Posted by
admin – October 31, 2009
I’ve been given the opportunity to travel to Zambia, Africa in early 2010. This both excites me and terrifies me.
Excites me in the sense that I will finally be using my education and background in English, graphic design, and photography to work with a cause that is more than just commercialism. To be able to use my photography to create awareness of the work that our church (The River) does with a group of villages in South Eastern Africa is a dream come true. As much as I can appreciate the beauty, planning, and time that goes in to creating commercial advertising campaigns and publishing great design, I’ve always wanted to do more with the skills that I have learned.
Terrifies me in the sense that I really will have to take a leap of faith for this trip. While I’ve traveled extensively throughout Canada and the United States, overseas travel is something that I have not had the chance to experience until now. It will be interesting to see how I deal with foreign customs, two new continents, unfamiliar food, and yes, foreign washrooms. I’ve grown up in a North American bubble for 26 years and have become too complacent in my surroundings. I know this trip will shock my system of beliefs in what life and its hardships actually are. Will I complain and gripe over the cost of fresh vegetables and fruit after I return from a region with so much poverty and food shortages? Probably not. Am I going to let a traffic jam ruin my day? Probably not.
The challenge for me over the next two and a half months is to raise the money I need for travel and other expenses. It’s a big cost ($4000) that I need to find somewhere. Be prepared for me to ask you to help support me in my fundraising, be it through the sales of Fair Trade Coffee, sales of prints of my photography, or some other means. All gifts will be tax deductible! Please email me (nvandriel@gmail.com) or post a comment if you have any questions or words of encouragement.
Thanks for reading. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers over these next few months.
Posted by
admin – October 27, 2009
With the chill coming back into the air and the leaves changing from their summer green to the various warm shades of fall, a thought creeps into the back of my mind; It’s that time again.
Early fall is when many winter companies release their winter catalogues. Snowboard companies, ski companies, even hockey companies come out with publications ranging from a simple 6-panel glossy brochure to an extravagant embossed cover with custom photography and gilded edges.
This year the snowboard company Burton has raised the bar significantly. With their catalogues from the last few seasons being a standard – albeit well-designed – format with glossy pages and standard perfect binding, they have changed things up significantly with a new format, amazing informational graphics, faux ads, and a somewhat controversial theme.
Titled “The Good Book”, the 2010 catalogue draws from a Biblically-designed theme with illustrations and paintings that reference styles popularized throughout church history. From wood-cut printings to oil paintings of fields full of children and animals, all sorts of looks are recreated to include Burton’s products and messaging
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More photos and beautiful design after the jump… More…
Posted by
admin – September 28, 2009
Inspired by a magazine I read called Colour, I’ve put together a list of the Next/Best things in my life right now.
bike
fixed gear Norco/anything that rolls
More below…
More…
Posted by
admin – August 29, 2009
The new VNDRL.com look is slowly evolving. I’m working the kinks out as I build and test each element. I’m hoping to have some more flash galleries up soon as well as a consistent “look” through the entire website. That’s my job as a designer, isn’t it?
Keep checking back regularly.
Posted by
admin – August 2, 2009
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I took a trip to Jasper last weekend with a few friends to go camping at Whistlers campground. I had no technology all weekend. No cell phone, no Facebook, no email, no tv. Nothing. It was absolutely awesome. Now, I know technology has it’s place in society, but we can get so caught up in the convenience we experience in our day-to-day lives that we can forget how important time away can be. We didn’t hunt for our food or anything like that, but cooking a meal over a fire seemed to satisfy us so much more than a microwave dinner or a pizza that was delivered to our house. Instead of going to watch a movie or playing Xbox, we went cliff jumping and swimming at an amazing lake tucked back in the trees.
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The weekend reminded me how important it is to leave civilization once in a while and see what’s out there.
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Go on, get out there and explore
Posted by
admin – June 4, 2009
June is Bike Month here in Edmonton. Think of it as a time to grab your bike on the way out the door instead of your car keys. Heading out for a coffee at Starbucks? Running a couple errands around the neighborhood? Looking for a fun date activity to do with your significant other? Try riding your bike. Take a minute to slow down and notice things around you instead of closing yourself off in your car and listening to whatever generic music the radio is playing.
