jack butcher. graphic design.

Jfk

2010-12-07T16:21:00.001-05:00

meatball shop NYC

2010-11-16T11:01:00.000-05:00

The food's nearly as good as the menu.

enjoyable

2010-11-03T19:32:00.004-04:00

branding

2010-10-28T18:36:00.001-04:00

Some initial thoughts on a branding system for a successful friend of mine.

scent of a woman

2010-10-27T12:00:00.000-04:00

Trask: Mr. Sims, you are a cover-up artist and you are a liar.

Slade: But not a snitch.

Trask: Excuse me?

Slade: No, I don't think I will.

Trask: Mr. Slade.

Slade: This is such a crock of shit.

Trask: Please watch your language, Mr. Slade. You are in the Baird School not a barracks. Mr. Sims, I will give you one final opportunity to speak up.

Slade: Mr. Sims doesn't want it. He doesn't need to labeled: "Still worthy of being a 'Baird Man.'" What the hell is that? What is your motto here? "Boys, inform on your classmates, save your hide" -- anything short of that we're gonna burn you at the stake? Well, gentlemen, when the shit hits the fan some guys run and some guys stay. Here's Charlie facing the fire; and there's George hidin' in big Daddy's pocket. And what are you doin'? You're gonna reward George and destroy Charlie.

Trask: Are you finished, Mr. Slade?

Slade: No, I'm just gettin' warmed up. I don't know who went to this place, William Howard Taft, William Jennings Bryan, William Tell -- whoever. Their spirit is dead -- if they ever had one -- it's gone. You're building a rat ship here. A vessel for sea goin' snitches. And if you think your preparing these minnows for manhood you better think again. Because I say you are killing the very spirit this institution proclaims it instills! What a sham. What kind of a show are you guys puttin' on here today. I mean, the only class in this act is sittin' next to me. And I'm here to tell ya this boy's soul is intact. It's non-negotiable. You know how I know? Someone here -- and I'm not gonna say who -- offered to buy it. Only Charlie here wasn't sellin'.

Trask: Sir, you are out of order!

Slade: Outta order? I'll show you outta order! You don't know what outta order is, Mr. Trask! I'd show you but I'm too old; I'm too tired; I'm too fuckin' blind. If I were the man I was five years ago I'd take a FLAME-THROWER to this place! Outta order. Who the hell you think you're talkin' to? I've been around, you know? There was a time I could see. And I have seen boys like these, younger than these, their arms torn out, their legs ripped off. But there isn't nothin' like the sight of an amputated spirit; there is no prosthetic for that. You think you're merely sendin' this splendid foot-soldier back home to Oregon with his tail between his legs, but I say you are executin' his SOUL!! And why?! Because he's not a Baird man! Baird men, ya hurt this boy, you're going to be Baird Bums, the lot of ya. And Harry, Jimmy, Trent, wherever you are out there, FUCK YOU, too!

Mr. Trask: Stand down, Mr. Slade!

Slade: I'm not finished! As I came in here, I heard those words, "cradle of leadership." Well, when the bow breaks, the cradle will fall. And it has fallen here; it has fallen. Makers of men; creators of leaders; be careful what kind of leaders you're producin' here. I don't know if Charlie's silence here today is right or wrong.

I'm not a judge or jury. But I can tell you this: he won't sell anybody out to buy his future!! And that, my friends, is called integrity! That's called courage! Now that's the stuff leaders should be made of. Now I have come to the crossroads in my life. I always knew what the right path was. Without exception, I knew. But I never took it. You know why? It was too damn hard. Now here's Charlie. He's come to the crossroads. He has chosen a path. It's the right path. It's a path made of principle -- that leads to character. Let him continue on his journey.

You hold this boy's future in your hands, committee. It's a valuable future. Believe me. Don't destroy it! Protect it. Embrace it. It's gonna make ya proud one day -- I promise you.

pragmatic utopia

2010-10-21T12:27:00.002-04:00

"This idea of pragmatic utopia is about getting away from the idea that things can either be rational and boring, or sort of fantastic and expensive and impossible."

identity

2010-10-20T09:37:00.000-04:00

late registration

2010-10-19T11:44:00.004-04:00

Has to be more than a couple of weeks since my last reflective post.. Moving apartments, long days in the office and many failed attempts to snatch free wi-fi from the brooklyn air are a few accountable reasons for this.

A few weeks ago I was immersed in the world of model casting, from organising the shooting, profiling and archiving of 420 models in a day, to tracking and cataloguing model portfolios as they come and go from the studio. A crazy process which ultimately ends up with the names of handful of decent looking people scrawled on a post it note. It's been a great experience.

I've been involved in a few projects conceptualising in-store ad campaigns, marketing materials and various forms of internal communications for the same brand, all of which seemed to go really well. The overwhelming volume of work for a single client tends to allow you to get a real feeling for the brand, not having to divert, and ultimately dilute your attention on other projects. It's certainly made it easier to produce good, brand consistent work.

post-rationality

2010-10-19T11:42:00.001-04:00

A term I overheard in the office today, and found myself wishing I'd heard it a few years ago.

2010-10-18T16:49:00.001-04:00

Rarely does domestic product design really excite me, but these are great. - by Hlynur V. Atlason, New York

“Kontextür teams up with acclaimed NYC studio to create timeless, curious objects for home. Atlason brings superb talent for fusing strong organic shapes and beautiful detail with playfulness and functionality to kontextür’s own vision for exciting and unexpected environments. The VIKTOR toothbrush/razor holders are a delightfully elegant solution to an age old sink dilemma.”

G.O.O.D Friday

2010-10-18T11:17:00.000-04:00

Something quietly cool about these really simple covers for Kanye West's series of G.O.O.D Friday releases, good tracks too - head over here to download for free. Click.

BMW Connected Drive

2010-10-18T11:03:00.000-04:00

Some seriously cool high end brand collaboration here, BMW connected drive turns your vehicle into a moving wi-fi hotspot, allowing passengers to utilise the full functionality of the iPads, positioned on adjustable mounts in the rear of the seats.

adidas playground

2010-09-24T17:40:00.000-04:00

A stunning installation of fitness equipment in an effort to promote the 2012 London olympic games. Hats off to adidas.

nabil elderkin

2010-09-24T16:43:00.002-04:00

Some amazingly well lit/composed photography from a guy called Nabil Elderkin, the quality of his work speaks for itself with a portfolio boasting some great urban artists and brands, I stumbled across his name after looking for a new Kanye West documentary book "Glow in the dark." Check out some more of Nabil's work over at nabil.com.

inspiring publications

2010-09-23T09:38:00.000-04:00

During my time in New York I've got the pleasure of a well stocked studio library to peruse at leisure, the nature of a lot of the work that passes through the studio is fashion orientated, and so is much of their magazine catalogue.. Here's a small list of some great magazines I've had my head in for the past couple of days, web links to follow shortly!

Interview Magazine
ID Pure Magazine
V Magazine
AnOther Magazine
Man About Town (London)

first week in ny; round up

2010-09-20T14:13:00.000-04:00

A bit of a lapse in daily updates due to a combination of inconsistent internet connection in the apartment and long days at work.. Thought I'd try and write up a little summary of my first week to collect my first impressions, and a general overview of my experience so far;

As far as work is concerned it's been a great few days - some good variety in the tasks I've been assigned and a massive amount of freedom in pretty much everything I've been asked to approach, great agency with friendly people, great resources and an accommodating workspace. There's a few images in the post below of the building I'm in, and some of the work I've been doing.

New York in general is a pretty inspiring place, the contrasting environments I experience every day really enforce the sheer scale and diversity of the city. Today I was asked to run over to Ralph Lauren's Advertising department on Madison Avenue, the typical "where are you from?" that ensues from my directions is followed by a few of the drivers insights regarding city life - asking me if I agreed that it was an expensive place to live, he continued to tell me that he can speak 5 languages and has a job as a translator at the UN, but has to take a second job as a taxi driver to earn enough to stay afloat.

