Blogs...

Current Blogs
FMP Design Practice - My ideas and development for each of the briefs that I am working on for my final project of my 3rd year

Design Context - The designers, work, processes and existing products that I am looking at the gain inspiration and help to inform my design work

Personal Professional Development - Documentation of my professional development over the course of my 3rd year

Bread and Butterflies - This blog remains the homepage/hub of all my blogs, as well as acting as an area that I use for posting stuff that doesn't relate directly to my design work.

Idle Blogs
3rd Year Module 1 Design Practice

Thursday 26 March 2009

Might Mouse...

Someone [not naming names, but you know who you are] asked me to make a kit that could be used to make a Mac Mighty Mouse look like a real mouse - i.e. give it ears and a tail. Here is the print out if anyone wants to make one for themselves...

Russian Type...

I found these on a Russian Type blog. They're a little bit odd, but really intriguing due to the mix of type faces and colours. I like the way they're both a bit thrown together, but it works...


Crushed ...

I found these gorgeous images on a website called Crushed
I really like the quality they have, sort of handmade, but with digital elements. I also really like how they are quite illustrative and quirky. Illustration is definitely something I want to do more of in my next few briefs!




Friday 20 March 2009

Type Module...

I have just had my second to last Type Module session, and I've realised that I haven't posted anything about it!

We had to choose between taking a module in typography or image. I chose typography because I was enjoying the type sessions we were introduced to last term.

We have been learning so much that it is hard to talk about it all here, but I here is a list of a few things:
1. Leaflet design
2. Columns of text
3. Creating appealing type layouts
4. How to use Quark Express (Evil software!)
5. How to design an appealing CV
6. Designing a business card
7. Creating a letterhead
8. Creating an advert for yellow pages
9. How to create packaging nets
10. How to recognise and identify typefaces by their characters

I am so pleased that I chose this module - My favourite task has been producing my CV and business card, because I was able to chose elements that I liked and wanted to represent me. It has also come in really useful for producing type documents in general; I am learning things that can be applied to everyday word processed documents, as well as how to create hierarchies of information by just using type and altering it's pointsize or weight.

Wednesday 18 March 2009

Business Card...

More our optional module - mine is type - we've had to produce a business card for ourselves. This card was designed as a set to along with my CV and letterhead. So here is the business card: I chose the aquamarine colour because a] I really like it and b] because I think it represents me!

Wednesday 11 March 2009

Old Fashioned Pharmacy...

Boots Original Beauty Formula - packaged to resemble old fashioned pharmacy bottles and boxes. Very nice, I am (once again) tempted to go and buy some of the bottles, just so I can have them on my shelf! Most of all I love the typography on the lables, and how it varies for each product.

Pink Packaging...

I've coveted this packaging for sometime now. Soap and Glory is a cosmetics brand that is available in Boots and Harvey Nichols. I really like the tabloid style titling paired with the vintage images and clever puns. It's all rather clever really, and nice to have on your bathroom shelf!

Drink Me...

I love Heston Blumenthal! The man is a genius and makes the most amazing food! I loved the Drink Me concoction he made, inspired by Alice in Wonderland. The concept is so cool, and the glass that it was served is pretty much too amazing to describe, really wish I could try the drink...I'm very jealous!

Tuesday 10 March 2009

Fruit Box...

I am not sure where these originally came from, I've found them on a few blogs. I love them, so cute and weird. I'm not totally sure what the boxes contain...but i like them!

Nice Calendars..

A nice person found these on a blog and sent me the link. These four are my favourites, but there are loads more here





Clever Cartons...

I really like these ice-cream cartons, Rocombe farm was the first organic dairy in the UK, and they have been making ice-cream for over twenty years. I love that their packaging is modern, and fun, whilst accurately representing the ice-cream it contains. Fresh and funny, I like it!

Monday 9 March 2009

Sandwiches...

Lovely disposable sandwich packets - I love that it looks like you're eating off a plate, but the design is still really fun and colourful!

These are nice...

I spotted this leaflet in Starbucks and really loved the illustrations. I like that they are slightly unfinished and have a nice graphic technical drawing feel; I think that it is nice that they didn't just use photos, or line drawing images, these are more artistic, and show some consideration of how their products are represented - I think it implies that there is almost a science or technical skill to producing the best cup of coffee - it shows that they care about their product.

Wednesday 4 March 2009

Music in the Mountains...

This is my final submission page for the Music in the Mountains logo design brief. All our designs were looked at, and 12 were chosen to be submitted. I was asked to change the colour scheme and the size of the lettering. This shows my final logo design and several applications of it.

Sunday 1 March 2009

The Wine Floor...

I was away during reading week, doing a sneaky bit of skiing for my birthday! Anyway, it was not a total waste in terms of graphic design; in the resort a new wine shop had just opened and we went in on our way back from dinner one evening and the French guy that owned the shop gave me his business card, shown below...