WOTW #37 – Live High
Velocity Wallpaper of the Week for July 22, Live High, by Herzing College intern Danielle Fewings, is inspired by the song by Jason Mraz, and continues our Summer Jams Series.
It should be noted that while Velocity fully endorses singing (warbling, yodelling, carolling, wassailing, etc.) and dancing of all kinds (the Running Man, the Charleston, the Watusi, the Mashed Potatoes, the Humpty Dance, the Bartman, etc.), we do not condone any form of stealing (bases, kisses, flirtatious glances, bags of money, hearts, etc.).
As Mraz-related wallpapers go, this one is pretty amrazing. -JB
WOTW #36 – Summertime
Velocity Wallpaper of the Week for July 15, Summertime, by senior designer Colette Boisvert, is inspired by the song of the same name by the legendary composer George Gershwin. Featured in the DuBose Heyward opera Porgy and Bess, the jazz standard has has been recorded over 2,600 times by artists ranging from Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, to Janis Joplin and The Doors. The tune is based on an old Ukrainian lullaby.
This wallpaper makes me want to go on a rollicking road trip to Oregon with excellent people.
We would enjoy a picnic lunch of perogies and Beep. -JB
Winnipeg Folk Festival 2011
This year marked my sixth Folk Festival. I can only manage to keep track of how many Folk Festivals I’ve been to by Castle Boy structures. There’s the invisible year, the Rock It ship, Flaccid Jack’s Saloon, Good and Evil Castles, the Pyramid and now the Libary (intentionally misspelled). I have been lucky enough to become a Castle Boy, as we are known, and been a part of the last three structures. I have to confess that this last year has been my favourite. It was more work than the group of around 20 of us have ever put it. In the end, it was worth it. It always is.
In past years, we’ve told people we were building a library, so when we told them that again this year, they didn’t really believe us. Not only did we build a Libary complete with books, we built a library that transformed into a 1930s speakeasy. The bookshelves spun around to reveal liqour bottles, the tables flipped to show a roulette table. People gambled with our homemade chips, and if they were lucky enough, they got a free cold beer. We also planned to have a couple of members come in as cops with a paddywagon and try to bust the place. Before this happened, we got a crowd of a hundred to quiet down and read books. After months of planning, it was amazing how swiftly it all happened.
The music this year was great as always. Some highlights for me included: Trampled By Turtles, Tim Robbins, Funky Meters, Beats Antique and the Mighty Toots and the Maytals. Another big highlight was playing with my band, Four Pints Shy, up on the Castle Boys’ stage. I’ve never played music for that many people before and it was a hoot. I look forward to another excellent festival next year, with good music and good people.
[nggallery id=1]
Page Under (De)Construction
Traditional Japanese gardens are constantly sculpted and landscaped as the seasons change, with the overall design being influenced by the more immutable elements connected to it (large stones, architecture, etc.). The experience is ever-changing and evolving, for the observer and for the gardener. For Zen priests, the act of raking patterns into the gravel is an exercise in concentration and creativity.
Earlier this week, Velocity soft-launched a new look for velocitybranding.com. As we often recommend to our clients, we’ve stripped things down to bare basics and give careful consideration to each new element we add. With any design and/or writing, we constantly push and pull, break apart and reassemble, until we reach the perfect solution. But like the Zen garden, perfection is never static.
We look forward to hearing what you think of the site as it evolves. Leave a comment on our Facebook page, hit us up on Twitter @velocity_brand, or email us info@velocitybranding.com
“A moment of perfection was worth the effort. A moment was the most you could ever expect from perfection.” -Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club
WotW #35 – IF I WERE A CATFISH
Being a snobby cultural elitist, I suggested Velocity’s July Wallpaper of the Week theme be a tribute to the ancient Greek Muses, beginning with Polyhymnia. My coworkers, being amiable and supportive people, politely declined that suggestion, but did like the idea of a musical theme to coincide with Folk Fest!
So without further ado… Velocity Wallpaper of the Week for July 8, “IF I WERE A CATFISH,” by designer and programmer Lee Froese, celebrates the music of the Mighty Mississip, referencing lyrics of the song “La La Blues” by Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three.
Have a great weekend, and if I can offer only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. – JB
Cusson & Anderson Financial Services
A logo is one of the most critical elements of a successful brand, and a business card is one of the most common, but yet one of the most important elements in expressing that brand.
Velocity worked with our friend Scott Anderson in developing a logo for his new enterprise with partner Gary Cusson. Cusson & Anderson are affiliated with Investment Planning Council, and it was decided that their new logo would reflect the design of IPC’s logo.
Velocity Senior Graphic Designer Colette Boisvert explains her approach. “The IPC logo is very conservative and business-focused. It looks a lot like a piechart. For Cusson & Anderson, I liked the idea that they were branching off as their own division, but still a part of the whole — a piece of the pie seemed like a natural fit. Scott wanted to incorporate blue into the logo, so I selected a complimentary shade to IPC’s green. Whitney was the font used for the majority of the typography.”
Richert Rockets from Misano to Manitoba and Back!
Photos by Grajewski Fotograph Inc.
Velocity is a proud sponsor of our friend David Richert and Richert Racing. Last year, we had the opportunity to work with David, developing his brand, logo, website, and sponsorship packaging.
A few months back, David dropped by the office and the Velocity crew had the chance to sign his helmet and wish him luck before starting his tour of Italy in the Formula Renault Italia Championship in Imola. As the only Canadian among 25 international drivers, David finished 16th despite a considerable number of setbacks.
Photo by Grajewski Fotograph Inc.
David took a short break from speeding through the green hills and valleys of Bologna just long enough to appear on the cover of Winnipeg Men this month, with photos by another longtime friend and collaborator of ours, Jerry Grajewski of Grajewski Fotograph Inc. A great article by David Schmeichel, which digs into Richert’s past and his quest to position himself as Canada’s preeminent racer.
As he returns to Italy this month with Team Torino Motorsport at the Misano World Circuit, Velocity wishes David good luck, and good times! Voler Bene! Buona Fortuna!
