Business Cards

This is a great website for checkiing out some really creative business cards and stationary. It is work of designers and organizations across the globe and has rather inspiring work. There is always a range of interesting pieces there, that sometimes push the boundaries and the ordinary functions of a business card to the limits. Definitely worth a browse.

http://cardobserver.com/

Film Festival

This is a poster design that caught my attention while flicking through the Computer Arts magazine, by a young recent graduate from a ba(hons) graphic design course. I just really liked the illustration of the projector and the light beam, i thought it really captures the motion of the light brilliantly in this still. The sharp shapes and hard lines contrasted with the soft exterior ones is, and then the gradient of scale which perfectly represents the way in which a cinema screen works. The relationship with the typography and the image also flows nicely, it continues the direction and doesn't disrupt the flow of the design.

Paul Day

Earlier in the summer i visited London, we went by train and of course went via st Pancras station. I was amazed by its rehabilitation and by the enormous sculpture looking over the whole station. Its stands high and prominent at the end of the station and is a tremendous symbol of the romance that comes with a train station. The meeting of two lovers kept by distance, and unite on the platform and hold each other tightly to make up for all the time they have lost apart. It is a brilliant sculpture that pays so much attention to detail, that you can actually imagine the cliche seen and the real feelings that come with it. It is so enormous that i feel it becomes apart of the architecture, the same way architecture affects you when you are interacting with it, so does this sculpture; it gives you an extremely warm feeling.

Design event

Design event

This is an organization that celebrates all work in graphics, illustration, architecture and product design. They have a great web site that allows you to see some of the work from previous exhibitions and informs you on everything that is coming up.

http://www.design-event.co.uk/index.htm

It has been running for 5 years, and this year there is particularly nice exhibition/ project called Democracy. It is especially valid for people doing graphics or illustration, and there is some interesting pieces. I quite liked the message here in this one, i also like the idea of using the tape to erase some of the copy, like its all a big cover up, however i am not too fond of the overall delivery of the piece. The copy did get me thinking about the way we are all communicated to and mislead in some cases through so called democracy.

The salvation Army

This is an advertisement for the Salvation Army's adult rehabilitation centres across America. It is a extremely interesting use of the renowned song Amazing Grace, and it uses the lyrics to set up an insight into a lot of once troubled peoples lives. The script and concept work perfectly along side the song, and it quickly delivers the message about the people involved. At first you are lead to believe that you are about to once again here the just the song, as itself delivers a message of hardship and hope. Then the lyrics are replaced with what ever it is the person needed help for; 'crack addict', 'meth freak', 'just lost' and so on. I think it is a gentle way of delivering the word about the extraordinary work the Salvation Army does for people everywhere.

Dot to Dot

This is a relatively simple style of type face on a flat 2D format, however it does have its little quirky surprises. For instance, especially with a dotted style of type face you do no expect the small flicks off letters like m, n, r, a, b and the dots on the i to have two dots in them. Its just a little unexpected, but the effect is quite nice, as the letters some how feel extended even if it is only by one dot. Some of the pictures are taken from the Montreal Museum of Art, it is an e-art exhibition.

Sixteen font book

I really liked the design of this book, the typography used is extremely well thought out, and the colour scheme is simple but has a big impact. I am pretty sure that the purpose of the book is to just show off these 16 fonts, i am not entirely sure why though. It would be a quite handy tool to have around the place if you are a designer though, as quick glance at the book you can get a look and feel of one of the popular fonts chosen and decide whether its right for your project.

Dubai

Architecture

On the whole Dubai's new found flourish of architecture is simply staggering, with new designs, ideas and buildings popping up every where. It is no surprise that i have found something jaw dropping to do with the architecture there. The transformation is so vast to the extent that there are more construction workers than the population of Dubai. I just want to show you this amazingly/shockingly beautiful design, how is anything like that even achievable. It really is jaw dropping, i pretty sure that is only a computer generated image, but the fact that someone has designed that with the intentions of building it is tremendous. I am not sure how it would be done, and i am not sure why but it is truly inspiring to think what we can do in this day and age.

Whats this?????

