frew

P H I L L I P K A L A N T Z I S C O P E

2011-08-30T10:25:00.000-07:00

'On the plane' by PKO. See the rest here.

Tim Wan

2011-08-08T13:17:00.001-07:00

Very nice work from recent graduate Tim Wan. See it here.

Perfect Imperfection

2011-08-08T07:25:00.000-07:00

Check out Matt Hoyle's presentation for Ted Talks here.

QR codes on headstones?

2011-08-08T04:28:00.000-07:00

Personally I think it's a great idea, however I can certainly see why people aren't keen! Read more here.

Type fluid experiment

2011-08-08T03:55:00.000-07:00

Nice project going on at Skyrill.

King of Beers

2011-08-08T03:45:00.000-07:00

"Budweiser, the iconic global beer brand, today revealed a new design, seen in its can and secondary packaging, that will roll out of U.S. breweries and into the hands of American beer drinkers this summer, before debuting in markets around the world later this year". See more here.

Dear Sir/Madam

2011-07-20T14:27:00.000-07:00

So GOOD, see it here.

Carl Warner

2011-06-10T11:14:00.000-07:00

Amazing foody landscapes by the genius that is Marc Warner. Be sure to check out his work.

New Site

2011-03-30T14:34:00.000-07:00

Hoffi are a Cardiff based agency who 'plan, design and grow brands'. They are a great bunch of people and have some really nice work over on their new site.

WhitePod Alpine Ski Resort

2011-03-29T11:26:00.000-07:00

The WhitePod Alpine Ski Resort is located 1700 meters above sea level in the village of Les Cerniers and consists of 15 original accommodation units in the shape of igloos. Overlooking a beautiful Swiss valley, the unusual resort combines traditional ideas with a highly modern way of living. They may look like typical homes of ice, but in fact the cabins all feature a fireplace, a king-sized bed, a wide window for unobstructed views of the valley and plenty of comfort. And if life gets tough in these small improvised igloos, the tourists can always take a short walk to a common entertaining building, where they can purchase food and drinks. The ski tracks are at walking distance and the landscape is spectacular. So in case you were looking for a way to combine eco-tourism, the beauty of the Swiss Alps and a large level of comfort, here is a solution.

Mark Gowing Design

2011-03-04T14:27:00.000-08:00

Mark Gowing - 'Design is engaging. Design is informative. Design is emotional. Design is good business. We believe that design is as much about feeling as it is understanding. This commitment is exhibited in the studio’s output for both corporate and arts industry clients where we seek to engage audiences with emotional communications. Our projects are characterised by a research and response method that focuses on strategic thinking to ensure that every outcome is thoughtful, original and engaging. Our work is considered. Our people are extensively experienced and operate at the highest craft level, regardless of the medium. We work closely with our commissioners to create their own unique language that is both relevant and enduring. Our strength is creating solutions that embrace our clients’ values and achieve results that surprise and inspire'.

Last tango in compton

2011-02-02T10:28:00.000-08:00

This is a superb advert for the not-so new vw polo. It comes from the director Jonathan Glazer who is responsible for the famous Sony Bravia Paint advert.

The Satorialist

2011-02-02T07:07:00.000-08:00

The Satorialist has recently been voted as one of Time Magazine's top 100 design influencers. They have a great blog for fashion enthusiasts but the guy behind the camera is what's most interesting, here's a short film about him and his working day.

Wanken

2011-02-02T06:50:00.000-08:00

This next post is a beaut. Wanken is the portfoio & blog of Shelby White, a designer & photographer from Seattle, Washington. It's full of quality architecture, design, photography, ideas and philosophy. To find such a great blog is a treat so it's well worth a bookmark. The above photo is taken from one of his posts about the Rolling Huts Project by architects Olson Kundig.

Definitive Studio

2011-01-31T11:27:00.001-08:00

Definitive Studio have launched their new website. I'm not sure when they did it but I am sure they have a great portfolio of work, especially their recyclable logo project.

