So there has been little tea drinking since the last entry, it has to be said, but I'm trying to keep to the habit of writing in here before I goto bed!
Jesus, it's been a week and i've done almost no design in it, and I actually feel quite down about it. But it's gone so fast I havn't really had chance! One thing i've decided however is I'm going to take one Polaroid for every day, use them to decorate my walls and maybe use them in my magazine project in uni, kinda a photographic diary. Maybe drop subtle text onto them like in party scene in RocknRolla, making each dance move into a piece from Hello!
How wierd would it be to find a designer in ammongst Kerry Catona and Jade Goody? I'd be like a marine behind enemy lines. After all, if it's one thing designer's hate it's attention on them, not their work. If they do then they generally go into advertising.
Thursday 29 January 2009
Cup of Tea 55
I blog to you now a distraught man. Artistic perfection of toast is a fools game. Once that recipe is discovered by an individual, karma jaunts to distort this happiness in another part of a mans life. That I why I blog to you at 1:30 PM on this Thursday the 29th of January, much earlier than my usual blog to inform you of the death of a friend, a lover, a toaster.
Mark "The Toasterfaced Bastard" Sabichi, aged 57 days. Died tagically this afternoon while the Bloomers were toasting and his owner, one Mat Boyle was high on toasty delight, tragically Mark came down with Toasterpulndgeritis, the inability to hold bread down to be toasted. After several failed attempts to replundge the bread, Mark was pronounced broken by an electircal engineering student.
Let us remember the good times, the toasty times. Whether it was White Bread, Brown Bread, Wholegrain or Farmhouse, Mark accepted them all providing they were sliced finely enough to fit in his slots. So remember when you lift that crunchy delight to your lips, your toaster could be taken away at any time, so enjoy the time you have.
R.I.P. Mark Sabichi.
Mark "The Toasterfaced Bastard" Sabichi, aged 57 days. Died tagically this afternoon while the Bloomers were toasting and his owner, one Mat Boyle was high on toasty delight, tragically Mark came down with Toasterpulndgeritis, the inability to hold bread down to be toasted. After several failed attempts to replundge the bread, Mark was pronounced broken by an electircal engineering student.
Let us remember the good times, the toasty times. Whether it was White Bread, Brown Bread, Wholegrain or Farmhouse, Mark accepted them all providing they were sliced finely enough to fit in his slots. So remember when you lift that crunchy delight to your lips, your toaster could be taken away at any time, so enjoy the time you have.
R.I.P. Mark Sabichi.Wednesday 28 January 2009
Cups of tea 53 - 54
The tea has been minimal, the design has been even less!
What started out as a mess around this morning due to me waking up excited like a child at christmas have proven one thing. I cannot draw realistic people to save my life.
It's true and I guess kinda expected, that as a graphic designer my place is to making text look pretty and maybe a liiiiittle bit of illustration thrown in for good measure, not to be an over-kill illustrator like some people I know.
But God, I wish I could draw.
After a recent DA by my girlfriend, who's work can be found here, I thought i'd be romantic and suprise her with a simplistic illustration of a similar thing (hehe, teaboy... geddit?) but alas, it took me almost two hours to draw something relivity simple. Phail.
Nevermind, I learned of pure artistic perfection later that day... Tesco's "Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper Bloomer" combined with Anchor butter is quite literally, THE best toast ever... it's esentially seasoned tiger bread, but christ, it's tasty... I've almost eaten the whole thing in ten minutes...
Sorry the design and blogging is at a minimun at the moment, with that book project passed all I really want to do is relax, read and cwtch up in bed and pretend to watch films. Life is good <3.
What started out as a mess around this morning due to me waking up excited like a child at christmas have proven one thing. I cannot draw realistic people to save my life.
It's true and I guess kinda expected, that as a graphic designer my place is to making text look pretty and maybe a liiiiittle bit of illustration thrown in for good measure, not to be an over-kill illustrator like some people I know.
But God, I wish I could draw.
After a recent DA by my girlfriend, who's work can be found here, I thought i'd be romantic and suprise her with a simplistic illustration of a similar thing (hehe, teaboy... geddit?) but alas, it took me almost two hours to draw something relivity simple. Phail.
Nevermind, I learned of pure artistic perfection later that day... Tesco's "Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper Bloomer" combined with Anchor butter is quite literally, THE best toast ever... it's esentially seasoned tiger bread, but christ, it's tasty... I've almost eaten the whole thing in ten minutes...
Sorry the design and blogging is at a minimun at the moment, with that book project passed all I really want to do is relax, read and cwtch up in bed and pretend to watch films. Life is good <3.
Monday 26 January 2009
Cups of tea 50 - 52
Wow, that's a whole lot of tea for 27 days. Winnah.
