NBA Art by Nick Bascus

Having a close relationship with marketing at ESPN, we see (and create ourselves) lots of sports-related designs. We recently came across the work of a young Texas-based designer by the name of Nick Bascus. His growing portfolio as a whole has a very nice aesthetic, and he has a clear grasp of graphic design fundamentals…

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The Mind-Blowing Art of Michael Murphy

Some of the best, most thought-provoking art and design is best viewed from a variety of angles. In fact, the work of Brooklyn-based artist Michael Murphy relies on varying vantage points. Murphy’s large-scale, complex structures are profoundly awe-inspiring (these photos surely don’t do them justice, they are best viewed in person). His multi-layered, multi-dimensional sculptures…

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Stunning Swoosh Portraits

There’s no doubt that in our image-obsessed culture particular iconic brands still have a certain cachet to inspire art. And that is, at least in part, a good indicator that they are iconic. These portraits by German-based illustrator/Designer Andy Gellenberg are a perfect example. Gellenberg painstakingly created these portraits in the likeness of a few…

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King James Jigsaw Portrait

We are no strangers to merging the world of sports with art and design (as ESPN is our biggest client). So we were really taken with this piece, commissioned by Esquire Magazine several years ago, by Parisian artist Xavier Veilhan when we came across it. At twelve feet by eight feet, it’s an imposing portrait…

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ESPN Planning Guide 2014

Annually, we (Barbour) are presented with the wonderful challenge of designing the ESPN Planning Guide—printed and digital collateral serving as a one-stop shop for all the sports, events, facts and figures that media professionals need to create their 2014 advertising plan. Our task is to make this information both very usable and readable, but also…

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Remarkable Retouch

As designers, we have to retouch photos at least occasionally. But this retouching, by Portland, OR-based designer/photographer/Photoshop expert Daniel Kopton (AKA DanKlife), is truly awe-inspiring. Like a masterclass in photo retouching, this before-and-after look at Kopton’s work for Nike USA Basketball campaign is really enlightening… not only for the robust capabilities of modern computer software,…

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