Antrepo

2011-01-31T11:23:00.000-08:00

Nice work from minimalism experts Antrepo. This is what they have to say about it - 'Our last project is about simplicity and we try to find alternate simple version for some package samples of the international brands. We think almost every product needs some review for minimal feeling' See more examples here.

Visual Blog

2011-01-27T08:02:00.000-08:00

Convoy, If you haven't already, check it! You won't regret it.

Book/Staircase

2011-01-21T02:43:00.000-08:00

Staircases, A must for anyone planning their own grand design.

Influencers

2011-01-14T10:40:00.000-08:00

INFLUENCERS FULL VERSION from R+I creative on Vimeo.

I hate to say it but my 300th blog post is stolen! But what isn't these days, every post, idea, must come from somewhere! However it is a good one and it comes from Hoffi, a design agency in Cardiff where I spent some time on placement. Enjoy.

Nice little animation

2011-01-12T07:15:00.000-08:00

Thought of You from Ryan J Woodward on Vimeo.

Catrin Lewis

2011-01-11T12:39:00.001-08:00

Pyramids by Catrin Lewis, very nice work indeed.
"Transforming 2 dimensional surface patterns into 3 dimensions.
Each design is constructed from paper and assembled by hand. Playing with composition and scale, the result is an interactive piece that can be viewed from different angles". Catrin also has a nice online store called NeatSupreme which sells tees and bags (Not tea bags!)

Collective Approach

2011-01-11T09:48:00.000-08:00

Collective Approach is a design consultancy specialising in branding, graphic design, art direction and online. They have their new site up & running, nice work!

Santa Monica

2011-01-11T09:42:00.000-08:00

SantaMonica is a Barcelona based brand focused on clean, crisp and classic graphic design. They have a nice range of posters for sale on their site.

Grain & Gram

2011-01-06T11:18:00.000-08:00

Grain & Gram: Nick Sambrato, Printmaker from Grain & Gram on Vimeo.

Interesting articles on craftsmen over at Grain & Gram.

Google

2011-01-05T03:56:00.001-08:00

Customize your'e Google homepage by clicking in the bottom left hand corner!

Michael Crowe

2010-12-31T12:20:00.000-08:00

Weird but wonderful stories by Michael Crowe.This is one of my favourites!

Kyle Tolley

2010-12-20T11:25:00.000-08:00

I am loving the work of London based designer, Kyle Tolley. I particularly like the work he has done whilst working over at Foxhall Associates, check it.

Jonas Valtysson

2010-12-19T07:38:00.000-08:00

JÓNAS VALTÝSSON has updated his portfolio, cracking stuff indeed!

"I love music and I can’t really go through the day without it. Music is the main reason why I got into graphic design and photography. The most exciting thing for me about getting a new cd was to go through the album artwork and see the band photos, so it’s not surprising that I got into creating music related work. That’s something I love to do and would like to keep on doing"

Andy Sewell

2010-12-06T11:13:00.000-08:00

Andy Sewell is a London based photographer with some interesting work in his folio. His images from Knob creek, bulitt county are very intriguing indeed! Be sure to check out his space on the tinternet here. If you fancy hearing Andy speak about his work, he did a small presentation for It's Nice That.

Trailer

2010-12-06T10:38:00.001-08:00

Reel Rock 2010 Trailer from Sender Films on Vimeo.

If your wondering about the amazing song choice its Radical Face - Welcome home son.

Skoda

2010-12-05T10:54:00.000-08:00

SKODA SUPERB GLASS HARP from Sehsucht™ on Vimeo.

Living in Trona

2010-11-24T04:09:00.001-08:00

This one comes via matt of W210. I do try my best to find my own content to talk about on here, but some things are just to good not to re blog, if that makes sense! This is a fantastic short film of my by Wieden + Kennedy. Probably my worst nightmare living somewhere like Trona!