Food is a huge expense here, having been used to cooking up a daily meal during my university days, I wasn't shy about getting myself to the local supermarket to stock up on some food for the apartment, expecting to be greeted by enormous servings of fresh meat and veg at rock bottom prices, I was fairly surprised to see what can only be described as a 'cheap' food market charging big money for pretty basic stuff. There are in excess of 24,000 restaurants in New York and a lot of the time it is cheaper to let someone else do the cooking.

Anyway this is a quick type up on my lunch break so I'll hopefully extend it when I arrive back at the apartment tonight.

sunday

2010-09-19T14:37:00.000-04:00

day three; no sleep 'til brooklyn

2010-09-15T20:46:00.002-04:00

My eyes open at 6am exactly, some how my old routine has adjusted to the 5 hour deficit almost perfectly. I wake up the lads and start the day with a jog through a cool, sunny Brooklyn in an attempt to use the ATM. Denied, phone call to the bank later to get things sorted.

Head to the gym for 7am, quick workout then lucky charms and an omelette on the deck watching New York wake up. Reminded once again that I should have packed more than one pair of shorts as the sun heats up the apartment. Stood on the subway as I write this, the first time it's been anything close to 8am Bakerloo line 'busy'.

Looking forward to getting into work today, I was briefed last night on a new direct mail project that I've been given some time to work on conceptually this morning.

day two

2010-09-15T20:46:00.001-04:00

My day gets off to another early start, I'm up at 6am and in the gym by half past. Back up to the apartment for a quick omlette then dash to the subway in a more carefully considered outfit to that of yesterday (shorts being the only option when its 20 degrees at 8am) the office is air conditioned but the sun glaring through the windows makes for an uncomfortable experience in a pair of jeans.

The subway proves confusing even after a month on the London underground, which is due credit for its digestible signage! I catch the L train from Brookyln into 8th Avenue, then have the option of three trains to take me up to 23rd Street, where I walk 3 blocks to work. I am yet to master the second leg of the train journey, with 'local' and 'express' trains taking different routes through Manhattan. Two trains later and I'm back where I started, I walk 12 blocks from 8th Avenue - it's a pleasant walk, and certainly a nicer view than the underground.

Work gets off to an easy start, sorting through modelling portfolios and working on layouts for a pitch-book going out to one of the agencies biggest clients. Had a great lunch in a Thai restaurant on 10th Avenue, time flies by and I'm leaving the office just before 8pm, an 11 hour day that felt like a morning shift.

Back at the apartment I make myself some food and catch up with the boys, then it's up on the roof for a hot tub, watching the busy manhattan skyline eclipse the moon as my day winds to an end. Internet down in the apartment for whatever reason so again no photos just yet.

long time no blog

2010-09-13T14:49:00.000-04:00

I have decided to get my blog up and running again for a couple of reasons, one is to let my mother know I'm alive every couple of days, the other as an awfully cliche 'reflective space.'

A quick run down of my progress since graduation includes a month placement at London based agency Underdog, where I worked on a number of projects that really challenged me creatively, having a strong desire to work with all things 'print' (or at least static) I was really pushed into a new way of thinking; my understanding of web and motion graphic technology has increased ten fold thanks to this opportunity, I met some great people too. (I've written up my experience in full and will post it up as soon as I get the chance!)

I am now living and working in New York, at an agency named Exit - today is my first day, having prepared some visuals for a Ralph Lauren model casting , I am left with a bit of spare time to type up my experience so far, since I've not been here long, I'll skip back to my first impression of New York.

My work placement at Underdog finished only a few days ago, so heading to New York after a month full of 15 hour days (Swindon - London commutes) was not easy, however, the thought of the opportunity ahead of me was enough to keep a smile on my face. I arrived in New York at 2pm Saturday afternoon, after a stressful couple of hours wheeling my compacted life around, I strolled up to my new digs in the 25 degree heat.

Brooklyn, my new home, is vastly different to anywhere I have ever been. Culture shock would be a massive understatement. The apartment I'm staying in boasts a rooftop hot tub, swimming pool and gym however, and the commute into Manhattan takes roughly 40 minutes. I don't feel as if I've seen much of the city yet - but as I master the working regime I'm sure the window of opportunity will widen. I will post up some photos soon.

2010-09-13T14:46:00.000-04:00

2010-09-13T14:44:00.001-04:00

2010-09-13T14:42:00.000-04:00

2010-09-13T14:41:00.001-04:00

2010-09-13T14:40:00.001-04:00

2010-09-13T14:38:00.000-04:00

2010-09-13T14:37:00.000-04:00

2010-09-13T14:35:00.000-04:00

a backlog of inspiration

2010-09-13T14:28:00.000-04:00

clean slate

2010-08-09T14:37:00.001-04:00

The time has come to draw a line above my posts as a practising student, I recently graduated from the Cardiff School of Art & Design with first class honours, thanks to all the great people I've met along the way. I hope to continue using this blog as a space for both professional and personal reflection.

third year tutor feedback

2010-05-21T07:38:00.000-04:00

CV rationale

2010-05-21T05:32:00.000-04:00

Throughout my adult life, I have been advised to keep an up to date CV spanning no more than 2 sides of A4. My current CV resides electronically on my portfolio website, alongside my work.

Concise yet informative, my CV has been written in an attempt to convince an employer that I have a strong education and a breadth of work experience in a number of relevant fields.

In terms of layout, four simple sections contain enough information to allow a potential employer to decipher whether or not I am a viable option for their requirements; contact, education, skills, and employment.

job application covering letter

2010-05-21T05:28:00.000-04:00

Hello.

My name is Jack Butcher, I will be graduating from the Cardiff School of Art & Design in the coming weeks. Having viewed your impressive online portfolio, I'd like to put myself forward for the junior position you are advertising.

Your stance on creative thinking is of particular interest to me, I am looking for a position that requires a high level of creative thought and demands not only a cultural understanding but an ability to question, challenge and ultimately solve a problem.

As an individual I am fascinated by the power of digital media, having spent my final year writing my dissertation on the 'real-world' value of social networking, I am both aware, and passionate about the dynamic nature of this 'cultural shift' towards digital social media and online platforms.

Please take a look at my online portfolio!

http://www.jackbutcher.co.uk

I would love to come in and discuss my work in further detail should my application succeed.

Kind Regards,

_
Jack Butcher
BA(Hons) Graphic Communication
Cardiff School of Art & Design
_
+44(0) 7824 380 502
_
www.jackbutcher.co.uk
www.jackbutcherblog.blogspot.com

successfull work experience application

2010-05-21T04:42:00.000-04:00

Hi Steve,

I worked within a group of students back in September last year on a project called 'the link', during which we had the opportunity of working with yourself on a number of occasions, I'm not sure if you'll remember but I am the one who presented the project to everyone on the final day. Thank you for your input during the project, we were awarded an excellent grade for our solution.

I've spoken with Olwen regarding work experience opportunities and I was advised to contact you about a potential position. As I am going to be graduating in the coming months, I am looking for more experience in the industry and Elevator is a company through which I feel I would learn a great deal.

If you have time, please take a look at my on-line portfolio and see what you think. I appreciate that I am asking a lot of you, if it is not a possibility then any criticism of my portfolio would be gladly received.

If however you feel you can consider me for a position, I would be grateful of the opportunity to meet in person and discuss my work in greater detail.

Kind Regards,

_
Jack Butcher
BA(Hons) Graphic Communication
Cardiff School of Art & Design
_
+44(0) 7824 380 502
_
www.jackbutcher.co.uk
www.jackbutcherblog.blogspot.com

printed portfolio visuals

2010-05-20T10:12:00.001-04:00

three years

2010-04-29T20:10:00.000-04:00

My final reflective entry aims to summarise my university experience, what I’ve enjoyed, what I’ve learnt, and where I’m planning on going.

I’ll start with an overview of my university experience. Almost three years ago I chose to give up my full time job in the print industry in an effort to become part of the graphic design trade, to say I was completely influenced by the work I managed as a client service executive would not be fair however, as graphic design had been a passion of mine since being taught the basics in secondary school.

The first year of the course led me to question my choice after indulging in a seemingly endless offering of ‘art’ briefs in the form of life drawing, collage and abstract portrait work. I was not completely put off but admittedly my view of ‘graphic design’ had seemed to reverse in its definition, moving further backwards from even my school experiences. I believe I was one of the only students on the course that had not completed an art foundation course, so these tasks, although simple, were not what I was expecting.

