Adam J. Kurtz

Adam J. Kurtz is a designer, artist, and author based in Brooklyn, New York. Whether it’s products from his quirky online gift shop, creative journals (including his latest, called Pick Me Up, which comes out tomorrow), or his monthly column for Design*Sponge, Adam’s work is always refreshingly honest and genuine.

What I think is most inspiring about his work is how he handles dark topics such as mental health issues. Adam creates work that is optimistic and realistic at the same time and incorporates humor. The result is something that is accessible and authentic.

Check out Adam’s work on his website, and be sure to take a look at his writing on Design*Sponge.

Francesco Franchi’s Infographics

Francesco Franchi is an award-winning art director and editorial designer based in Italy. I first discovered his work in the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum and was struck by the level of detail and quality of his imagery. His infographics are a real testament to the fact that often, the role of the graphic designer is to be an interpreter between the content and the reader. In Franchi’s words, “Infographics help us understand, create and experience our reality. They reveal the hidden, explain the complex and illuminate the obscure.” Infographics not only must be well-designed and meaningful, but they have to tell a story or narrative.

Look at more of Francesco Franchi’s infographics here, and watch a short video below.

Favorite Blogs

These are a few more design blogs to follow that I’ve been enjoying recently. Take a look at them below!

• Booooooom is a high-quality contemporary art blog, covering a relatively broad scope of topics and creative talent from around the world. The thing that makes this blog great is that you can tell almost immediately the author prioritizes quality over quantity. The illustration and photography pages, in particular, you could spend hours scrolling through. My favorite way to browse this blog’s content is on their Instagram account, however.

• AIGA’s blog, Eye on Design, is becoming a massively essential resource for me to gain knowledge and inspiration about what’s out there in the design world. With insightful and engaging articles, this blog is a must-read for students, too. There are many sections to browse through, such as opinion, design news, articles about workplaces, and graphic design specific topics from packaging to UI + UX design. Because of the visual nature of the content, I also highly recommend the @aigaeyeondesign Instagram feed.

• My all-time favorite Tumblr blog is This isn’t happiness. The blog has somewhat of a cult-like following, and as one of the top 100 overall blogs on the web, it’s even been written up in places like The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Yahoo, and BuzzFeed. What I love most about the blog is how satisfying it is to look at and enjoy. The posts may seem pessimistic and strange at first, but then you start noticing the beauty and sensibility of it all. Ultimately, reading this so-called “art scrapbook” feels like a thrill that only keeps getting better.

Dirty Projectors - Keep Your Name

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9tbusKyvMY?rel=

Dirty Projectors are back! Loving the piano and subtle electronic effects in this track. The piano notes, in particular, sound like rays of sunlight in the golden hour.

Sampha - Blood On Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1i2Y7O-m1o?rel=

Sampha is an incredible rising artist. If you listen to Drake, you may already be familiar with the sounds of this British singer-songwriter. Check out his most recent song above, “Blood On Me”.

What I like most about Sampha’s music is the way he pinpoints emotion, especially in his vocals. The music is electronic but also informed by contemporary R&B, hip-hop, and even indie.

You can read a feature article in The FADER about Sampha here: http://www.thefader.com/2016/06/28/sampha-cover-story-interview

Negative Space in Illustration

This semester I am taking a class in illustration, and I am excited to dive in! One artist I have enjoyed looking at recently is Noma Bar. His work utilizes figure-ground relationships, negative space, and compelling symbolism to deliver a message to the viewer.

Dutch Uncle - Noma Bar

Noma Bar on This isn’t happiness