Nice Talks

2010-11-24T01:44:00.000-08:00

Obviously there are TED Talks which are great, but here are some speakers that talk specifically about the creative industry. Visit Its Nice That to find out what makes some people tick!

Danny MacAskill

2010-11-24T01:07:00.000-08:00

This post comes via Noisy Decent Graphics. Its an awesome video with some amazing tricks and to top it off, its filmed in scotland, one of the most beautiful countries in the world! See it here.

The Consult

2010-11-22T02:25:00.000-08:00

Nice work being done over at The Consult in Leeds. They have lots of exciting projects in their portfolio so have a good ganda on their site! I want this mug!

Thank you!

2010-11-22T01:24:00.000-08:00

I've been added to Character Creatives hot grads list!

"Character Creative is a recruitment agency working specifically within the Creative industries. Unlike a lot of recruitment agencies. We don't pretend to work with everyone, but those we do work with happen to be some of the most gifted and recognized in the business"

Be sure to check out Director of CC Darren Scotland's blog, especially if you're a struggling graduate after some sound advice! He also had a great event planner on sale in 2010, so be quick to get yours in 2011!

No words

2010-11-18T03:54:00.000-08:00

Nice visual blog over at Love That Me.

Advice for grads

2010-11-18T03:15:00.000-08:00

Good advice for graduates here by Darren Scotland, founder of Character Creative.

2010-11-17T08:35:00.000-08:00

Nice work from Scott Campbell, a graphic designer, illustrator, printmaker, and musician working and living in New Orleans, LA.

Letterhead inspiration

2010-11-17T02:35:00.000-08:00

Letterheady, a blog devoted to the most unique letterheas around. Well worth a look, it features letterheads from Johnny Cash, John Wayne, Factory records, Ferrari and plenty more!

**** Advice

2010-11-17T02:29:00.000-08:00

Good Fucking Device here if you lose sight of what you are doing!

Klone chockies!

2010-11-12T03:16:00.000-08:00

Concept for a christmas box of chocolates. It's starting to look more and more like a cd case everyday but I don't think thats a bad thing! Its designed so its not limited to christmas time and can be used all year round. However, it does suggest christmas a little using the reds and whites, be rude not too!

Dalton

2010-11-12T02:21:00.000-08:00

Fascinating micro sculptures by Dalton Ghetti. Very intricate work indeed. I don't think he has a personal space on the internet so you will just have to google him to see more of his work!

Schneiter Meier Küllinga

2010-11-11T02:19:00.000-08:00

Some nice packaging over at Schneiter Meier Küllinga for swiss food retailer Migros.

Does your desk reflect who you are!?

2010-11-09T07:10:00.000-08:00

Desk - Music and Sound Design from Aaron Trinder Film:Motion:Music on Vimeo.

A month in the life of a graphic designer

2010-11-09T01:36:00.000-08:00

Being on placement, there are times when I have nothing to do but scour the internet for interesting sites to keep me occupied. Ordinarily I would offer to help do something, arrange files, clean up but there is actually no work in at the moment. So, having done my rounds on all the design blogs, I started looking through the creative review archives where I came across this. A Month In The Life of A Graphic Designer. A great find. When I am talking to somebody who works in the industry I am always overwhelmed by the amount of questions I have for them, almost always thinking up questions for them after i've talked to them. I am very intrigued by what a day in the life of a designer involves. Michael Place of build generously agreed to record everything he did for month. Very interesting stuff. See it here.

Cup collection?

2010-11-09T01:26:00.000-08:00

I realize this may have been around for a while, but I've decided I need one. A subtle hint to anyone who wants to buy it for me, here!

2010-11-08T11:24:00.000-08:00

A page from my ongoing project. It's a book about my home life and gives an insight to where I'm from and what I do whilst I'm back in North Wales. I decided to do this project for two reasons, 1 I have been away from home and I am starting to miss the old place. This got me thinking about why and who I miss the most and I felt the urge to document it. 2 I thought it would be a nice self promotion piece to take with me to interviews to that potential employers can get a better idea of who I am, could be a bad thing that though!

