Public transportation is a convenient service to those of us who do not have our own cars. Riding trains and buses in the metro is a common way for one to get around the city in a fast and cheap way. Most underground train systems look dismal with advertising posters on grimy walls. However, we decided to take a look at train systems in cities that foster good architecture and art in their subways.

Operators of metros or underground railways must have felt the need for these spaces to be more colorful and pleasant for the passengers. Tell us about the ones you encounter in your daily commute through Facebook or Twitter. Meanwhile, here are the ones that made our list of the best railway art that includes murals, sculptures, and Baroque-style architecture!

Paris Metro
 
The Paris Metro is known for its Art Nouveau architecture. The entrances have become iconic because of their look. Glass canopies and cast-iron balustrades are among the most elaborate designs. The latter ones are made of stone, metal, and stainless steel.
  

Stockholm Metro
 
The Stockholm Metro is sometimes called the “world’s longest art exhibition” due to the several hundred pieces of artwork on display in the stations. Commuters are often treated to eye-candy that’s not usually seen in this type of setting. Temporary exhibitions are also often included to showcase the work of home-grown talents.
  

Singapore MRT
 
While the early stages of the MRT’s construction is focused more on functionality rather than design, the interior design in some stations have improved over time. Murals and artwork found in Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit reflect the distinct characteristics of the different stations.

London Underground
 
The London Underground’s logo is one of the most recognizable logos of railway systems around the world. Poetry and visual arts take center stage in the aesthetics of Tube stations. Contemporary artists have contributed to the interior redecoration of The Underground, with pop culture references in the designs.
 
 

New York Subway
 

Ceramic tile artwork, some dating back to the early 1900s, are used to decorate some stations. The New York Subway system also has an art program that promotes the use of public transportation.

Get updates about the latest articles, promos, and freebies from You the Designer sent straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter!

Read more posts by Cadence Wu

Everyday we’re being bombarded by advertisements from companies who’d want to make a profit. Out of over a thousand advertisements, we can only process more or less than a hundred – this gives rise over the fact that only ten percent of all these advertisements actually convert into profit. What if we were to eliminate the billboards, the neon lights, the ugly copy, and all the stuff that are being spoon-fed to us?
 
We’d be free from visual pollution and at the same time the world will be a better place!
 
Of course, we can’t really topple these conglomerates. They’ll just come and bite us back, but what we can do is win the small battles – the ones on the streets.
 

A Revolution

 
Street art has received popularity in the past decade, with international artists like Banksy and Shepard Fairey leading the fray. These two artists have been known for their politically infused artwork, from banksy’s Guantanamo prisoner in Disneyland to Fairey’s 2008 “Hope” Poster. These political works has been just some of the few works that’s targeting the political landscape around the world.  
 

But in recent years, from being aggressive, street artists have mellowed down and a lot of them have taken the modern street art revolution to a different level, a more mature and humanist level, where street artists encourage people to feel better about themselves every day.
 
 

Empowering the People

 
A possible cause of the shift in street art’s attitude, from being radical to mellow, is the public empathy towards the street artist’s cause. Having an ally in the form of a community has transformed the street artist from a rebel youth, to a beloved character on the streets. This may have led different artists and new artists to provide moral and visual support to their audience.
 
Because of the revolutions, the different crises, and crushed dreams, contemporary street artists began to create new artwork that remind the people of their dreams, to be strong, and to move forward.
 

Some of these interesting artists are Morley, Swoon, and Above. These artists have created street art in a fashion that portrays the human need for inspiration and affirmation. Check out some of their work here:
 

Morley
An LA-based street artist, Morley devotes his time in creating typographic poster designs with his witty imagination. Inspired by the dreamers and the illustrious around the Hollywood area, he decided to create a series of posters that would somehow leave “a ray of hope” to the weary souls of the city. His style portrays relatable situations and emphasized by bold letters.
 
