“Don’t go changing, to try to please me.”

20breuer-master675-v2“Don’t go changing, to try to please me.” The familiar refrain comes to mind with a big announcement by The Metropolitan Museum of Art: their logo, the da Vinci-inspired M that adorned the tin admissions buttons of our youth, is no longer.  The museum has unveiled a new logo that goes into effect March 1st  and it already has the design world – and New Yorkers – at odds. The Met is defending the change as a symbol of their own evolution, noting that the design “reflects the scope of the Museum’s collection and the connections that exist within it.” 

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Change is necessary in a world where brands are striving to stay relevant, though its not always welcome. And regardless of whose side you’re on, the debate is sure to leave you entertained, garnering comments likening the logo to “a graphic misfire,” a “typographic bus crush,” and a favorite from GQ, whose appreciation of the female form has made a unique discovery: “Tilt your head to the right and look at the ‘E’s’. They look like butts”. We’d love to hear what you think. Read on below:

The new design has not failed to attract strong reactions as it starts to appear on the institution’s posters, mailings and the Met Breuer signs.

Source: The Met and a New Logo – The New York Times

Throw Waaaay Back Thursday

The Cleveland Museum of Art came to us with with this scan.

scan

It is a tapestry from the Byzantine Era and is over 1100 years old!! It is one of only two examples in the world today. Obviously it is severely damaged. What they wanted to do was recreate a piece, digitally, so the viewer could understand the complete design.

They also had scans of the one other fragment and we were tasked with combining them so that First2Print could print a piece on fabric for display in the museum.

Here is our finished piece. The other fragments coloration was different so we had to adjust the two to work together and we filled in some areas on one side with pieces from the opposite. 

finished

Here is a link to the piece at the museum, which you can actually order as a print if you are interest.

We can make your work museum quality as well! Visit designworksintl.com or first2print.com for more information.

Throwback Thursday – Colonial Williamsburg

First2Print teamed up with The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation to recreate a special time period dress. Inspired by an antique swatch of silk shantung and a historic design, the costume replication was created digitally by Design Works International artists who scanned and cleaned up the image in Photoshop, for preparation for digital fabric printing.

Before-After

 

Progress

 

Design Works International… Our History

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DW Timeline 2

A Brand New Year

new year

Design Works International isn’t the only place where things are happening!

Gregorian Calendar – 2015

Buddhist Calendar – 2559

Hebrew Calendar – 5775-5776

Julian Calendar – Gregorian minus 13 days

Design Works International is celebrating 25 years. The new year holds promise as we are growing and changing with our clients and the world around us. We will have a number of new and exciting things for you to be a part of very soon, so keep your eyes focused on us.

Did you know that the tradition of New Year’s resolutions dates all the way back to 153 B.C. January is named after Janus, a mythical god of early Rome? Janus had two faces; one that looked forward, one that looked backward. This allowed him to look back on the past and forward toward the future. On December 31, the Romans imagined Janus looking backward into the old year and forward into the new year. This became a symbolic time for Romans to make resolutions for the new year and forgive enemies for troubles in the past. The Romans also believed Janus could forgive them for their wrong doings in the previous year. The Romans would give gifts and make promises, believing Janus would see this and bless them in the year ahead… thus the New Year’s resolution was born!

Each new year brings a sense that things are starting over. We regroup, reboot, rededicate ourselves. Some of us set resolutions and look forward to what will come. There is a positive and joyous feeling of starting over.

2015 has been designated the International Year of Light and the International Year of Soils by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. And it is also the last year of the Water for Life decade recognized by the UN

In the Chinese Zodiac it is the year of the sheep.

In Back to the Future II, Doc, Marty & Jennifer travel to the year 2015.

In January Elvis’ 80th Birthday will be celebrated in Graceland.

In February Historic Macau hosts some of the most colorful Lunar New Year celebrations on earth.

In April, NASA’s Dawn spacecraft is expected to arrive at the dwarf planet Ceres.

In August, Singapore celebrates 50 years of independence and Hiroshima & Nagasaki will hold 70th Anniversary Memorials of the bombings.

In September, France will host the World Puppet Festival.

In the UK, the Rugby World Cup will be held.

We hope everyone’s New Year has started well. We look forward to sharing our creativity and passion for art, design and trend with all of you and hope that your creative endeavors are productive, prosperous and joyous…

Most Sincerely, Nancy Fire & the entire Design Works International Studio

The Harlem Meer in Central Park

Located on the Northeast corner of Central Park at 110 Street and 5th Ave  is the Harlem Meer which was built in 1861 and restored between 1983-93.

The word “Meer” is Dutch for lake which is home to The Charles A Dana Discovery Center that was built in a Victorian style to emulate the original Victorian structures of Central Park.

The waterside plaza that sits next to the discovery center is used from mid-June through September for Sunday afternoon performance festivals….and good to know that if you like to fish you can participate in the catch and release program that is a summertime favorite for many in NYC!

Harlem Meer

photo by Nancy Fire