Month: <span>March 2008</span>

Published March 12, 2008 by

Bigger than Helvetica

So I have this assignment (which I’ve just completed) where we have to replicate with precision a double spread layout from a magazine.

It took me hours just to find one that wasn’t using a commercial font (ie. Go and pay for it) in the end the one I used DID use something commercial, but I found a free ‘similar’ substitute ie. 6+ tiny things different.

I really would’ve enjoyed the exercise if not for that… okay I did enjoy it. Mostly.

The world of typefaces is much much bigger than you can imagine.

I also had the immense privilege the other day of watching the movie Helvetica. It’s a full length documentary on the typeface Helvetica, and it’s fascinating. I’d been hanging out to one-day see it. It was worth it. It did help me understand designers like Erik Spiekermann a little more in that my view was slightly tarnished by being dumped early in the deep end at uni one day and having to re-design an article about him after just discovering he’s some ‘great’. I felt small.

None of this moody lot of brooding black-wearing, art-fantasizing, genius, individual-clones. Designers are quite a down-to-earth, friendly lot.

Chums. I’m pleased to be chasing the dream… even if I still am not 100% sure it is mine yet.

Create Design Life Movies

Design indesign layout spiekermann typeface

Published March 10, 2008 by

Red cars have got some go

Fred’s not dead, No! He’s alive!

Hello to a burst heater hose and missing internal overflow water hose…. We are still car-ified. Huzzah! And still looking to buy.

Life

car trouble fred deserves presents

Published March 8, 2008 by

Archibald Prize

archibald_winner.jpg

“The Archibald Prize is regarded as the most important portraiture prize, and is the most prominent of all arts prizes, in Australia.”

This year’s was won by Del Katharyn Barton – a self portrait with her two children and titled: “You are what is most beautiful about me”

I am totally in love with it.

And appreciate it even more that she’s refusing to sell it. The rest are worth checking out too.

Of particular note: Sarah Blasko,  The Archibald, Rodney Pople

Archibald Prize Website

Culture Design

archibald prize del kathryn barton self portrait

Published March 8, 2008 by

I travelled out my front door

tjpages.pngPossibly the sweetest opshop find ever!

I got this Travel Journal (Beach) for $2.00 today. It’s unused. It’s clean. It’s fun. It’s still being sold for £9.95… so about $30AUD.

check it out from: sukie.co.uk

Books Design Life

opshop finds sukie.co.uk travel journal vintage look

Published March 8, 2008 by

Deeply flawed

After a lovely dinner at the Pig last night, Geoff and I went to see Definitely, Maybe. We came out of the movie laughing… I claim and still claim that it was attrocious (even though it was enjoyable) and Geoff is leaning towards, ‘enjoyable but deeply flawed’.

On the way home Fred (the last remaining car) chuffed out some steam not very heroically, and had to be pushed while it cooled. We managed to drive it over the train tracks (pushing over train tracks tends to be dangerous) and get it into the station car-park. We walked home, and were stopped part way by some girls who asked Geoff to kill a spider on their car – that was funny – getting home took all of about two minutes.

This currently leaves us car-less, completely this time. Considering we were getting rid of Fred in about a month it’s not too bad, but it’s still a pain. It’ll be nice to have one that just works.

Life Movies On The Train

car trouble Pig and Whistle