Contextual studies led us through a number of art history lessons, of which I found the majority very interesting – and although a new subject for me, my understanding was reflected in the marking of my written work. I was not only happy with my ability to write on such subjects, but surprised to uncover a passion for writing after so many dormant years. This realisation has contributed largely to my involvement in a number of extracurricular spheres, writing this blog became a productive space for reflection as opposed to ‘another piece of work’ I had to complete.

Through to second year where my experience began to correlate more closely with my idea of ‘graphic design’, a number of briefs I really enjoyed working on gave me a lot of confidence moving through the second year and into the third. The most important experiences being the bad ones – I felt I got a really good grasp of the tutor feedback system and my ability to take criticism and apply suggestions to my work is now an integral element in the design process as opposed to an initial ‘annoyance’ or inconvenience.

The end of the second year brought our first exhibition, and the first instance of truly ‘stand alone’ work. This process was a new one after two academic years of standing by your work to explain your concept, and the decisions you had made along the way. While presentation skills are an excellent client-side skill for any commercial designer, the idea that completed work will eventually stand ‘alone’ is a thought that should remain constant throughout the design process, and something I felt was etched in my mind after displaying my work for exhibition.

The end of the second year acted as an introduction to our dissertation module, and an almost ‘scare-tactic’ briefing for the third year, that could be summarised as a suggestion to ‘step it up’ if you truly want to succeed. Emphasis on the documentation of thought process was heavy, another influence on the working method I was incessantly honing during the previous two years.

The third year came around quickly. During my final ‘student’ summer, I arranged a work placement at Nottingham agency Motif Creative, where I became part of a small agency for a week, working on a rebranding and web presence exercise for a country manor holiday resort. The experience was great, it inspired me to really push myself in my last year, giving me something ‘real’ to aim for.

As the third year began, we were given the opportunity to work on a commercial brief, mentored by a number of generous Cardiff designers. Given a team-leader role in a branding exercise again confirmed my inner-passion for the fast paced, high pressure environment, the team producing an excellent solution. (portfolio: the link)

With the overhanging mentality of ‘every grade counts’, the third year tends to create a rather unnecessary stressful atmosphere, which at times is detrimental rather than encouraging. I overcame this attitude early on, focusing on my work in terms of my portfolio and where I see myself fitting in the industry. The creative ‘freedom’ I had allowed myself I felt stimulated me into thinking more positively about the opportunities I am able to create for myself rather than worrying about what might be viewed as the most ‘ground-breaking’ work. The opposition to the creation of anything conventional or ‘simple’ was something that frustrated me at times during tutorials and crits, where similar advice and criticism was almost standard issue, the most common being a project that’s ‘too safe’. My observation of projects criticised for being ‘too safe’, are normally the ones that seem the most commercially viable or indeed meet the brief to the letter.

Despite a number of what seem like ‘criticisms’ I cannot criticise the course, for it has allowed me to grow into a professional, utilising the many skills I have practiced at degree level has ultimately prepared me to work in an industry that I have aspired to be a part of for as long as I can remember.

To summarise the final year, I am very happy with my portfolio and catalogue of work; through various means it has been featured on a number of creative blogs and art archives – something I can only feel proud to have achieved.

A final note; this year I became part of the ‘Just us Collective’, and my profile will be going live shortly. More details on this soon.

module reflection two

2010-04-28T13:40:00.000-04:00

My second reflective post looks at the 'site' project completed earlier in the year. A project I was personally very happy with but came under heavy criticism from my tutors.

The brief asked us to pick an 'everyday object' and make it 'extraordinary' a topic I covered earlier this month in a blog post named 'the transition'. I chose the netgear router that sits on the middle floor in my 8 bedroom student house, something I felt was taken completely for granted by everyone but provides a service most of us would be lost without.

I went about my research by doing a little reading about the functionality of the router, to introduce a technical aspect to the narrative. However, I felt this information was fairly monotonous and 'ordinary' in nature so began to explore deeper.

I circulated a number of 'log sheets' to my house mates, asking them to document their activity on line, when they log on, how long for, and what they are doing. This produced results that allowed me to categorically display the flow of digital information into the house. Interesting I thought, at this point I attended a tutorial where I was encouraged to make the information more 'magical' and experiment with expressive typography. I chose to ignore this advice as I felt it was a complete contradiction to the products systematic functionality, so I stuck with a clean, structured format.

My module feedback provided me with little criticism, other than 'it was unsuitable for an audience of 60+, and I should have considered this.' Since this project I've found the wishy washy nature of choosing a target audience for these limitless creative briefs a challenge, as I feel there is a genuine grey area between maximum creativity/experimentation and a solution that holds any commercial value and may be applied to 'a market'.

I have discussed this problem with my colleagues and house mates and it's fair to say there's some consistency in my view.

To summarise the site project: Although it is the lowest mark I have received this year - it still remains one of the strongest pieces of work in my portfolio, and the one piece of work I'd say has received the most interest in an interview situation.

module reflection one

2010-04-28T07:20:00.000-04:00

As part of my reflective process, I have been asked to reflect on a number of projects, the first of which I have decided to evaluate is my Penguin competition entry, perfume.

The brief armed us only with the dimensions of the book and the cover copy. Pushing these details aside, I began my research in the normal way. Consulting internet sources to get a feel for the themes, characters and story lines within the novel.

Since I live in a house of course mates, we got hold of the recent Hollywood interpretation of Perfume and sat down for a watch. While inconsistent with a number of specific details from the novel - it gave us a good feel for the atmosphere of the story, that of dark, cold-blooded, calculated behaviour.

With the majority of students approaching this brief using illustration techniques, I took it upon myself to avoid such methods, with a view to creating something that encapsulates the novels themes in a clean, direct format. This aesthetic will set the novel apart from its rivals on the shelf.

My concept and visual translation, are explained below;

My response to perfume incorporates a visual metaphor that captures a number of themes within the novel.

The visual on the face of the cover represents Jean-Baptiste’s division with 18th century French society, the majority of which were considered the ‘great unwashed’ (black sector), heavily outnumbered by the aristocracy, represented visually as a smaller white triangle, within the confines of the same shape (Paris).

The triangle also represents Jean-Baptise himself, presenting the shape as a nasal symbol, depicting a divide in darkness and light, referring to the immoral ways in which he pursued an otherwise beautiful, heavily appreciated art form (perfumery).

The cover follows a sleek, elegant form, using geometry and negative space to emphasise the relentlessly meticulous personality of the main character and the calculated nature of his journey.

To summarise, the design incorporates an original, detailed and well executed concept that encapsulates the dark atmosphere of the novel and its characters.

Upon receiving my feedback for these books, the only real criticism made was the similarity in 'style' I had used for both Perfume and the Puffin competition Alice and Wonderland. Voiced as a criticism, I took it as a compliment as the tutor was concerned that she recognised the work had been produced by me straight away, which should not be viewed as a weakness in my humble opinion!

controversy

2010-04-27T14:48:00.000-04:00

Following up my last post with a bit of visual direction in terms of print media. As you can see this rough visual indicates a strict modernist style with a strong focus on the message.

Aesthetically strong yet so content focused, in an attempt to attract an audience that can engage with the written word. The small copy is a short summary of the campaign 'concept', and reads as follows;

thedebate.com has been set up as a facility for anyone to voice, discuss, or defend their opinions regarding religion. A level playing field for any one, of any faith, to become a part of a stimulating, free online community that offers its users freedom of speech within an area of such moral and social controversy.

the debate

2010-04-27T05:59:00.001-04:00

Rationale:
My interpretation/opinion of religion has led me to develop a mixed media campaign in an attempt to create a forum for religious debate.

This will be achieved through the implementation of a viral print campaign to channel traffic to a web-based facility where guests are offered an opportunity to enter in the debate, and cast votes on their stance from an anonymous persona. Although a potentially controversial facility, it is something that I feel people would be happy to get involved in, it may be advisable for user-written content to be moderated to avoid the submission of irrelevant/inappropriate material.