 

 
 
Swoon
Swoon is a female street artist from Brooklyn whose works include installation art and wheatpaste prints. Her posters’ design usually portrays people around her in the usual, every-day life. She’s a prolific artist that is involved in different projects, one of them the recent performance project “Swimming Cities of Serenissima”.
 
 

 
 
Above
One of the few well-known yet anonymous street artists around, Above is well-known for his constant “art tours” that has covered almost three continents, from the United States, Europe, to Australia. His iconic “Arrow Mobile” installations are used depending on his project or the site of his planned project. He has also done wall murals that incorporate short messages or a play on words that can be seen in different parts of the world.
 
 

Check out your neighborhood, who knows you might see other inspiring work from your local street artists. Make sure to share them with us through the comment section below.

If you’re looking for more inspiration or fresh ideas, you can subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Read more posts by Cadence Wu

Everyday we’re being bombarded by advertisements from companies who’d want to make a profit. Out of over a thousand advertisements, we can only process more or less than a hundred – this gives rise over the fact that only ten percent of all these advertisements actually convert into profit. What if we were to eliminate the billboards, the neon lights, the ugly copy, and all the stuff that are being spoon-fed to us?
 
We’d be free from visual pollution and at the same time the world will be a better place!
 
Of course, we can’t really topple these conglomerates. They’ll just come and bite us back, but what we can do is win the small battles – the ones on the streets.
 

A Revolution

 
Street art has received popularity in the past decade, with international artists like Banksy and Shepard Fairey leading the fray. These two artists have been known for their politically infused artwork, from banksy’s Guantanamo prisoner in Disneyland to Fairey’s 2008 “Hope” Poster. These political works has been just some of the few works that’s targeting the political landscape around the world.  
 

But in recent years, from being aggressive, street artists have mellowed down and a lot of them have taken the street art revolution to a different level, a more mature and humanist level, where street artists encourage people to feel better about themselves every day.
 
 

Empowering the People

 
A possible cause of the shift in street art’s attitude, from being radical to mellow, is the public empathy towards the street artist’s cause. Having an ally in the form of a community has transformed the street artist from a rebel youth, to a beloved character on the streets. This may have led different artists and new artists to provide moral and visual support to their audience.
 
Because of the revolutions, the different crises, and crushed dreams, contemporary street artists began to create new artwork that remind the people of their dreams, to be strong, and to move forward.
 

Some of these interesting artists are Morley, Swoon, and Above. These artists have created street art in a fashion that portrays the human need for inspiration and affirmation. Check out some of their work here:
 

Morley
An LA-based street artist, Morley devotes his time in creating typographic poster designs with his witty imagination. Inspired by the dreamers and the illustrious around the Hollywood area, he decided to create a series of posters that would somehow leave “a ray of hope” to the weary souls of the city. His style portrays relatable situations and emphasized by bold letters.
 
 

 
 
Swoon
Swoon is a female street artist from Brooklyn whose works include installation art and wheatpaste prints. Her posters’ design usually portrays people around her in the usual, every-day life. She’s a prolific artist that is involved in different projects, one of them the recent performance project “Swimming Cities of Serenissima”.
 
 

 
 
Above
One of the few well-known yet anonymous street artists around, Above is well-known for his constant “art tours” that has covered almost three continents, from the United States, Europe, to Australia. His iconic “Arrow Mobile” installations are used depending on his project or the site of his planned project. He has also done wall murals that incorporate short messages or a play on words that can be seen in different parts of the world.
 
 

Check out your neighborhood, who knows you might see other inspiring work from your local street artists. Make sure to share them with us through the comment section below.

If you’re looking for more inspiration or fresh ideas, you can subscribe to our

Read more posts by Cadence Wu

Get your fill of graphic design news with this week’s You! Be Informed! May and June are chock-full of design events and contests, and we hope you get to participate and meet new designers.
 
Always be updated on the latest trends and events for graphic designers by subscribing to our RSS feed!

