Brilliant print ads are often timeless, so it's no surprise that years-old designs have a habit of resurfacing online every now and again. Currently being appreciated anew is a campaign for art supplies brand Faber-Castell from way back in 2011.
Like all the best print ads, the 'True Colours' campaign is just the right amount of smart, striking and witty. Demonstrating how the brand's coloured pencils are designed to be true to life, the ads depict a series of objects sharpened into, yep, coloured pencils.
(Image credit: Faber-Castell)
From a fire engine to an aubergine (no jokes, please), the objects are seamlessly transformed into the nib of a colour-matched pencil. The posters were created by German ad agency Serviceplan, and are currently going down a storm on Reddit's r/DesignPorn page.
Poor shark (Image credit: Faber-Castell)
Perhaps the most striking examples are those where the nib fits perfectly into the shape of the object, as is the case with the shark's head. But then again, those that disrupt the natural form are equally bizarre – how do you turn a dachshund into a duck? By sharpening it into a pencil, apparently. Inspired to get drawing? Check out the best pencils for artists (spoiler alert: they're all shaped like actual pencils).
Poor dog (Image credit: Faber-Castell)
I mean. Yeah! So much this. @FaberCastell Castell True Colours. Wonderful Campaign. pic.twitter.com/G3mKlsPPRZJanuary 28, 2020
Daniel John is Senior News Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of art, design, branding and lifestyle tech (which often translates to tech made by Apple). He joined in 2020 after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more.