New work update

2010-11-08T02:44:00.001-08:00

t3 - A new identity for an Italian firm who manufacture solar powered products.
Canareggio - A new identity for a professional catering college situated on the grand canal in Venice.
These are the 2 main projects I have been working on whilst working at italian design agency, Klone. I am very happy with the results and to have some commercial work in my portfolio is long overdue. Its very rewarding having your work out there in the big wide world and not just getting as far as your lecturers desk. I saw an advert of mine in a very reputable Italian magazine the other day and felt very proud indeed.

My only reservation about being on placements is that you don't know if your work is being used or not. Here i know what needs to be done and seeing my work in a published magazine is very reassuring to me as an intern. However, because I am on placement I always feel the need to get the work I am doing into my folio, sometimes even before I have finished it. Through my experience here so far I have learnt that you need to work as hard as you can on creating a high standard of work and then if it's relevant you should document, photograph it for your folio, site, blog etc. I have made a promise to myself that I will always think about the work first, what the client needs and how they want it to look and not let my own self promotion shape the outcome of live briefs. Placements are definitely well worth the effort as long as you are working in a field that is relevant to your future career. Whilst I have been working here I have continuously used my skills acquired from my university days but in the studio there are just some things you can't know until your here, in it and experiencing it for yourself. When I arrive back in the UK I will be looking for my first job as a designer and from this experience I feel I can hold my own in a studio and produce a high standard of work time and time again. I am very much looking forward to working in this industry and will be busting a gut over xmas to make it happen sooner rather than later.

Kissmass lights

2010-11-04T07:26:00.000-07:00

Cocksedge’s Christmas installation, which will be located in Covent Garden, will be similarly interactive and romantic enough to get any Scrooge into the festive spirit. A 15m tree dressed with 50 00 bespoke white a red LEDs and 100 stroke lights will illuminate the Piazza. Nothing special you might think, but the tree’s spectacular lighting sequence can only activated by two people kissing under the mistletoe, which hangs in front of the tree.
Made me laugh!

2010-10-29T02:39:00.001-07:00

Channel 4 Branding 2010 from ruddstudio on Vimeo.

As I am in Italy, I keep wondering what will have changed when i get back to the uk. What am I missing on TV is my main thought! I found this over on the creative review blog. Its a nice rebrand for the infamous channel 4 idents. Its by Rudd Studio who have some great work over on their site, be sure to check it out.

2010-10-26T04:54:00.000-07:00

OIL & WATER DO NOT MIX from Happiness Brussels on Vimeo.

Panoramic Photography

2010-10-20T03:34:00.000-07:00

I have just come across a great website called world panoramic photography. It offers high res panoramic photos from certain destinations around the globe, the photo's above are of everest and Yosemite national park. Obviously there is already google street but these photographs are so much more impressive.

Infographic

2010-10-20T01:53:00.000-07:00

This is over on the Guardian, Its a clever way of clearly seeing how the government spends our money and even lets you make cuts of your own (not for real!). If only all government statistics were explained this easily, people would understand what the hell was going on in the country!

Peter Crawley

2010-10-15T07:11:00.000-07:00

I have just come across Peter Crawley, an illustrator with a difference. This is a stiched illustration for creative review, very impressive work. See loads more over on his site.

2010-10-15T02:50:00.000-07:00

This is what I have been working on for the last week, amongst other things. Its a new identity for t-tre, an Italian company working with solar powered products. The logo needs working on but its exciting to see it developing day to day. When I handed it to the senior designer, I could see he was excited by the concept and that made it worth all the effort.

Boston Big Picture

2010-10-08T04:51:00.001-07:00

Yet more nice snaps from Boston Big Picture. Be sure to check their site out. Its updated weekly bringing you the news in pictures.

