On Tuesday, January 31, Ad2 Roanoke planned for a lunch-time tour of two of Roanoke’s finest printers’ shops, which we dubbed the “Brown Bag Series: The Fine Art of Printing.” Enter Press Press Merch and Appalachia Press. We were welcomed with open arms, warm smiles, pizza, and desserts by Hired Guns Creative‘s Erica and Patrick, along with Greg Szechenyi from Press Press and John Reburn from Appalachia Press.

Greg walked around their print shop, taking us through the production of a normal screen printing job, showing off their massive 10-station, 8-color automatic press and vacuum exposure unit. Later, Greg showed off their showroom, highlighting various printing techniques like soft-touch inks, 4-color printing, and discharge inks, which removes the pigment from the shirt in a non-toxic way. The whole time we were there, the Press Press crew was working seamlessly and professionally in the background, like there weren’t any strange people wondering around their shop.

John took over and led us a few feet through a doorway, bringing us into the Appalachia Press shop. There was a distinct smell of “Old Stuff™,” which should be a signature Appalachia Press candle scent. You’re welcome, John. Old presses, wood, steel, and iron. *Deep breath…ahhhhhh. What a lovely smell that is. As he led us through his workshop, John shared a brief history of how he got into letterpress, what he uses each piece of machinery for, and then explained the printing process for various letterpress jobs. There are some different processes that he goes through based on the type of job that comes in. Whether it involves hand-cut stencils, sending art out to be made into a block, or screen printing, every job always includes lots of hands-on work. Getting his hands dirty and lifting heavy equipment is how John stays fit. Having a new retail store in downtown Roanoke, a steady stream of online shoppers, and many resellers all over the country keeps Appalachia’s presses moving. John is working on plans to run a few workshops this summer, so stay in the loop on their Facebook page.

Thanks again to Press Press Merch and Appalachia Press’s hospitality. For those who couldn’t make it out, nanny nanny boo boo, stick your head in doo doo. You missed out.

The always stunning Dan Cassero (@youngjerks) just completed a mural at the Ace Hotel in NY. Check out his original post for more photos, but be sure to watch the time-lapse video below. It’s precious.

Mural at The Ace Hotel from Daniel Cassaro on Vimeo.

No truer statement will you hear today.

Taken from Hyperactivitypography From A to Z, “an activity book for typographers illustrated in a nostalgic vintage style to give it a sweet and childlike look”, it’s the mantra they recommend cutting out and tacking up someplace you’ll see everyday. I’d suggest nothing less.

Click here to flip through the rest of the book, and don’t forget to visit it’s creators, Norway’s Studio 3.

[via Neatorama]

Canabalt

Play online | Put it on your iPhone for $3

Canabalt really just needs to be experienced, but I’ll try and describe it anyway. Your city is being decimated, and you have to escape. See how far you can get as you bound your way to freedom in the parkour platformer. For a game that takes only one finger to play, I almost hate to admit how much time I’ve spent jumping from rooftop to rooftop, crashing through plate glass and scrambling to avoid the falling engines. Play this one with speakers up or headphones on.

Play more games by Adam Saltsman

More games after the jump.

Dino Run

Play online

Speaking of avoiding the doom in a panic, check out this slightly more colorful sidescroller. The guys from PixelJam know how to have fun with their games. Keep your raptor out of the wake of the death-bringing meteor impact. Keep your pace up by avoiding your fellow dinos and collect mysterious power-ups to help you along your way. Pick up lost eggs and be rewarded with point you can put towards performance upgrades. I give this one big points the drama in a very serene environment.

Play more games by PixelJam

Understanding Games / Black Forrest

Play Understanding Games online

As a theme for these Lunch Break Gaming articles, I hope I’ve encouraged you to take inspiration from your downtime. I’m a fan of how games, as a whole, work. Not so much the nuts and bolts, but what draws us to them, why we consider them “fun” and what makes them worth playing again and again. The episodic series of Understanding Games ask questions about learning in games and how we identify with computer generated characters while you interact with them. Join Bob and Bub as they break down the forth-wall and pull you into what makes a game successful.

Play The Black Forrest online

Also from Pixlate, a series of experimental mini-games presented with limited explanation and varying mechanics between them. Pilot your little ghost friend around these worlds and notice how your experience changes as the way the games are played changes.

