Hasta La Motion!

On our recent journey to Japan, we visited our friends at the Kinfolk Lounge, located in a trendy and very fashion-centric area of Tokyo called Nakameguro. From the street, you can view a chalkboard sign and a few Kinfolk bikes hanging upstairs, while the speakeasy sits on the second floor above another cafe. Inside, you’ll see killer Kinfolk Keirin frames of a rainbow assortment suspended from the wooden rafters. The decor is described as vintage Japanese meets modern day safehouse, perfect for meeting locals and travelers of all kinds. Kinfolk isn’t your everyday cycle company; their bikes are classic, lugged-steel Keirin beauties, hand-made in Japan. At the lounge, we hung out with our good friends John and Ryan and had some great times drinking biiru (beer in Japanese) and shootin’ the unchi ’til daybreak. Not only do these guys make beautiful frames, but the drinks are pretty enchanting as well. So, the next time you’re in Tokyo, stop by and tell the guys hello from WMIG. Now we just need to get these bikes here in NYC!

Photos by James Lisle.

Ben Miners updates Graphik Boutique with some great new work for Digi Sports.

Tim Brown of Colonel Blimp & Christopher Hewittteam up for the the new release from Hecq Vs Exillion. Titled “Spheres Of Fury”.

DISCLAIMER: This photographic image of the “Foretoken” must not be mistaken for Hokusai’s The Great Wave of Kanagawa. It’s almost better. Ikeda Manabu, is a Tokyo based artist armed with an imagination and talent for crafting details and prowess, bestowed from the art gods themselves. Within the tight confinement of his canvases, each square inch of space tells unique miniature narratives weaved together for a much broader epic story. To get a better idea of these fabled details, make the jump for close ups of this awe-inspiring piece.

It isn’t often that we see purely graphic animations like these spots for Tata Docomo, part of a new branding effort by Wolff Olins for a merger between two telecommunications networks in India. But in these new mnemonic animations, the elementary shapes which make up the logo come to life to become more than just a static mark. The geometric forms are modular and recombinant, reminiscent of building blocks, Colorform sets or Ed Emberly drawings: which like like the new logo can be arranged and re-arranged in many different ways. And in each of these animations the shapes are funny, playful and cheerful: characteristics that the new brand wants to embody and let its customers embrace. Simply made and charming, but not simple.

We’re not sure who is directly responsible for these animations, but they’re lovely: Balance, Over Water, Seesaw, Squash, Shree Ganesha Hindi

See more on the branding here at Brand New.

Posted on Motionographer