Design, like Forrest Gump’s famous chocolates, is often a case of not knowing what you’re going to get. (Read the diagram in the box, Forrest…) Usually it fills an obvious need, but some of the best design solves a problem you didn’t even know you had, like this week’s entries. Join us as we protect the world from Krampus, tackle the Etch-A-Sketch in a new and satisfying paper form, and see the world of “Yellow Submarine” come alive courtesy of the best photo-realistic comic artist in the business. (Past “Cool Designs of the Week” here.)
Krampus Defense Kit
If you don’t know who Krampus is, then it’s a good bet you haven’t been bedeviled by the demonic European “yang” to Santa Claus’ “yin.” Madison, Wis. design studio Swink decided to hip clients and friends to the little jerk by sending them a “Krampus Defense Kit” over the holidays. Here’s what it contained (courtesy of their website):
“Scissors to escape from his burlap bag, a handy guidebook, special no-slip socks for quick escapes, and jingle bells (he is deathly afraid of jingle bells). We also made a Krampus detector for the iPhone and tracked his movements on his Twitter feed.”
From the red-and-yellow “Open Before December 25th” tape that holds it shut to the die-cut band holding both the burlap bag and the pair of scissors, no detail was missed. Really this design is just a joy to behold.
Etch-A-Sketch Notebook
Perhaps it’s just our nostalgia showing (no staring at our nostalgia!), but we instantly fell in love with Entertainment Earth’s notebook designed to look like that iconic doodle-and-erase device of childhood. Nothing terribly complicated here. Sketch away with the pencil that fits neatly into the paper’s slot, use the “knob” erasers to undo what you’d like, and “shake” it all away simply by tearing out the sheet you’ve been working on. Can’t help thinking that this would be the best $8 we’ve spent in a while.
Alex Ross ‘Yellow Submarine’ Poster
Artist Alex Ross has carved out a nice little niche for himself over the years depicting comic book superheroes as real-world, three-dimensional human beings – the results ranging from the sublime to the terrifying. Now he’s tackling The Beatles and their triply 1968 movie “Yellow Submarine.” Details are sketchy but the poster will be at least 72 inches wide and will be sold in two versions: 295 paper copies at $375 each and 125 canvas versions at $550. Here are a couple of detail shots. (More info here.)
