Andy Smith's graphic style always carries a "to the point", tongue in cheek message. I'm sure you've seen one of his animated Interview Tips for Fish4jobs.co.uk sandwiched between episodes of Scrubs. Amazing what good advice can be comically portrayed in 10 secs. 

And if you noticed the most recent Cadbury's Outdoor Posters they were illustrated by same. www.asmithillustration.com

 

  

Posted in www.asmithillustration.com, Illustration, Fish4jobs.co.uk, Cadbury, Andy Smith

Comment (0)

So you've hired a graphic designer to do some work for you and you're expecting great things to make your business look good. Maybe you haven't worked with a graphic designer before and you're not sure what the exact process is? Presumably you've looked at the designer's portfolio so creativity is not an issue. Are there other pitfalls to look out for? Exactly what should you expect from your Graphic Designer?

1. An Understanding Of Your Business:
This may seem unimportant but if a designer needs to have at least a rudimentary understanding of what you do. How else are they going to create a piece of marketing collateral that is going to portray your business in a positive light?

2. Professionalism:
Designers are 'creative' people but that doesn't excuse missed deadlines, un-returned phone calls, sloppy work. If your designer is being unprofessional you may want to reconsider working with them.

3. A Helpful Attitude:
Arrogance, hiding behind technical jargon, stubbornness - none of these contribute to a useful working relationship. A good designer will be eager to listen to criticism and input and explain any technical issues in a straightforward fashion.

4. An Opinion:
At the risk of contradicting my last point, a good designer will listen but also guide the client towards a correct design solution. You've hired a professional, not a pushover and I'm guessing you value their expertise so you want a designer that is passionate about what they do and believes in the work that they produce.

5. A Bit Extra:
Lastly, and this is just my opinion, a good designer will come back to you with what you asked for and a little bit more. It's great if you want a piece of striking direct mail but if your designer suggests an innovative way to package it or an angle on it you hadn't thought of you know that they are trying to go the extra ten yards for you. A good designer will try to add value where possible and help you to get more bang for your buck!

Posted in Graphic Design, design, creativity, Communications, Client, Business

Comment (0)

Posted in Sweettalk, Design Week, Cycle Chic, Candy Collective

Comment (0)

The vast majority of projects call for the designer to follow certain rules of typography, hierarchy of information, legibility, readability and respect for white space. However what about the jobs that allow for more creative freedom in their use of type? The job where you have no restrictions, a free reign to do whatever you want?

There are people all around us that have successfully merged creative typography with an abundance of creative talent and vision - the graffiti artist. There is one artist who I believe summed up this successful amalgamation of urban style/typography with art.



In the 1980s, a New York graffiti artist broke the convention of graffiti as a criminal act by becoming of Andy Warhol’s protegee and an artist that art collectors must have – Jean Michel Basquiat. Up until his early death at just 27, Basquiat produced work that crossed the great divide between what is art and what is design. His typography in particular had a distinctive and unmistakable look and style to it.

His determination to exhibit art and typography on other media than canvas was what separated him from so many others. Doors, fridges, broken chairs from his apartment and whatever was at hand became his canvas. He understood typography (his typography). He could express his emotions, his dreams, his reality by merely seeing it and creating it differently from what other artists were doing at this time. If you look at his typographic pieces, it essentially maintains the core rules of typography. The hierarchy of information is evident along with sub headings etc, but of course using his own unique twist on it.

As a designer today, I do believe jealousy is too strong a word…no wait it’s not. 

Posted in Warhol, Typography, Graphic Design, Graffiti, Basquiat, Art

Comment (0)

 

Setting off on holidays to Ibiza, (I know very 90's), I noticed our boarding gate had a definite neon colour scheme going on and more than the usual amount of the 3 strips. It was this spark that got me thinking of the 80's style influence emerging across a broad spectrum of culture. In a recent Guardian article, "How to...be retro", Guy Brown wrote "Retro is the new old. Interestingly, retro is becoming younger and younger. The 1980s are back when they've scarcely left".

So after further investigation on the net, I had no trouble coming across a colourful selection of flashbacks to a style of neons, shiny metallics and lightning strike edges. Some of my favourite examples: www.retrotogo.com - Showcases the new application available on the iPhone, non other that a Commodore 64 emulator  - "the golden age of gameplay?"

www.grooveeffect.com/w-style/062007-keshwear-customized-colorful.php Of course fashion will always be the launch-pad to the mainstream. One clever little Miss headlining this genre in the rag-trade is rad emerging fashion designer named Kesh. "Keshwear is a fusion of old school vintage 80's fashion and new school neon rave accents. You'll see 80's inspired gold chain necklaces with big gold hoop earrings, printed leggings, short body hugging dresses, and funky graphic tees."

www.designfeedr.com www.goodmorningstranger.com – Within the Graphics / Illustration circles there is no shortage of 80's influence either. Sticky sweet neons drips from the illustration of Genaro de Sia Coppola, Alex Trochut & Marta Cerda Alimbau create high gloss shine typography and no end of prism lighting effects and rainbow colours can be viewed on designfeedr.com - Over 45 Excellent Examples of Retro Typography, Design and Illustration.

www.chrisjudge.com - Irish Illustrator Chris Judge sees his work in the new Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles advertising campaign. "Big Colourdy fun!".

Oh and on my return to work today I noticed a crowd gather off Baggot Street to examine the Dublin Bikes. With it's chunky low-maintenance design (theoretically less attractive to bicycle thieves) these cute little bicyclettes could be said to be almost, well, Retro...

Posted in space hoopers, shiny metallics, rubix cubes, neons, Marta Cerda Alimbau, Kesh, iphone applications, Genaro de Sia Coppola, Fruit Pastilles, dublin bikes, Chris Judge, Alex Trochut, adidas, 80's graphic design, 80's fashion, 80's design influence

Comment (0)