Design Inspirations Using Vintage Backgrounds

June 4, 2008 at 3:28 pm (Uncategorized) (, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , )

myspace vintage skateboard sticker layout
Only recently I came across a blog on design inspiration actually posted some time ago. On the site Randa Clay concedes to a lack of graphic design training. She further states this hindered her ability to create original ideas. Since then Ms. Clay has turned to the internet or library for help. One can read more about this in Design Inspiration: Early 20th Century Posters published July 2007. There’s a quote there which I’d never heard that is quite interesting. (But I’ll let you discover what for yourself.)
At one of my favorite sites, I found several vintage backgrounds. One featured a collage of old skateboard stickers. An example of myspace vintage layouts using vintage sources as design inspiration is shown at the top of this post. It gives you another idea of how many similar vintage sources may be used in the design process. If you find others, please send me a link.

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Vintage Backgrounds Featured in Recent Contest

May 1, 2008 at 10:39 pm (Uncategorized) (, , , )

Finding contests of all types is very easy when searching the web. Not surprisingly, I found one in which images of vintage backgrounds can be used for advertising purposes. In this particular online contest, graphic artists are asked to showcase their marketing strategies. The challenge is to design an advertisement using one of two options.

The first is to take vintage products and present them in a modern way. The second option, as stated in the contest rules, is for a modern product to be showcased in a vintage light. Some of the entries using the later guidelines featured such products as Tivo, Ninetendo Wii and SEGWAY. (You can see the latter featured above. Please follow the link to the contest site to view other entries.)

In earlier posts I have discussed those who design myspace vintage layouts. Could they have a distinct advantage in winning a competition such as this given their familiarity with the use of just that type of background?

Whether they win this particular contest (or any others, for that matter,) at least their job security would seem to be good. There will undoubtedly always be a niche for marketing strategies which feature “vintage layouts” in some fashion or another.

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Flowers really DO make you happy

April 16, 2008 at 6:28 pm (Uncategorized) (, , , , , , , , , , )

Have you ever wondered why so many myspace layouts have vintage backgrounds composed of flowers?  On Valentine’s Day over 100 million roses were sold. Could those vintage myspace layouts and the giving and receiving of floral bouquets be connected?
After reading The Color Answer Book by International color expert Leatrice Eiseman, I believe they could. Eisman’s article suggests that color combinations, such as floral bouquets, release happy memories.
Floral Vintage Layout
Vintage Flower Layout

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vintage backgrounds

January 29, 2008 at 2:17 am (Uncategorized) (, , , , , , , , , , , , )

Someone recently asked me why vintage myspace layouts are so popular. They thought it particularly interesting since many who do a search for vintage backgrounds don’t really know what the term “vintage” means. There are several good answers to those questions about why someone would want a vintage myspace layout.

One is the popularity of vintage clothing which is, generally speaking, clothing from the 1920s to 1975. Since the early 90s, the demand for anything vintage has increased dramatically. This is due in part to increased visibility as worn by celebrities (eg. Julia Roberts, Chloe Sevigny, and Kate Moss.) It follows that anyone wanting to create a myspace layout following today’s trends would look to their favorite stars for inspiration.

That’s where designers of a great
vintage background come in. Many myspace vintage layouts, for instance, have been created using the beautiful background patterns in old material. Most vintage fabrics are no longer manufactured. In summary, perhaps it could be said that a person downloading a vintage layout is one who wants their own piece of history. Below are some examples.
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Vintage Backgrounds

January 14, 2008 at 3:06 am (Uncategorized) (, , , , , , , , , , , , , )

My favorite web sites are those that feature vintage backgrounds. I’ve recently found a great site for downloading vintage myspace layouts. A friend turned me on to Cleanupmyspace.com. Now I love to go to that site once a week to download a different myspace vintage layout. Below I’m posting some examples of the vintage backgrounds you can find there. I don’t know where they come up with such incredible layout ideas. All I know is they have great creative ideas.
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