The mobile phone congress started today over in Barcelona with a range of new devices and software already announced. There’s a live video feed on the website running the length of the congress. There are some pretty slick looking UI designs, like Sony’s upcoming Idou: Sony Idou Microsoft have just held their conference, where they’ve demonstrated Windows Mobile […]
Jul 08
Inspiration from future and past
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 […]
Jun 08
Design power in London
One of the things that inspires me is design being used to improve a situation, rather than sell — just don’t ask me why I work for one of the world’s largest advertising agencies! IDEO has always served as a nice example, and I’ve linked to a few of them previously. The Design Council has […]
May 08
What have you learnt?
I met Stefan Sagmeister and had a brief conversation with him after listening to him talk at the Design Museum in London last week. I was even given a signed copy of his new book because I was the first person to ask him a question! While I wasn’t as inspired as I was after […]
May 08
Interview for Swinburne uni
Q. Is it more or less difficult to effectively gain the attention of an audience who already has a high exposure to digital technology; and specifically the programs you use as a designer? A I think it’s easier to design for an audience familiar with the medium, whether it is digital technology or not. If […]
May 08
Digital design in warehouses
Riding the DLR through London’s east last week, through the converted warehouses that are now trendy modern apartments or design studios, I began to wonder what happened to all the jobs that used to exist here. I could have just as easily been back in Melbourne too, or probably any developed western city with a […]
May 08
Design documentaries
I‘ve discovered a collection of short documentaries created by New York designer Hillman Curtis on some intriguing designers, artists and studios (he’s also created a number of other short films and documentaries on a variety of other topics too). What got me most excited was the two on Sagmeister, one which was even filmed this year. […]
Apr 08
2008 D&AD nominations (my vote)
This website for UniQlo Japan has an amazing mesmerising appeal to it. Everything is based around a 5 second beat, and it’s been executed beautifully — especially the type and colour. It’s one of hundreds of sites submitted for nomination for a D&AD award this year and I wouldn’t be surprised if it not only gets […]
Feb 08
Sustainability
Tony Fry notes that even though products that may be cheap to produce and sell from a monitory point of view (such as many computers) their actual costs are quite high when the pollution, disposal and other associated attributes are taken in to consideration. As Tony states, design is never finished, what ever the design […]
Feb 08
Freelance designer
(republished from 2006) I have decided to retire from freelancing and re-enter the industry as a full time permanent designer back in to a design studio. I officially start my new job next Monday, details of new job released soon! I freelanced for two years, and it was something I had always wanted to try. So […]
Feb 08
Semiotics And Codes
(republished from 2005) Here is a great chapter on codes from the book Semiotics for Beginners. The article on NASA’s golden plaque is great and a good example of what happens when you don’t think about your audience and how they are going to read the communication. Further in to the chapter it goes on […]
Feb 08
Interdisciplinary Design Teams
(republished from 2005) While I haven’t traditionally kept a list of favourite designers, as I’ve learnt more and more about my profession through reading, practise and other people, I’ve found I admire other people’s work more. I appreciate what they have created and have learnt to read other levels of meanings to it. This approach […]