The print campaign will be produced with the intention of reaching a large audience, however it will be purely information driven, provocative statements and quotes will be used in an attempt to attract those who respond simply to an ‘idea’ as opposed to a given aesthetic. The justification behind this decision can be described as an attempt to attract an ‘intelligent’ demographic.

More Soon.

religion progress

2010-04-26T13:55:00.000-04:00

Time to reflect on the 'big idea' brief and my progress towards a final solution. I'm working on a number of concepts that expand upon the perception of religion in a modern society.

Having become aware of the vastness of atheist belief within a supposedly 'religious' society - I am inclined to explore the idea of the 'general', (and I use the term very lightly) consensus of both the value and understanding of religion as an influential cultural force.

My next challenge is to approach the brief with a view to creating a piece of work that is engaging, interactive and informative - something that I feel can be applied to this concept very well. Be it positive or negative, everyone has assumptions regarding religion.

Social taboo is a massive factor in such an area, no one likes to be seen or heard disagreeing with the age old principles of the many religions of the world - as, unarguably, many religious teachings and laws are adopted to govern the lives of a large percentage of mankind.

More thought soon.

sustainability in graphic design

2010-04-25T17:58:00.000-04:00

Definition:
‘Sustainability is the capacity to endure. In ecology the word describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time. For humans it is the potential for long-term maintenance of wellbeing, which in turn depends on the wellbeing of the natural world and the responsible use of natural resources.’

Sustainability, always a talking point in any commercial category – specifically so in an industry such as graphic design. Why is this? Well, primarily based on the assumption of physical media, commonly paper, as the main carrier of all things ‘graphic’.

However, as technology progresses, our ability to reach target markets extends to a number of different mediums, primarily digital in format. This opens up a whole number of solutions to a vast number of communication problems, the transmission of advertising across this medium is significantly faster, cheaper and easily modified.

With an economic climate that is declining rapidly, the call for physical advertising campaigns and indulgent print media becomes not only an environmentally challenging question but a financial consideration for many clients.

The value of ‘physical’ graphic design is something I think many graphic designers of my persuasion will be sorry to lose, and although I can never envisage it ‘dying’, the necessity for it is decreasing simply due to the popularity of other media. My own mother is now completely computer literate, and reads global news, browses all areas of retail and subscribes to a number of mailing lists through the screen of her laptop. Environmentally sound practice by businesses that also cuts costs, who’s losing out?

Arguably the role of the graphic designer is now to cater to these environmental issues, I am rarely confronted by quality ‘print-based’ design, especially of commercial persuasion. That’s not to say it doesn’t exist though, it does.

It could be said that sustainability restricts the graphic design industry; however I’d like to suggest it adds a dimension of challenge to any brief. Convincing a client of a reason to compromise on sustainability to create a more appropriate solution is something I am sure must occur daily.

So, reflecting upon the definition of sustainability and its importance within the industry, I am able to offer a neutral view. I personally feel more of an attachment to the print side of graphic design upon leaving university, but have a strong feeling my attitude will mould to that of an environmentally aware designer as I become more and more involved in a professional creative environment.

self reflection

2010-04-25T14:06:00.000-04:00

1. What have you enjoyed the most about the course?

a) There are a number of experiences on both a personal and professional level that have contributed to my enjoyment of the programme. The most notable is probably the opportunity to work with, and around a number of like-minded individuals.

b) The level of creative freedom allowed within the briefs we have been set along the years is a factor that has enhanced my enjoyment, but at the same time restricted my development/transition into a young professional, I will elaborate further in the relevant section.

c) Reflecting upon the course in terms of the three year structure allows me to break down my development as a graphic designer: In the first year, I struggled to come to terms with the idea of ‘graphic communication’ and the emphasis on mixed media submissions really affected my confidence as a designer. Similarly in the second year, a number of half hearted attempts at time based solutions left me wondering how I would slot into the graphic design industry.

2. In what ways do you think you have developed or changed in the last year?
Write about personal as well as professional issues pertinent to becoming a responsible, self-motivated student and becoming a creative and original designer.

a) To continue my evaluation, in the final year of my degree I feel I have become aware of my strengths and I’m now completely comfortable approaching a brief comfortable in my ability to produce an original, industry standard solution with a solid rationale.

b) Through the completion of both curricular, and extracurricular opportunities, my progress in the third year is evident in both the strength of my portfolio and my confidence in terms of entering the professional world.

c) With specific reference to my general attitude towards degree level education, after completing a number of industry placements, I began to realise at the start of the year that I must take it upon myself to strengthen my portfolio with a view to long term employment, discarding previous advice to ‘be completely experimental’ with media, and producing quality work that I am proud to talk to potential employers about.

3. What do you think your strengths are in relation to Graphic Communication and becoming a designer or working/training in a related area?
Think about such things as creativity, appropriate working methods, skills and media, group and individual abilities, study skills etc.

a) My working method has improved greatly as I’ve progressed through university – I am now able to take a systematic approach to a brief, empowering myself with a greater ability to ‘understand’ a client’s needs and translate my solution into a digestible rationale.

b) In terms of teamwork, the final year of the programme has offered up a number of opportunities for me to work in groups of various sizes, in each instance I have felt I played a crucial role in delivering a quality solution. Having had experience in both team leading roles and a completing a number of partnership submissions I am confident to complete, or delegate tasks depending on my position within the structure of a team.

c) As previously mentioned, I feel the realisation of my skills as an individual and the notion of knowing ‘what I can offer’ a given team or project is something I have become satisfied with. The realisation of this skill came only with the opportunity of offering my skills to a number of willing professional environments where I found myself settled rather easily.

4. What has hampered your learning?
This should include things that are to do with you and who you have been with, as much as about the course itself.

a) The balance struck between my academic progress and other elements of university life has been perfect in my case, and I feel I have produced work to the best of my ability throughout the programme.

b) Unpredictability within the course timetable makes for difficult working hours at times, the inability to plan periods of work due to attendance regularly scheduled via email at short notice.

c) Facilities such as the single black and white laser printer have been sluggish or inaccessible at times.

5. If you work outside college (voluntary or paid), what skills do you think you have gained or developed through doing this?
Name of organisation/workplace: Elevator, Cardiff Bay. Skills gained or developed:

a) Work in a number of creative spheres including advertising, branding and content management for the web.

b) Work as part of a team within a busy studio environment, meeting strict deadlines.

c) Begin to understand the client – designer relationship, coming to terms with the fact the most creative of solutions is not always the most appropriate and the work you do, although as thoughtful, becomes less precious.

6. What plans do you have after you finish the course to continue your development as a designer or related profession and make further progress in your field?

a) I have been offered some summer contract work with Elevator, which I am hoping to pursue.

b) I am arranging a number of placements within creative agencies in London after recently being advised to find an agency that will employ the work I love doing as opposed to learning a completely different skill-set to fit in elsewhere.

c) I’d like to expand my portfolio with some commercial work over the summer, with a view to pursuing a role as a designer at a print/branding agency.

religion vs. morality

2010-04-16T09:38:00.000-04:00

OK so it’s time to reflect on my research so far, I’ve taken the term ‘religion’ in its broadest sense - looking at the general idea of faith and belief in a super natural force.

I started by collating a general understanding of the term, looking at scholars and large personalities that stand either side of the fence regarding ‘having faith.’
This kicked my research off nicely and lead me in a couple of directions, which can be fairly split into as ‘the atheist view’ and ‘any other view.’

So I began reading some of the writings of the highly regarded, but equally controversial Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, The Selfish Gene and The Greatest Show on Earth, to name but a few.

Dawkins’ is of the opinion that there categorically is no ‘god’;

Evolution, Dawkins suggests, 'provides the only coherent alternative to both blind chance and ‘intelligent design’ because it creates complexity through innumerable small steps, each of which is ‘slightly improbable, but not prohibitively so.’

Writing off the possibility of a ‘god’ as a designer of the universe and everything in it, Dawkins also suggests that the influence of such a force in the governing of education and state law is completely absurd;

'How any government could promote the Vardy academies in the north-east of England is absolutely beyond me. Tony Blair defends them on grounds of diversity, but it should be unthinkable in the 21st century to have a school whose head of science believes the world is less than 10,000 years old.'

