Inspiration from future and past

Written in Jul 2008 by Anthony Stonehouse
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Amsterdam based advertising/branding agency, Strawberry Frog, have created a very pretty 2008 campaign for my favourite shoe company Onitsuka Tiger using model making, motion graphics, video and photography. The campaign is based on the brand’s Japanese heritage (with the theme being made of Japan, similar to their previous campaign) and uses elements from modern day Japan such as vending machines, Narita airport and specifically neon signage. They’ve also published this making-of video, which shows the process of making the model shoe. Onitsuka Tiger are also doing a number of collaborative projects this year, one of their latest with Italian, but Japanese inspired, designers Tokidoki — I might have to get myself a pair!

Something else that has inspired me recently (again) is the aesthetics of letterpress printing. It actually now seems feasible to purchase some equipment to try a few short runs. There are two websites that guide you through the process of setting up letterpress printing; British Letterpress and Briar Press. This video from 1947 will then teach you how to make a book using all your ‘new’ equipment!

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Jan 2012

Web design trend predictions for 2012

A year ago I posted web design trends for 2011, many of which evolved to different extends throughout the year and will continue this year. So here are my 2012 predictions for trends in visual design for the web.

Oct 2011

Designing outside the rectangle

New UI design opportunities are becoming available as we adopt 3D technologies, augmented reality and gesture based control. Screens will evolve from rectangles that we look through, in to destinations we can move in to. While augmented reality enables the user interface to exist along side the real world.

Jun 2011

Ampersand Conference 2011

Brighton, Friday June 17, 2011 — one of the first conferences devoted specifically to web typography. I still find it hard to believe we’ve finally reached this era. Designers can now use a wider variety of faces and apply typographic control to HTML using fonts that have been specially designed for screen use. It’s certainly […]

Apr 2011

Moodboard development

The design process always requires some sort of image based research. Ideally this takes place at the start of a project, with one of the primary outcomes being a mood board. Other outcomes will are often a visual audit of existing design, a competitor analysis and some exploration in to the key audiences. The mood […]

Apr 2011

The future of web and UI design

Web designers have historically had to work within a tight set of restrictions. Computer’s were restricted to 256 colours, with only 216 consistent across Macs and PCs; Keyboards and mice were the only input devices used for navigation, and; Users generally only accessed content sitting at a desk — either at work or home with a monitor. All of those restrictions no longer apply.

Apr 2011

Web design trends for 2011 — part 2

The first quarter of 2011 is over so I start to review my predicted trends within web design, and whether sites are adopting any of them.