Are worldly decisions stressing you out? Need answers to life that involve help without scamming your family this time?
Then you need to welcome Collins Design’s EVERYTHING EXPLAINED THROUGH FLOWCHARTS by Doogie Horner in your confused and needy little heart.

Brainchild of comedian + graphic designer Doogie Horner came up with this hilarious collection of ingenious flowcharts that illuminate all of life’s greatest mysteries, from the best way to win an argument (maybe over oranges, maybe over marriage), to deciding on the perfect tattoo (sexy banana?) or heavy metal band name that fits your personality.

EVERYTHING EXPLAINED THROUGH FLOWCHARTS has already been receiving love, including a full feature in Wired, and a graphic guide to Facebook profiles that Doogie wrote for Fast Company, which, by the way, you should take a look at. Maybe even adjust your FB profile afterwards.

What we love the most about the book, is that it has shiny bits of comedy all over, in charts and in good ol’ words. Our favorites:

P. 34: Which chain restaurant means what to us and what should they be used for.
Example 1: Casual dining → Work → Trying to seduce the hot intern = Rainforest cafe
Example 2: Casual dining → Love → Last date → Last date (violent) = Hooters

P. 40: Comic book sound effects
Example 1: Weapons → Guns → Ricochet → Total miss = PWING
Example 2: Weapons → Energy → Electricity = ZZZZTTTTTT

P 81: Christmas tragedies
Example 1: Left at home while family goes on trip to Paris; forced to fight burglars.
Example 2: Father leaves to buy cigarettes, never returns.
Example 3: You have four different Christmases to go to in one single day!

P 135: 100 minor disappointments.
Example 1: Fortune cookie empty.
Example 6: Long story pointless.
Example 23: Organic food unhealthy.
Example 58: Baby ugly.Example 96: Scrabble triple word score disputed.

And since no book review is done without some kind of experimentation, BBG tried a fabulous flowchart to determine Jocelyn’s mafia name. It was hard to pick one because so many names fit, so we decided to post her trail of results here.

Mafiastic results = “Layers”, “Socks”, “Jocelyn Frosted Flakes”, “The iBarra” and “Lassie Chopin”.

As you can see, we found out that we have as many possible mafia names as we have mysterious personalities.
Now if you don’t order this book immediately, enjoy the pleasure of finding out why the names fit.
Just kidding (?)

EVERYTHING EXPLAINED THROUGH FLOWCHARTS comes out on October 26th and you can buy it here!

See you in a dark spooky alley,
Jocelyn Frosted Flakes

It’s time to get back to paper, and this month, BBG brings you a special treat in the shape of a book review and in the flavor of Sadness and book layouts!

If you’re alive, then you probably know about Cyanide & Happiness, a popular web-comic hosted on Explosm.net from creators Kris Wilson, Matt Melvin, Rob DenBleyker and Dave McElfatrick. Well, after the huge success from their first book, Cyanide & Happiness, they’re back with new comics, more cartoons behaving badly and more insulting humor in:

ICE CREAM & SADNESS
More comics from Cyanide & Happiness.
(More after the jump)

As you can see, the book features ridic comics that illustrate such light topics in a very dark, cynical, often offensive, and exceedingly irreverent (= fun) way!

Also included, cool “Interactivities” to keep you entertained especially when it’s time to work! Choose from repetitive crossword puzzles, secret messages and word word srcambels.

This book is genius and comes out today, October 5, so do as we do and get it here… or just look at our very own BBG comic strip and be convinced. Or else!

Much love from Jocelyn, BBG and Collins Design.

Signs are everywhere. They tell you what to think of that look everyone just gave you, when to keep quiet, and when you should run away… but they also tell you where to board your plane, where to find food, and in which room you won’t be slapped at a restaurant.

Collins Design’s present of the month is WALK THIS WAY: SIGN GRAPHICS NOW by Matteo Cossu.