Fundamentally I agree with Dawkins argument, as ‘strong’ as it may be. I have always been particularly interested in the idea of religion influencing politics and state law, something that strikes me as incredibly bizarre given the significant developments in our understanding of evolution and the formation of man.

To continue on a my non-biased research path, I looked to the other side of the coin, and unearthed the main argument to support the introduction of religion into culture:
I was greeted with a defense based on the formation of a ‘moral code’, for the sake of the simplicity of the argument, lets take Christianity as a basis for this proposal.

‘Moral values are not fixed but have changed over time. Where once slavery was justified through Biblical invocation, today most Christians believe that the practice is contrary to God’s will. It is not that God has changed his mind but rather that, as social beliefs have progressed, so Christians have begun interpreting God’s word differently. But if we can make up our own minds as to what is right and wrong, Dawkins asks, why do we need God in the first place?’

I’d like to offer up this ‘anonymous’ passage that I feel supports Dawkins’ statement well;

‘Religion is not the bulwark of morality any more than the cockerel crowing if the cause of the dawn or the virgin sacrifices are the cause of the volcano keeping quiet. This trick has been perpetrated on people for centuries and people continue to fall for it. It is very reminiscent of the great Santa Claus conspiracy. The surest way to lose a job on television is to state clearly that there is no such person as Santa Claus. No adult believes in Santa Claus, but most are part of the conspiracy. We mustn’t let children know that there is no Santa Claus because ... er, well, because. And we mustn’t let the people, especially the poor, know there is no God because, well, because. We wouldn’t want to face those consequences would we?'

So it’s turned out rather strangely really, the two words I was torn between pursuing originally have formed a single basis or ‘debate’ for my interpretation.

I can say this is by far the most interested a project of this nature has kept me through the early stages. So I take back what I wrote the other day, I’m not sure I could have uncovered such an interesting debate within another keyword. More soon.

religion

2010-04-15T10:56:00.000-04:00

Our final brief begins on Monday, four weeks of work, then four weeks spent on preparation for both the final exhibition and your image as a graphic design graduate.

The brief is titled ‘the big idea’, students are given five words and are asked to select one. This word will form the product of the final piece of work you produce at degree level.

The five words I was allocated were; religion, taste ageism, morality and surveillance. Making a choice is encouraged early, and I was instantly drawn to two of my five options, religion and morality.

In my opinion, these two words imply the most ‘value’ or significance to people, therefore they are both subjects that the majority of people are likely to engage with.

My particular interest lies in the word religion, I’d describe myself as a definite atheist but my inquisitive side feels drawn to such a powerful cultural ‘force’ that exists everywhere.

From a reflective point of view, I know before I even begin to work on this project I will never be completely satisfied with it, the element of choice is always a variable that plays on my mind, and I’ll always be asking myself ‘what if?’ However, it should be a good one. Will post an update soon.

design for content - the reality

2010-04-15T08:46:00.000-04:00

Another insight inspired by my experience in the industry, a new found appreciation for an overlooked aspect of graphic design.

The majority of commercial projects are dictated heavily by content, be it copy or image. The designer must adhere to include sheer volumes of text or produce images in the specific dimensions requested by the client. Developing a sensitivity to inconsistency in such areas has only helped me to understand how to manage content and work to industry standards regarding strict brand guidelines .

An initially frustrating concept after years of just cutting out what doesn’t ‘look right’ and a difficult concept to adjust to - but an incredibly satisfying achievement when you get it right. I can’t recall a single task here at Elevator where I haven’t had to think twice about how to include an unusually long section of copy or marry up an awkwardly cropped image with some ill-fitting client requested type.

Improving my understanding of commercial content management as an undergraduate is something I can say I finally feel satisfied with.

'the balance'

2010-04-14T10:46:00.000-04:00

Entering the final term of my university life on Monday, thought I’d take the time to write a reflective piece on my general attitude towards making the most of such a short yet important final leg.

Throughout all of my posts there has been a strict theme of academic progression and generally, the mention of others comes only formally, in a professional context.

I’d like to document my thoughts on ‘striking the balance’ at university. It seems within the graphic design industry, advice given to you whilst still at uni goes along the line of ‘enjoy yourself, you’re only at university once.’ An agreeable statement indeed, especially for those looking for a guilt free, convincing excuse for ‘another night out with the lads.’

So, for the sake of looking back on this blog in months to come, I’ve decided to pay tribute to the many characters and otherwise unattainable social situations I’ve found myself surrounded by for the past three years, things we all tend to gloss over when worrying about that final deadline.

So instead of a dreary, fearful post about the ‘big wide world’ looming over me, I’d like to say ‘cheers’ to everyone who’s been a part of a top three years.

content management, product design & reflection

2010-04-14T10:05:00.000-04:00

Another work experience related post. Having spent the start of the week on various touch ups and small print jobs, I have been given the task of designing a web-based content management system for the financial company ‘principality.’

With not much specific ‘experience’ in the field, I began to recall instances of good navigation and web design almost without thinking. The most recent example of information design in my work has to be the ‘castrol’ brief I completed with housemate and fellow Cardiff School of Art & Design student Andy Penny. This instantly threw up a mix of optimistic and pessimistic memories.

Myself and Andy, both self confessed print designers with an eye for a decent layout took on a product design brief and were instantly intimidated by the ‘product’ part. So, initially we disregarded that aspect entirely, and it helped us stay focused on developing a quality visual system that really worked.

Comparatively, these two briefs look worlds apart on paper, but my new found consideration for brand image and visual consistency through wide application were a great asset when drawing up some rough visuals for a multi layered content management system.

Another string to the ‘design bow’ thanks to my generous work experience opportunity. Theres been a few days here where I’ve learnt more before lunchtime than I have in a four week university module.

I’ll post some visuals when the week is up.

the transition

2010-04-12T08:15:00.000-04:00

Having finished developing the identity for puffin, I have decided to reflect upon my thoughts regarding my work experience. As mentioned in previous posts, I am currently on a two week placement at Cardiff based agency Elevator.

So is it really worth getting work experience before graduating? I’d advise it. Disregarding any obvious benefits relating to the weight of your CV, and based purely on the introduction to such a different environment to that of university is something anyone looking to get into the industry should strive to do before they graduate.

Documenting the differences between the studio and university environment is something I’d like to try and compile. Hopefully an interesting read for someone, and something for me to look back on once I’ve made the transition myself.

‘Making the ordinary extraordinary’

A phrase written on one of my university briefs of recent months, which upon reflection becomes very ironic.

The main difference between university and professional work is obvious, you are going to have to do ‘real’ work. No more self indulgent posters or unnecessary installation pieces in the hope of catching a tutors eye for doing ‘something different.’

The reality of the majority of graphic design is mundane, scripted to the letter briefs that require a labour charge as opposed to a degree of ‘creative’ thinking.

The opportunities that don’t fit this bracket however, are those that lead me back to my earlier statement;

The art of ‘making the ordinary extraordinary’ is where the true talent lies in graphic design, and arguably the reason why many people choose it as a profession.

The aforementioned irony becomes apparent when looking at the statement in context. It was written on our ‘site’ brief, set earlier in the year. For reference, please feel free to check out the ‘netgear’ project on my portfolio.

A great exercise and another piece of work for the portfolio, but far from an ‘ordinary’ brief. I felt compelled to write this post after my first day here, having discussed the situation in depth with a colleague who has shared in my experience.

Personally I am confident in tackling ‘real world’ briefs, but the line becomes blurred between form and function within certain university projects. What I am suggesting is a more realistic look at things, perhaps a number of university projects should be geared more towards clever, workable solutions rather than self indulgent and irrelevant products. The existing nature of many university briefs are only making the transition more difficult and the ordinary seem even more ordinary.

