Forget Photoshop!

Think fancy photoshop effects are the bee’s pyjamas? Remember that the universe has been around for much longer and is much better at eye-popping visuals than anything Adobe is able to offer.

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Motivation

There’s nothing nicer than an unexpected compliment and I’ve had two post-it notes left on my computer since starting my job. How lovely and both from people who don’t even work in the same office!

Makes me smile first thing in the morning, thanks guys!

Eight minutes of inspiration

Last week I attended the 8×8 conference organised by I Love Design, at the Imperial College in Kensington. Conference is probably a bit of a strong word, suggestive as it is of stuffy business-suit types nibbling buffets and exchanging cards. Nothing could be further from what turned out to be a very entertaining evening. The idea was simply for 8 speakers to talk for 8 minutes each on the subject of inspiration. The line was very impressive, from grizzled vetrans, such as John Bateson, winner of over 50 D&AD pencils, to relative newcomers like Lewis and Hellicar, who’ve just run the most succesful user-interactive exhibition the V&A has ever known.

All the speakers poured out their hearts to the hundred or so of us gathered in the lecture theatre with the aid of frequently witty slideshows and, aided by free beer, we lapped it up. For myself, as a total newcomer to the industry, it was humbling and thought-provoking. It was wonderful to hear Richard Hooker (of Wieden and Kennedy) admit that he too has days when the ideas just won’t come, and Vaughn Oliver talk about his collaborations with students at the University for the Creative Arts at Epsom. Jamie Wieck boggled us with astrophysics as he decoded the Pioneer 10 plaque, Hudson and Bec explained to us how Cantona helped to shape their own philosophy and Matt Dent taught us a Singapore government slogan; “BE CREATIVE”.

The key message I took away from the evening was that design is nothing without an objective behind it. Design for the sake of it is flawed and generally lacking in direction, it needs a concept, an ideal to live up to and against which it can be measured. I believe that by setting out with a clear purpose, whether it’s to inform, educate or entertain, the end result becomes much, much more successful.

Oh and also not to forget that you never stop learning.

And apparently Eric Gill was a paedophile.

I went to the New Blood show

Earlier this week I travelled down to Kensington Olympia to view this year’s D&AD New Blood. As I’ve already alluded to, I attented last year as an eager young graduate, so I was keen to return 12 months on and see if what this year’s crop were up to.

As soon as I arrived I was again struck by the intimidating, overwhelming, visual assualt. Several thousand student’s work across 171 stands with pretty much every major art college in the UK represented plus a good smattering from abroad. I was forcibly reminded of my impressions from last year; that the hall resembled a cattle market, only this time I was one of the patrons, picking out the choicest cuts. Once again it was a slightly unnerving experience, not least because the standard of work was very high indeed.

I was issued with a yellow wristband – the mark of the Industry Pro, which whilst boosting my ego, did mean that students kept approaching me with uncertain grins and start asking if I was finding the work all right and if there was anything I could do to them. It was as squirmingly uncomfortable for me as it must have been for them.

I’ll shut up now and post some photos.

First off Alfie the Fox by a student whose name I stupidly didn’t record but who definitely went to Edinburgh College of Art.

Next up pixel art from Sam Burgon from the North Wales School of Art & Design.

Lovely looking and witty typography by Bethan Hodges who I’m pretty certain went to the University for the West of England.

And finally (for now), excellent and slightly spooky model making by Charlotte Wosiek from Plymouth College of Art & Design.

I also came back with a sack full of free brochures some of which were part catalogue, part editorial experiment, so keep one eye to the web for more of other people’s stuff being splashed across here!

Fun in the city

This is a prologue to a lovely day out I’m having tomorrow. I’m venturing out of Norfolk and heading down to the big smoke (smog) of London. I’m visiting the New Blood show and also staying up past my bed time for the 8×8 conference and I’m counting on coming home thoroughly drenched in inspiration.

This will be my third year at New Blood, once as an impressionable student, once as a highly strung undergraduate, and now once as a fully fledged designer. I’m really looking forward to seeing what this year’s bunch have come up with, especially since I had a bit of a preview at Norwich University College for the Creative Arts (not part of where I went to despite the same names) degree shows last week. Bit heavy on the branding but I’m expecting great things. Also according to all the usual blogs, Bath Spa are again worth a look.

The speakers at the 8×8 are top draw as well, the two guys who run It’sNiceThat, the guy who did the new coin designs for the Royal Mint, and a lad from Airside. I freakin’ love Airside’s work.

All in all I’m excited as I’ve been about anything in ages!

Probably should go and have a lie down…

Smile please, we’re designers

Today the Soak team went off to see the very talented Michael Harrington to get some photographs taken for the “About” section of our website. It seems to be an integral part of the design agency’s image, to have the faces of their employees grinning nervously online, I think in an effort to come arcoss as more friendly and approachable, which of course this industry generally is than your average small service industry business.

But I was wondering how other agencies display their profiles. So here’s a quick round-up of some other people’s sites I could find in about 5 minutes. First thing I’ve noticed is that many agencies don’t actually use photos on their sites, relying instead on the quality of their work and their salesman spiel to sell themselves. Here’s a few of my favourites of those sites that do feature mug-shots.

