Kate Proulx for Faux-Beau » Art & Design

Earl Kallemeyn

Kathryn Proulx — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:11:28 +0000

I’ve posted about Earl Kallemeyn long long ago when he was my letterpress teacher… now there’s a video about him on NY Times! Super cool dude, wish I had kept in touch.

Fotoshop by Adobe

Kathryn Proulx — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:06:48 +0000

Fotoshop by Adobé from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

So, this video by Jesse Rosten is kind of perfect. Thought I’d share. I’ve always been interested in how american media portrays women—Ad agency 72 and Sunny constantly takes the easy way out with sexy or sexist ad campaigns (like Kim Kardashian for Hardees or Carls Junior or whatever, Men vs. Women for nike running, and ‘Dress Irresponsibly’ for PacSun)*. Dr Pepper 10 “It’s not for women” campaign is lame and bogus. And even Dennis Rodman is backing a topless basketball team for fuck’s sake—but I somehow haven’t always been sold on the ‘photoshopping affects a woman’s body image’ debate. Anyone who thinks the eyelashes in any CoverGirl mascara commercial are actually real CAN NOT be taken seriously. If only these ladies knew how easy it would be to photoshop their Facebook profile pictures. Maybe I should teach a class.

Also if you’re interested in media and society’s affects on american women’s self image, I suggest you watch the documentary Miss Representation. It made me cry.

* You should know that anything on this blog is my own personal opinion and doesn’t reflect the opinion of my employer, HUGE. Though in HUGE’s history I’m pretty sure there’s never been a sexy/sexist/stupid project that’s ever been launched—and that’s part of the reason why I love working there.

Recent Work: FRESH MEAT

Kathryn Proulx — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 17:04:33 +0000

I recently finished FRESH MEAT, an assignment for Jamie Kosoy’s dynamic interfaces class. We were required to create a data mashup using two separate services, I chose an XML feed, Twitter, and YouTube to make a “roller derby aggregator” of sorts. Jamie taught me how to scrape DNN’s score feed to make a bootleg XML file that I could use in PHP, and it was my first time attempting to understand how API’s work. I’ve found that it’s most awesome when games are in-progress as you usually get a pretty great real-time commentary.

Verdana Vs. Modified Futura

Kathryn Proulx — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:03:56 +0000

So the internet has been a-buzz with the news that IKEA has switched from their modified version of Futura to Verdana—citing a need for a typeface they can use globe-wide, even in Asian countries, and on the web.

A lot of designers are getting heated over the whole thing, but my opinions on the matter can be summed up by Connecticut-based designer Matt Hunsberger’s post on the subject.

“Verdana actually makes sense. Aside from IKEA’s probably-bullshit reasoning about wanting one font for both web and print, Verdana is an accurate reflection of their brand. Think about it, Verdana is a utilitarian typeface that is kind of crappy but everyone has it on their websites. IKEA is utilitarian furniture that is kind of crappy but everyone has it in their houses. See, it makes perfect sense.”

Daniel Galdamez – Senior Thesis

Kathryn Proulx — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:01:55 +0000

Using matte plexiglass, laser etching, custom cut chrome hinges & bolts, and traditional printing techniques Dan Galdamez built a timeline of his life (both past and projected) for his senior thesis project. “The basis for my thesis was to show how I personally connect to meaningful periods of my life, through typography.” he says. “It works as an insight for myself because it allows me to show illustration in addition to providing a narrative.”

“The time line starts with the initial thought of life and ends with the expiration. Personality is represented through and exterior and interior layer to show the relationship between the two and how they make up one person.”

Daniel Galdamez is a freelancer working and living in Brooklyn, NY. He graduated from Parsons School of Design as a Communication Design major in May 2009.

Are you a current or former design student interested in having your work featured on Faux-Beau.com? Send me an email with photos of your work, a brief description, your email address and website, and a short bio about yourself and you may see it on the site!

Inspiration Folder: Design – Part 2

Kathryn Proulx — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:47:24 +0000

Buy Nothing Day by AdBusters

Hand Done SVA Poster by Cardon Webb

Shine Advertising Letterpress Business Card

Lovejoy Vodka designed by Jared Milam

Futu Mag

By Denis Kuchta

Type by Colin Matsui

Marian Bantjes‘ Business Card

by Always With Honor

On Competition

Kathryn Proulx — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:24:28 +0000

Hey Kate, I am entering my Foundation Year at Parsons this fall and I’m so excited! But I’m nervous that it’s going to be super competitive. Is it?

At Parsons, I feel like there is some competition… but most students tend to be friendly and open. As you go on from Foundation Year and separate into your own majors you kind of become a family within your major (at least that’s the way it is in Communication Design). I know we occasionally make fun of how much the Fashion Design students complain, but hey, they do! My personal outlook is that while we are in school we should share knowledge and try to create lasting bonds and contacts with our classmates. By the end of Junior year, in Communication Design ‘10 we already know each others strengths and certain skills or insights we would like to learn from our peers. I’ve had teachers who have tried to pit us against one another saying “You’ll be fighting kids in this class for THAT job after school—know each others weaknesses!”… while with the state of the economy maybe the graduating seniors may feel like it’s a snake pit, I think its important to feel confident in your own strengths and learn how to work well in a team you trust that can make up for your shortcomings. I think what seperates graphic design from other industries in some ways is, or should be, the community.

Thesis Work: Crystal Gwyn & Ashley Higgins

Kathryn Proulx — Wed, 20 May 2009 21:24:48 +0000

Crystal Gwyn & Ashley Higgins – PikNik Magazine

Another one of my favorite senior thesis projects is my photo-major friend Crystal Gwyn (and her other photo major friend Ashley Higgins)’s PikNik Magazine premiere issue. Although it’s not on show at the AMT Thesis Exhibition I previously posted about, it may soon be for sale on the PikNik website. I had class with Crystal both semesters this past school year and I watched their project grow over time, and it has seriously come such a long way. Their blog gives a good introduction to the type of content in the self-billed “youth culture magazine with an emphasis on social and environmental consciousness.”

Thesis Work: Daniel Edward

Kathryn Proulx — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:42:02 +0000

Daniel Edward
(not sure if this is his thesis work but I love it)

Thesis Work: Anastasia Mouyis

Kathryn Proulx — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:56:44 +0000

Anastasia Mouyis – “Comfortable Memories”