FMP Update

Following the tutorial yesterday, I now have to narrow down my subject. As previously discussed in my statement of intent, I chose to follow routes of way-finding systems and accessibility in hope of eventually producing a signage system which catered for those who found it difficult to access and navigate themselves around a given space or institution.

Now, I am going to open up yet narrow down my path by exploring accessibility in a broader sense. What is the meaning of accessibility? Essentially, to get inside of something. But what could that be? Does it have to be a building? can it be a box? can it be a book? can it be the complex language of a chapter within a book?

Challenge accessibility.

Thats the name of the game.

Research & Reference: The Grid System

thegridsystem.org

A really useful point of reference which informs and explains the use of grids. I think it can welcome and stylize the rules of grid systems and also inform and be useful those who already work with grid systems. There's some really interesting stuff on the gold ratio and specifying columns for different paper sizes.

Research: Dissertation

Just found this website on the use of Helvetica for on-screen purposes. This guy believes it should never be used on web at any size smaller than 12px height.

http://trevordavis.net/blog/web/stop-using-helvetica/

He even threw in some examples. hahaha. awesome.

Research: Sean Rees

http://www.seanrees.co.uk

Graphic Designer, I admire his use and diversity in using simple shapes and colors. Particularly to design typefaces, some really nice work.

PPD: Hark! A Reply!!!

So yesterday I sent out a bunch of PDF's with my work attached, and earlier today I recieved a reply from one of them. This was from IDN magazine, my favourite Graphic Design journal, which I genuinely wet my appetite for every month. I always read the interviews and find it interesting to see how different ppl/groups/agency's operate in the industry. Nobody works similarly and thats the beauty of Graphic Design.

Anyway, they just said thank you for the email and liked my work and hope that I maintain contact through my FMP, which I am hoping means I should send my work over to them close to the exhibition...perhaps??? We'll see....

And!!! The talk with Si Scott and Danny Sangra was ace, thoroughly found it interesting. Hadn't realised the clock had moved at all for the whole 1 hr 45 mins we were sat there listening to them talk about their experiences so far in their careers. However, again they gave advice which counter balanced other view points which I'd heard from other designers, but I suppose you have to take what you believe and be wary and prepared when we leave the course.

nuff rambling.

FMP first group tutorial

So, we had our first tutorial on our Final Major's today and I was astounded at how much I hadn't thought through exactly what I am looking to do for this final propper, mega brief on the course. I think a lot of it has been down to the mental thought of "biggin' it up" more than it needs to be.

So anyway, went away from it and now I have a subject area of interest which was what I was afraid of, which is multiculturalism. I am going to start investigating wayfinding systems because I've always always wanted to do one since the beginning of the course and to be fair, if i'm ever going to do it... I really ought to consider a means to do it while I'm at LCAD.

Also, emailed a bunch of Agencies and Magazines with the PDF documents of my work. I think its just gaining momentum, when u realize all you can possibly get from sending your work to ppl is purely for personal gain, whether its feedback, critiscm, work placement, a job or whatever, at the end of the day... I don't have any relationship with the said company, but by beginning something now... hopefully it will grow into something promising.

research: kentlyons

kentlyons.com

agency based in central london. specialising in brand id and all round graphic design.

Reference: Design by Structure

designbystructure.com

Lineto.com

This foundry's website allows you to look at their fonts with ease.

Something a lot of foundry's seem to make a disastrous habit of.

Look at Akkurat, its beautiful.

Agency called Battery

Battery.nl

Graphic Design agency based in the Netherlands, the website is really good. their stuff is really exciting and european looking, bold bright colours, weighty lines and interesting use of type and layout, but its the sort of work they produce which interests me into where I would like to go. It's based a lot on mapping, info graphic, book covers, really useful graphic design outcomes as opposed to solutions which are rendered useless to people other than for decorating walls.

Creative Review Layout

This month's issue of creative review features an article on iPhone applications. I just marvel at the layout of this page, its really amazing, maintaining the grid (i think) which I investigated towards the end of last year.

New Year, New Blog, Nearer to the finishing line.

So this is where the end of the course begins. The final module.