Madefire: shiny, interactive motion books are good for illustrators?

Screenshot from the Madefire launch video - Click to see the video on their own website

I found this on the Brand New blog - my favourite way to get a dose of beautiful (or sometimes not-so-beautiful) corporate identities. They were featuring Madefire's launch video for a new iPad app for what they're calling "motion books." (I tried to do a quick search to see if they had coined the term themselves, and results were inconclusive. If anyone knows, please feel free to leave a comment!)

The video is a beautiful illustration (see what I did there) of how technology can push the envelope of graphic novels - they're interactive (things to touch, move, tilt, etc.) and have soundtracks and sound effects (which I'm hoping are enhancing and not detrimentally distracting). I'm not a big graphic novel reader myself, but I can just see how this could be a huge boon for all kinds of illustrators who want to create their own engaging content for the iPad.

Needless to say, I am supremely curious. I signed up for the Motion Book Tool, but even though this app was only released nine days ago (on June 21st), it seems that the response has been overwhelming so I'm only on the wait list.

Anyway, check out the video and let me know what you think! As an illustrator, are you excited about a tool like this? Or do you think it's gimmicky and bad for the art?

Juney Juney Juney June-AY!

A beer that can solve crime...in Hawaii

 My friend Ian makes beer in his basement. Now, although that may not sound like the most delicious thing you've ever heard, trust me, his beer is goooood. And, lucky for me, I'm usually around when new batches are ready for tasting. (I have really good timing. Also, I'm over at Ian and his wife Avery's house a lot, um, watching the Bachelor.)

Ian likes a lot of different kinds of beers, but I would guess that most of his favourite beers are IPAs or India Pale Ales - especially the American IPAs which are usually made with extra hops and are known for a punchy, citrusy bitterness. One of the beers he brewed recently was an IPA made with a type of hops called Magnum. Which, of course, led to the best beer name of all time: 

I just had to make a label for it.  You don't think Mr. Magnum himself would mind, do you?

Speaking of punchy, citrusy bitterness...

Ian doesn't sell his beer (yet) but he is a longtime friend of the brewmaster at Sawdust City - an independent brewery that has a brewpub in Gravenhurst, Ontario - and when they get together they make some pretty sweet concoctions. (I'm still talking about beer).