Monday, April 25, 2011

Sam's Myth

One of my family members actually brought this blog to my attention. Sam Smith is a graphic designer and a musician. He has his own blog called Sam’s Myth where he posts some of his work and comments on other graphic designers work. Recently he has created movie posters for his own Top 10 of 2010 Poster Project. His goal was to design ten posters for his ten favorite movies of the year as an exercise in liberation. He wanted to try new unorthodox ideas, work on his hand-drawing and lettering, things he said he neglected and needed an excuse to work on. His main goal was to embrace the process, he wanted to get some ideas down, whether they had potential or not. Throughout his process he made it a point to not spend more time on one poster than the other. Here are some of his top 10 of 2010 posters.



After reading his blog and looking at the 10 posters he did for his project I think it is an innovative exercise. In his blog he states that “ it was a creative project that paid tribute to the films that affected me the most this year”. Taking something you are passionate about, like films and incorporating that into an exercise to challenge yourself can only help you improve your skills. I believe that my skills and work could greatly improve from exercises similar to this. Even if all of the work that comes out of the process is not my favorite, it still can improve my design skills in may ways.

19 comments:

  1. Its always a good idea to create your own projects to keep your creative juices flowing. I guess that's why Dolores has us blogging eh?

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  2. These are very cool! I love the idea and think it is great that Sam challenges himself in new ways.

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  3. The exercise that Sam challenges himself with sounds like a great idea. I could see myself doing something like this in the near future, but not using movies.

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  4. That's a really clever idea, I feel like that would be something a teacher would assign students to improve their artistic and technical levels. His other posters are interesting too, they all showcase a different mood than the one that I would associate with each individual movie.

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  5. It's really interesting to see what artists can produce when they're making art for the sake of doing something they've never done before or challenging themselves.

    It reminds me of Mark Smith's blog or even Austin Kleon's daily(ish) Newspaper Blackouts.

    Doing something every day forces us to actually DO IT instead of just putting off creating until the elusive 'tomorrow'.

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  6. I often think of doing things like a movie poster series or somesuch, but man do I feel drained at the end of a school day. I do think it is a good idea to force yourself to do something though.

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  7. I need to start creating my own assignments soon...where is the time?!

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  8. True, Nina. I find that there is little time to devote to things that I wanna do. I think it's great that he is able to devote the effort to making posters for something that has affected him positively.

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  9. Those are some really nice posters! Personal projects are definitely important for both development of craft and maintenance of sanity.

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  10. Great project idea! Design inspired by other media is a great way to refresh yourself and try out a new idea without the pressure of answering to anyone else's specifications.

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  11. I agree that initiating your own projects can actually teach you more than a classroom setting. I feel that I need to start getting into that practice to expand my skills and discipline to work on my own work.

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  12. I have a few side projects but I am looking forward to taking on more once graduation is complete and hopefully I will have a little time to work on personal projects further.

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  13. it definitely justifies blogging...

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  14. I wish I could have time to give myself assignments. I feel that his work was very inspirational too. I have always wanted to just make work that made people feel good, but that would have to be in my spare time.

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  15. I find the work great. Another example of a way to pursue your own personal work while you may be working on other projects at the same time.

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  16. I really want to work on my own works,but with classes they always end up unfinished or rushed.So when schools out,time to work!I am excited..

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  17. Love the posters they're very interesting to look at.

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  18. i would love to take on this project! i'll probably have a lot of time after graduation :D there's something about doing a project on your own time that's really therapeutic.

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  19. what a great idea and executed so well! I wish I had the time to devote to outside design projects or at least finish up those I would like to fix :)

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