No matter where we are, sign graphics find their way to communicate us a coherent message through clear and effective visual images, so design specialist Matteo Cossu presents a collection on some of the most ingenious sign work from around the world, featuring projects and their creators, as well as insight into their creative minds.

A fascinating compilation of photographs take us through amazing signage from museums, libraries, hospitals, theaters, retail, schools and public spaces.

The book also features interviews with sign experts, revealing the inspiration behind their work, the challenges they faced, and their thoughts on the final products. WALK THIS WAY  is a great resource for designers and students because it inspires beautiful visual communication.

The book goes on sale today, August 31st. We think that’s a sign that you should get it.

Images courtesy of Harper Collins Publishers.

First BBG reviewed and blogged about The Visual Miscellaneum. Now the nice peeps at Harper Collins have made our day again by letting us interview his creator, David McCandless!

David makes our world clearer every day through his website Information Is Beautiful, and we share the love for information graphics, facts and whiskey.

The future according to David? New Apple gadgets like the iBuprofen, the iPod Utility Belt (just like Batman’s!) and something mysterious very appropriately called “Mysteron.”

Ok read!

1. If you could have actual data of something very intriguing to make a chart, what would that be?

I’d like to make more images of psychological and emotional data. Like patterns in dreams, moods, relationships – the kinds of things that don’t technically “exist” materially speaking, but are likely to have some hidden patterns and structure in them. Not quite sure how I’d do it though!

2. What chart has been impossible to make?

No chart has been impossible. NOTHING CAN RESIST THE ALL-SPANNING MIGHT OF THE CHART!

3. How do you decide what should be turned into a graph?

Frustration, ignorance and curiosity. Those are my leads. If I’m annoyed that I don’t get something important. Or I don’t understand something. Or I wonder how something works. Those feelings are the fuel for an image.

4. Are you making a chart of this questionnaire right now?

Negative.

5. Fave website today to catch up on worthy information.

Reddit. (Very intelligent comments)

6. Apple’s “Next Big Thing” now that the iPad is out?

http://www.theinternetnowinhandybookform.com/schmapple/

7. What is the best way to drink whisky?

No ice, in a green leather armchair, by an open fire, next to a window, over a loch, at the end of the day.

8. I like Twitter like I like ____.

Cashew nuts

9. Top 3 reasons why you love information.

1. It’s learning – brain food!
2. It’s fun – like putty!
3. It’s everywhere – no escape – so get with it

10. Any chance we can see a David McCandless life chart soon?

I actually really dislike Life Charts. Shhhhhhh! For me, designers should be solving problems and helping the world be more excellent.  I don’t see how life charts contribute. Who cares how many bus journeys a designer took??

11. What is the aspect of design you give the highest priority to?

Answering questions.

…

David’s book, The Visual Miscellaneum is out everywhere, so give in and buy it. You can go see your cousin’s new boring play some other time.
By Jocelyn Ibarra for Bright Bright Great.
BBG loves books!

Images via. One more for the road:

Have we mentioned how much we love Collins Design?

Collins Design is the editorial behind The Virtual Miscellaneum, a brill book BBG had the pleasure to review, love and obsess about last November.

This time Collins Design made our January by sending us a copy of Design for the Greater Good by Peleg Top and Jonathan Cleveland. A book showcasing the best, brightest, and most successful design campaigns in the nonprofit industry.

The message behind Designing for the Greater Good is that nonprofit campaigns shouldn’t merely share a message, but that they should serve as inspiration to encourage action.

The book includes 24 case studies, interviews with designers, cause-specific campaigns, logos and branding for nonprofits and tons of websites, posters, brochures, advertising, and marketing materials for different events and nonprofits. By the time you finish it, you should at least feel a little enlightened.

Go get this book before you’ve been left behind. On awesomeness!

Images by Jocelyn Ibarra for Bright Bright Great.

Get the book here!

Learn more about the book and its authors here:

http://www.designingforthegreatergood.com/