In the shadows.

I really like the work of Kumi Yamashita, who creates beautiful silhouettes using simple objects and lighting only. Sounds straightforward, but on closer inspection it becomes clear that this is definitely not an easy process.

CTRL/PRT.

Control | Print is a research project initiated by The Royal College of Art, exploring relationships in print between human intervention and digital automation. I discovered a piece about it in an old edition of Baseline, not only was I drawn to the content of the piece (it has some interesting reference points relating to my dissertation topic) but the art direction was beautiful.

"How we weave human intention into the predetermined language of digital tools is key to the way they are perceived as an influence on our creative landscape. From the perspective of the artist, photographer or designer adjusting to the digital environment has not simple been a matter of replacing old tools for new, it has required a significant change to the way individuals evolve their work.

For example, the ability to print, evaluate and print again allows the individual to enjoy a 'craftsman-like' awareness of the print-making process. ... For many artists, the continual ebb and flow of this digital and analogue relationship is a fundamental part of the working process. ... The distance between the virtual and the actual is only eradicated at the point where it all meets back in the analogue world of in on paper. It is an important moment when we decide to translate digital information into an analogue form as this is precisely when the significance of our actions become fixed. It seems that despite the fact that it is a virtual world in which much of this work is generated it is the desire to hold the finished creation in our hands or hang it on the wall that ensures ink and paper retains a key status."

Words: Russell Warren-Fisher, Baseline.

NEWWORK

Some Beautiful editorial work from newwork:

"NEWWORK MAGAZINE IS A LARGE-FORMAT ARTS PUBLICATION FOR CONNOISSEUR OF FRESH IDEAS. DESIGNED AND PUBLISHED BIANNUALLY BY STUDIO NEWWORK, EACH ISSUE FEATURES NEW WORK FROM A WIDE RANGE OF ARTISTS AND CREATORS IN THE WORLDS OF FINE ART, DESIGN, HIGH FASHION, CULTURE, AND POLITICS. FROM ART DIRECTORS TO BUSINESS LEADERS, DESIGN STUDENTS TO CURATORS, NEWWORK'S CONTRIBUTORS ARE UNITED IN THEIR PASSION TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF THEIR DISCIPLINES. AMONG THE MAGAZINE'S SPECIAL FEATURES ARE BOLD, CUSTOM-DESIGNED TYPEFACES AND A TWIST ON THE TRADITIONAL NEWSPAPER FORMAT, OFFERING A STIMULATING JUXTAPOSITION OF STRIKING DESIGN AND EVERYDAY SIMPLICITY. SINCE PAGES CAN BE SEPARATED, EACH LAYOUT CAN BE HUNG ON THE WALL AS AN INDIVIDUAL ART PIECE."

4 Blokes, 8 Wheels... and a man in a van.

Back in May, my dad and 3 of his mates from the pub decided to embark on a cycle ride across the width of Great Britain, all in the name of charity. Now seeing as my Dad is 60 next year, and he wasn't even the youngest team member, the 385.2 mile journey was a massive achievement for them. Further to this they managed to raise over £3600 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (the ride started at Britain's most Westerly lifeboat station in Wales, to the most Easterly in England).

To mark this occasion, I was asked to create a book documenting their story, with the minutes and photos of the event throughout. I had to keep the design fairly simple - my clients aren't the most 'graphic-design-aware' so I had to stick to a fairly conservative format. Although I would have preferred a more dynamic aesthetic, I'm quite pleased with the outcome, and so were the clients, so all is good.

Couceiro and Matter.

I discovered the work of Cristiana Couceiro during my second year at MMU. Her work is so dynamic; a fusion of the old and new, in a bold and exciting way. One of the pieces that really caught my attention was her poster design for the documentary film "The Visual Language of Herbert Matter". 

The film is a revealing look at the fascinating life story of the highly influential mid-century modern design master. Known as a quintessential designer's designer, Swiss born Herbert Matter is largely credited with expanding the use of photography as a design tool and bringing the semantics of fine art into the realm of applied arts. 

 In today's commercialized and oversaturated world, the documentary directed by Reto Caduff ("Charlie Haden - Rambling Boy", "A Crude Awakening") lets us see why Matter still matters. Through never-before-seen footage, personal photography and stunning graphic design work, the film explores the social and cultural impact of his personal visual langauge that influenced a whole generation of designer and artists.

I really can't wait to watch this film, due to come out later this year! Check out this teaser:

Matter Teaser from Herbert Matter on Vimeo.

/PAPER

A nice little package arrived for me in the post today from the team at www.magculture.com/blog:

"One of the great things about running a blog is the instantaneous nature of content creation and publication. It is a complete contrast to print.

But the flip-side of that spontaneity  is the content disappears quickly too, and that's why this newspaper has been published - to highlight some of the material buried deep inside the magCulture archives."

- MagCulture.com

Folded.

For my dissertation, I have been researching how the printed page is evolving from paper to screen. With the development of the iPhone, the iPad and ebooks galore, will the page as we know it become redundant and obsolete? Poignantly, it's been revealed that design publication Grafik magazine is no more; due to the liquidation of its publishers, 'Adventures in Publishing'. I'm yet to find out the reasons for this break-down, but could this be a sign of things to come? A spokesperson from TeamGrafik assured its readers that the publication will still be available via its design blog online, but the question remains: is the print industry losing out to new technology? Interesting.

Anyone for Tennis?

Wimbledon has recently finished, and watching it reminded me of this little gem I discovered on a tatty little book stall in Manchester. I fell in love with this collector's book, "Tennis: An Album of Famous Players in Action", produced by Player's cigarettes in the mid-1920s. Inside, it holds a complete set of cigarette cards, which I assume had been carefully collected and inserted by "John T. Forage" - the name scribed haphazardly in pencil on the cover.

I love things like this. My Dad has a complete set of Football cigarette cards he collected as a child which has always fascinated me. The illustrations are beautiful, as well as the type layout and I love how the album cost one whole penny when it was in production. 

Felice Varini

I've recently rediscovered the work of 3D graphic designer and optical illusionist Felice Varini. Seen at a certain angle, his large optical illusions render into a public art which shock and confuse the viewer. The scale and dramatic nature of his pieces amaze me; the amount of planning and time that it would take to create these illusions seems impossible. His work looks digitally produced; as though he has layered the shapes and colours over the imagery 2-dimensionally using a computer. However it is all hand painted, with each broken, fragmented shape point forming a whole from a certain vantage point, in an inconceivable manner.

Get yourself down to WH Smith...

The latest edition of Flux Magazine is out now, and I am proud to have been a contributor to its making!

Placement on the publication was really exciting and interesting, I learned so much from it despite having to finish sooner than I anticipated due to a bad case of chicken pox (seriously bad timing!!). I know now that it is exactly this sort of thing I wish to do on leaving university, lets just hope I can achieve something as amazing somewhere in the future.

 Also, check page 60 out... an image of my hand featured in an illustration we created was incorporated into the design - random, but ace!