Hasta La Ideas

Illustrator Ryan Todd has collaborated with digital design studio Enjoythis to create Christmas Gifs, a festive showcase of animated gifs created specially for the project by an international cast of illustrators, animators and directors…

The fun gifs can all be viewed on the project’s website (homepage, above) at chrismasgifs.org where each one can be shared via Facebook, Twitter and Google+, or simply sent to a friend via email.

Here are a few CR favourites currently on the site and available to share:

Dan the Bear by Jane Stockdale

Rooftop Rollin’ by Ryan Todd

Arctic Igloo by Ross Phillips

SLAMta Claus by Paul Layzell

But wait, there’s more: Todd is keen to encourage fellow illustrators and animators to submit their gifs to the site to expand the collection. “The aim of the project is twofold,” he explains, “to create a space for professional animators and directors to produce somethign personal, experimental or just plain fun, and for illustrators and artists who may not have created anything animated before to take their first step into the world of moving image. The humble gif offers the perfect format in which to create something special.”

Artists with gifs already on the site include Alex Grigg, Damien Weighill, Emily Forgot, Holly Wales, James Dawe, Jane Stockdale, Jenny Bowers, Mathew The Horse, Rose Blake, and many, many more.

Visit the site to view and share the current collection, and to potentially get involved: christmasgifs.org.

CR In print

In our December issue we look at why carpets are the latest medium of choice for designers and illustrators. Plus, Does it matter if design projects are presented using fake images created using LiveSurface and the like? Mark Sinclair looks in to the issue of mocking-up. We have an extract from Craig Ward’s upcoming book Popular Lies About Graphic Design and ask why advertising has been so poor at preserving its past. Illustrators’ agents share their tips for getting seen and we interview maverick director Tony Kaye by means of his unique way with email. In Crit, Guardian economics leader writer Aditya Chakrabortty review’s Kalle Lasn’s Meme Wars and Gordon Comstock pities brands’ long-suffering social media managers. In a new column on art direction, Paul Belford deconstructs a Levi’s ad that was so wrong it was very right, plus, in his brand identity column, Michael Evamy looks at the work of Barcelona-based Mario Eskenazi. And Daniel Benneworth-Gray tackles every freelancer’s dilemma – getting work.

Our Monograph this month, for subscribers only, features the EnsaïmadART project in which Astrid Stavro and Pablo Martin invited designers from around the world to create stickers to go on the packaging of special edition packaging for Majorca’s distinctive pastry, the ensaïmada, with all profits going to a charity on the island (full story here)

Please note, CR now has a limited presence on the newsstand at WH Smith high street stores (although it can still be found in WH Smith travel branches at train stations and airports). If you cannot find a copy of CR in your town, your WH Smith store or a local independent newsagent can order it for you. You can search for your nearest stockist here. Alternatively, call us on 020 7970 4878 to buy a copy direct from us. Based outside the UK? Simply call +44(0)207 970 4878 to find your nearest stockist. Better yet, subscribe to CR for a year here and save yourself almost 30% on the printed magazine.

CR for the iPad

Read in-depth features and analysis plus exclusive iPad-only content in the Creative Review iPad App. Longer, more in-depth features than we run on the blog, portfolios of great, full-screen images and hi-res video. If the blog is about news, comment and debate, the iPad is about inspiration, viewing and reading. As well as providing exclusive, iPad-only content, the app will also update with new content throughout each month. Try a free sample issue here