I am more impressed by an effective identity, print campaign or packaging design now than ever before. Thanks to a number of first hand industry experiences I can safely say I am looking forward to making the transition from university life to that of a working graphic designer.

i-zone, collaborative live brief

2010-04-12T07:51:00.000-04:00

During our last term we were invited to a number of live briefings. With an incentive of gaining experience working for a live client, myself and Liam, both a colleague and housemate, selected to pursue and opportunity offered by UWIC - creating an identity for the ‘i-zone’.

i-zone;
The i-zone is a facility being opened at the university at the beginning of the next academic year, so unfortunately we will no longer be at university when the identity goes live. However, we set to work with visions of ‘leaving our mark’ on the campus we have studied on for the previous three years.

The i-zone will be a facility that condenses the complex array of administrative services offered by the university into a single entity. Areas including student finance, accommodation, careers advice and assignment submission will all become a part of the new amenity.

concept;
We began to break down the nature of the i-zone into a more digestible metaphor, pulling key words from the brief such as; ‘service, information and inclusivity.' With these themes in mind, we struck a metaphorical high note when realising the conceptual similarities between the i-zone and that of a pyramid.

pyramid;
‘to arrange or build up as if on the base of a pyramid’
‘increase rapidly and progressively step by step on a broad base’

These definitions capture the purpose of the facility very well, emphasising growth and progression. The layered construction of a pyramid also gives reference to the number of services offered.

These ‘layers’ of services remain differed in their purpose, but still exist as a single structure, again enforcing the relevance of their association.

As we explored our concept further, we began to realise that the pyramid is not only an effective metaphor for not only the i-zone, but university life in its entirety.

live work;
Throughout the design process, we had regular meetings with the client. Initially presenting our concept, rough visuals and suggestions for a dynamic visual system, the meetings began to take the form of conversations regarding minor visual tweaks, as they were convinced we had developed a strong concept.

The final visual we produced gave us an insight into the commercial presentation of identity, as we provided a complete set of marks in an array of instances. Including monochrome and bilingual versions for a focus group.

summary;
In reflection, a worthwhile exercise that has strengthened both my portfolio, and my attitude towards identity design, I’m sure Liam would agree.

Images coming soon.

Work Experience & Summer?

2010-04-10T06:33:00.001-04:00

Returned to Cardiff last week after two fine weeks back in Swindon socialising, working and relaxing. I started a two week long work placement at Cardiff Bay agency Elevator on Tuesday - I've had a top experience so far, working on a re branding exercise for a south Wales food distribution business.

Whilst initially intimidated by the fast paced studio environment I settled into my 'university taught' working method fairly easily and started documenting my train of thought, but trying to compare this challenge to a university brief is almost impossible. Having worked in 'the industry' before I had a fairly good idea of what to expect, but in comparison to a 1 hour brief with notes, considerations and guidelines already in place, a 5 minute conversation with Steve and a copy of the companies original (and terrible) existing identity, I set to work.

The company 'Puffin Produce' own a number of potato farms on the coast of Pembrokeshire, which, as suggested by the name, are regularly inhabited by Atlantic Puffins. I received the brief on Tuesday morning and have worked on it all week, presenting my solution yesterday to both the director and head designer. Thankfully they were impressed with my visuals, and suggested that with some refinement it would be an excellent piece of work to include in my end of year show.

The client will be looking over my presentation early next week, I will post up some visuals and some more reflection on my work 'experience' shortly.

Great Student Work

2010-03-25T06:23:00.000-04:00

Saw these posters today, the winners of a competition set by durex asking for a print campaign that promotes safe sex.

Samuel Micheal of Falmouth University came up with a series of four simple posters with a great message. Have a look by clicking here.

Self-Set Project

2010-03-10T09:28:00.000-05:00

Quick update on my self set project, I'm beginning to understand compassion fatigue differently as I progress through this module. The outcome has taken the form of a 32 page book.

The project is challenging me on many levels, time management is an essential part of a project of this nature - it's given me a new perspective on the way I work.

Imposition and pagination is another challenge that comes with book design, something I am revisiting as I haven't produced a book of this size before.

Photos soon.

Compassion Fatigue

2010-03-01T05:29:00.000-05:00

As mentioned in my previous post, I've been given the opportunity to write my own brief. My thought process has led me to explore the concept of 'compassion fatigue', a term which describes a lessening of passion over time - concerning the emotional response the general public have to images of war, disease, famine and natural disaster.

The Brief:

The challenge I have set myself aims to convince British people that they live comparatively easy lives in contrast to those suffering as a result of disaster. I have been inspired by recent news stories, in particular the Haiti Earthquake that occurred in January this year. My initial research has led me to the term ‘compassion fatigue’, describing the psychological response many people have to the majority of imaged based charity appeals such as the poverty depiced in comic relief campaigns.

I will create a thought provoking piece that educates, and provokes empathy in members of the target audience.

The objective of the final piece is to emphasise the tragedy of the situations depicted in the media, but ultimately challenge the concept of ‘compassion fatigue’ This idea is of particular concern to me as I feel I am personally a victim of it.

It is important that the solution connects with the audience on an emotional level, I will use comparative language and imagery to emphasise the information mentioned previously.

Project Aims;
- Communicate the concept of ‘compassion fatigue’
- The final outcome should provoke an emotional response in the audience, changing the way in which they view charity campaigns.

Personal Aims:
- Create a visually stimulating solution for exhibition in my portfolio.
- Become aquainted with the work of a wide range of charities.

Research Base;
- Internet Sources
- Newspapers/BBC/Purveyors of world news
- Photographers (Warzone/Natural Disasters)
- Advertising; TV/Print Media
- Charity campaigns

50th Post

2010-02-13T09:50:00.001-05:00

Term two, year three. At this point I find myself beginning to think about the direction in which I want to take when I graduate. My concerns are switching to industry expectations and marketing myself as an asset to potential employers.

Monday brings a new challenge, the penultimate brief of the final year allows us to write our own brief, a self directed project that can take any subject to any media. We are advised to push ourselves to create something that challenges both ourselves and the genre itself. As of now I am juggling a number of topics that I wish to base my outcome on, I'll be taking my thoughts to a tutorial on Monday and deciding on a single option to pursue. Watch this space.

YCN Competition Briefs

2010-02-08T11:25:00.001-05:00

We recently completed our entries for the annual YCN competition, myself and my colleague/house mate Andrew Penny worked on the brief for Castrol oil, which proved to be a challenge in many ways.

The brief asked us to redesign Castrol's oil range to improve navigation of the brand, with this comes an improvement in customer loyalty and affinity. Finally the brief asked us to improve the oil pouring experience through thoughtful product design.

Our design rationale is rather lengthy, I'll post it up here once we have had some feedback on our submission. We experimented with Cinema 4D and 3D modelling for the first time during this brief, these are the results.

See What You Mean

2010-02-08T09:06:00.000-05:00

Enjoyed a talk from Owen at See What You Mean this afternoon, an interesting company specialising in producing interactive presentations using the concept of a 'big picture.' With clients ranging from Chelsea FC to emergency telecommunication specialists, they interpret the needs of the client and produce visual solutions that do anything from product promotion to conveying the content of a companies annual report.

Owen spoke about their working method, explaining the process behind understanding what a company needs to communicate. They do this through the implementation of workshops, where the client is able to break down the individual elements of their message for See What You Mean to begin to visualise.

I was particularly impressed by a project they were working on for Alcatel-Lucent, who have produced a portable '4G' network for implementation in war zones, disaster areas and other hard to reach places. We were shown a presentation that made this extremely complex device easy to digest, through a combination of well written dialogue and appropriate imagery, See What You Mean can communicate exactly what the client wants to say.

Owen left us with the quote 'Design is communication, not decoration' which is particularly true of the work of See What You Mean, check them out here.

Motif Christmas Card (6 Degrees of Separation)

2010-02-05T05:08:00.000-05:00

The agency I spent a week with in the summer of last year contacted me regarding my submission of 'six degrees of separation' for the UWIC Christmas card brief, asking if they could use the concept for their commercial card. I've just been sent a few photos of the final product, enjoy!

Penguin Books; Alice in Wonderland

2010-02-02T19:34:00.000-05:00

My interpretation of the timeless tale of Alice in Wonderland, designed a few months ago now but I'm re-visiting it for submission on Friday.. This particular version won't be going forward after a number of concerns were brought to my attention during the initial crit.. However I will be retaining much of the design, experimenting with paper stock and colour to give it a bit more of a playful feel.. Watch this space.