2010-10-04T05:19:00.000-07:00

A preview of klone's new business cards. Each designer at Klone will have their own colour card which should represent their personality and role within the agency. Photographs to follow when they arrive.

2010-10-04T03:10:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to blog about The American poster for a while now. The film is set in Italy somewhere so you can imagine how many times a day I see it. It was done by Mojo House , an L.A based agency with some huge clients, their website is well worth a look. As pointed out by the Aisleone blog, the poster is very similar to style of posters designed in the early 60's (Steve mcqueen's Bullitt). Nice work indeed.

Awesomeness

2010-09-29T04:18:00.001-07:00

Great documentary about large scale hand painting. I was itching to put it up here before I finished watching it.

2010-09-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

I have just finished my first week at Italian design agency, Klone. Apart from the language barrier, all is good. In the last few days I have worked on three jobs two of which have been signed off. The agency itself is a friendly and welcoming place to work and I am very much looking forward to spending the next nine weeks here.

2010-09-24T08:35:00.000-07:00

Great little project from designers Chris Doyle and Elliot Scott. See the rest here.

2010-09-22T01:35:00.000-07:00

Stunning photography from Petur thompsen.

Italy

2010-09-16T12:59:00.000-07:00

The first pics from my Italy trip. These were all taken on a day trip to Venice. Jam packed with tourists, these were the only photographs were people didn't get in the way!

2010-08-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

"This is a four-part video series from Black Diamond about Sonnie Trotter and Alex Honnold making the first one-day ascent of Logical Progression, a 28-pitch 5.13a route on El Gigante in Mexico's Basaseachi National Park."

VIDEO #1: BD athletes Sonnie Trotter and Alex Honnold make one-day ascent of 28-pitch 5.13a in Mexico from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

VIDEO #2: BD athletes Sonnie Trotter and Alex Honnold make one-day ascent of 28-pitch 5.13a in Mexico from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

VIDEO #3: BD athletes Sonnie Trotter and Alex Honnold make one-day ascent of 28-pitch 5.13a in Mexico from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

Bella Lugosi is Dead

2010-08-27T08:27:00.000-07:00

Pics of Bella Lugosi is Dead a route we did last week above llanberis in the slate quarry's!

2010-08-27T03:45:00.000-07:00

Next week I fly to Venice to start a 3 month placement in a design agency. To say I am excited is an understatement. Good food, coffee and weather :) Hopefully my portfolio will benefit from my time there and will help get my foot in the door when I come back to start a my career as a graphic designer. Watch this space.

2010-08-27T02:54:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the moody looking pic! Summer is coming to an end and by this point I am usually happy to be going back to Cardiff. But this summer has been rather productive in comparison to previous holidays. I've spent a lot of time climbing in LLanberis and the peak district even though the weather hasn't been the best. When I haven't been climbing my time has been filled up by graduating, gorge walking, coasteering, building a shed/finger board, cooking, radio 1 festival, drinking. Its been a real good summer and I've kept being creative and trapsing through design blogs to keep my motivation up in time for Italy.

2010-08-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

yet more nice images from French photographer Laurent nivalle.

2010-08-26T10:47:00.001-07:00

Nice minimalistic album covers, see more here.

2010-08-26T04:28:00.000-07:00

Oh Snap. A great photography blog, well worth adding to your favourites.

2010-08-18T05:21:00.000-07:00

An interview with Aaron Draplin. A great graphic designer who is nothing but passionate about what he does. Very inspiring for a young designer. See the whole interview with him here.

2010-08-18T05:05:00.000-07:00

Photographs from Afghanistan.

2010-08-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

Dawes and Dixon on the Indian Face from UKClimbing.com TV on Vimeo.

Good video for people who are interested in climbing, probably a bit of a bore for people who aren't.

