This is it! The Creative Process Immortalized

Imagine watching Michelangelo crush his own pigments, process comments and criticism from the politicians & clergy, and witness the technical prowess as he engineers and constructs a scaffolding system to support him as he masterfully creates one of mankind’s most treasured works of art.

Imagine seeing first hand as Ansel Adams transforms a seemingly common landscape into a relatively new visual expression of photography. Creating imagines, so rich in detail, they rival the most realistic sculptures for their musculature and textural nuances.

Imagine walking among hundreds of expert mathematicians, structural engineers and aviators working under the genius of Howard Hughes as he molds Hughes Aircraft into one of the nation’s most revered companies in American History.

This is the creative process in action
This is masterful talent in motion.
This is genius in the flesh.

THIS IS IT!

Like many of us who love music and dance, we’ve grown up listening and grooving to Michael Jackson. Legendary songs like Bad, Thriller, and the Man in the Mirror are indelibly engraved in our consciousness. We see flash mobs dancing to Beat It across the globe and kids of all ages want to master the moonwalk. But like much in history, the creative mind behind legendary cultural contributions such as these can often prove mysterious and elusive to comprehend.

As a visual artist who wants to leave a lasting impression on our culture and a musician for many of my formative high school and college years, I knew immediately upon the announcement of Michael Jackson’s This Is It film release that I would want to enjoy it with my family. But what surprised me most of all was not the iconic music, not the incredibly skilled dancers and musicians, not the spectacle of the concert performance. What impressed me most was the feeling the respect Michael and the entire creative ensemble had for each other and the gift they would share with their audience.

This film doesn’t just show Michael as the world's most gifted pop dancer – yes, he could still pop the moves with more precision than dancers less than half his age. The film doesn’t just show the many emotions he could evoke with the subtle nuances of his voice – the vocal performance for I’ll Be There is heart wrenching. What the film does better than anything else is to show all the creative contributions working together seemlessly and the creation of a stage show that would have undeniably marked each and every audience member.

Michael envisioned it all, and through his creative partner Kenny Ortega (the creative brilliance behind High School Musical) Michael perfected every aspect of the performance he wanted to celebrate with his fans. He also expected perfection of those who were talented enough to surround him. He didn’t threat, intimidate, use harsh language or disrespect a single musician, lighting technician, dancer or photographer. He surrounded himself with only the best, and the best wanted to impress the King of Pop. It was incredible to watch the creative process unfold as each craftsman and musician gave Michael their undivided attention and spoke with only the deepest admiration. As the show evolved and creative decisions were formed by hundreds of skilled lighting designers, choreograpers, coaches, musicians and dancers, Michael was there every step of the way to offer clear direction, support and congratulations on each success. When there was conflict – who could really argue with the King of Pop – it was shown resolved with humility and honor. In Michael’s words “all for love.”

It would be neglectful to ignore the other half of this film’s and performance’s creative brilliance – Kenny Ortega. This unassuming, caring, yet determined director brought out the best in everyone – including Michael. His direct, patient, respectful and fluid manner of keeping the production moving forward was truly inspirational to watch. The insight he showed by working with so many talented artists is worth the ticket price alone.

So, would I see it again? Aboslutely! In fact, I will likely add a few more dollars to the box office success before the weekend is up. And, I’ll definitely purchase the DVD and soundtrack. Why? This film represents the potential of true dedication and talent, not by seeing the finished result, but by capturing the magic that happens during the process of creative discovery.

Chompies are back for another dose of Menag“eerie” Madness!

Don't miss the latest edition of Menagerie Creative‘s Halloween Chompies!
Critter Encounter of the Wild Kind – Paper fun for the whole family just in time for Halloween!
Click the image or the link below to enter the jungle!

http://www.menageriecreative.com/chompies/Ccritters.html

An American Hand Lettering Sampler

While taking a couple days off to travel around our great country, designer Dino Espinosa discovered an unusual collection of hand lettering which uniquely showcased the personality, culture, and history of each city.


The House of Blues in New Orleans features a monthly calender of events where the sounds and emotions of jazz and the blues are equally expressed in the black painted wood and hand written chalk lettering.


The graffiti in New York is full of energy and truly expresses the dynamic, edgy, colorful, fun, and busy culture of the city (Photos taken at 5 Pointz.)



Now this is one completely different way to define hand lettering. How cool is this? CPD spelled out on buildings with the lights clearly depicts the pride and unity within the city.
Side note: This city has one of the best skylines!



The first Starbucks, fish tossing, cheap flowers, and baked goods are things you can see and get in Pike’s Place Market in Seattle, Washington. Hand written price tags are everywhere in the market and it shows the simple way of life in this part of the Northwest. Even with all the great things to see in the market, the culture is best shown below the market. A couple steps down in an alley there is a contemporary art piece that exhibits Seattle’s artsy hippie culture. It is a wall covered in gum. Visitors and locals still contribute to this art piece and also started putting messages with their chewed resin. Can you see the name Kathy?


