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What's All This Then?
This is Layer Tennis, a live, weekly series of design competitions, presented by Adobe® Creative Suite® 3. It was created by Coudal Partners. We've made lots of other stuff too.
What's All This Then?
This is Layer Tennis, a live, weekly series of design competitions, presented by Adobe® Creative Suite® 3. It was created by Coudal Partners. We've made lots of other stuff too.
In the early 20th century, Universal Studios was the undisputed master of the horror motion picture. But by 1940 the well had run dry. Having strip-mined folklore and the public domain for nearly every creature and criminal imaginable—Dracula, The Mummy, even The Hunchback of Notre Dame—they were in desperate need of a fresh idea.
Then, epiphany. In 1943 Universal unveiled a new breed of horror film: the versus. Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man featured two of cinema's most popular anti-heroes going fang-to-neckbolt, vying to be christened King of the Monsters.
Even to this day such contests draw the crowds (as the gross of 2004's Aliens vs. Predator will attest). Audiences, it seem, savor the thrill of pitched battle between two unstoppable forces of nature, attacking one another without quarter, without mercy, without a thought of self-preservation.
Case in point, today's match. Brian vs. Jason.
A quick glimpse at their respective websites may offer clues to the fight to come. Brian Taylor maintains Candykiller, a name redolent of bogeymen and homicidal maniacs. Perhaps his strategy will mirror his domain: first the candy--a simple, unassuming layer, perhaps, with plenty of elements to work with--and then, on the next volley, a killing stroke, as final and fatal as a slash of the cleaver.
His opponent, meanwhile, writes Jason Santa Maria. Steeped in religious overtones, the name summons to mind The Exorcist, The Omen, The Amityville Horror ... tales of ordinary citizens besieged by sinister, demonic forces. Did Jason so name his website because, like Rosemary, a malevolent power gestates deep within him? Or simply because that's his actual name? We may never know for certain.
Each comes to the match well-versed in the tropes of horror. As a young designer, Brian created the packaging for a brand of children's candies called "Skull Crushers," white chocolate skulls from which red filling burst. And one could easily imagine his current project chanting "One of us! One of us!" Jason is a self-professed "horror film nut," celebrating each birthday with a slasher-themed party. While his website is currently decked out in Lovecraftian garb, it has, in Octobers past, paid homage to Poe and been spattered in blood.
Do they feel confident, heading into the match? "Hell yeah," says Brian. "Bring it on. I could do with working under a bit of pressure." Jason, in contrast, responds with an emphatic "Lord no." (Again with the religion!) "I've never really done much like this. I'm hoping Brian comes down with the flu. But if that happens, I swear I had nothing to do with it."
False bravado? Feigned modesty? Ten rounds will tell the tale. Who will survive to terrorize another day, and who will reduced to gibbering madness?
Lock the doors. Dim the lights. Santa Maria prepares to draw first blood.
Brian Taylor, Scotland native, is best known online for his work on Rustboy. After years of toiling as an illustrator and graphic designer for various agencies, he eventually went rogue. He now creates toys, writes books, designs prints, sells paintings, and maintains the website Candykiller. His favorite horror movie is The Exorcist, though he wouldn't say no to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.
Jason Santa Maria of Brooklyn, NY is a graphic designer, typography nut, photographer, lapsed vegetarian, and letterpress enthusiast, as well as the Creative Director of Happy Cog Studios. Though he started in print design, he now works primarily on assorted web-related adventures. His personal site is the eponymous Jason Santa Maria. He loves the film Halloween and lives in constant fear of rollercoasters.
Matthew Baldwin is a freelance writer, horror aficionado, and weblogger. He lives with his wife and son in room 217 of the Overlook Hotel, and would give anything for a drink. He'd give his god-damned soul for just a glass of beer.
Here's how the game works. Jump into the Layer Tennis Forums, we'll be taking the pulse of the conversations there to declare a winner. You can also subscribe to our Layer Tennis RSS feed and follow along via Twitter.
Congrats to totopromo, the in-forum contest winner, and Operator, the remix winner. We have some Jewelboxing and Swap Meat items to send out to you. We're also sending packs of Field Notes to reo5th, BMB and naamyo. Email your shipping info to dawson at coudal.com.
Today is your last chance to sound off about who won Friday's Layer Tennis Matches and to post your remix/contest entries too.
On the last Friday of the season we played two matches at the same time, Koxvold vs Hutchinson and Glass vs Inman. There was a lot of action on the court and a lot in the forums too.
All matches took place on Fridays, live at 2pm Chicago time or GMT-6.
January 25 - Match 1 | View Match
Chris Glass vs Shaun Inman*
Commentary by John Gruber | Forum
January 25 - Match 2 | View Match
Jason Koxvold* vs James Hutchinson
Commentary by Rosecrans Baldwin | Forum
January 11th | View the Match
Veerle Pieters* vs Cindy Li
Commentary by Kevin Guilfoile | Match Forum
December 14th | View the Match
Matt Owens vs Jason Gnewikow*
Commentary by Joshua Allen | Match Forum
December 7th | View the Match
Jason Koxvold* vs Bran Dougherty-Johnson
Commentary by Matt Haughey | Match Forum
Match was played using Adobe® After Effects®
November 30th | View the Match
Trevor Van Meter* vs James Hutchinson
Commentary by Bryan Bedell | Match Forum
This match was played using Adobe® Flash®.
November 16th | View the Match
Aaron Draplin* vs David Nakamoto
Commentary by Steven Heller | Match Forum
November 9th | View the Match
Scott Hansen* vs Rob Cordiner
Commentary by Alissa Walker | Match Forum
November 2nd | View the Match
Marian Bantjes* vs Armin Vit
Commentary by Heather Armstrong | Match Forum
Match was played using Adobe® After Illustrator®
October 26th | View the Match
Brian Taylor vs Jason Santa Maria*
Commentary by Matthew Baldwin | Match Forum
October 19th | View the Match
Naz Hamid vs Chris Glass*
Commentary by Rosecrans Baldwin | Match Forum
October 12th | View the Match
Steven Harrington* vs Chuck Anderson
Commentary by Jason Kottke | Match Forum
October 5th | View the Match
Neil Duerden vs Mathew Star Thomas*
Commentary by Debbie Millman | Match Forum
September 28th | View the Match
Kevin Cornell* vs Shaun Inman
Commentary by John Gruber | Match Forum
* =winner
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Layer Tennis was created by Coudal Partners in Chicago. We also created Jewelboxing for making awesome disc packaging and The Deck, an ad network targeted at creative folks.
