Service Bureau

You are currently browsing the archive for the Service Bureau category.

The Disappearing Man: Liu Bolin

March 26, 2013 in Service Bureau by Stephanie Janisch | No comments

The internet has been buzzing over Amanda Palmer’s TED Talk this past February about the art of asking in which she highlights her early days as a street performer. But the talk I am most anticipating is by Liu Bolin in which, over the course of his presentation, he is painted into the background of the stage. The time-lapse is fascinating:

Liu Bolin timelapse at TED2013 from TED Blog on Vimeo.

I can’t even see him in the final image!

Bolin’s response to what an artist’s work stands for during an interview with Thu-Huong Ha for the TED Blog was particularly interesting:

“There’s a difference between Chinese artwork and foreign artwork. As a Chinese artist, I ask a lot of questions about society in my work. When I am abroad, though — for example when I went to the Louvre — because I’m usually overwhelmed by my artwork, I have to make art as a souvenir. The TED piece is more of the latter, a form of memory or a souvenir. This year I have a new plan. I think the TED stage will be the highlight of my new series, Happy New City. In the future I will create new kinds of art. My talk was as a summary to conclude what I’ve done before.”

I am interested to see the presentation and what Liu Bolin does next.

Tags: awesomeness, Videos we like

Make Your Own Notepads!

March 25, 2013 in Service Bureau, Uncategorized by Kate Roger | No comments

Image source: Imperfecthouse.wordpress.com

We get a lot of students asking if we can make notepads. Unfortunately, the way our Perfect Binding machine works, we can’t. But if you are willing to put a little extra time and effort into a project, you can make your own notepad with Lineco Pad Compound! Lineco Pad Compound is a low tack adhesive that dries clear. Just hold your paper together with binder clips, apply a thin layer of the compound on one side, let dry, and presto! Instant custom made note pad. There are tons of ways you can use a pad compound- a neat way to keep business cards organized, notepads with your contact info or a logo, a quick and easy way to make a flip book. The Service Bureau can even cut your paper to size before you bind it!

Happy making,

-Kate

Tags: Binding, Lineco Pad Compound, Padding

The Mind of a Designer: Then and Now

February 25, 2013 in Service Bureau by Stephanie Janisch | No comments

One the most fascinating things about people is our capacity to change and adapt. This is true on both fundamental and theoretical levels; time changes us all. Things that are important now, may be inconsequential in a year’s time. I Used to Be a Design Student: 50 Graphic Designers Then and Now by Billy Kiosoglou and Philippin Frank explores this element of change through the lens of graphic design by comparing the lifestyles of 50 graphic designers from their college years to now.

Comprised of interviews, work samples and comparative diagrams, the book illustrates the idiosyncrasies between college life and professional life. The work samples compare pieces from the designer’s time in college and current work, and each interview offers up a piece of advice and a warning.

I particularly like Richard Walker’s advice:

“Always finish your work”

and warning:

“Don’t feel obliged to have an opinion on everything. If you don’t know, say you don’t know.”

From the publisher:

“This book offers a rare chance to read what graphic designers feel about their education and profession. Fifty influential designers give the low-down about their student days and their professional lives. A piece of their college work is shown alongside an example of current work. Each designer also offers a key piece of advice and a warning, making this a must-read for anyone embarking on a career in design.

The book looks at the process a designer goes through in finding their ‘voice’. Topics addressed include how ideas are researched and developed; design and other cultural influences, then and now; positive and negative aspects of working as a designer; motivations for becoming a designer; and whether it’s really possible to teach design.”

UPDATE: The book is now available for checkout at the Flaxman Library.

(via Brain Pickings)

Tags: Advice, design

Galerie F Presents – Don’t Sweat It!

February 20, 2013 in Customer Spotlight, Service Bureau by Kate Roger | No comments

We’ve seen a lot of great things printed on our Risograph MZ1090 since making its debut here at the Bureau, and this is one we just had to share…

Ink: fluorescent pink & black, Paper: Glo-tone Yellow Light Text

We ran this poster for Luke Pelletier, an SAIC student and regular Bureau customer and thought it just looked awesome! Instead of relying on the Riso’s halftones, Luke made his own, giant halftone and printed it with the “Line” setting. Its a really clever way to work around the Riso’s fixed halftone sizes. If you’re thinking about doing something similar, just remember, don’t ask for a halftone setting on your already halftoned file, it will make the print too light.

Don’t Sweat it opens March 8th at Galerie F, 2338 N Milwaukee Ave. If the poster is any indication, this should be a great show. Go see some art!

-K

Tags: Exhibitions, printing, student work

The Rise and Fall of the First Instant Camera

February 13, 2013 in Service Bureau by Stephanie Janisch | No comments

In 2012, fours years since Polaroid discontinued instant film, the idea of the instant film camera has become a mere memory if not a novelty. Photographic film itself largely lives on in through the frame stylings and filters of Instagram and Hipstomatic. And while film in general has become more of an after thought, the book Instant: The Story of Polaroid by Christopher Bonanos seems like an interesting insight into the rise and fall of instant film photography and Polaroid as a company.

From the Author:

“INSTANT: THE STORY OF POLAROID is a book about a very unusual company. In the 1960s and 1970s, Polaroid was what Apple is today: the coolest technology company on earth, the one with irresistible products, the one whose stock kept climbing way past the point of logic. In its heyday, Polaroid was an absolute innovation machine—a scientific think tank that periodically kicked out a fantastically profitable, covetable product. In fact, the late Steve Jobs expressly said that he modeled his company to a great extent after Polaroid…

…INSTANT is a business story, about what happens when a company loses its innovative spark. It is a fine-arts story, showcasing the amazing things people did with Polaroid film. It is a technology story, of a company that created and maintained a niche all its own for 60 years. And it is a pop-culture history, of a friendly product that millions of people absolutely adored. I like to think that it also tells a larger story, about the rise and fall of American invention and manufacturing.”

No time to read the book? Catch the highlights in this 4 minute trailer about it:

(via Brain Pickings)

Tags: polaroid, technology, Videos we like

We’re Hiring and Summer Hours!

May 12, 2012 in Service Bureau by Stephanie Janisch | No comments

We will be losing three of our star student workers this year.

Thanks for all the hard work Evan, Mona, and Neda. You guys have been great!

On a lighter note, we’re hiring:

We are also switching to summer hours on Monday:

Tags: Student workers

It’s Earth Day!

April 22, 2012 in Service Bureau by Stephanie Janisch | No comments

Grab a sticker!

Want to make stickers too? Download our sticker template:

crit.artic.edu/servicebureau/templates

Tags: awesomeness, Free stuff, Services, staff project

Handmade type, literally

March 28, 2012 in Service Bureau by Stephanie Janisch | No comments

What a great exercise in understanding the way type transforms. Tien-Min Liao must have put in a lot of time and had a lot of patience to get such well formed letters.