First up Pirata, a very nice looking site, with a nice group shot, but only bios of the company directors.

thomas.matthews have a nifty flash click through with close-up, outdoor portraits and bios of each member of staff.

Soup also use flash to create an elaborate, but very engaging page which features everyone of their thirty plus staff.

The lovely folks at Spring have used objects distinctive to each person rather than traditional portraits to make their site more quirky and interesting.

But the prize for most ridiculous “About” page must go to Saatchi’s CEO Kevin Roberts, who has his own website, which is pretty much just about him. Videos, blogs, photos of Kevin. Just we’ve always wanted to read about.

That time of year again!

That’s right, it’s graduate end of year show time! Lots has already happened which I’ve missed, including Free Range and my former college’s degree show which happened last night. I couldn’t make it down, but people tell me it all went well. I intend to go down to New Blood and see if it’s painful this year as it was last time.

All the design blogs have been linking up the hottest selection of this year’s crop and there’s clearly a lot of talent out there. I feel sorry for these guys, I really do. Not only are they graduating in the middle of the most over-publicised recession of all time, but they’ve been told flat out not to bother getting into the industry at all (remember that article? No? Well I can’t find it online so just take my word for it).  Many people I know who graduated last year have been struggling to find jobs, but interestingly those who chose to go freelance are doing quite nicely. Possible alternate route there?

There’s plenty of advice floating around for those who want to read it, so I won’t clog up the information super highway with my own pearly wisdom, well let’s face it, I can’t really comment on successful job hunting. Anyway if you studied at a London college you’ll almost certainly be fine.

Stupid London centric industry.

UPDATE: Found that article at DesignWeek online, but you have to be registered to read it, so instead you should read this interesting critic by James Corazzo here.

Thank you Thoughtful6!

Stormy skies o’erhead

We’ve just been hit by the storms that have been battering the UK today. It seems like a long time since I’ve seen a really big bundle of thunder and lightning and this particular maelstrom had it by the angry, echoey, bucket-load. The sultry atmosphere and thick grey clouds that hung overhead all afternoon were warning enough of the approaching storm; no-one needed some smiley weather forecaster to tell them. Up the road a neighbor battled to cover his newly varnished piping with a tarpaulin before the rain fell. And fall it did, flooding the drainpipes and filling up the patio, hammering down through the old roof tiles and seeping in cracks in the windows. Of course this storm would pale in comparison to those witnessed in many other parts of the world, but right here, it’s mightily impressive.

I love stormy weather, provided I’m safely tucked inside a waterproof shelter of some kind, there’s something so terrifying primeval about it. When I was a kid (and I’m sure this is just a trick of my nostalgic memory), we seemed to get such storms at least once a month. They were bigger two, with more blinding flashes that lit the sky like a monstrous strobe and crashes of thunder that shook the ground beneath my feet like an earthquake. One thing definitely hasn’t changed though and that’s the power cuts. Being in a pretty rural location such severing of amenities were to be expected, lasting for hours, sometimes days. I remember we always had a stock of candles in a handy cupboard (candles not battery powered torches for some reason).

However the lack of electricity this time around (because, true to form, the storm has knocked out the shaky local connection) feels much sharper and more meaningful. Without it I’m disconnected, my mobile, something I never had as a child, and my laptop, will run out of battery, the butter in the fridge will melt and I can forget about watching tv or surfing the internet. The water heater is gas powered, but the electrical gizmo telling it when to switch on, is not. It’s suddenly apparent that life would be utterly paralyzed without electricity to power my modern, 21st century life.

The thunder is still echoing around in the distance and I can smell the wet, earthy scent of rain on dry ground. A rainbow, shimmering stripes of colour has appeared over the river. It’s time to turn the computer off and go and watch the skies.

Shiny new shoes

I’ve just bought a new pair of shoes, Umbro brand trainers to be exact and they’re bright, glaring, almost offensively white. They’re so clean and white in fact that I feel quite self conscious wearing them, like I’ve got mini glowing lights on my feet, lighting up the pavement around me.

This got me thinking about new things. Normally new things are exciting, I like having some new electronic gizmo to play with, a new cd to listen, new is different and exciting. However I’ve always found clothes to be a big exception to this. I’ve never been entirely comfortable in new clothes, starchy fresh shirts sit awkwardly on my shoulders, I don’t like the shop-smell of socks, and I definitely don’t like wearing shoes for the first time.

It takes a while for clothes to be worn in, until they feel natural and comfortable. I do think that clothes get better the more they’re used – old is so much better than new. Maybe that’s why charity shop clothes are so much more comfortable first time on.

There is nothing quite like a really comfortable pair of old trousers.

Nothing to report

I’ve been a bit (very) lax in blogging this last week or so. This is chiefly because nothing very much has happened to me recently. I wish I was running one of those sites where I can post up other people’s work and say gosh look how cool I am by association, but I’m not (clearly I don’t wish that I was just being devastatingly sarcastic).

I have found the time to take a photo of my desk at my job. It’s lunch time and I’m about to eat a pitta bread filled with cheese and cucumber. Having a full time job is great for feeling more secure in myself, but has, for the time being, taken much of the excitement out of my days.

I promise I’ll work on making something worth writing about happen to me soon…

(There that keeps the content ticking over, time to eat my pitta sandwich)