redesignrelated:

iTunes logo icon redesign

At the September 1, 2010 Apple Special Music Event, Steve Jobs unveils iTunes 10, complete with a redesign and implementation of the new social network Ping. Since CDs are less relevant these days, Apple decided it was time to revisit their original logo design for iTunes.

Of all the great announcements coming out of the presentation, we found this logo/icon redesign the least exciting.

update: The initial images we posted showed screen captures from Steve Jobs’ keynote presentation. The circle on the new logo looked elongated and not symmetrical. We thought it was a possibility it looked slightly off because of on-screen distortion. After we downloaded iTunes 10 we confirmed the the variation of the logo shown at the event was not a fully accurate representation and we removed the graphic. The above logo is taken directly from the application, not a blown out and distorted image from a presentation.)

redesignrelated:

Dowling Duncan submits a unique currency redesign concept for Richard Smith’s Dollar ReDe$ign Project.

“…We have kept the width the same as the existing dollars. However we have changed the size of the note so that the one dollar is shorter and the 100 dollar is the longest. When stacked on top of each other it is easy to see how much money you have. It also makes it easier for the visually impaired to distinguish between notes…”
—Dowling Duncan on the proposed redesign for US bank notes

redesignrelated:

Myspace.com is on track for a full redesign. The new home page has been unveiled. It has been so long since we’ve visited the Myspace site. We hardly recognize you—until you click past the homepage. Are the upcoming changes enough to give the site another chance? The interaction design studio Pereira & O’Dell is helping give the brand a long overdue facelift.

redesignrelated:

The new Google Images search redesign eliminates caption texts to provide only visual eye-candy at first glance. This is the first major revamp of Google Images since the tool first launched back in 2001. Included in the redesign is the ability to view up to 1,000 images on on scrolling page.

(click for larger screenshots for before and after)

redesignrelated:

Girl Scouts of America logo redesign

You’ll need to look twice to notice the small but significant changes. The new version differs only slightly from the identity designed back in 1978 by Saul Bass.

“A Fresh Identity for the Girl Scouts of America: The world’s largest organization for girls gets a much-needed facelift.” (via Fast Company)

redesignrelated:

Wonder Woman character redesign from DC Comics

At 69 years old, Wonder Woman undergoes another wardrobe and body makeover for issue no. 600 of the comic book.

“…The new costume was designed by the artist Jim Lee, who in February was named co-publisher of DC, alongside Dan DiDio. Given the assignment, “my first reaction was, ‘Oh my gosh,’ ” Mr. Lee said in an interview. But he welcomed the challenge: “When these characters become so branded that you can’t change things, they become ossified.” The new look — with an understated “W” insignia, a midnight blue jacket and a flinty fusion of black tights and boots — is darker than the famed swimsuit-style outfit, and aims to be contemporary, functional and, as Tim Gunn of “Project Runway” might say, less costumey…” —via The New York Times

see also the NYT “Evolution of Wonder Woman” slideshow

flickr redesign: “Now have some fun with it.”

The giant panda won me over.

redesignrelated:

NIKE78: 78 sneaker redesigns by 78 different designers

Paul Jenkins, founder of Nike78, asked 78 designers to redesign a pair of Nike shoes. Talents including This is Studio, W+K Tokyo Lab, Andy Miller, and Jean Jullien participated in the challenge… (continued via re:dr)

redesignrelated:

MTA Subway Map redesign

“…Next month, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will unveil a resized, recolored and simplified edition of the well-known map, its first overhaul in more than a decade. Manhattan will become taller, bulkier and 30 percent wider, to better display its spaghetti of subway lines. Staten Island, meanwhile, will shrink by half…”
—More Manhattan in New Subway Map | NYTimes.com

Take a look at “An Overhaul of an Underground Icon” where you can compare the new map side by side other versions through its history.

redesignrelated:

Quaker Oats logo and packaging redesign

“…At the forefront is a new logo set in Hoefler & Frere-Jones’ popular Archer typeface. As for Mr. Quaker, he finds a new home inside the letter Q—grinning as you chomp down on a “wholesome” Dark-Chocolate-Mocha-Hazelnut-Café-Square granola bar. Perhaps it’s a result of the new, lighter design (hooray for losing the multiple gradients, shadows, and gold embossing), but the chubby Quaker Man looks out of place here…”
—via “Quaker loves life with Archer” article by Idsgn

We recommend reading the full post by Idsgn which discusses the evolution of the Quaker Oats logo throughout its long history, pointing out a Saul Bass design from the early 1970s.

redesignrelated:

The Tony Award trophy gets a redesign (spoof)

“…The Tony statue, designed by Herman Rosse in 1949, is a pedestal with a hanging medallion that is etched on one side with the masks of comedy and tragedy and on the other with the profile of the actress and director Antoinette Perry, the award’s namesake and a founder of the American Theater Wing…Concepts for the New Tony varied wildly: Milton Glaser’s squat figure, Jonathan Adler’s golden banana, Winterhouse’s applause sign with audio…” —excerpt from And the Banana Goes To…  article in NYT

We really like the humor in Milton Glaser’s new ‘Tony’ design and the bold “Applause” trophy by Jessica Helfand & Knowlton (Winterhouse) , and Pensa presents a beautiful concept.

(slide show featuring all 6 of The New Tony designs via NYTimes.com)

redesignrelated:

debut of the new Waterstone’s bookstore logo design*

The redesign is a departure from the brands’ traditional and classical design aesthetics in favor of a more contemporary approach. Venture Three designed the new logo. The Waterstone’s wordmark refresh is just one facet in a large-scale restructuring of the UK bookstore chain. From reading the comments on a recent post on The Bookseller.com, the audience may be split on their preference of the original logo versus the more modern treatment (with strong feelings on both sides, especially the notes comparing the new mark to the McDonald’s arch).

*The logo lock-up for the company website was unveiled first, and we’ll look out for the new store signage later this month.

If anyone has a link to the history behind the original Waterstone’s logo, and insight into the new approach please share.

redesignrelated:

The Bloomberg BusinessWeek redesign

On April 26th, 2010, Bloomberg BusinessWeek unveiled the magazine’s new look, only months after Bloomberg’s acquisition of the publication…

(more photos via redesign:related)

redesignrelated:

new 100 dollar bill redesign: “Know Its Features So You Can Know It’s Real”

The U.S Government has unveiled a new makeover for the $100 note, which is equipped with newer technology to prevent counterfeiting. This looks like a technical upgrade, not the full redesign many have been hoping for… (more via re:dr)

Penguin Decades: the 70s style book cover designs
(via Penguin Books, above illustration by Zandra Rhodes)