Paul Smith and Evian unite

For a limited time only Evian are going to have a Paul Smith glass bottle to add to their collection. It is going to be running until christmas. It really took me by surprise, as well don't worry. Anyway the design of the bottle is really nice, with the famous Paul Smith coloured stripes rapped round the bottle neck the brands come together perfectly. I can only imagine it is to be sold in up market restaurants, bars and shops like John Lewis and so on... The look of the bottle is really great but i am just wondering whether it will be worth the price?? (what ever that may be). Apparently the ink is all organic as well, evian and Paul Smith have really gone to town with this one.

UP

Up

Up is the latest instalment from disney pixar and is going to be a big hit this autumn, if it lives up to the hype that is. This film has had trailers all over the apple site for months, and i personally am looking forward to seeing it. I would love to see it in 3D as i have never been to an i Max yest, but i don't know if this will be the right one for the job. There are some great looking characters in it and i am truly looking forward to see if Disney Pixar have produced another stunning piece of work on par with Wall.e.

Fundraiser

WWF fundraising campaign

This is a campaign ran by the Austrian WWF sector, in order to try and raise not only awareness but some much needed funds too. This is different in that way from the other awareness campaigns I have looked at, this one is requesting an actual direct response. It needs you to do something, it has a purpose that can be recorded by how much extra money this raises for the organisation. Its quite a nice design the way it uses a few coins to generate the form of easily recognisable creatures or plants across the world, and the tag line ties in with this 'Save the world with a few coins. Donate at www.wwf.at'. A nice concept that has been well executed.

Reality

WWF awareness campaign

This is a fantastic piece of work. The truth of it hits home straight away, there is one massive message to take from this, we a stopping the planet from breathing. Through using the shape of a lung the designer has managed to humanize the subject, Earth. It now not only the place we live on, we see it as a creature we live with. There is no need for any copy apart from the WWF tag line and call to action in the bottom right hand corner. If that does not inspire some kind of change in a person then there are not many images that will. Maybe they could have furthered it with a series of posters, where the lung is slowly taken all away to show the effect in years to come.

Old drawing pin box

I thought this was a really nice design, and i came across it while working on my one week brief. The brilliant two colour piece has a wonderful character about it. The illustration of the drawing pin is fantastic, with the solid black as the shading that has been crafted to still create a shiny look and feel. There is strong sense of geometry in the layout too, the two large shapes pointing at each other are bi-symetrical, and scale rotation, and the words 'drawing' and 'pin' are in someways evenly spread to balance the design. Of course the design is leaning to the left, and that may be due to the weight the word 'drawing' is carrying.

how to become a graphic designer without losing your soul

The Holy Grail of design books. I am quite a way through it and already i have learnt so much. It's a must read if you are intending to go away from uni and get into the world of design. It covers almost everything you need to know as a young designer. If your looking to keep on creating meaningful and wonderful work without being stuck in rut working on projects with no feeling then you neeeeeeeeeeeed this book. Or at least get it from the library. It is written by a range of different successful designers across the world, so you get to hear their experiences, mishaps and triumphs first hand.

Vintage VW

I just saw this and i needed to photograph it. It was a couple of pitches down from us on our camp site in Cornwall, and one evening when the sun decided to come say hello i took my chance. It was quite a coincidence as a bloke from work had just got himself a blue one, however not with such a nice name as 'Devon sunrise.' It was one of the most unmissable modes of transports i have ever seen, and it inspired me to take a photograph of it.

Bad subject matter

Banned commercial connected with WWF

Firstly the person who made this video must have been smoking something funny to think that it would actually generate any kind of response other than to be condemned. There are plenty of banned advertisements that still create a positive bond with their audience, however this one seems to destroy it right from the word go. Then they associated with the WWF to make it seem like it was ok and all for a greater cause. But in the end it has just ended up them wasting, time money and any kind of rep they had. The messaging is tragic, although it is clear of what they are trying to communicate, to suggest one disaster is less or worse than another is not going to sit well with many people.

This forced a spokesman to quickly make a public apology.

