Andrew Rae Website

Andrew Rae is an illustrator, art director and animator. He has done a lot of big works including working as an Art Director for the show Monkey Dust on BBC 3, illustrating the identity for The V Festival and helping to judge Illustration for D&AD 2006. His short film the Stunt was screened on Channel 4 in 2007. He's part of the illustrator collective Peepshow and Black Convoy.

He mixes loose hand drawn figures in surreal like positions, or situations that give of a playful yet macabre feeling. Often you'll find the body-parts of two different species spliced together to create a new and wonderful being.

What I love about his website is it is so uniquely him. You know exactly what style of artwork you are dealing with when you enter this sight. Its very simple, and quirky and has those amazing little animations at the top of the screen, that wiggle and wink at you seductively. I would question its ease to navigate, finding it hard to go through the images and annoying to constantly scroll down, but who cares when it so seductively entices you to look through them with its quirky control panel. Rae is an established illustrator so its nice to see something so personal as his website! You can order his works off Concrete Hermit, I would definitely suggest a look at his book Perverted Science, its a lot of fun. Go and check out his website and see for yourself at www.andrewrae.org.uk

Barack Obama Website

This website is brilliant and has been heralded as changing the state of current politics.

On accessing the site you are instantly directed to a page that asks you to sign up and donate money if you a supporter, if not you can easily navigate away from the page and enter the website without becoming a member. The layout is well thought out, easy to use and ultimately keeps his supporters informed. You can sign up to volunteer, then start a My.BarackObama.com page and then go on to host local events. There is Obama tv, Obama mobile (text 'hope' to 66262) he even has links to myspace.com and other social networking sites. His manifesto is clear to read and each issue has a heading so you can easily find Barack's opinion's on matters. There is even a 'fight the smears' section that seeks to reconcile any rumours or gossip about Obama.

Its a sleek conservative design that instills us with a sense of proffesional cabability. It's easy to navigate and everything is easy to find. There's no ambiguity. The colours of the american flag are used as the colour scheme and the american eagle features in the centre of most pages. Barack's 'logo' is again in red, white and blue, and looks like a mix between a rising sun, and a rainbow, couple this with his message of hope, it sends a strong message. At the top of your internet browser it reads 'Barack Obama: Change we Can Believ In'! Highly branded in a possitive and patriotic manner, this website shouts confidence.

What this website ultimately does is to allow a member of the public not only to instantly donate but to become an active member in rallying support for Obama. Obama and his campaign understand that this is the information age and the power the internet has to be a tool in this American president election.

Go see for yourself at www.barackobama.com.