2010-08-16T04:51:00.001-07:00

Iceland, Eyjafjallajökull - May 1st and 2nd, 2010 from Sean Stiegemeier on Vimeo.

2010-08-16T04:46:00.001-07:00

America Is F*cked.......(Graphically at least) from Jess Gibson on Vimeo.

2010-08-11T05:07:00.000-07:00

Nice work here by photographer Todd Richardson.

2010-08-05T11:58:00.000-07:00

The xx, a great sound, especially their new single island. Be sure to check it out.

2010-07-21T03:17:00.001-07:00

I've recently become aware of a great climber called Fred Nicole. He is most famous for bouldering and doing numerous fist ascents in France and Switzerland. Fred is very modest about his skills as a climber, "Nicole has claimed in interview that he doesn't think that he could do a single one arm chin-up, although he can be seen in Masters of Stone III performing a one-arm, pinkie chin-up". See a video of him climbing near his home here, Good stuff. Don't forget to click on the HD, much better quality!

2010-07-19T01:38:00.001-07:00

Yet more amazing photographs from boston big picture. See more from the world cup 2010 here.

2010-07-10T11:19:00.001-07:00

Matt Sibers awesome floating logo's project, well worth a look!

2010-07-06T06:31:00.000-07:00

Over the last 2 weeks I have been on a short placement at Hoffi, A small, lovely group of designers situated down in Cardiff bay. The 2 weeks went very fast but I got to know how a proffesional design agency is run and what there working method involves. Whilst I was at Hoffi I found myself thinking 'Why would anyone want to work in any other job than in graphic design, apart from the obvious jobs!. I never once felt like it was a chaw to go in and do work. To get up in the morning and look forward to getting into work is rare and not many people have this luxury. There are times when motivation is down but to combat this you need to relax and find inspiration from something, somewhere or someone. This can involve playing games (wii tennis at Hoffi!) books, films. These all qualify as research, too easy!! During my placement I got to work on several different projects. There was Rubicon which lasted the duration, It was to re-brand a dance school located in Adamstown, Cardiff. The brief was to create a mark which reflected a community whilst showing proffessionalism in that funding is an important part of their future. In my attempts to solve the problem I found that it was a difficult to express movement in a logo. I also found that showing a logo and how it works accross different mediums such as brochures and merchandise is a great way of showing a client different options. Using elements of the logo to create a house style is very effective in showing a client potential outcomes.

Ark is an organization which aims to promote social design in Wales and is run by Julian Sykes of Hoffi. During my time at Hoffi I did a few little bits n bobs for Ark. Over the weekend they were hosting an empty shop project in Castle Arcade, Cardiff. The purpose of this project was to create awareness of the small boutique shops located within the Cardiff arcades. From what I hear the weekend was a success which is very good news indeed. Ark are a great organization made up of people who give up their tme and money to do good for design in Wales. If I was to ever have my own design agency I would hope it wouldn't be too dissimilar to Ark and Hoffi. Being such a small group helps them to not lose site of what is important and is a big adavantage in working with or wooing over potential clients. They are a lovely bunch and it was a pleasure to spend 2 weeks with them in their studio.

Now its summer time and after I graduate I am heading back home to llanrwst for 2 months. I hope to keep being inspired and blog but this all seems to stop when I go home and I turn into a temporary alcholic! However I hope to get a lot of climbing done and keep my inspiration rolling in time for Italy in september. My next post should be in Italian, no promises! I have also started to keep a written diary, very practical indeed. Ciao for now!

2010-06-19T10:44:00.000-07:00

Very interesting work by United Visual Artists.

2010-06-19T07:24:00.000-07:00

I got the placement in Italy! Next September I will be travelling out to Padova (north eastern Italy) for 3 months, all paid for! I'm going to be working within Italian advertising, not sure for whom yet. Very exciting stuff, watch this space.

2010-06-13T12:44:00.000-07:00

My online portfolio. Clean & simple! see it here.