Anti domestic violence ad

Yet again another brilliant awareness campaign, this time an american advertisement from 2006. I don't want to get bogged down in child abuse, domestic violence and all that jazz, but the work really is inspiringly good (most the time). This advert really impressed me with the concept, easy to understand within a few seconds, and then a great tag line at the end bringing the whole idea together 'Kids learn a lot from their parents - including domestic abuse'. I think my sudden interest in this style of work is the way it gets me to react with out any need for a direct response. I suppose working in a direct response agency for a year would leave me open to a sucker punch from this style of design.

Don't Hide It

2006 NSPCC Don't Hide it campaign

I have begun to take an interest in awareness campaigns, certain charities have got a brilliant way with their design, and every campaign seems to be be effective. This one really is tremendous, I thought those 3 posters shown above said all they need to about the problems and difficulties children put up with all over the country/world. The masks are, lets face it freaky, but show the fake, lifeless charades put on each and every day. Choice of photography and location is also key here, as each setting is obviously a childs bedroom, and the masks are placed in ordinary places, much like where you would sling your blazer or P.E bag over. A brilliant example of how to evoke uneasy emotions, some which you not sure how you should react to. Its nice that isn't instantly recognisable that it is a mask, i like the fact it draws you in with unfamiliar sight, then opens your eye with a shocking reality.

I know its a little cliche, but reaching out to the kids is very important, and around this time i think the choice of music was excellent. The video below is the official song of the campaign, and it has come at a time where that style of music is growing in popularity at an incredible rate. The video, although not a master piece by any standard, does empathise with many childrens situations. Plus it is again another link to the style of music videos seen, on the like of 'channel U', Mtv Base and the internet.

Patrick Hughes

Perceptionist

I recently visited the Leeds Art Gallery, as I heard about a surrealist exhibition that was taking place from August till November. I saw the work of Patrick Hughes and was dazzled by his grasp of perception and ways of manipulating it. I have looked further at his work online and have found some more pieces of work that were very interesting.

http://www.patrickhughes.co.uk/index.htm

There is a mind boggling video clip at the top of the page above, it is of one of his pieces of work, which at first seems to be flat. However the secret to his deceit is then revealed at the piece is spun all the way round. His control and understanding over perception is endless, and there is a nice little description of the science of perspective on the website.

MAGMA

Online shop Magma

This is a great place to get some interesting buys. It is a book shop in London, mainly aiming towards the design/creative side of the population that has a brilliant website. I used it to purchase a book on pitching for my placement colleague when i was leaving just to say thanks, and it came the very next day. Shocked? yea me too, take that amazon. As soon as you land on the website you know in the right place if you are a creative person, there are some fantastic books, and they often come with some well informed reviews, so you won't have to take any chances on anything. Check it out, is well worth is.

http://www.magmabooks.com/content/bookshop/bookshop.asp

An R.N.L.I awareness campaign

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaH0GhVvsSU

First of all I am sorry i couldn't embed the video, youtube says no hhmm. Anyway this investigation of the Royal National Lifeboats Institute came about after seeing those wellington dogs. I found this advertisement on youtube from the organisations 175th anniversary in 1999, and i have to say it gave me a little shiver. I had goose bumps, as it placed them in situations i could immediately imagine myself in. The roller coster in pooring rain simulating waves, the large propeller in their faces and the freezer all represented feelings i could understand. It was shot in an impressive cinematic fashion, which was more than fitting as it was shown before the movie at the pictures. Very well thought out awareness advertisement, that really slams home the difficulties and the bravery of the volunteers.

Dog named Wellington

Wellington boot dogs

These caught me by surprise, and freaked me out at first if I am honest. Walking through the streets of Padstowe these pair were standing guard outside a charming little gallery. The boy dog, well I am referring to him as the boy because he is grey and bigger, had a note hanging from his collar asking for donations to the charity R.N.L.I. I thought it was more than worthy of a few quid, but I have to confess I didn’t make the link with R.N.L.I straight away. I know your thinking how could I not, in Cornwall, near the sea all the clues were there, so I asked the lady and she explained. I just thought they were a really nice way of grabbing peoples attention and it certainly caught mine.

