Inky Finger Prints

Website revamp v3.0 in time for exhibition!

Lights, Camera...Action

Good collection of ideas from film director Jim Jarmusch. Several things of note here that seem as applicable in the world of design as that of the silver screen, eg Rule #4: Filmmaking is a collaborative process - “work with others whose minds and ideas may be stronger than your own”. Rule #5 is also relevant but I’m sure I’ve heard that one before….

Here is a link to his golden rules of movie-making

Reminiscent of a good piece of design advice I learnt at college. My tutor - a short, energetic chap called Ed - would relate design to the editing process of a film. He believed the quicker one got to the bare boned, basic structure of a ‘product’, the quicker you’d be able to make key decisions. Ed’s point was that until you’d reached the rough-cut stage students would more often than not get bogged down in the details (the ‘fluff’) and progress at a slower pace than that of someone who could step back and view the project as a whole (the ‘meat’). Basic flaws became exposed whilst strengths and virtues could be amplified and refined.

Experimental jetset

Final D&AD lecture of the season centred upon Dutch designers Experimental Jetset. The trio gave an entertaining 'typically Dutch' presentation of their work. I liked how the structured events by picking a theme (french clients) and then talking through three in depth case studies. Whilst it was still a show-and-tell at least they stamped their own mark on the night.

What came through was how they operate under a strong sense of disciplined logical thinking, resulting in clear and appropriate solutions. i'd imagine they walk in to presentations with a limited number of routes and effectively say 'this idea is the solution to your problem'. Not in an arrogant fashion, more with an air of quiet, dignified confidence.

Somehow they've acquired a Helvetica-phile label but none of the work they showed
used this typeface, each project logically choosing it's own individual language. I'm a big believer in systems, ie create a strong idea at the start of a project that works in a structured fashion to homogenise a range of items/products. So very interesting to see how each piece of work they created had a core structure unifying the graphic work.

A very good evening - except for the journey home. My beloved steed of nine year was absent from the railings outside. No more riding through the moonlit streets with the wind in my hair. I hope he's gone to a good home, I certainly feel i got sterling service from my machine. But like so many things it was time for a new bicycle so in the spirit of good follows bad I'm consoling myself with the idea that the time was right to go our separate ways. Frustrating nevertheless, for if nothing else one would like to say when and how a farewell takes place, and not leave it to the thieving tendencies of some hoody-scally-chaaver.

Seen this at T5? Awesome...

Watch the video to see the cloud in action
Created by troika

More thoughts on a life in design

Good points made and useful links to more comments on a subject I wrote about previously. Read what Khoi Vinh of subtraction.com writes here

Big fan of his blog, both in terms of appearence, and more importantly, content.

Paula Scher interview

Paula Scher = fascinating, eloquent, pragmatic

Watch this video of her discussing some well known projects.
I particularly like her insights on the Citi bank logo and on her own map paintings.

Watch Video (via adobe site)