Hammer time
When I was a child, tests were often graded on the curve which meant the highest score in class became the benchmark. If you were the one who scored perfectly on the test, you got grief from other classmates for setting the bar so high. Seems like this dynamic also plays out at the national level. Illustration for a Michael Grunwald column in Time about administrators who did an excellent job and were forced to resign. The Japanese metaphor for the nail that stands out gets hammered came to mind. Nai Lee Lum, AD.
Saving for a rainy Swiss day
It’s nice to know Americans are not the only ones confused by the variety of investment options for retirement planning. The Swiss also have many choices to make and it was interesting how their options differ from the US. Cover and series for SonntagsZeitung (Zurich) for a special edition about investing for retirement. Suzanne Borchert, AD
Judgment day
It can be overwhelming with new products and ideas flooding us each day. Kickstarter makes it even more intense with endless people asking for seed money from the public. I’m always curious about what works and doesn’t work on Kickstarter. The Wall St Journal has a fascinating list of good and bad Kickstarter projects. Christian Drury, AD
Pants on fire
The ironic thing about the corporations are people debate is this how I approach many of my projects. It is easier to imagine companies as a character to communicate ideas. This illustration for PlanSponsor Magazine played on a very human reaction of waiting until the last minute. The article is how companies were scrambling to meet deadlines for Obamacare regulations in 2013. Many companies were in a holding pattern until the Supreme Court upheld the law. SooJin Buzelli, AD.
London calling
The London Olympics are on day and night at the Yang household. It has been fun glancing at the live stream while working on deadlines. Joel Cadman from the Wall Street Journal called with a timely article. Galleries in New York City are expanding in a big way into London. In the sketch I referred to clock tower as Big Ben. Joel explained the name has been changed to Elizabeth Tower. My sincere apologies to the Queen.
Feel my pain
One the best things about illustration is working on projects that remind you of your childhood. Time was THE magazine to read growing up in the US in the 60’s and 70’s. It was a staple in the Yang household and my favorite part was looking at the art on the back page essay section. Time is one of the reasons I wanted to be an artist as a child. It was a pleasant surprise when Nai Lee Lum called. Illustration for Time Magazine about smart power grids becoming more adept at pinpointing problems.
Exhibit: Pixelated, the art of digital illustration
Illustrator/Educator Scott Bakal has curated Pixelated, the Art of Digital Illustration which is being held at the New Britain Museum of American Art from July 21st to December 9th. If you are in New Britain Connecticut, please check it out. An impressive list of illustrators are featured and I am happy to be included in the show. Video kiosks will also show animations and videos by the artists. To learn more about the exhibit please visit Scott’s blog.