I love reading week, its a chance to chill the hell out, watch films, draw and read books. Over the next week i've set myself a goal of the following -
I love reading week, its a chance to chill the hell out, watch films, draw and read books. Over the next week i've set myself a goal of the following -
- Read 5 books
- Design a typeface
- Seek out new promoters for freelance work
- Sleep lots.
Sunday 25 January 2009
Cups of tea 48 - 49
A long, stressful day in work. It was made better by the tea I drank at the end I assure you.
I watch a lecturer on the design museum website last night about what makes an iconic design and it got me thinking. They pretty much stated how designers all want iconic designs and in this quest to gain momentary design fame and glory, they were willing to sell their souls to the perilous world of advertising and how this is becoming what design is. The ability to hock people things they don't really need by giving it sense of cultural significance.
The Ipod seemed to be the best used analogy. How there are millions of other MP3 players on the market, but the one that is clearly stated on the boxes for headphones etc. is "Ipod Compatible", not only this but how we're in a culture of "Perishable Design". For as we all know, Apple release a new model every 6 months... or they break not long after that, almost forcing us to upgrade.
It's kinda had a lasting effect on me past the 40 minutes of my life it took to watch it... It made me think of all the crap I owned that I don't really need to "define me". Abeit designer, gamer, reader, lover, son etc. While I'm hardly going to be as radical as Micheal Landy (the guy who destroyed his "life" on the site of a London Department store for an exhibition) it's certainly made me think.
It kinda made me think of "How to become a Graphic Designer Without Losing your soul" by Adrian Shaughnessy (at least that's where I think it's from...). There's an interview with Neville Brody in the back (Aswell as several other well known designers) and he states something along the lines of -
I watch a lecturer on the design museum website last night about what makes an iconic design and it got me thinking. They pretty much stated how designers all want iconic designs and in this quest to gain momentary design fame and glory, they were willing to sell their souls to the perilous world of advertising and how this is becoming what design is. The ability to hock people things they don't really need by giving it sense of cultural significance.
The Ipod seemed to be the best used analogy. How there are millions of other MP3 players on the market, but the one that is clearly stated on the boxes for headphones etc. is "Ipod Compatible", not only this but how we're in a culture of "Perishable Design". For as we all know, Apple release a new model every 6 months... or they break not long after that, almost forcing us to upgrade.
It's kinda had a lasting effect on me past the 40 minutes of my life it took to watch it... It made me think of all the crap I owned that I don't really need to "define me". Abeit designer, gamer, reader, lover, son etc. While I'm hardly going to be as radical as Micheal Landy (the guy who destroyed his "life" on the site of a London Department store for an exhibition) it's certainly made me think.
It kinda made me think of "How to become a Graphic Designer Without Losing your soul" by Adrian Shaughnessy (at least that's where I think it's from...). There's an interview with Neville Brody in the back (Aswell as several other well known designers) and he states something along the lines of -
"Always stick to your principles as a graphic designer, even if it means losing the bigger clients, people will respect you more."
And I can see what he means, to be honest I really don't want to become a whore to advertisers, selling people products I wouldn't buy or I know could be harmful to them. The day I design for a tabacoo company is the day I put away the mechanical pencil and break my mightmouse. I'm going to try to stick to Ken Garland's First things First Manifesto... Design for things with purpose, with substance. Not to sell a fat kid cake. Well... unless I get to attend the photoshoot of a hawt model seductivly eating cake. Naked.
Saturday 24 January 2009
Cups of Tea 24 - 47
Jesus, how much tea and time have passed, dew dew!
Just a quick update for the three or four people who do check the blog to let them know that I'm not giving up on it... and as of now on it will be DAILY UPDATE. Even if I havn't got anything to say... fun!
I'll do a proper entry tommorow, so yeah... Teasign aye?
Just a quick update for the three or four people who do check the blog to let them know that I'm not giving up on it... and as of now on it will be DAILY UPDATE. Even if I havn't got anything to say... fun!
I'll do a proper entry tommorow, so yeah... Teasign aye?
Monday 12 January 2009
Cups 21 - 24
After a long thought, I've decided on something. I'm not going to update everyday but every two. I mean if I update EVERY day, i'm going to be forcing out content when i'm totally uninspired. Like yesterday, I hungered to design all day and when I got home from work, was just to tired to want to know... This tiredness hit me like a ton of bricks and I slept for like 4 hours this afternoon before a 2 1/2 hour gym session which wore me out even more.
All i've really done today is draw, yawn and sleep. While this could sound like an ideal day to some people, to me it was hell. I need to be active, I need to do SOMETHING with my time. But alas, what I should be doing is the only brief that's ever been "meh" to me... such is life I suppose... I'll just crack into it tommorow when I finish writing the story behind it... yeah!
And for those who havn't seen him, I present to you George, The Chameleon... doing what chameleon's do best and blending in with my furniture... bless him!