Small Worlds

Play Small Worlds online

Lastly, and in the vein of experimental “art games”, try out Small Worlds. This entry into the Casual Gameplay Design Competition #6 by David Shute has become very popular with its simplistic style and worlds that make you want to explore every pixel in them, literally. Not bad for a game whose protagonist is only 3 points tall. This game adds a little extra texture, but that, along with the soundtrack, just helps you get wrapped up in poking around these little alternate dimensions.

For more pixel art games, try Nitrome, it’s their specialty. Share your own favorites in the comments.

Yes, this is a screenshot of the game I propose you take your lunch break playing, and yes I realize its a cartoon gentleman in the nude on a bicycle, just hang in there with me.

Icycle, from game designer Damp Gnat, puts you in the world of the last successful human to be cryogenically frozen before the world became flash frozen in quiet desolation. Or is he?

I realize this is the second post to feature a game and a game that features a lonely protagonist in a world at a stand still, but it’s mostly a coincidence, if you conciser I work out of my home. But the visuals are lovely and it a great bit of storytelling in this vectorized treat. A nice use of textures, visual cues and sound gags to ensure the game never gets dull, even after you die for the 70th time. Perfect for a little lunch time inspiration.

Play Icycle here, or view a trailer after the jump.

I don’t want to tell you how to do your job.
But, could you make the logo bigger?
Bigger, bigger, make it big.
Make the logo bigger.

Make the Logo Bigger by Burn Back

Download audio file (MaketheLogoBigger.mp3)

[Link thanks Courtney G.!]

Also, Make My Logo Bigger Cream!

Great read on www.adage.com by Brian Steinberg.

A creative genious at Omnicom has designed a paper thin video player insert that will run in Entertainment Weekly. Whoever said a print ad can’t be interactive?

This is awesome. Although it will only be available to subscribers in LA and NY, this is a great example that we have not thought of it all yet.

When Entertainment Weekly readers open the magazine to the ad pages, they will see a small screen flicker on and start to load a video. A brief segment featuring actors from “The Big Bang Theory” will explain how to use the player, while talking about features from Entertainment Weekly and the different video selections a reader can choose. By pressing one of five different buttons, readers can watch a video montage from “How I Met Your Mother,” a montage from “Two and a Half Men,” a humorous ad for Pepsi Max, a sneak preview of “Accidentally on Purpose” or a preview of new CBS dramas “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “The Good Wife” and “Three Rivers.”

Read the full article at http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=138546

Fortuantely, Everything Is Terrible has provided us with this presentation to put it all back into perspective for us:

In case you were wondering, this is why that tune sounds familiar. You can thank me in the comments section.

[via Everything Is Terrible]

Lynn's Paradise Cafe in Louisville, KY

12th ANNUAL UGLY LAMP CONTEST

• Anyone can enter
• Enter FREE at Lynn’s Paradise Café before August 18th
• Contest on August 22 @ 2PM on The Blue Ribbon Stage
• Lamps displayed during the KY State Fair August 20 – 30th
• Lamps will be displayed at Actors Theatre during the performance of “A Christmas Story”
• Three categories: Born Ugly, Made Ugly, and Leg Lamp (Glam Gam)

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?
Born or Made Ugly
•  Grand Prize: Breakfast once a week for a year
•  First Prize: Breakfast once a month for a year
•  2 Second Prizes: $100 gift certificate to Lynn’s Paradise Café
•  2 Third Prizes: $50 gift certificates to Lynn’s Paradise Café

Leg Lamp (Glam Gam)
•  Grand Prize: Subscriptions for 2 for one year @ Actors Theatre
•  2nd Prize: Choice of 3 show subscription
•  3rd Prize: 2 tickets to “A Christmas Story”
To see some examples visit:
http://photos.dtpbylee.com/UglyLamps
http://www.flickr.com/photos/merfam/222538163/

Also, see a little story on the Café at:
http://www.wgnamerica.com/pages/sky_louisville

For more information, contact:
Patty Schnatter
Lynn’s Paradise Café
984 Barret Avenue
Louisville, KY 40204
Patty@lynnsparadisecafe.com
502-821-8888
502-583-3447