Surfers are constantly thinking about catching their next wave. A secret spot is when they find an awesome break that is hidden from the world….. where they can float amongst the waves, relax, be inspired, and get away from the hustle and bustle of the better known beaches. Just as surfers are looking for that wave, I am always looking for that typographic groove… that spot where all the elements come together in harmony to give a design that little extra something.

People look for inspiration all over the place; there are countless web galleries, flickr sets, lists, and design magazines, but when I really just want to get away from it all and find something different I turn to the surf community. Already known as a place for great design and fantastic photography, there is some really interesting typography being used. Here are some of my favorite spots…

Design Loom
I really think the design of this site is very beautiful. The soft color, subtle texture, inviting shapes, and fantastic typography make me a fan. Launched recently, I can’t wait to see what this design blog has up it’s sleeve.

Visual Complexity
Recently my Action-Script addicted colleague Erik O, attended the Flashbelt(Oh yes.. check out those ligatures) conference. Knowing I am a sucker for nice information design he sent me this fantastic site that is chalked full of example of online interactive information design [... 10 more ...]

Recently at Viget Labs, we had a Flash Mob where members of the design team spent 4 hours making desktop wallpapers to give away on the blog. This gave me the idea to design a few Bad Ass Wallpapers for this blog. It was a lot of fun, enjoy!

The popularity of generated content and social media is transforming the web. No longer does a site need a flashy intro or exciting graphics to entice a user to dig deeper, search engines and smart architecture bring the user right to what they are seeking, and when they find that… they want to appreciate it for what it is. Usability, readability and find-ability are in style, while hefty load times, blinking graphics, and cluttered pages are out. The best example is the decline of users flocking to MySpace, seeking structure, order and clarity they are now looking to make less visually complex social media hubs their home [...]

Hinge of Africa

One of my closest friends from growing up is heading to Burkina Faso this week through the Peace Corps. While setting up her blog, a fellow designer recommended Hinge Of Africa via Twitter. A web designer who writes a fantastic blog, and a blogger who has been featured on the Sundance channel for her site about planning green weddings, I feel like I can really relate with this couple traveling all the way to Cameroon to teach computer literacy. This is a feed I am really looking forward to following...

Upon my most recent visit to Art-O-Matic I found myself enchanted by a single exhibit… the Washington Post Peep Show. The 2nd annual contest happened back in March, but the exhibit is currently on display at Art-O-Matic . It is a spectacular celebration of wit, creativity, and craft. Not only was each little box a jubilant little experience, but the entire concept a fantastic exhibit. The fact that creativity sprang from all of these ordinary Post readers to create miniature snapshots in time using marshmallows… that was what really got me. No these weren’t kindergarten-grade dioramas, these were magnificent little masterpieces...

Art-O-Matic is by far my favorite local DC event. Now, an annual event, this gathering of creatives takes place in an uninhabited building that has been donated so that artists of all kinds can take it over for about a month. The experience is unique in the wide range of art forms and mediums represented, all juxtaposed right next to each other....

Lucha Libre Posters
There is nothing that gets me more pumped about designing than some masked Mexican wrestlers running around in spandex. Just look at these poster designs, they are fantastic! If you are looking for intriguing visuals, fun uses of color, and some entertaining poster design just search “Lucha Libre Posters” on Flickr.

Urge the Boys
I love the jewelry being sold on this site as much as I love the logo. The mix of vintage and modern is what really gets me exited about these pieces of art. Too bad it has to be shipped all the way from Australia, but perhaps that is what supplies all the fantastic inspiration...