Photography by Lance Leong and Dino Espinosa

Top 10 Flight Tips for a Portfolio that Soars! #04

04: BUDGET WISELY

Select and edit your work carefully with clear purpose and meaning for each specific viewer. Traditional portfolios include 20-30 pieces of work. More than that risks appearing unfocused and without strategy. If your audience is a specialized industry, feature more of the projects they can identify with and less of others. If the meeting opens up other areas of creative conversation, follow up by sending a digital portfolio or a specialized “thank you” promotion featuring that work. Leave your audience wanting more and always be prepared to deliver!

A Menag“eerie” Incantation

Although this treasure trove of ghastly goodies is sent to only our most “scariffic” clients, we are pleased to share a glimpse of this spooktacular and enticing creation.



Trick and treats are fun indeed,
to have a Happy Halloween, this is what you need.

Eyes wrenched out, put into a box,
petrified nerds make pebbles and rocks.

Dark chocolate sweets that may be bitter,
can be square or look like bat litter.

Make a fire that gives off a smell,
Leaves a nice scent and a nice place to dwell.

Make your face cringe with sour wickles,
wear the hat and make your tongue tickle.

Open shell nuts, you can munch,
no dead corpse in the coffin crunch.

Lick the round Lolli with the creatures on site,
the spiders in there will never bite.

Hot pills in boxes may make your mouth burn,
bake ghastly cakes which you may learn.

Light from the lantern can give you some clues,
Watch out for the drinks they are poisonous brews.

All these treats will entice your sensations
Happy Halloween from Menag-‘eerie’ Creations.

Times, they are a bubblin’!

Frighteningly fresh ideas are a brewin’ inside the ship today! With Halloween just over a week away, we’re concocting a host of scarrific greetings to share with all our ghosts and ghouls. Bwahhhahhhahhaa!

A Peek at Michelle’s Corner of the Ship

• MY HUSBAND
For the past 11 years, my now husband, Russ has inspired me more than anything else. Almost every project I work on, I have come to him to talk out my ideas and get his insight, his perspective and his ideas on the topic. Often times he brings me to ideas I could never have imagined on my own.

• RUNNING SHOES
Next to my husband, I find clarity and inspiration while getting out and running. Whenever I am struggling with an idea, I find running allows my mind can to really be free to wander and sift through all of the information from my day to make sense of it all, and in turn make room for new ideas.

• MAGAZINES
When I am not working, I spend my free time reading through Interior Design, Architectural Digest, Do It Yourself, Decorating and Craft Magazines. I am a very hands on kind of person, so when I can find old or unused things lying around the house and turn them into pieces of art, furniture, or other useful items, I find I learn the most about myself and when I am most creative.

• FRANK GEHRY
Before I was a Graphic Design major, I majored in Architecture at Cal Poly Pomona. It was there that I was first exposed to Frank Gehry by my very first college professor. He had worked directly under Gehry, so he gave first hand accounts of how Gehry worked, his inspirations, his motivations, and even took us on a field trip to see his work in person at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Gehry's unique use of materials, organic shapes, and concepts are like nothing else I have ever seen in Architecture and continue to inspire me today.

• DANCE SHOWS
Aside from magazines, my other favorite thing to do is watch Dance Shows, particularly, So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With The Stars. For me, dance is the single most expressive art form. How the dancers are able to clearly create a story simply through their movement and costumes truly moves me.

• ADVERTISING
In addition to my Graphic Design degree, I also minored in advertising. Advertising gives me the opportunity to embrace my love for psychology. I am fascinated by society and what drives different people to act in the ways they do. I definitely recommend every designer take some advertising classes because it is through these classes that you really learn how to effectively communicate your visual to an audience.


• LISTS
I am a planner to the core. No matter what project I work on, whether it is work related, personal, or for fun, I find making lists gives me a strong foundation to start from. Once I can define my key points, I am able to strategize, streamline my thoughts and in turn make effective use of my time.

• STRENGTHS FINDER
I definitely recommend this book to everyone. As part of the experience, you are asked to take Gallup's online Strengths Finder 2.0 test, where you go through a series of questions designed to pinpoint your strengths. Upon finishing, a final report is created listing your top 5-6 biggest strengths as well as a course of action to fully capitalize on these talents. Furthermore, the authors insight coupled with the other real world examples really helped me define myself and my process for the first time ever.

• HOLLYWOOD MUSICALS COLLECTION
I had to add this one in. This was the first big project that I was the lead designer on. I learned a lot from it by way of brainstorming, new design skills, production techniques, efficiency and working strategically with the client. It was a really fun project to work on and equally as exciting to see it out on shelf. It's bright and reflective rainbow foil really shines and attracts your attention. Check it out on Amazon.com.

The Princess Bride ranked in top 10 most famous Ambigrams

Ambigram.com has recently ranked the title treatment for The Princess Bride DVD packaging as one of the top 10 most famous ambigrams. It is an honor to be ranked amongst such esteemed work from artists including John Langdon, one of the world’s true masters of lettering who crafted the iconic lettering for Dan Brown’s book Angels and Demons.

If you haven’t already purchased the 20th Anniversary Edition of The Princess Bride, it is still available on DVD and Blu-ray. Inside the DVD package, a dual cover booklet captures the two sides of the story...The Inconceivable and Daring Tale/The Positively True Romantic Tale of The Princess Bride. In the booklet’s center spread you will also discover a second ambigram for the words “True Love.”

