Portland Designers, Artists, Animators and Photographers Unite to Show Me Cool

Graphic Designers, Painters, Photographers, and generally cool people get together to brainstorm and develop project ideas, and do the project. At a predetermined deadline with the visual booty - be it digital, drawings, a collage, or mixed media.

For the first time we are seeing the emergence of a “Kidult” lifestyle. People so nostalgic for the things of there childhood that they collect toys, wear throw back t-shirts, and keep the movie icons of their school days immortalized (Chuck Norris for example). Recently some people who have these same nostalgic connections to doodling, comics, sketching, and creating more visual realities, are getting together to keep the flame alive. Graphic Designers, Painters, Photographers, Animators, Photoshop experts, and generally cool people get together to brainstorm and develop project ideas, and then set off to do the project. They return at some predetermined deadline with the visual booty - be it digital, drawings, a collage, or mixed media. Then another brainstorming session takes place, and so on. It's fun and meaningful time with friends and a way to keep your chops fresh if you want creative structure. One such group shows their work at http://www.showmecool.com. They have an online portfolio of previous projects and post new projects regularly. They are looking for more people to participate. People can go to “Play Cool” http://www.showmecool.com/?page_id=295 and find the guidelines. Here's the run down: all projects are due on the 1st and15th every month; go to the website to view the latest project for inspiration and to download artwork files; when you are ready, submit via email. “When we first started doing these projects, it was just for our own amusement.” said Don Olsen, Portland artist and educator. “Now our idea is to get more of designers and artists involved in showmecool.com so we can create powerful, funny and topical work. We provide a concept for inspiration on each project. We want people to create something interesting and share it.” Currently, Show Me Cool has 66 submissions posted and the goal is to have 1000 posted by the end of 2009. Help them get there by submitting something creative. The current inspiration can always be found on the Show Me Cool homepage. About Show Me Cool Show Me Cool is a collaborative project of artists, photographers, illustrators and graphic designers, coming together to encourage, learn, and inspire. The project idea is to operate on a “What You See Is What You Get” basis. Take what you want from the project materials and suggestions, mash things up, and post it. This was started by four friends because they enjoy the visuality of life and Show and Tell. Maybe we can find out what is cool once and for all. http://www.showmecool.com

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About Show Me Cool Show Me Cool is a collaborative project of artists, photographers, illustrators and graphic designers, coming together to encourage, learn, and inspire. The project idea is to operate on a “What You See Is What You Get” basis. Take what you want from the project materials and suggestions, mash things up, and post it. This was started by four friends because they enjoy the visuality of life and Show and Tell. Maybe we can find out what is cool once and for all. http://www.showmecool.com