Design Rationale;

This solution incorporates a clean, functional style whilst retaining a meaningful message, the visual focal point of the book cover is an interpretation of a ‘portal’ into another dimension.

The abstract ‘W’ symbol within the centre of the portal represents both the concept of wonderland and emphasises the ‘upside-down’ nature of the goings on within wonderland, working both as a letter form and a visual metaphor for ‘place’.

The cover aims to satisfy a broad audience, an inquisitive young audience as well as a more mature demographic that are perhaps re-visiting the novel.

One of the covers greatest strengths is its individuality, unlike many mass produced novels it does not contain photographic imagery or illustration - tailoring it to a much wider audience.

To summarise, the outcome demonstrates an original yet legible response to the brief that incorporates both innovative and original ideas, executed clinically.

JB; General Update

2010-02-01T18:21:00.000-05:00

Since my last post alot has gone on in my 'design' world. After a long month back at home for Christmas I am now back at uni working on a number of new briefs, as mentioned before, YCN, D&AD and Penguin Books. During which I have experienced many challenges, set backs and successes.

Following this project We are asked to write our own briefs, and for a period of four weeks produce a solution that will be displayed in our graduation exhibition in May/June. My initial thoughts direct me towards something with an element of 'me' in it, for example a journal documenting my time at university. I'm giving the brief a lot of thought as I continue to finish up the competition briefs for all competitions and will be posting up the result in the coming weeks.

Penguin Books; Perfume

2010-02-01T18:03:00.001-05:00

This time of year brings along competition briefs, at the moment BAGC3 are working on competitions for D&AD, YCN and Penguin books, here is the first of my finished designs, a book cover for the novel 'perfume', a dark tale surrounded by obsession and passion.

Rationale;

My response to perfume incorporates a visual metaphor that captures a number of themes within the novel.

The visual on the face of the cover represents Jean-Baptiste’s division with 18th century French society, the majority of which were considered the ‘great unwashed’ (black sector), heavily outnumbered by the aristocracy, represented visually as a smaller white triangle, within the confines of the same shape (Paris).

The triangle also represents Jean-Baptise himself, presenting the shape as a nasal symbol, depicting a divide in darkness and light, referring to the immoral ways in which he pursued an otherwise beautiful, heavily appreciated art form (perfumery).

The cover follows a sleek, elegant form, using tight geometry and negative space to emphasise the relentlessly meticulous personality of the main character and the calculated nature of his journey.

To summarise, the design incorporates an original, detailed and well executed concept that encapsulates the dark atmosphere of the novel and its characters.

Bournemouth Symposium/Dissertation

2009-12-03T13:08:00.000-05:00

Today I handed in the final draft of my dissertation, the past week has been a bit of a frantic rush to get everything formatted and ready for submission. That's not what this post is about though! Just a week ago myself and some colleagues returned from a dissertation symposium at the Arts University College Bournemouth, which offered a few of us an opportunity to present our dissertation topics.

Overall a very interesting experience, AUCB has some lovely facilities along with a very nice campus - and I enjoyed all of the presentations from their students. It was a great confidence boost after presenting to get the final draft together for submission.

Publicis Mojo:

2009-12-02T18:48:00.000-05:00

Some seriously quality packaging design. Not often you see packaging this clever!

Publicis Mojo.

Lucas Nasson

2009-12-02T17:55:00.001-05:00

Fantastic work from Lucas Nasson, a Graphic Designer based in NY - check out his portfolio by clicking here.

Gym Class Magazine

2009-12-02T17:35:00.000-05:00

'Gym Class Magazine is a zine for the guy chosen last. What does that mean? Well, it’s a zine for the underdog, the black sheep. Remember your high school gym class? The bit where two kids were made captain and took turns choosing who they wanted on their team? Well, Gym Class Magazine is a zine for the guy chosen last.'

Nice printed magazine, accompanied by a blog of inspiring content. Some lovely type in the publication - take a look at the 'flick-thru' video.

Click here for a look.

Flickr: fscarballo

2009-12-02T13:20:00.001-05:00

Some lovely work from Flickr user 'fscarballo'

Check it out here.

Featured on Cosas Visuales

2009-12-02T11:23:00.000-05:00

Some kind words have been said about my work over at cosas visuales; head over there and take a look. Click here.

Jean-Yves Lemoigne

2009-11-30T12:03:00.001-05:00

Jean-Yves Lemoigne is a very talented photographer, here is a selection of pixel art images he created for use in Amusement magazine. Very cheeky. Check out some more of his work here; Jean-Yves Lemoigne

kanYe West : Blog : FLAIRS "TRUCKERS DELIGHT"

2009-11-30T11:59:00.001-05:00

kanYe West : Blog : FLAIRS "TRUCKERS DELIGHT"

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Ignacio Lozano

2009-11-30T08:54:00.001-05:00

Not many photography related posts on here, had to share this though, some lovely work by Ignacio Lozano - an impressive portfolio over at his Blogspot page.

Book Covers

2009-11-29T19:54:00.000-05:00

Another late night.. Finishing up the dissertation this week with the added extra of a couple of book cover briefs, one for the classic childrens novel 'alice in wonderland', and another for a book named 'perfume', recently translated to film in 2006.

I won't bother writing out my understanding of alice in wonderland as it's not dissimilar to everyone else's! I will however outline the plot of the film the second brief focuses upon;

Myself and my housemates watched 'perfume' the other night, a very unusual concept for a film - a young french orphan with a very acute sense of smell grows up very hard, and eventually becomes a perfumer (his dream career). His obsession with smell leads to a desire to capture the scent of innocence, which in turn sends him on a journey of murder (13 virgins to be precise). The film ends with him using his creation of bottled innocence to free him of death for the crimes he has committed. By no means has he achieved what he once desired, and ends up using his creation to destroy himself. Overall a quality film, going to enjoy interpreting this one into a printed visual.

Watch this space for some updates on my experiences of book cover design!

Frank Chimero

2009-11-28T21:30:00.000-05:00

Its 2.30 in the morning, I'm having a casual browse of ffffound and discover Frank Chimero - something very funny about this poster! Most of his other work is in illustration for media and not particularly my bag, he is very good though.

Check his 'office' here; Frank Chimero

Tweeting about twitter

2009-11-28T10:32:00.000-05:00

After a long journey to and from Bournemouth over the past couple of days, CSAD and AUCB completed a dissertation symposium, where a selection of students including myself were asked to present their dissertation topics to a collective of both Cardiff and Bournemouth’s graphic design students.

I was one of those to present, a valuable experience overall as I became even more acquainted with my dissertation topic, and listened to a number of very well thought out presentations from both my Cardiff colleagues and Bournemouth students.

I am now in my final week of dissertation draft writing and seem to benefitting from a boost in confidence regarding the content of my dissertation paper.

Helvetica / Akzidenz

2009-11-25T07:05:00.000-05:00

This image highlights the revisions made from helvetica's predecessor - 'Akzidenz Grotesk' of 1896, interesting to see how little it has changed, although Akzidenz still remains my personal favourite.

Sex Cells

2009-11-25T05:47:00.000-05:00

Some lovely graphic wit, the work of Darryl Grant; an old school friend of mine, now in his final year on a graphic design course at Laguna School of Art & Design. Check out his portfolio here.

Wedding Invitation

2009-11-25T05:43:00.000-05:00

Fantastic idea for a wedding invitation, charming and very well executed. Found over at a friend of mines blog here: GigJam.

High Snobiety

2009-11-24T14:09:00.000-05:00

Thought I'd give this a mention, a blog I check daily - full of new fashion/cool accessories and general flash stuff! Worth a look for anyone remotely interested in any sort of retail.

Check it here.

Featured..

2009-11-24T14:00:00.000-05:00

Today my work was featured on the Magenta Links, a great creative communication blog ran by Greek freelancer; Konstantinos Flamiatos.