Disney Treasures Exhibit

A new exhibit with the largest collection of Disney props, costumes, artwork, and artifacts will be displayed by the Walt Disney Archives. Imagine all those Disney movies you watched when you were younger (maybe even until now) come alive through the different artifacts, some of which have never even been seen before. The exhibit will be held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Museum in Simi Valley, California, from July 6, 2012 until April 2013. Relive your favorite Disney memories through the historic items to be included in the exhibit, including “hand-drawn artwork and hand-sculpted models used in the production of some of the most beloved Disney animated film classics ever created, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi and Sleeping Beauty.”
  

Portfolio Night

On May 23, 2012, in almost 20 major cities across the world, “hundreds of the world’s most renowned creative directors meet with thousands of aspiring copywriters, art directors and designers.” Portfolio Night is an event that lets potential employers discover new talent through networking and recruitment. According to its organizers, the event “aligns with Getty Images’ commitment to support and invest in the very creative community that drives their content.” Getty Images is one of the global partners for the event. If you’re thinking of starting a career in Creative Advertising, check out if your city will be hosting this event!

  
The Henry Waltz Project – Oriol Vandela, Gravity Falls

The Henry Waltz project is an animation live-action hybrid transmedia project created by Emil Goodman. A series of short films, a feature film, videogames, and interactive media apps will create the world of Henry Waltz. The first in the series of short films, Oriol Vandela, is about the last great jazz icon on the dying planet.

Using combinations of live-action and papercut animation techniques, the sci-fi project features the classical hero Henry Waltz and his adventures on a dying, man-made planet.

Cut & Paste Live Design Contest

Cut&Paste will hold one of its famous live design battles on May 19, 2012 in Los Angeles. This event “will challenge teams of 2D/3D designers to assemble a pitch concept for a new video project.” The jury is composed of award-winning pros including Mick Ebeling, Bill Sneed, and Dexton Deboree. Attend the event and socialize with designers and other audience members. Watch out for other activities and surprises from the organizers!

Metro Stickers

Ghost Gallery in Sao Paulo, Brazil, invites artists to send in their sticker designs. Send your stickers to Metro Stickers, Caixa Postal 11054, Sao Paulo SP, CEP 05422-970, Brazil. The deadline is July 15 with show details TBA.

Inglorious Vandals!

Mark your calendars for a sticker design show in Los Angeles called “Inglorious Vandals!” Its opening reception is on June 8, 2012, and show will run until June 29, 2012. Live entertainment and giveaways are in store for attendees who will get to enjoy the work of different artists, with special guest Mark Bode.

Share your design news through our Facebook and Twitter accounts to let other designers know about the latest events, competitions, and projects.

Read more posts by Cadence Wu

Every geek out there is probably giddy about this week, especially today. Today marks the release of the third Diablo game (which basically took more than a decade to make). Diablo 3 aside, we’ll be featuring some street artists this week and we’ll talk about the art of sticker bombing and wheatpasting. Enough about this week’s events and topics, today we give to you this week’s edition of You! Be Inspired! Here we go!
 
Lively Morgue – New York Time’s Photographs

It’s refreshing to find old photos being uploaded online and archived digitally. The New York Times recently created a Tumblr blog featuring photos from their physical archive of some hundred-thousands of photographs. Of course, they’re not posting the whole archive online; rather they’ll be uploading some choice pictures for everyone’s entertainment. They’ve called the online archive “Lively Morgue“.  
 

Emmanuel Romeuf — Art Director

For graphic designers whose work focuses on advertising and branding, you may want to check out Emmanuel Romeuf’s portfolio. Mr. Romeuf, a Paris-based art director, has worked with different media, from editorials, web design, and illustrations.    

 
Room 181

One of our main sources for inspiration are different the different ‘zines that we find online. What’s good about these ‘zines, aside from the fact that they’re on the internet is that most of them are for free. You can check Room181, they’ve got interesting material on their recent release – “Infinity”.    

 
PREVIIEW

If you’re an amateur photographer looking for inspiration or style, you may want to check PREVIIEW. They feature photographers all over the globe and their top seven most creative shots. So if you’re a professional photographer who’s looking for global exposure, you can submit your works to their site.   

