What’s Up with This Super-Targeted Billboard in NYC?
This somewhat cryptic message on this billboard in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood would seem to be largely meaningless to … More
Why the Museum of Modern Art Chose to Exhibit a Helicopter
The galleries of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York are not someplace you’d expect to find a … More
Why are All These Awesome Street Art Images of A Young Michael Jackson Appearing Everywhere?
We recently started seeing a random few of these wheat-paste street art images of a young, Jackson 5-era Michael Jackson … More
German and Argentine Newspaper Front Pages Following 2014 World Cup Final
We’ve been closely following the 2014 FIFA World Cup matches through every stage of the competition in Brazil for the … More
On the Scene … At the Intelligentsia Coffee Truck in New York
We stopped by the recently minted New York City outpost of Intelligentsia Coffee in Chelsea, an NYC neighborhood that is … More
Cool Spaces … At Tokyo Bike in New York
In June, Tokyo Bike opened one of it’s minimalist bicycle shops on the Bowery, in New York City’s Lower East … More
Our New Coffee-Making Toy
We just picked up this artfully crafted “La Cupola” espresso maker by Alessi at the Eataly foodie emporium in Smeraldo, … More
In New York … “I Need a Miracle” Art Billboard at Wallplay
The phrase “I need a Miracle” is the latest cryptic message to appear on the billboard on the side of … More
On the Scene … “H-Edge” by Cecil Balmond at the Ferragamo Museum
“H-Edge” is a super cool stainless steel sculpture by British-based designer Cecil Balmond installed a few days ago in the … More
Cool Magazines … “Acid,” An Indie Surf Mag
We’re loving Acid, a fresh and artsy surf magazine based in Europe. In issue Number 2, pictured here, there’s beautiful … More
Design … The NYC Subway Map by the Late Great Massimo Vignelli, R.I.P.
A giant of the design world passed away earlier this week. The New York City-based Italian designer Massimo Vignelli died … More
WTF Awesome … The “RGB Colorspace Atlas” by Artist Tauba Auerbach
A couple of weeks ago, we stumbled upon the magnificent “RGB Colorspace Atlas” (Volumes 1, 2 & 3) by New … More
Video … Pepsi Max Bus Stop Billboard in London is Prolly the Best Use of Augmented Reality
So many uses of augmented reality (AR) in media and advertising have been too lame or to gimmicky or both, … More
Cool Spaces … At Happy Bones Coffee NYC
Lately we’ve started popping into the recently opened Happy Bones Coffee a lot. (See pix below.) Happy Bones is an … More
Video … The Art of Street Typography in Action
This short video shows two men painting the words “Bus Stop” on the asphalt surface of a street. The clip, … More
New York Street Art … “Smoke Trees”
This stenciled “Smoke Trees” wheat-pasted street art poster in the Lower East Side of New York City has a graphical, … More
Cute Japanese Toy Cars at Our NYC HQ
We dug up this small collection of Japanese toy cars manufactured by Tomica. Among these are miniatures of a classic … More
Funny … “This is a Generic Brand Video”
This short video titled “This is a Generic Brand Video” was created entirely from stock video to go with the … More
Artist Creates Awesome Geometric Paintings with Discarded Cigarette Pack Boxes
Santa Cruz, California-based artist Robert Larson creates awesome abstract geometric-patterns on his large canvases using pieces of discarded Malboro cigarette … More
In Los Angeles … “Honor” Stone at Fred Segal, Santa Monica
The entrance to the sprawling, edgy-hip fashionista mecca that is the Fred Segal store complex in Santa Monica, in Los … More
Broken-Heart Macaron at Cafe Grumpy
Super delicious macarons at Cafe Grumpy, an espresso bar and cafe in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, including the one pictured here with … More
“Welcome to ______” by Mike Kelley at MoMA P.S.1
The late American artist Mike Kelley created a huge body of influential artwork — more than enough to fill all … More
Cool Spaces … The Interior at Room Service NY
The main dining space at Room Service in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen. Room Service is probably the most beautiful, sparkly … More
The Apple Mac is 30 Years Old
The Apple Macintosh computer turned 30-years old this past week. Apple has produced a website and short video that looks … More
In Miami … At Artist Laz Ojalde’s Studio
We recently visited the South Beach, Miami studios of artist-designer Laz Ojalde and took pictures of the space and his … More
Design … Man + Woman Symbols at Ij Kantine Amsterdam
The international symbols for man and woman often used on signage for restrooms at airports, museums, restaurants and public places, … More
“Invader” Street Art by Adam Cost in NYC
Pictured here is some more wheat-paste street art by the ubiquitous and prolific post-graffiti artist Cost (a.k.a., Adam Cost) referencing … More
Design & Style … “Journal de Nimes” in Amsterdam
The clothing store Tenue de Nimes is among Amsterdam’s most influential purveyors of denim, clothing and style, if not its … More
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