ThoughtSpurs

Here's an interesting mash-up of contemporary information graphics and a timeless tale by the brother's Grimm. And grim it is when Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother is dispatched by the wolf. The clip was exectuted, if I might indulge in the theme a little further, as a school project by a Swedish Chap. I am assuming he's not in primary school - though these days who would know? Discuss with me on Twitter

There always comes a time in advertising when the ad makers decide it's time to reference themselves, with a knowing wink to the audience - nudge, nudge. This mini commercial is intended to be spread, as I am doing now, on the web. I rather like it. I'd probably be disappointed by my new Mini if it couldn't perform as if it was an invisible HotWheels track though. What do you think? Chat about it with me on Twitter

Charlie Booker is still the funniest media observer I know of (though, if you know anyone funnier, feel free to send me a link). In this short piece he says what advertising agency people say amongst themselves, but don't really want you to hear. I warn you now. It's not MadMen. But I'll wager it's the best TV you'll see today. Thank you BBC, for sharing your content. Tell me what you think on Twitter.com/joegreenz

A Twitter friend, Kirsten Wright wrote this on her blog: Creativity Test Creativity is not to be taken for granted, it is not something you ‘have’ it is something that you must work at, and practice, to keep strong. I practice my creativity daily, by writing, twittering, designing and researching. I am always trying to find new, unique ways to practice my creativity. One of my favorite ways is to pick a photo from flickr, and create a marketing campaign for a product, using the image. I don’t do it for work, or because I have to, but because it helps my mind to stay sharp and think outside of the box. So, I figured I would let you all try it with me today. Here is the image that I chose: And here are the questions you have to answer: 1. What product would you use this image for 2. What would the tagline be for the product 3. Where would you promote it (web, billboard, tv, etc) 4. What would you expect people to visualize when they saw the image 5. What other colors woul...

When we grasp an idea or a concept we often say 'I see' -even when the information might have been delivered in writing or verbally. Our minds paint a picture, the bits of information become joined and a meaningful picture forms. If it is meaningful we say that it has made an impression or have gained insight. I won't say that I think 'visually'; I'm not sure that is what is happening inside my brain at all. But I do know that I think more clearly and have better comprehension, faster when ideas are presented to me with the support of images or graphics. Of course not all images are created equal. Some can be baffling and serve only to amplify the speed of confusion. But well thought-out graphics can be a godsend for conveying ideas - with that metaphor in mind it reminds me of how paintings and stained glass windows helped dramatise the liturgy for an ignorant peasantry. There is a selection information graphics here which illustrate a range of contemporary tec...

I have great admiration for mark Somerset, author of Cork on the Ocean - I've written about the book before. During the festival he's reading Cork and the follow up Cork and the Bottle. Both are beautiful stories. My favourite is the first. Here's the message from Mark: SPIEGELTENT STORYTIME - AOTEA SQUARE, 15TH MARCH As part of the Auckland Festival I will be reading both Cork on the Ocean and Cork and the Bottle in the Spiegeltent, Aotea Square this Sunday 15th March. Come on down for a 10am start - The Spiegeltent is an amazing venue and best of all it's free! SIGNED BOOKS AVAILABLE ONLINE - DIRECT FROM US! Have you had a chance to check out Cork's great new website www.corkvoyages.com With our new online store you can now buy signed copies of Cork on the Ocean and Cork and the Bottle direct from us! So if you're looking for a special gift, or wish to get the latest Cork adventure for your own family, click here! A LITTLE CORKER Finally, as a friend of Cork,...

I went for a walk through Auckland city last Saturday. I thought it would be nice to take the 'Walk of Art' a route through the city that follows a line littered with art galleries. I was shocked by what I found. Tbe Old Auckland Art Galllery is completely out of commission while a contemporary extension is added to the heritage building that houses most of the city's collection. The New Gallery, an old, converted telephone exchange across the street was showing a rag-tag exhibition of works referring to the New Zealand landscape (a show that lacked coherence). It was exasperating. And every gallery we hoped to view was shut. Seems to me that the weekends would be the perfect time to invite the public into art galleries and exhibition spaces of all kinds. Private galleries play an important role in inducing and inducting new people into the world of the arts. If they are simply a store-room for work, seen only by the usual suspects who only ever visit when there is an openi...

The other day I posted an edition of a children's story I painted onto the web to share with some of my friends in Twitter. The feedback has been terrific. So now I'm sharing it with you here. It takes about a minute to read. Leave a comment on the site. Itchy Feet was created for my son's fourth birthday. He just marked his 17th. I'm working on a sequel now.

This device is remarkably similar in concept to Twitter - the microblogging site that is getting a lot of attention these days. If you haven't tried Twitter you can follow me here .

"Why does one chess player play better than another? The answer is not that the one who plays better makes fewer mistakes. The one who plays better makes more mistakes, by which I mean more imaginative mistakes. He sees more ridiculous alternatives. The mark of a great player is exactly that he thinks of something which by all known norms of the game is an error." Jacob Bronowski Bronowsi was a British mathematician and biologist of Polish-Jewish origin. He is best remembered as the presenter and writer of the 1973 BBC television documentary series, The Ascent of Man.