All i've really done today is draw, yawn and sleep. While this could sound like an ideal day to some people, to me it was hell. I need to be active, I need to do SOMETHING with my time. But alas, what I should be doing is the only brief that's ever been "meh" to me... such is life I suppose... I'll just crack into it tommorow when I finish writing the story behind it... yeah!
And for those who havn't seen him, I present to you George, The Chameleon... doing what chameleon's do best and blending in with my furniture... bless him!
Saturday 10 January 2009
Cups of Tea 18 - 20
So kick my ass... I didn't update. Nor did anyone care, the world kept turning thank goodness, I was afraid that this world would spiral into anarchy and the worlds best and brightest would be hunted down and burned at the stake. Luckily, I'm not that full of my own self-importance to believe this could happen. Nothing changes. Well somethings do.
Today my perspective changed.
Being the design student I am, I thought with this loan I would improve myself slightly, I baught some books. I got Fingerprint (The art of using handmade elements in graphic design, by the Chen Design Associates), The Art of looking sideways, The Things I've learned in life so Far (by Stefan Sagmeister) The Complete Factory records and Peter Saville Estate 1 - 127.
However, these are not the books that changed my perspective. Reguardless of how they sent my brain into motion with creative flair, their bright colours and provocative insight were inspiring.
The Book that has changed how I approach design is "It's not how good you are, but how good you want to be" By Paul Arden (The man responsible for such advestising slogans as "The car in front is a Toyota" and British Airway's "The World's Favorite Airline").
No truer words can be spoken than in this book. He says anything can be achieved by setting a goal. That no one can get to any destination without first establishing where it is they want to go. That every job needs to be done to the full potential. There is no next job. Being right is almost being wrong.
I set my goals. I will one day run my own studio. I will one day be an art director for a magazine. I will achieve the same level of knowledge of my craft as Peter Saville, whilst maintaining his standpoint on design celebrity. I.e. I won't strive for it, just to be the best.
Now I need more tea. I need a pencil and I want to design. But alas, it is late, I'm working early but I dare not sleep.
Today my perspective changed.
Being the design student I am, I thought with this loan I would improve myself slightly, I baught some books. I got Fingerprint (The art of using handmade elements in graphic design, by the Chen Design Associates), The Art of looking sideways, The Things I've learned in life so Far (by Stefan Sagmeister) The Complete Factory records and Peter Saville Estate 1 - 127.
However, these are not the books that changed my perspective. Reguardless of how they sent my brain into motion with creative flair, their bright colours and provocative insight were inspiring.
The Book that has changed how I approach design is "It's not how good you are, but how good you want to be" By Paul Arden (The man responsible for such advestising slogans as "The car in front is a Toyota" and British Airway's "The World's Favorite Airline").
No truer words can be spoken than in this book. He says anything can be achieved by setting a goal. That no one can get to any destination without first establishing where it is they want to go. That every job needs to be done to the full potential. There is no next job. Being right is almost being wrong.
I set my goals. I will one day run my own studio. I will one day be an art director for a magazine. I will achieve the same level of knowledge of my craft as Peter Saville, whilst maintaining his standpoint on design celebrity. I.e. I won't strive for it, just to be the best.
Now I need more tea. I need a pencil and I want to design. But alas, it is late, I'm working early but I dare not sleep.
Thursday 8 January 2009
Cups of Tea 4 - 17
Christ, I hear you exclaim! That's a whole lot of tea drinking! Believe me, if I had more milk I'd be on about 25 by now...
What a week I say, what a week! So much to talk about and such a little blog to fit it in... Where to begin. Where I left off of course...
So I finished Soph
ie's design t-shirt (which I've yet to model for here, otherwise the picture would be here...) is pretty simple, it looks abit like this. How Snazzy aye?
Unfortunatly, for some unknown reason, Karma came back to bite me on
the arse in this one as there's now a sign on the door to the courtyard (where I use my spray paint for test stencils, splatter brushes etc) prohibiting the use of "Paint Spray" in the area / building... fun and games. Seem's a little of the black paint got on a bin and they're afraid the council might sue them for "defacing Goverment Property"... Nevermind, i'll just do it outside... "Use of Paint Spray in and around the building prohibited" sign to follow.
Other than this ban on my civil liberty to spraypaint in the property i'm paying to live in, I did acctually do alot of work this week when I wasn't bogged down with manflu (Friday too Monday, cups 4 - 10). I did uni work in the form of Tina Turner flyers within set text restrictions, a flash portfolio for a 1K a year grant and some work on the children's book I'm creating for my core module... but now on to the exciting stuffs, work for fierce panda!
