I finally announced it in my big year-end post, and now’s the time to start revealing more details about my soon-to-launch web magazine, SNOW. I don’t want to give an official launch date — it sort of depends on when everything is ready to do go — but I can tell you that it will indeed be “soon.” In the meantime, I’ll be writing a few posts here over the coming week to explain what exactly this project is all about, why I did it, what I hope to achieve with, and what you can expect from it.

I’d like to start by revealing the lovely logo for it, designed by my good friend Luis Mendo, an Amsterdam-based art director whose work you can also see featured at the entrance of Cafe Pause right now.

Funny story about this design. What you see now is very close to the initial sketch that Luis first sent me — he produced a few more options, but I kept going back to this one, and one thing that was so strange was how the “O” matched exactly the very first hanko I had when I first came to Japan (I since had to change it because it wasn’t legal, and had to replace it with one that has “SNOW” written in English). Just a coincidence, I know, but one that touched me.

To commemorate the wedding of Osamu Akatsu with Manami Kondo in Kyoto last month, Akatsu himself designed the beautiful invitation pictured here. Beast Pieces goes through the intricacies of the invitation, detailing the type of paper used, as well as describing how the one-color metallic design was achieved.

Spoon & Tamago shares a few of the New Year cards it has received from designers and design studios in Japan. Pictured here, a card by creative director Yuji Tokuda for his communication design company Canaria. Tokuda is behind the “Retired Weapons” peace design project.

I’ve recently mentioned a few times the new skate brand OPEN, started by my friend Trevor Sias with designs by Ian Lynam — you can order the first two boards now, and here are a few more photos — but here’s a look at the latest deck collection from Japan skateboard brand Lesque, also designed by Ian.

ISO50 highlights a rather nice poster by graphic designer Yasuhiro Sawada — the image is taken from the book Graphic Design in Japan 2007. Via FFFFOUND!

Tokyo-based graphic designer Michael Thorsby (PMKFA) has just re-launched his website.

I’m happy to announce that a brand new version of www.pmkfa.com is open. With new content only and hundreds of images from projects that PMKFA have been involved in, everything downloadable as PDF’s so you can view the work offline, a extensive press archive and functions so that you can view the website in the way You prefer through the Preview Index Mode & Stack Mode functions.

I don’t really get what the context is for this post that features a few examples of classic Japanese graphic design work, but I sure like it. Via FFFFFOUND.

Update: Ian Lynam says: “It’s about things that look like infographics, but actually represent no real information.”

I haven’t linked to any in a while, but Ian Lynam continues to post his series of red, white, and black patterns based on Japanese graphic design of the 50s over at Neojaponisme, with the latest pictured above.

A look at the current lineup of boards from OPEN — all designs are by Ian Lynam.

Johnny over at the Spoon & Tamago blog was right to feature the signage by Nosigner for an Ikushinsha cram school. I definitely agree, using a ruler as a graphic element in that environment is both thematically sound and visually pleasing.

For the upcoming semester starting in January at Temple University Japan, Ian Lynam wil again be teaching his “All About Typography” (TYP101) class, and also introduce a new one, “Image Making” (IMA101). Below, details on both classes.

Image Making (IMA101)

In the contemporary world of graphic design, designers must be able to not only convey information, but do so in ways that are engaging and entertaining. Image Making teaches strategies for creating unique visual form to incorporate into graphic design projects. A hybrid of manual, analog, and digital processes including drawing, collage, manipulating found imagery, pattern-making, and typographic assemblage will be utilized to help students with the goal of the class: for each student to create a 100-page book of a range of form-making styles that will greatly benefit their professional portfolios.

The class will work together to explore different formal and conceptual strategies for creating new and exciting visual illustration. This class will appeal to graphic designers interested in both print and web, illustrators, fine artists, and students with an interest in editorial illustration. It will also appeal to designers and illustrators working within a signature style, as the strategies utilized will help loosen up professionals, push boundaries, and create new work.

This class is a studio class but will require a bit of homework for visual research (collecting source material and light reading).

All About Typography (TYP101)

An in-depth look at typography (designing with fonts) for both beginners and experienced practitioners. This class is a working examination of Western typography including lectures on type history, type classification, and contemporary practice.

Practical exercises, as well as in-class critiques will help broaden students’ understanding of typography practically and critically

The class will conduct projects to explore typographic styles, learn correct typesetting practices, and increase design acumen. The class will host guest lectures by some of Japan’s top graphic designers. The class is Mac-based, but will apply equally to PC-based environments.

A new planned design at OPEN Skateboards, an homage to designer Kiyoshi Awazu, by Ian Lynam.

Ian Lynam collaborates with Lesque for a new round of board designs.

I really like this pared-down design for the packaging of the AQ 03 supplement bottle. Via FFFFOUND!

The Tokyo Art Beat online store is now selling the colorful Chiso Memo Block by Kenjiro Sano.