2010-06-07T09:41:00.000-07:00

Great quote!

2010-06-05T14:13:00.000-07:00

Recently I had a job interview which required me to scan my N.I card. I immediately thought William Eggleston when I saw this, I'm not sure what I like about it but it holds my attention longer than it should do, maybe it's the colour. It looks like something out of late 70's America, something you see every day but don't take notice of, Very Eggleston!

2010-06-02T14:28:00.000-07:00

Another 1 I did!!This is supposed to be a mounatin range!

2010-06-02T09:48:00.001-07:00

Stolen from the blog of Gareth Dunt, Blackmaths. This is awesome! A web application from Harmony. I tried to draw wales Aus!!!

2010-06-01T13:03:00.001-07:00

Cuben - Colour shambles.

2010-06-01T12:32:00.000-07:00

This is slack liner, professional climber and all round nutcase Dean potter. He holds the world record for the longest, highest detached slack line walk ever. This is him 3,000 ft up El Capitan in Yosemite national park, California. Channel 4 made a documentary about Dean and his doings, very interesting, see the full episode here.

2010-05-31T08:00:00.001-07:00

Ben prescott's response to the fifa world cup wall chart.

2010-05-30T05:03:00.000-07:00

This is a post following up from the ntu video I blogged about earlier this month, see it here. Great idea!

2010-05-30T04:14:00.000-07:00

This is a great little video taken from the Creative Wales website. Designer Violence drawing on the window of the cooky little art bar Milgi. A guy by the name of Ben Smith from gingenious shot the video, nice work!

2010-05-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

The Mabinogion, is a series of welsh folk tales which have recently been
re-written. These are 2 of 4 book covers that I designed for a brief set by Seren book publishers. This submission was shortlisted as part of a national competition.

2010-05-16T14:52:00.000-07:00

Taken from w210, nice photographs of abandoned houses, see more here.

2010-05-09T08:13:00.000-07:00

'Modern Masters' on BBC 1, Sunday 9.00pm. Over 4 weeks it looks at 4 artists who have had a huge influence on modern art. Last weeks episode explores Andy Warhole's life, his work and the effect he has had on modern society. The programme suggests that Warhole's influence can not only be seen in modern art, but in fashion, music and even social networking. The other artists covered are Matisse, Picasso and dali.

2010-05-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

"Last Friday, April 30th, was the 35th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War, and last Tuesday, May 4th, was the 40th anniversary of the shooting of protesting students at Kent State University. The Vietnam War and America's involvement in it affected the lives of millions for well over a decade, exacting a massive human cost with millions of deaths and countless injuries - both physical and mental - that plague many of those involved to this day" see more images here.

Evaluation / Site Brief

2010-05-07T05:38:00.000-07:00

We were asked to choose an ordinary site or object and make it extra ordinary.
As I am ridiculously indecisive, the task of choosing an ordinary object was really difficult for me. In the end I chose to study a wine rack, which sits in my kitchen doing anything but, what it’s made for. I felt that this everyday object had the potential to be interesting enough to hold the attention of the audience.

During this project we had an opportunity to talk through our work with friend of the course Andrew Fice. This proved to be a turning point in the project, which led me to come up with my final outcome. Before my talk with Andy I was hung up on producing a piece of work that was useful in someway or other. My idea was to produce a box, which included the flat packed wine rack along with a booklet full of funny games and ideas. This was to be sold to students, wine drinkers etc.

In the end I focused on what I found interesting rather than what someone else might find interesting. I feel this is what made it a successful piece of communication and met the requirements of the brief.

During the project it seemed as if we were told to produce an info graphic piece. This was because almost everyone resorted to communicating their site through the use of graphs, stats or charts. We were told to choose five aspects to focus on. I chose form, function, aesthetics, characteristics and interaction.