Bournemouth Symposium

2009-11-23T19:28:00.001-05:00

At the end of this week, BAGC are invited to share dissertation topics in a series of presentations at the Bournemouth arts institute. Here is a visualisation of my dissertation topic that will be displayed during the symposium.

2009-11-18T09:13:00.000-05:00

FourRooms

Discovered on Behance network, home to creative talent from all over - FourRooms photography and graphic design. These shots have such incredible compostion and colour palletes

check it out on behance network

2009-11-17T05:11:00.000-05:00

Famous Visual Services

Lovely work from a Melbourne based design agency - a fantastic website also!

click here.

2009-10-29T05:24:00.000-04:00

Eyetracking Infographics :

A strangely relevant post for me at the moment - yesterday at the D&AD lecture, we were made aware of the concept of "3 seconds to sell", this theory states that any product in a given store has a maximum of 3 seconds of exposure to a potential customer.

A study documenting this theory using 'eyetracking' equipment caught my eye when researching infographics over at coolinfographics.

This is a great way to visualise the way in which a consumers eye travels around a piece of commercial design - it is also strangely relevant to me as one of my housemates explained the use of an eyetracker a few days ago - as he is implementing one in his primary research for his psychology dissertation.

D&AD Portfolio Surgery

2009-10-28T15:49:00.000-04:00

Today I attended a D&AD lecture and portfolio surgery session, during which I met with four fantastic members of the design community from both Cardiff and London.

The lecture outlined the history and brand values of the D&AD, highlighting some of the excellent work they have chosen over their long reign as one of the most reputable design awards around. We then heard from Emma Booty, a practicing graphic designer with a wealth of experience in a multitude of countries - Emma discussed approaching a brief, and the assesment criteria that each item of student work is critiqued to. The lecture was one of the most interesting I have ever attended, a very inspiring talk that left me looking forward to getting stuck into the D&AD briefs later this year!

To end the session, a selection of students were given the oppourtunity to meet with graphic designers, advertising executives and account managers and review their portfolios and discuss their eventual career progression. This excercise was invaluable as it gave me a chance to discuss my work with potential employers. Initially daunted by the thought of my work being criticised by some of the best, I left confident in my work - assured by the fact each designer I saw was impressed by my portfolio.

An example of work (appropriately for D&AD) by A+B Studio, a member of which I spoke with at the portfolio surgery this afternoon, check them out here.

2009-10-25T13:24:00.000-04:00

Collaborative Blog Prototype

A work in progress - a blog documenting illustrations and doodles made within my student house - an idea sprouting from a university project in process at the moment.

Leave a piece of paper somewhere (in this case the communal bathroom) and it ends up covered in doodles and interesting illustrations. What better way to document this than in a blog.

Watch this space.

2009-10-25T09:07:00.000-04:00

Just Us Design Collective

A collection of work from a group of graphic design/illustration students, one of which I went to secondary school with - "Just us has been created to showcase young and emerging creative talent from universities and colleges across the UK."

Some quality work here, head over there and have a look.

Investigating a Site

2009-10-24T04:50:00.000-04:00

The current Uni brief I am working on asks us to 'investigate a site', be it large or small. It must be accessible, mundane in some way but also carry interesting characteristics, the outcome will be a display of the characteristics of the site in visual format via some form of 'info graphics'.

My site is the Netgear wireless router in my 8 bedroom student house, a fairly everyday object - yet provides a very complex service, in the last week I have been collecting data from my housemates concerning their use of the wireless network, information such as time spent online, sites visited and areas of the house in which they connect to the network.

'Connection'
The router offers myself and my housemates a connection to almost any information, or resource we require, be it leisure or work related. It also allows us to communicate with a huge range of people, via intant messaging services such as MSN Messenger, Skype and Yahoo - or through social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

During the following 3 weeks of the project - I will be gathering more data concerning my site, and producing a visual outcome that conveys its often over-looked qualities.

UWIC Christmas Card Brief

2009-10-22T12:24:00.000-04:00

Here's my entry for the UWIC Global Christmas card brief, an oppourtunity I took to produce something that I really liked

Rather than a textbook Christmas card approach I went for a fold-out A3 poster, visualising the concept of "Six Degrees of Separation", explained here - in reference to the universities international ties. I really enjoyed creating it.

2009-10-10T19:56:00.000-04:00

This is Tomorrow

A great piece by Martin Plonka of 'This is Tomorrow', a typeface guide including a few of everyones favourites..

See more at This is Tomorrow

2009-10-06T18:11:00.000-04:00

Advice

Heres a bit of advice I've been asked to write for a friend thinking of starting a Graphic Design Course in 2010.

Here are a few quality blogs I follow, I'd recommend anyone looking to get into design to read these to keep up with trends/get inspired!

I Love Typography
Form Fifty Five
TypoJungle
TheDieline
NOT COT
Simons Work

2009-09-21T08:04:00.000-04:00

Muggi Ramadani

Extremely tight graphic design from Danish designer Muggi Ramadani, his working method is incredibly thorough and each and every bit of work leaves you amazed at how much thought goes into his solutions.

I am especially inspired by the method he has used to create a colour palette for certain jobs (below);

Work Experience - MotifCreative

2009-09-17T08:34:00.000-04:00

In Nottingham at the moment completing a brief for a company called MotifCreative.

I've been given the task of producing a new identity for a holiday let in Stratford-Upon-Avon, "The Old Manor House". It has been a great experience working in the studio, being around full time designers is a great source of inspiration and aspiration.

Just a quick post of what I've been up to this week;

2009-09-09T06:32:00.000-04:00

Summer 09

Thought I would make a post to get my blog up and running again as summer is coming to a close, I have spent most of my summer working 6 days a week and am now looking forward to a weeks work experience at MotifCreative, in Nottingham.

Work on my dissertation has begun and is going to be a big commitment over the next few months but I am looking forward to heading into my final year.

2009-06-19T08:09:00.000-04:00

Fontstruct

This site allows you to construct custom typography using a flash font creating tool, it also offers a community where by users can download each others creations for use in their own artwork.

A fantastic idea i think! Please get involved by joining up at http://fontstruct.fontshop.com.

Heres a shot of the tool in use;

2009-06-02T18:41:00.000-04:00

Robbie Powell - Communication Design

Nice portfolio I stumbled across today, a few inspiring pieces illustrated very well with top photographs;

You can find it all here.

2009-06-02T18:32:00.000-04:00

Poster Design - Theatre

Just a little mess about after reading some books on Swiss Design!

2009-06-02T08:27:00.001-04:00

Louis Mikolay

I stumbled upon a mac in the studio space at uni today with this website already loaded up, after a bit of research I found out he's a student at Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication.

Some nice work in his portfolio;

You can find Louis' porfolio online here.

2009-06-01T14:25:00.000-04:00

50 Years of Helvetica

Heres a nice little discovery I made whilst reading up on some Swiss graphic design, specifically Josef Muller-Brockmann.

'50 Years of Helvetica' is a collection of 50x50cm works by 50 artists, each one creating a piece that will be printed just 50 times, to celebrate 50 years of Helvetica. Priced at £50 each. Excellent.

Some great pieces, here are a few of my favourites;

2nd Year Exhibition

2009-05-21T05:39:00.000-04:00

I'm coming to the end of the academic year and it's time to start preparing for an end of year exhibition, open to both the public and selected companies offering work experience to the students who's work they favour most.

Here's my entry for the exhibition, a campaign I produced for christian drug rehabilitation ISAAC;

and another print based entry I designed for a mock Film Four event 'The 8 Greats';

2009-05-19T20:41:00.000-04:00

Ryan Tym - Graphic Designer

I stumbled across Ryan's portfolio browsing the FormFiftyFive blog, and found a great series of DVD covers he created for a rebranding excercise. Some great typographic work coupled with some simple yet top quality illustrations makes for a good looking series. Check it out;

Ryan is a D&AD award winning designer and his portfolio is full of inspiring work.

www.ryantym.com

2009-05-19T20:31:00.000-04:00

Matthew Dent - Illustrator

Here are a few illustrations I thought I'd share, Matthew Dent is producing some quality material in poster, magazine and clothing form, here are a few of my favourites from his portfolio;

For more of Dent's work head over to www.state28.com.