Busy, Busy, Busy

In the process of developing a new blog! Keep your eyes peeled.... I shall post the link when it's ready.

A very small Ad campaign!

A little smile appeared on my face when I came across this on the Creative Review blog. To promote a channel 4 documentary based on Seven dwarves (and titled Seven Dwarves!) design agency 4creative subverted the notion of a huge billboard campaign by instead producing 20 mini poster sites. I think it's a really clever idea well executed.

I'm Back!

Well, It's been well over a year since I looked at or even thought about updating my blog. A lot has happened since then such as, finally graduating from University with a 2.2 Ba Hons in Design and Visual Arts. Although design is still in my blood and shapes the world around me I admit that it has taken a slight back burner over the last few months. However, I am back. This is with very many thanks to the guys at Play Creative with whom I met with today in Manchester. It was there valuable advice which has brought me back here. To them I am extremely greatful!

Marian Bantjes

I came across the work of Marian Bantjes when I saw the work she had produced for Saks Fifth avenue in which Bantjes was hired by Michael Bierut from design agency Pentagram. The campaign features around a signature piece called 'want it'. I really like the loose free handrawn designs and other words which were linked into the campaign and think they work well once applied to in store visuals such as windows and posters.

Music Packaging

Music inspires and influences me so when I came across this nice packaging design for a latest record sleeve I was made aware by how much the environment which I live in plays a huge part in design.

Found on Creative Review blog is the latest music packaging for the new UNKLE album. Art directed by James Lavelle, Ben Drury and Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones. The package includes a booklet of songs lyrics and sleeve notes as well as imagery produced on heavy card. All the elements are created on silver stock and show nice imagery and typography in a unique lavish way.

Tyler Thompson

I was recommended to look at the hypefortype blog after producing my own typeface design for my major project. Whilst browsing through the blog I found an interesting design piece by Tyler Thompson who got pretty bored of the designs of boarding passes, or lack of design within them. Some of his designs are 'ideal world' designs whilst some work with the existing limitations of boarding passes. Although the designs haven't influenced my final projects I still thought they were nice design ideas well executed.

Ruth Ansel

Whilst browsing through the latest issue of Creative Review magazine I came across an article on designer Ruth Ansel who has been an art director of three of the most influential magazines of all time. Working on Harpers Bazaar in the 1960's, the New York Times magazine in the 70's and Vanity Fair in the 80's. Ruth believes that graphic design at it's best' informs and entertains the eye whilst defining the moment' and one of her own primary goals is to create a new visual language that breaks with tradition of using photography and type. I was interested in finding out more about her as a designer and was also intrigued by the article published in creative review as it is the first in a series on woman designers. It made me think about whether there are enough female designers and if female designers are appreciated enough in the design world.

Whilst researching into the background of Ansel I came across an interview in which she speaks about how the workplace has changed for women over the years. I found this quite insightful as it delved into my own earlier thoughts of female designers.

(Interview with Bonnie Siegler found at http://www.stepinsidedesign.com/STEPMagazine/Article/28556/index.html)

S: How do you think the workplace has changed for women over the years?

RA: It hasn’t very much. It is more about appearances than reality. More women are in the workplace but they’re not getting comparable recognition or salaries with their male peers. Women are still working in a man’s world. It is especially difficult for an independent outsider type of woman, whether she is a graphic designer, an architect, or an interior designer, to really achieve a top position, even if she is an exceptional talent. Think of Eileen Gray, and how she spent most of her life having her work ignored, while her famous collaborator, Le Corbusier was celebrated worldwide. She did not become famous until shortly before she died in 1976. I admit I had never heard of her until then as well. There are certainly more talented women out there, more than men I believe, but I still think the glass ceiling exists and they get discouraged

BS: At times I feel if I was a man in the same position doing the same work, I would be paid more money, and be more famous.

RA: I started out as a graphic designer in the 1960s at Harper’s Bazaar magazine. At that time there were very few women to look up to who had preceded me in the field of magazine design. Of course, there were exceptions like Cipe Pineles and Miki Denhof. But things don’t seem to have progressed much since then. What I mean is here we are in 2005 and I don’t think you can name an equal amount of really talented and deserving women with an equal amount of men who are recognized graphic designers, heads of their own firms, or successful CEOs in advertising. If so I’d love to know who those women are.

I enjoyed this interview and felt it gave me a good insight into how what female designers think of the industry.