Overall I am very pleased with the outcome I achieved for this brief. By using little text and visual stimulating imagery on each page I feel this small booklet is interesting enough to hold the readers attention. The diagrammatic images along with the close up photography gives the reader a sense of what the rack looks and feels like. The uses of colours through out the booklet emulate those of the rack. The cold grey images both at the beginning and the end mirror the colour of the sharp aluminium frame whilst the warm primary colour used in the diagrams convey the wooden elements of the rack. I think the most successful part of the outcome is the logo, which is on the front and back pages. The logo represents the wine rack and Grabs the reader’s attention whilst being very pleasing on the eye.

I feel this brief has been the most useful to me during my time here at University. It has taught me that there is always an interesting perspective no matter how boring or ordinary something might be. It has also shown me how important research is to a project and that to produce a successful outcome there is never enough research to be done, the more you know about the subject the better you can communicate the message.

3 years / Graphic Communication

2010-05-06T15:12:00.001-07:00

Since coming to Cardiff in 2007 I have learnt a great deal about myself and the world of Graphic Communication. My understanding of the subject has developed considerably in the last three years and I leave feeling confident in my ability’s to produce a high standard of work. During the last three years I have found that my strengths lie in print but have neglected to address my weaknesses as a web designer, however I have no interest in this area of design.

I came into the course with a lack of motivation and enthusiasm for education thinking it was the easy way out (But it wasn’t). My work suffered because of this, especially the CCS modules. I continued with this mentality up until halfway through the second year but quickly realized the more you put into the course, the more you get out. I soon became enthusiastic about learning how to better myself not just as a professional but as a person. The course has allowed me to be creative and experimental in the way I produce work. This has opened up new ideas and ways of working which can only be beneficial to me in the future. I feel my strengths lie in print and this is reflected in my portfolio; however I do wish to learn more about motion graphics which perhaps I should have thought about before leaving university. During the Big Idea brief I used screen printing to produce my final artwork which has led me to have a keen interest in the process. This got me thinking about how I haven’t been taking full advantage of the facilities and in particular the freedom to be so creative whilst being at university. This in turn has led me to believe that I should always start by thinking big because that is when I am most creative.

My excitement for the subject over the last two years has been fuelled by the people who are involved in the course. The healthy competition between the students and the eagerness to impress the tutors has forced me to put 100% into each brief. I feel this is what makes this course a success and will hopefully make me one in the near future. Being surrounded by like minded people has inspired me to work harder and go the extra mile.

The biggest development I have noticed in myself since starting the course is the ability to solve communication problems creatively. The site Brief in particular helped me to improve in this area by taking an ordinary object and making it extra-ordinary. The idea of taking something that is bland or boring and making it interesting and appealing is to me what graphic design is all about. Using this notion along with the communication of a message sums up what I think the course sets out to teach you.

My working method has been refined time and time again over the years and I now feel confident in taking a brief from start to finish whether it is individually or as part of a team. I find each stage of my working method very appealing, the research stage allows me to learn about a new subject, person or place which is always intriguing. Idea generation I feel is one of my other strong points and I thoroughly enjoy dealing with final artwork. During the first two years I was quick to rush to the computer and start producing work without researching or fully understanding the brief, but by keeping a working method I am now a lot more efficient and focused on the task in hand. Enjoying myself at each stage of a brief always keeps me motivated and inspires me to produce a successful outcome.

Most of my developments have come in the third and final year. This is due to the fact that it is only this year that counts towards my final grade. This added pressure has made me focus on my strengths but has not scared me into ‘playing safe’ what so ever. When I start a brief I am never worried about it as I feel the idea’s will always come and it’s just about finding the inspiration whether it be in films, books or in other people’s work.

I now approach the subject in a pro-active manner with a determination to make a success of myself in the industry. I feel my time at Cardiff School of Art & Design has taught me a new way of thinking. I look at the world from a different perspective and it has taught me to question and be curious about all kinds of subjects. I think graphic communication is made up of loads of different subjects and that you learn a little about a lot.