Design Debate

Looking at one of the blogs I follow, Design Vagabond , I came across Scottish landscape artist  Patricia Leighton. I am always drawn to nature and when it is distorted or added to I feel it captures my attention even more.  Viewed from the sky, light and shadow play a major role Patricia Leighton grew up in Scotland and studied at the  Edinburgh College of Art.  Scotland itself has such captivating landscapes its no wonder why Leighton was drawn to this medium as an artist. She usually works in the open, intervening directly with the landscape, and as her website puts it 'carving out of the ground, and sculpting with earth'. Her drawings communicate the scale and texture she creates I find her models have a beauty all of their own She is influenced by the context and history of the landscape and this helps her decide on the materials she uses.  Leighton has been making art in the public realm for over 25 years, creating large-scale ...

There is so much to be inspired by when browsing the internet, I can get quite distracted! I thought I would focus on some logos I have stumbled upon and which have caught my eye and captured my attention. 1.  University of the Arts London This brilliant 3d logo was designed by Magpie Studio for University of the Arts London. They needed an identity for their Art Works exhibition to encourage new applicants. I just love how this is so much more than a logo, by being scultporal it completely tells its own story and constantly changes meaning in each new context. 2.  Killed Productions This is perhaps a little bit morbid, but I love the simplicity of this logo for Killed Productions. Designed by Sean Heisler . It says it all with minimal effort. 3.  Otis Okley I'm really enjoying the calligraphy identities that are emerging at the moment and of course being influenced by the wealth of design history that proceeds us. This logo by Jude Landry for the band...

  It has been so busy here at Pickle Design, as I am sure it is everywhere at the moment. I thought though that I would take this opportunity to give you a taster of what we have been up too lately.  I will write a full post in the new year all about these projects, but for now here is just a taster! Keep a look out in London and the South West of England for this new magazine we have designed The South West Magazine Rooke Cottages. A company we have designed the brand and these leaflets as well as designing there website. More pictures to come! The new Camel Camps leaflet is a concertina fold bringing this very active kids camp leaflet alive 

I am excited to announce the launch of a new website for Lizard Holiday Cottages .  Lizard Holiday Cottages came to us with a beautiful portfolio of traditional Cornish cottages and Modern sea view homes looking to create a website and brand that reflected the idyllic setting of their holiday accommodation.  First I started with the logo, being inspired by all the charm of the seaside, drawing a boat and seagull and using fresh blues. Then with the website I introduced a sandy yellow and a bright post box red.  The website has many features and has been made from scratch so is completely bespoke to our client. The home page has an image carrousel, feature boxes, Twitter feed and custom social media buttons. Each cottage has its own page with a gallery fully editable by the client and a section for reviews. There is also a search facility and a custom designed availability checker matching the style of the site completely.  I have also designed g...

Solar Panel roads have markings that would light up This truly brilliant idea comes from American electrical engineer Scott Brusaw . He suggests replacing tarmac with solar panelled road tiles - creating many advantages.  The roads would be able to input energy directly into the national power-grid through photovoltaics which could power an entire country.  This concept opens the way to such potential. It could mean electric cars could be recharged virtually anywhere, and even small business could benefit by being able to go 'off-grid' with EV charging stations. Above: without, bellow: with solar panels These solar roads can provide clean renewable energy but at the same time they can improve safety. With embedded LEDs the road can actually tell drivers if an animal is on the road, and light up road markings make dangerous stretches of road easier to navigate. As well of course it would also be easier in accedients to redirect traffic too. I have to say ...

We at Pickle Design have a very sweet little 'log cabin' studio, fits us all in nicely as well as all of the design paraphernalia we've accumulated over the years.  I do have an interest then in other small spaces, and this 'blob VB3' by dmvA, is really intriguing.  This nose-like structure can be an extension to the house, office or guest accommodation. The blob even houses a bathroom and has plenty of storage space. The'nose' part automatically flips open providing a porch and a gateway to the outside world!  I found this quirky annex at design for mankind

Anything to make life simpler and less cluttered I'm a fan of, and this paint pen is so clever.  The idea is rather than having to store lots of have empty tins of paint for touch ups in your home, you just keep some of each colour in a pen and use it as and when needed.  Really quite smart, it might get a bit addictive though! This Slobproof Paint Pen will last years, smart stuff. Found via  Design Sponge .