Evelin Kasikov is an artist and graphic designer best known for her CMYK cross-stitching. Her technique involves converting dot screens to cross-stitch screens and printing onto paper, marking it for embroidery. The process, developed during her time at St. Martins, results in a unique form of handmade printing. Her designs have been seen within the pages of major publications including Wired and The New York Times, but the Printed Matter project is the fullest realization of her vision.

Throughout the three-book series, Kasikov entertains and explores the union of traditional handcraft and textile work with modern design and technology. Her own CMYK technique is an important part, but this is more importantly a global look at graphic design and visual communication throughout the ages.

These two are the jam. The kid on the right earned her hat and then some.

I ran across Julia Guther’s work while browsing Grain Edit, and it immediately grabbed my eye. She works with simple colors and shapes, putting it all together for a feeling of nostalgia and youthful, wide-eyed optimism. Check out more of her designs at her site. This feels very right for spring.

Written and directed by Spike Jonze, “I’m Here” is a 30 minute short film premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and at the Berlinale.  “I’m Here” was collaborated with ABSOLUT VODKA as an acknowledgement that the leading Vodka brand is a pioneering and culture-shaping brand.  Available to view online, the love story is about two robots living in the City of Angels.  The lonely robot librarian (Andrew Garfield) meets Francesca, a creative and free-spirited female robot (Sienna Guillory) and develops a romantic and unpredictable relationship.

5,000 viewers a day are offered to experience the digital love story in high quality.  The site offers bonus material and additional information on the director and cast.  The soundtrack includes music by Sam Spiegel and Aska Matsumiya and other emerging muscians.

Here’s the trailer!

Thanks to all who came out to the party on Friday! We had a great time, and I’m sure you’ll be seeing some pictures up here soon. In the meantime, check out this footage of Toro y Moi, who put out one of my favorite records so far this year. Toro’s laid-back, disco-tinged sound feels like a retro summer night, so the dreamy, Lomo-like effects Ray Concepcion created by shooting through a pair of disposable 3-d glasses are a perfect fit.

This was spotted on Gorilla vs. Bear, who seem to have single-handedly championed this whole genre. For more, check out Toro’s Myspace and grab the set of wallpapers he created over at Kitsune Noir, one of which is gracing my computer screen as I type.

Sometimes you’re not actually lost – sometimes, you just need a new map. For an old/new perspective, try 8-bit NYC. The creator, Brett Camper, explains his dream of a pixilated world on Kickstarter (where he’s taking donations so he can expand the project to other major cities). In short, the map, which operates using the Google Maps engine, re-imagines the NY boroughs as a Legend of Zelda-type environment. Click, zoom, drag and search by location. If you grew up playing video games and trawling these types of RPG environs, this will strike the right chord. It makes the thought of traveling between NY neighborhoods seem like that much more of an adventure; you know, if the guy who looks like drunken Santa Claus with his pants on his head singing showtunes to his bag of live lobsters on the train isn’t adventure enough.

And for something even further off the beaten path, try Cristoph Niemann’s illustrations (he of Lego New York fame) for his Abstract City blog if you’re in the mood to go ‘hmm…’, which I do mean in a good way.

Happy birthday, Steve McQueen. To celebrate, here’s a little clip of one of the best, The Great Escape, made with Legos. Don’t overthink it, I guess.

Also, this is one of the best movie theme songs of all time. Enjoy!