Because brands are better when they are remarkable.
An interesting book, written by Steven Heller and Veronique Vienne that demonstrates how ideas influenced and defined graphic design, and how those ideas have manifested themselves in objects of design. The 100 entries, arranged broadly in chronological order, range from technical (overprinting, rub-on designs, split fountain); to stylistic (swashes on caps, loud typography, and white space); to objects (dust jackets, design handbooks); and methods (paper cut-outs, pixelation).
I particularly like the visual puns (#19) and found type (#38). Definitely a good read for all designers.
Hilary
Tags:
books
graphics
ideas
1 note
Face are a design studio based in Monterrey, Mexico. They have a wide range of work on their website that is worth checking out. They also do a lot of internal personal projects, something that is worth taking into account, as we all say we ‘don’t have time’ but at the end of the day is it a way of showing off your skills and your love for design. They created a fashion, design and art magazine called Page, that has been designed based on their identity.
Hope you feel inspired!
Lidia
Tags:
face
design
design studio
mexico
As a designer, trends have always fascinated me. How is it that an interest or style suddenly evolves into the latest mainstream ‘must have’?
For example, I always thought no nation on earth could rival the English in their love of pets. As Kate Fox explains in her book ‘Watching the English’: Keeping pets, is not so much a leisure activity as an entire way of life. In fact, ‘keeping pets’ is an inaccurate and inadequate expression – it does not begin to convey the exalted status of our animals. An Englishman’s home may be his castle, but his dog is the real king.’ So I was surprised to discover the ever increasing trend for dogs and dog products in Japan.
They have become even more obsessed with their dogs than the English! As reported in the latest edition of Monocle magazine (do read the article if you can – it’s a real eye opener), the market for doggie products in Japan is reaching saturation point. With the Japanese spending up to 600bn Yen (€5.4bn) a year on their canine friends, it is big business indeed. Whether it be health foods or delis, specialist grooming services or toiletries, fashion stores or buggies, hydrotherapy centres or hotels, there is high demand for each and people are willing to part with extraordinary amounts of cash to ensure their chihuahua or toy poodles get the very best. Back in the 1990s, one Mrs Ito from Osaka changed her gift shop into one selling dog goods and in 2009 sold her business to Fashion giant Onward for €72.9m. She is now enjoying a comfortable retirement in Hawaii.
Has the market reached its peak? According to analysts, apparently not. The industry, we are assured, will evolve to accommodate demographic changes, the next growth areas being nursing care, premium insurance and funeral services!
I’ll stick to children – might be cheaper.
Tony
Images: Monocle
Tags:
trends
dogs
Japan
I recently discovered a film commissioned by the Planet under Pressure conference (March 2012). The film shows the affect of human activity on the earth’s systems through the last 250 years, or the ‘Anthropocene’ era.
Sandy
Great use of type in this photography project by Turkish freelancer Gokhun Guneyhan.
See the rest of his project here.
Lidia
Tags:
Typography
behance
cities
photography
Elegant and simple way of combining seasonal colours and musical elements, for the University of Barcelona concerts. Check out more work from Atipus!
Lidia
Tags:
editoral
atipus
graphics
music
University of Barcelona
One of my favourite things in design is the Penguin Crime Series book covers.
They were conceived by Polish designer Romek Marber in 1961 and they have become a design classic: today his layout and grid is synonymous with Penguin books.
Architecturally-trained Italian Germano Facetti was commissioned to revitalise the cover designs for Penguin – against a background of a vibrant design scene in London in the early 1960s. Aware of the work Marber had produced for the Economist – his covers for the publication moved away from using just type and used two colour graphic illustration, as seen below – he was asked to redesign the Crime Series covers. (Edward Young’s original typographical grid layout for the Crime Series had not changed for 25 years). Marber retained green as the familiar colour for the series, but chose a lighter, fresher shade. All the information and the Penguin logo is located at the top of the page, thereby allowing the bulk of the space to be used for a dramatic illustration to grab attention for the book and give the illustration room.
This grid – so popular that it eventually became the de facto layout for all Penguin paperbacks – is now copied and used, a true sign of a design classic. For all you grid nerds – Ministry of Type had a go at working out how it was constructed.
Here’s some more images of the books.
Romek Marber was a survivor of the Holocaust as a child and his simply told story is ‘No Return’.
Sandy
Tags:
Typography
Penguin
Books
Design classic
The title sequence for the latest Scandinavian crime drama import ‘The Bridge’ really is rather good. Movies aside, the art of the title sequence is quite often overlooked these days (unless I’m watching the wrong channels) so it was refreshing to come across this fine example. The dark , de-saturated, minimalist landscapes of Copenhagen perfectly capture and reflect the whole look and feel of the programme. The typography is understated and blends beautifully with the imagery. And a clever bit to boot – the bilingual credits sit side by side reflecting the story which is set around a body being left on the bridge which spans the Denmark/Sweden border. If you haven’t seen it already then check it out – BBC Four, Saturday evening.
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