Festival of Colours

The Holi, the Festival of Colours, is an interesting and colorful event that’s being celebrated by hindus worldwide. In the US, the Festival of Colors was held in Spanish Fork, UT. The colorful event was captured by Thomas Halk. You can check the whole gallery on his flickr, or on his official website.    

 
Re:Design

Riding the recent release of the Avengers (2012) film, Eurydyka Kata & Rafal Szczawinski of re:design, made a minimalist tribute to our favorite superheroes. You can check more of their work in their blog or on their official website.    

 
Studio Fausentast

Here’s another team oozing with creativity – Studio Fausentast. You may want to check their portfolio if you’re planning to explore different mediums of graphic design. The projects that they’ve done ranges from packaging design, brochure prints, branding, to web design.    

Do you have something awesome under your sleeve? Let us know and we’ll share it here, just hit us up on Facebook or Twitter with your idea!

Did you find this post extra-awesome? Subscribe to our RSS Feed!

Read more posts by Cadence Wu

It’s graduation season here in the US, and we’re reminded of the time we spent in our respective universities and colleges. While we’re thankful that we’re done with school, there are some college experiences that we want to relive. Living in a dorm is one of the most liberating things for a student who has lived with parents all his life. The freedom of having things your way is one of the perks of college.

Being the so-called creatives at the office, we all agree that deciding on which posters to plaster our walls with was one of the highlights of living in a dorm. Art to our college selves meant hanging posters of our favorite bands and movies.

Now, our preferences have been refined by the fact that we maintain a graphic design blog, and we’re expected to be up-to-date on the latest design trends. We’re grateful that scouring for good posters is now easier with the help of the Internet. Sharing one’s artistic work has become easier, with photo sharing sites and artist portfolios abound online. We couldn’t help but add a few old designs that we still find awesome. Some album covers and movie posters stood the test of time and adorned the walls of dorms for several decades for a reason.

According to a study conducted by the University of Texas, there are several reasons why an individual feels the need to decorate a space where he spends most of his time. One is to reinforce self-views. Another is to tell others how he wants to be perceived. The third reason is about a person’s ingrained habits that are repeatedly performed in a personal space. These habits manifest in one’s environment. Lastly, an individual decorates his space based on the things he has or wants to accomplish.

Whether your reason for decorating may be, here are some ideas for poster designs that can be great conversation starters while also improving the look of any drab wall.

Posters can inspire and motivate students who often find themselves daydreaming instead of doing anything productive. Why not make something and get them as poster prints for your friends who are still in school? You might just help them get through it with your own design. You can also show us your work through our Facebook and Twitter accounts!

Read more posts by Cadence Wu

Being the so-called creatives at the office, we all agree that deciding on which posters to plaster our walls with was one of the highlights of living in a dorm. Art to our college selves meant hanging posters of our favorite bands and movies.

Now, our preferences have been refined by the fact that we maintain a graphic design blog, and we’re expected to be up-to-date on the latest design trends. We’re grateful that scouring for good posters is now easier with the help of the Internet. Sharing one’s artistic work has become easier, with photo sharing sites and artist portfolios abound online. We couldn’t help but add a few old designs that we still find awesome. Some album covers and movie posters stood the test of time and adorned the walls of dorms for several decades for a reason.

According to a study conducted by the University of Texas, there are several reasons why an individual feels the need to decorate a space where he spends most of his time. One is to reinforce self-views. Another is to tell others how he wants to be perceived. The third reason is about a person’s ingrained habits that are repeatedly performed in a personal space. These habits manifest in one’s environment. Lastly, an individual decorates his space based on the things he has or wants to accomplish.

Whether your reason for decorating may be, here are some ideas for poster designs that can be great conversation starters while also improving the look of any drab wall.

Posters can inspire and motivate students who often find themselves daydreaming instead of doing anything productive. Why not make something and get them as poster prints for your friends who are still in school? You might just help them get through it with your own design. You can also show us your work through our Facebook and Twitter accounts!

