rip slyme – cd sleeve, promotional material and merchandise client: warner music japan

in 1993 hiroshi ito founded groovisions. the studio was originally based in kyoto but has since relocated to tokyo where it is active in a variety of media including art, publishing, merchandise, interiors, fashion and web, focusing primarily on graphic and video production. groovisions metro min – books client: starts publishing corporation

designboom spoke briefly to hiroshi about their work:

what did you do before you founded groovisions – did you study design or are you self taught? I studied design in school but I don’t think that experience has helped me with my work at all. early on we were making video images rather than design, we started doing design regularly when we moved to tokyo in 1997. now our work could be described broadly as ‘graphic design’ but we are still making animations ‘moving graphic design’ as well.

groovisions ensuring the future of food – motion graphics client: ministry of agriculture, forestry and fisheries how many people work at groovisions and how do you divide your workload? there are eleven people in total, which I think is just the right amount. usually projects get divided between four art directors and then they make their own team to work with. in the other instances, everybody works together on one project at the beginning and we limit members as it progresses.

groovisions the 40th anniversary of songwriting works takashi matsumoto presents new kazemachi zukan – cd sleeve client: sony music direct (japan)

what are the differences between having the studio in kyoto and tokyo? kyoto is a special city in a lot of senses but it might not be a suitable city to base a design business. nothing has really changed regarding what we do because we were working on tokyo-based projects when we were in kyoto too.

groovisions remioromen ‘wonderful and beautiful’ – cd jacket client: victor entertainment inc. what would you say is the strongest influence on your approach? I think that there always is a hint of ordinary or mediocre things.

what projects will you be working on in 2010? we are planning to publish a book of our work.

groovisions

kokokuhihyo – magazine covers client: madra publishing co. ltd.

groovisions title: fpm / fpm – cd sleeve client: avex entertainment

groovisions p-08a – handyphone interface client: panasonic mobile comunications

groovisions tokyo-london – exhibision poster client: barbican gallery (london)

groovisions 100%chocolatecafe – logotype, shop item client: meiji seika kaisha

groovisions groovisions portrait – the studio represents itself with a rabbitgroovisions the studio’s major projects include producing cd packages and music videos for groups such as rip slyme, suneohair and fpm (fantastic plastic machine); visual identity and signage for shops such as the 100%chocolatecafe.; art direction and editorial design for magazines such as metro min. directing window displays for maison hermès, art direction for the ‘do more with less – 40 years of the north face’ exhibition; the production of motion graphics for expo 2005 aichi japan; and production of motion graphics of education video for ministry of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in 2008. groovisions also manages the virtual character known as chappie, who has had stints acting in commercials and releasing pop songs. the group has also had its work included in the superflat and coloriage exhibitions curated by takashi murakami and held solo exhibitions such as groovisions hkg in hong kong.

http://www.groovisions.com