Here’s a couple sites that will give you the rundown of the month’s activities.
http://www.bikeology.ca
http://www.edmontonbikes.ca
Time to go for a ride…
Posted by
admin – May 17, 2009
I had a moment the other day. One of those moments that just hits you out of the blue. While on a bike ride past the open fields near my house, I was struck by the sheer number of blessings I’ve experienced in my 25 years of life. I have an amazing family who has supported and encouraged me in any and all of my hobbies and passions, friends – both old and new – who challenge and inspire me to continually grow as a person, and opportunities that have shown me places and people that will forever be a part of my life.
While I stopped and thought about this, the sun was shining through some clouds late in the evening and a soft, golden light was covering everything. I could feel it on me, a warm light and a soft breeze, and I knew that life was great. I can’t wait to see what kind of adventures are in store for me in the future.
Posted by
admin – April 16, 2009
I’m sitting here at my desk after a busy day and I’ve finally got the chance to relax. How do I unwind after a day full of physical activity and movement? By grabbing a stack of magazines and bike catalogs and flipping through them, analyzing, critiquing and being inspired by the design I see between the covers of each of the publications.
I’ve always been one to appreciate creativity and out-of-the-box thinking as far back as I can remember. I think one of the things that pushed me into graphic design as a profession was the design and creativity behind magazines I would read and bike catalogs that I would anxiously collect and save each year as companies would show off their new offerings to the public, their next, newest and best technologies and designs. Seeing each company’s approach to information design, photography and layout opened my eyes to what was possible in the world of print design.
One of the companies that’s always been held in high regard in my eyes is Odyssey BMX, based out of Cerritos, CA. Always looking to push the envelope in terms of their design and advertising, Creative Director Jim Bauer has succeeded in creating a brand that people look up to. Whether it is the new product catalog with products put into unique situations, their website, their clothing or their office space, Odyssey is a brand that has always stayed relevant and their success is, in my opinion, at least partly due to their knowledge and implementation of good design.
I had the chance to meet and speak with Jim a year ago on a trip down to Los Angeles and it was great to talk design with him. Often times the subtle things that only some people will pick up on – for example, the spot varnish on the cover of the numbers of the 2003 catalog – are the ones that end up being the lasting bits that people remember. By not using stock photography, clip art and free fonts in all their marketing, Odyssey proves they care about design and its effectiveness.
It is companies like Odyssey, Burton, Wired, Color, and Monster Children that keep me inspired on a daily basis.
Posted by
admin – April 8, 2009
Business cards for VNDRL are finally in! After running out of cards that I made for the 2007 MacEwan Design Studies Grad Show, I had to get a new set made up that included the website name. Simple was the name of the game. No glaring 4 colour photos, no extraneous spot varnishes or rounded corners, just something to show that I exist.
Ask for one next time you see me. I have lots.
Posted by
admin – April 4, 2009
In preparation for the upcoming spring and summer months, I decided to check out some local shops in the hope of finding a new bag for my bike trips around Edmonton. I had a few requirements for the ideal candidate:
- Must be comfortable.
- Easy to put on and take off.
- Sufficient room for a camera, extra lens(es), bike lock, a magazine or two, and some odds and ends.
- Something that does not cover my entire back. After hours of riding, a full backpack causes my back to sweat like crazy, soaking my shirt and earning me the occasional strange look when I stop somewhere for a break and my clothes are almost dripping.
- It’s gotta look good.
I ended up at Easy Rider trying to find a Dakine Messenger LG bag that I had read about online. When I asked John at the front desk, he showed me what they had in stock (not much) but told me he could bring in a bunch the next day to let me test out. Very nice guy. Easy Rider has a great atmosphere.
I went back the next day and he had five bags set aside for me to check out. Two colourways of the Burton Mess Pack, a Burton DJ Bag, the Burton Promoter and one other one. After trying on the Burton Mess Pack, I knew right away it’s what I was going to leave with. With a leather and cotton construction, beefy metal/plastic buckles, a thick padded strap, and all the bells and whistles I was looking for, it met every criteria on my checklist.
Features include:
- Brown and Tan colour combination. Classy yet casual.
- Integrated iPod jack in the strap
- Ratchet snowboard binding on strap allows for easy adjustment and quick release
- Secondary cross strap for stability
- Laptop compartment, large storage compartment, and two other pockets
I’ve tried this pack out on a few walking trips and it has met my expectations. Even when loaded down with 15lbs of camera gear, magazines, iPod, wallet and other stuff, it doesn’t get uncomfortable.
VNDRL Rating: 6/7