This week’s about to end and we’d like to close it out with some interesting design news. We’ve heard some disheartening news, but there’s some good news out there, too. We’ve compiled some interesting projects, events, and news about design and designers.
 
Graphic designers often look at pictures to draw inspiration for their projects. But looking for the perfect muse can be tricky. You can check Piccsy, they’ve recently re-launched their site and is now offering an improved image search, related image search, and high quality images. If you’re looking for an alternative source of inspiration, check their site out.  

Before entering the corporate side of graphic designing, I was once a freelancer, too. I’ve experienced the joy and freedom of being a freelancer. But being happy doesn’t always mean it’s rewarding. We’ve received an email recently about the Freelancer Payment Protection Act. It aims to help freelancers – designers, writers, consultants – to get paid for their work and avoid deadbeats. Check out their site to know more about the act.  

AIGA NY will celebrate their 30th anniversary this year, and they’re commemorating it through 30 posters designed by 30 different artists. They’ll also host an event that will take you back, through 30 years of creativity, in AIGA NY’s humble beginning. Check out their AIGA NY’s site for more information.  

If you miss the old Polaroid and the vintage feel of the prints it produces, you don’t have to be nostalgic forever. Recently, ADR Studio released a concept design for a real-world camera for the famed Instagram. They’ve called it the Instagram Socialmatic Project; check out their site for the specs and how to make it possible! 

If you’re looking for a new medium to work with, you can try designing skateboards for lvsk8. They’ll be hosting a hand-painted skateboard show at Get Up Gallery inside Emergency Arts in Las Vegas, NV. You can check out the details at their website. 

An interesting boom in recent years is the rise of smart phones. The flexibility and the availability of the internet on-the-go, makes it an efficient tool for both casual and corporate cases. But what’s more interesting in these phones are the apps that can be used in them. If you’re interested in logos, branding, or interface design you might want to check out The Art of Apps exhibit in New York.  

Adobe launches a software that aids designers to create professional HTML5 websites without writing the code. Adobe Muse is now available as a standalone subscription or as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud.  

Last May 8, 2012 the legendary and creative Maurice Sendak has passed away. Known as the illustrator and writer behind the children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are”, Mr. Sendak passed away due to a complication of a stroke. I wasn’t able to read the book he wrote and illustrated, but I was able to watch the film that was based on his story. Mr. Sendak’s creativity and brilliance will be missed. 

If you’re hungry for more design news and updates, or if you want to feature your work or project with us hit us up on Facebook or Twitter. 

That all folks, if you’re hungry for more design news and inspiration make sure to subscribe to our RSS Feed.

Read more posts by Cadence Wu

Before entering the corporate side of graphic designing, I was once a freelancer, too. I’ve experienced the joy and freedom of being a freelancer. But being happy doesn’t always mean it’s rewarding. We’ve received an email recently about the Freelancer Payment Protection Act. It aims to help freelancers – designers, writers, consultants – to get paid for their work and avoid deadbeats. Check out their site to know more about the act.  

AIGA NY will celebrate their 30th anniversary this year, and they’re commemorating it through 30 posters designed by 30 different artists. They’ll also host an event that will take you back, through 30 years of creativity, in AIGA NY’s humble beginning. Check out their AIGA NY’s site for more information.  

If you miss the old Polaroid and the vintage feel of the prints it produces, you don’t have to be nostalgic forever. Recently, ADR Studio released a concept design for a real-world camera for the famed Instagram. They’ve called it the Instagram Socialmatic Project; check out their site for the specs and how to make it possible! 

If you’re looking for a new medium to work with, you can try designing skateboards for lvsk8. They’ll be hosting a hand-painted skateboard show at Get Up Gallery inside Emergency Arts in Las Vegas, NV. You can check out the details at their website. 

An interesting boom in recent years is the rise of smart phones. The flexibility and the availability of the internet on-the-go, makes it an efficient tool for both casual and corporate cases. But what’s more interesting in these phones are the apps that can be used in them. If you’re interested in logos, branding, or interface design you might want to check out The Art of Apps exhibit in New York.  