The cornwall sun set

It is not what you call man-made design but never the less it definitely is a spectacle. It is constructed by the best known architect God (oooo controversial), and even more of a mystery is how this was a photo I took down in Cornwall on Mawgan Porth beach. On one of the 5 days of sunshine we have had this summer I was gifted with this beautiful sunset. After a few in the Merry Moore inn we took to the beach to watch it set, and sat in amazement at the show we were given. While the kids played in the stream and parents nattered, I took the time to take some pictures and savour the moment. From the dramatic gradient in the sky to the sparkling reflections off the sea this scene really was any photographers dream. Unfortunately all I had is my camera phone; not that I am saying I am a photographer. Any way I feel these few shots provide enough of a visual indication of how I could have been stopped in my tracks and made to appreciate this sun set. The colours produced were phenomenal, and this kind of gradient could never be achieved with such excellence artificially. Truly is a sight for soar eyes.

Stand out Poster No2

It really is a brilliant design. It is perfect for its job, to tell people you can get to Tate Modern by the tube. The obvious elements like the paint tube creating the straight organised lines of the underground map are what makes this such a inspiring concept. There is also the typography at the bottom of the page, with ‘by tube’ in italics, creating that sense of motion and pace. Then also the paint tube itself, with the logo of the underground on the tube rather than a regular paint sticker. Once again the tube of paint is a tube of paint, not a brush, bottle or any other form; which all help to convey the message conceptually and clearly.

Stand out poster No1

This poster really caught my eye and stood out from the rest. Very simple idea very simply executed. Despite the obvious simplicity the concept is very strong, and more to the point thought provoking. It demands a reaction like ‘aaaaaa’ or ‘oooooh’ or ‘wow look at all the extra space’ or something like that. It made me think about how needlessly congested our roads are and how easily the problem could be bettered. I particularly like the middle picture, which shows the 69 people out on the street. This gives you an instant visual representation of exactly how small a group of 69 people is. Then there is that iconic logo that represents transport in London, famous around the world it stamps that bit of quality and trust into the design.

The London Transport Museum

I visited London over summer to take mother goose to the Lion King Show at the Lyceum theatre, while there we also visited The London Transport Museum. If I am honest it is not a museum I thought I would visit at any point, but we were in the area and we thought might as well kill some time and learn something. To our surprise there were some interesting aspects to the museum. I am not going to lie to you, it won’t blow your mind but there is plenty to see and engage with, and there are a very nice collection vintage posters. So at least like me you creative people can find something to distract you. The building was very nice too, architecturally some stunning features, inside that is. There was also I nice little incentive for the younger people, which we didn’t really get till half way round, and that was a stamp card of the evolving technology. Each new area there was a stamp that would punch the shape of the vehicle you were near. Since I had forgot some I couldn’t leave with out completing so I may have ran all the way back round to complete my card. Something that I read there that made me think, was the fact that they obviously couldn’t use steam power underground and so had to go with the very new and risky technology of electricity. I have never really had to think about this kind of thing before, as I have always known things to just work, so it was interesting to be brought back into realisation of how things were.

Vintage travel posters

Vintage

During the summer I visited The London Transport Museum while in the city attending the Lion King West End show. I have to be honest i was pleasantly surprised, but anyway more about the museum and what it has to offer in my next blog. This blog is much more dedicated to the collection of brilliant vintage travel posters on display, most of them dedicated to selling the underground along side ones from sightseeing and using the bus. Along side the style of which each adopts, all illustrated and often containing elements or an understanding of geometry, it was the types of messages that intrigued me most. Take the one above that states 'It's cooler below', now I don't live in London but i have experienced the underground mid summer, and i would not describe it as cooler. It's more like 'Free sauna below', would be more fitting, so I was wondering would this kind of message pass legal requirements these days???

However there are some which are brilliantly worked, take the one below. I think this is a great advertisement to place on the tube, it serves the purpose of telling people to stay awake because the trains are so fast you will miss your stop. The designer has turned a negative on its head and used it to show a positive. Even though at first it looks like there is too much copy, it is likely that a poster like that will probably be placed on the tube, and so the audience should have enough time to read it all.

Er and can i just apologise for the pictures took on my phone, not the best some of them.