Design Debate

I have some of our new logo design to show you. We are about half way through on a project for a new company called BeauPeople. Our client had started a business in workforce development. The idea being to help companies have a workforce that delivers their aspirations, that works well together as a team, resolving conflicts and making the business the best it can be. We met with Fiona a couple of times to get a feel for what she was wanting to communicate. Many influences came together to create the logo. Our client loved the simplicity of Japanese design, balance and harmony. The focus also being about people was a key point to bring out. Many ideas were put forward and together we chose this design. The colour palette was important, warm colours reflecting Fiona's personality. We wanted to use a bold round font that would stand out but look modern and approachable too. We have designed a letterhead template as well as some business cards. The next step is the websi...

This morning I have been perusing the carefully selected photographs at Retronaut . There is something about old pictures that just draws me in. Perhaps its a photo of a beautiful girl, like a 10 year old Greta Garbo before we know her as a screen sensation. Or a moment that just makes you laugh, like an escaping cat.  An escaping cat! From the 1940s Greta Garbo aged 10 Perhaps my fascination with black and white photography has something to do with how precious those moments are. I mean today with my digital camera I can take 20 pictures of the same thing and I know the likelihood of one being usable is quite good. Where as with SLR and other old forms of capturing images it was so much more up to skill or perhaps even chance - so many elements having to work together, making these images a real time capsule. 1886 Leaping the chasm at Stand Rock Girls having fun in the 1920s These are a selection of photographs that have caught my eye and made me smile. Do l...

Loving the new range of papers produced by Cass Art . The concept has been created by prominent design studio Pentagram. Angus Hyland has been working together with Cass Art for 10 years now, working on the new direction for this London-based traditional retailer.  The new focus for Cass Art's brand is to 'Fill this town with artists', they want art to be accessible, and everyone to realise they can do it - and afford it. The result is very simple, using the stock and the paint medium to express the quality of the product - and it really works. I love the abstract nature and how the texture just bleeds through. Really makes me want to pick up my paint brush and paint, which I think is the idea.  Found via The Die Line and Design Vagabond.  

So I have come across the work of artist Justine Ashbee . I had seen her pen drawings all over the internet, but I only recently found her textiles - and they are really beautiful.  The pen and ink drawings are amazing in detail, I prefer the black and white ones. Swirling and contracting into hanging forms, like something organic. Though the stark style and quite perfect form makes me think more other world than natural.  Aubrey Beardsley Some of her monochrome works remind me of Aubrey Beardsley, who again creates a plumpness and suspension in what with his illustrations.  Ashbee's pen drawings are all done by hand. She says "I begin with a curve, from which lines and forms begin to emerge, evolve, morph, and grow organically, in an intuitive flow, while maintaining delicate, elegant precision." Aubrey Beardsley I have always been interested by line and form. I remember distinctly when I was doing my Art Foundation course, my art t...

So it has been nice this week at Pickle Design as we have had Jess doing some work experience. Every challenge I have set her she has risen to, and this is no exception! Jess is my guest poster. This week I have been on work experience with Pickle Design and they have been setting me various tasks to do over the five days. As today is my last day, they have set me the task of writing the blog post on any design based subject. I decided to find my top 5 interesting fragrance bottles, so here they are: 1. Jean Paul Gaultier - Fragile Released in 1999, this bottle is in the style of a snow-globe which is full of the perfume. As the fragrance gets used up, the snow-globe empties, revealing the figure of a woman standing inside. I liked this bottle instantly, I thought it was so interesting and different from any perfume bottles I had seen before, which is why I chose it to be number 1! Photograph taken from Cent Degres .  2. Christian Dior - Miss Dior I have always ...