Adobe launches a software that aids designers to create professional HTML5 websites without writing the code. Adobe Muse is now available as a standalone subscription or as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud.  

Last May 8, 2012 the legendary and creative Maurice Sendak has passed away. Known as the illustrator and writer behind the children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are”, Mr. Sendak passed away due to a complication of a stroke. I wasn’t able to read the book he wrote and illustrated, but I was able to watch the film that was based on his story. Mr. Sendak’s creativity and brilliance will be missed. 

If you’re hungry for more design news and updates, or if you want to feature your work or project with us hit us up on Facebook or Twitter. 

That all folks, if you’re hungry for more design news and inspiration make sure to subscribe to our RSS Feed.

Since I’ve talked about album covers in a previous post, I’ve decided you still need a second serving of creativity care of our rock and roll gods. In this second serving, we won’t be talking about the people who created album covers or gig posters (there’s too many good artists out there, today). Instead, we’ll discuss some fascinating trends in designing the proverbial rock poster, as well as processes that most graphic designers use today. Here we go!

Before starting this piece, I’ve had my team scour Google images and Flickr.com for different poster designs. Through the designs we found in those two sites, here’s what we came up:

Trends in Technique

There are multiple techniques in publishing and producing prints of gig posters, and graphic designers have their own way to express their creativity. Some mix and match influences, while some experiment with new media. When it comes to technique preferences here is what designers often choose to do, today:

Hand-drawn/-painted

There are designers who choose to go old school, they draw and paint their designs. Then they’ll have their designs scanned and reproduced digitally. This style gives the poster a rough and sketchy look that serves as its defining trait. Here are some examples:

 

Screen- Printed

The process may be arduous, but the end product is fulfilling and is always an achievement for both seasoned and newbie printmakers. Different designers explore this option to find their niche or, sometimes, to move away from their usual digital works and move to a more “human” approach to making prints. Here are some examples:

This is the most common way to create art for gig posters. It’s a streamlined process that allows graphic designers to edit and produce their work anytime they want. Digital art is possibly the cheapest and most practical way for graphic designers to produce their poster prints. Here are some examples:

Trends in Style

There are various styles out on the web. But, as it seems, designers are a bit torn between being modernist and post-modernist. The styles that we’ve seen so far are a mix-up of different influences, but here’s what stands out among them:

Typographic

A lot of designers prefer to use typography in their design. There’s no arguing about typography’s functionality – it’s direct to the point and minimalist. It’s the best choice for designers who want to develop their skills in creating, or familiarizing themselves with typefaces.

Hand-drawn

I know I’ve mentioned hand-drawn earlier. But here it’s about the feel of the artwork, regardless of being digital, raw sketch, or screen printed. The most common style we’ve seen is crosshatching. Here are some examples to give you an idea:

The trend of creating outer space-themed and geometry-inspired poster designs is ubiquitous on the web. It’s a hipster thing, I guess. This style is commonly accompanied by typography and some hand-drawn characters. Here are some examples:

Trends in Inspiration

There are different inspirations when it comes to creating gig posters. There’s your usual popular-band-inspired design, the musicfest-focused theme, and the usual band-name-only designs. These are the regulars in gig poster prints, but there are designers who go the extra mile to create their designs.

Pop Culture

Pop culture seems to recreate itself in most graphic designers’ work. Some artists use famous characters from our favorite shows to create a scene that’s appropriate to the event or gig. It’s also nice to see almost-forgotten characters come back to life in well-made gig posters.

Music Genre

Some designers utilize the elements that are normally associated within the genre of the band or the music production. It lets first-timers and regulars know what to expect from a music production or music festival.

That’s it fellas, that concludes our Art of Rock posts. If you’ve got ideas or anything you want to add in this list just give us a comment bellow, or just hit us up on Twitter or Facebook.

If you’re hungry for more design news or inspiration, subscribe to our RSS Feed and be satisfied!

Read more posts by Cadence Wu