Freaks Abound in Zombieland!

“Nut up or Shut up.” - Tallahassee

A memorable quote. A simple statement. And a complete summary of what Zombieland, the new horror comedy from director Ruben Fleischer,
is all about.

Set, (of course), in the near future where the world has been swept with a plague that causes the human race to become flesh-eating, goo-spewing, undead freaks, Zombieland tells the tale of a shy, cautious young man (Jesse Eisenberg), whom the film names “Columbus” (all the characters are named after their place of origin) and his struggle to find his parents (hopefully) amongst the zombie barren wasteland of what used to be America. Along for the ride is Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson in a film stealing performance), a tough as steel, cowboy hat wearing bad ass who has nothing left in his life but one goal: to find the last remaining Twinkies. Together with the female pairing of Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), the stage is set for one of the most over the top and funniest films of the year. It is relentless in its action, and takes no prisoners, hurtling its audience along for a thrill that doesn’t stop until the end credits.

Zombieland is pure escapist entertainment at its finest. While films about the post-apacolypse are often dark, tragic and offer little hope for their protagonists, Zombieland is hilarious, sweet, and surprisingly hopeful. It’s also ridiculously violent in it’s treatment of zombies. Tallahassee is quite the innovator in the ways that he dispatches the undead (just wait until the action packed theme park finale), and while the violence is particularly brutal at times, it is the kind of violence that evokes cheers from an audience rather than disgust. It’s crowd pleasing.

What makes the film work the most however, is, as with all good movies, the characters. Despite the fact that they are all maniacally brilliant at blowing away zombies, the four protagonists all have their own backstory that drives the film foward as more than simple fluff. Tallahassee’s quest for a Twinkie doesn’t seem that all far fetched when you learn about what he has lost in the post-human world (“Enjoy the little things” he says). The action beats are great in this movie, but the way the four main characters band together to make up what is basically the last surviving foster family in the world is the strength of the plot.

There’s also some fun usage of visual typography in Colombus’ “Zombie Rules”, which we learn about as the film progresses (often intergrated into the scene in a clever way), and a surprise cameo that is so great I refuse to say any more about it.

September and October are often the slow months for Hollywood films. With a few rare exceptions, it is the drop off period for studios, nothing particularly special comes out. Zombieland is special. It’s brutal, it's silly, it hilarious, and it leaves you with a great feeling as you exit the theater. It certainly won't be winning any Oscars, but it is still by far one of the most fun and enjoyable theatrical experiences of the year. I couldn't recommend it more.


Written By Jeff Butler

Top 10 Flight Tips for a Portfolio that Soars! #03

03: DRESS APPROPRIATELY

The best and the brightest portfolios don’t need to be diamond encrusted or polished chrome they can also exude a worn, favorite book charm. What employers focus more on, is the effort you put in every detail of your book – inside and out. The outside can have a bit of wear and tear, but it should never be reflected on the pages or your work. Keep a stash of duplicate samples so overly handled projects can be replaced with fresh copies. Reproduce clean laser or ink jet prints when they begin to look aged or discolored. Replace cracked or yellowed sheet protectors often. Include a nice crisp copy of your resume, leave behind promotion and digital portfolio in a well protected envelope. These details speak volumes about your craftsmanship, attention to detail and ultimately how much care you will demonstrate as an employee or hired artist.

From the desk of Dean (AKA Berry)

• The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
There is nothing like taking in the awful, weird, and mind-boggling things that people do in this crazy mixed up world with a little humor and Stewart delivers this in spades.

• www.opencongress.org
A fantastic website that brings together official government data with news coverage, blog posts, public comments, and more to give you the real story behind what's happening in Congress. Power to the people!

• Dexter
I won't tell you how I occasionally relate to Dex, that might make me come off strange.

• Color Management for Packaging:
My first published work and an excellent reference. Not only does it feature my package, it also includes lots of great examples and also goes in-depth into the technical aspects of packaging design like color theory, printing, and materials. Did I mention I have a two-page spread inside? Pages 24-25. Check it out.

• 30-Second Theories
Chaos Theory, Unification, the Theory of Relativity? Schrödinger’s Cat, and the Laws of Motion? I dig science!

• The End of Faith
Is faith the only thing keeping the fractured world together or does it inspire the worst of human atrocities? Throw on your magic underwear and follow Sam Harris through the looking glass to find out!

• 5-Hour Energy
Cheap....quick MORE EFFECTIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!! than coffee. I neeedd mooooore! my designs depend on it.

• Planters Nut•rition Trail Mix
This is a back up plan incase my cases of 5-Hour Energy run out or i consume the maximum US daily allotment of caffeine.

• Adobe Photoshop
Meet my wife. We work together, we live together, we create beautiful things together, we fight, and sometimes in the middle of something important she leaves me hanging. I just feel I do all the work in the relationship.

Menagerie Creative is now on Vimeo!

The Love Guru from Menagerie Creative on Vimeo.

Click HERE if you would like to send your own personalized Love Letter!