If you know me, I regularly do the flyer for Cool For Cats. Well, I got asked to create a flyer their main label, Fierce Panda (with such acts as the blackout! and Shit Disco on the books, aswell as being the original labels for Muse, Ash, Coldplay and Idlewild...) for their 15th birthday. Well I jumped at the chance,
Anyways thats pretty much a week condensed into one, meaty blog. If I don't updat tommorow, kick my ass plix? kthnxbai.
What a week I say, what a week! So much to talk about and such a little blog to fit it in... Where to begin. Where I left off of course...
So I finished Soph
ie's design t-shirt (which I've yet to model for here, otherwise the picture would be here...) is pretty simple, it looks abit like this. How Snazzy aye?Unfortunatly, for some unknown reason, Karma came back to bite me on
the arse in this one as there's now a sign on the door to the courtyard (where I use my spray paint for test stencils, splatter brushes etc) prohibiting the use of "Paint Spray" in the area / building... fun and games. Seem's a little of the black paint got on a bin and they're afraid the council might sue them for "defacing Goverment Property"... Nevermind, i'll just do it outside... "Use of Paint Spray in and around the building prohibited" sign to follow.Other than this ban on my civil liberty to spraypaint in the property i'm paying to live in, I did acctually do alot of work this week when I wasn't bogged down with manflu (Friday too Monday, cups 4 - 10). I did uni work in the form of Tina Turner flyers within set text restrictions, a flash portfolio for a 1K a year grant and some work on the children's book I'm creating for my core module... but now on to the exciting stuffs, work for fierce panda!
If you know me, I regularly do the flyer for Cool For Cats. Well, I got asked to create a flyer their main label, Fierce Panda (with such acts as the blackout! and Shit Disco on the books, aswell as being the original labels for Muse, Ash, Coldplay and Idlewild...) for their 15th birthday. Well I jumped at the chance,
I originally created something a little bit nu rave, geometric fonts and magenta /cyan paint splatters,(Left) but after sending it off and then listening to the music didn't think it fitted... So afew email's later we arrived at the (at the moment...) finished flyer! (Right) Phwoar.
Soon to be gracing NME don't y'know ;)Anyways thats pretty much a week condensed into one, meaty blog. If I don't updat tommorow, kick my ass plix? kthnxbai.
Friday 2 January 2009
Cup of Tea 3
Cup of tea number 3 was belated, left to the side too grow cold while I forgot about it drawing a font... ahh these manfluey days. Not Good at all. To go with my manflu however, I have a brand new gym membership, corr! Haven't actually been because of said manflu but never mind, all is well.
As far as design goes, today after blowing a shitload of my pay between Smiths (New issues of front, little white lies, Computer arts and Grafik) and Waterstones ("Street art Chile", "100 years of magazine covers"... and an Ugly Doll's calendar haha!) I've not really done alot... I made a custom tshirt for a friend's project was quite fun (coming soon) but apart from that after yesterdays design session (in which I knocked out a flash portfolio, the basics of a new font and a flyer for uni) I'm drained. The manflu has taken it's tole and I can't be bothered, so I chilled out and watched black books for most of the day, horray!
There will be some design tommorow, I promise.
Oh, and more Tea.
As far as design goes, today after blowing a shitload of my pay between Smiths (New issues of front, little white lies, Computer arts and Grafik) and Waterstones ("Street art Chile", "100 years of magazine covers"... and an Ugly Doll's calendar haha!) I've not really done alot... I made a custom tshirt for a friend's project was quite fun (coming soon) but apart from that after yesterdays design session (in which I knocked out a flash portfolio, the basics of a new font and a flyer for uni) I'm drained. The manflu has taken it's tole and I can't be bothered, so I chilled out and watched black books for most of the day, horray!
There will be some design tommorow, I promise.
Oh, and more Tea.
Thursday 1 January 2009
Cup of Tea 1 - 2
This Time I WILL DO IT! I will actually make a blog and update it and things, cor!
It's 2009, this blog is part of a new years resolution (amongst goto the gym, draw for an hour a day and read the paper...) and it was strangely enough inspired by someone upstairs listening to Rent and me hearing the opening song.
For those not familiar with it, it goes something along the lines of:-
It's 2009, this blog is part of a new years resolution (amongst goto the gym, draw for an hour a day and read the paper...) and it was strangely enough inspired by someone upstairs listening to Rent and me hearing the opening song.
For those not familiar with it, it goes something along the lines of:-
"525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes - how do you measure,
measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. In
inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife."
And I got it. I realized what I could do to make a go of this blog. I will make a note of how man cups of tea I drink in a year, then for each one (or collective of cups...) blog.
Straightforward? Good.
Now I have established that, I'm going to make cup of tea no.2. Fantastic.
measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. In
inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife."
And I got it. I realized what I could do to make a go of this blog. I will make a note of how man cups of tea I drink in a year, then for each one (or collective of cups...) blog.
Straightforward? Good.
Now I have established that, I'm going to make cup of tea no.2. Fantastic.
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