C74 =4F <8=8<0;8B< Less is more, more or less: what’s next for pared-back graphic design 4G2;DB8E4 E834> True North reveals the design process behind ISSUE 218 its limited-edition Royal Mail stamps SEPTEMBER 2013 DIGITAL EDITION BANK OF FREELANCE It pays PRINTED IN for designers to scratch each others’ THE UK backs, says the Freelancers Union Featuring... ČH\YČ`UhYghČXYg][bČhfYbXg Č=bg]XYČCdhigÈČfYWYbhČfYVfUbX ČAUfhUČ7YfX{Č5`]aVUi Č5`YlČHfcW\ihÈgČ`ia]bcigČdcghYfg Č6`c_Č8Yg][bČ]bČdfcÑ`Y ČČ=bgd]f]b[ČdUW_U[]b[ČXYg][b Č5bXČaiW\ČacfYĔĔĔ NAIL AN OPEN BRIEF How to produce your best-ever design work when faced with a blank sheet of paper
WELCOME SEPTEMBER 2013 EDITOR’S LETTER KEEPIN It’saclassicconundrumindesignthatthesimplestsolutions TOUCHWITH… oen takethelongesttoreachparingbacktothebareessentials takesconfidenceandnosmallamountofskill Forthisissue’sSpecialReportdesignwriterandcuratorEmily Kingsurveysthedevelopmentofminimalistdesignsincethes andquestionswhereitcangonext OpenbriefsalsogetagrillinginourIndustryIssuesfeature wheredesignerswhorelishthechallengeofablanksheetofpaper TWITTERCOM/ sharetheirtried-and-trustedmethodsfordealingwithitwhetherit’s COMPUTERARTS creatingtheirownsetofparameterstoworkwithinorhand-holding indecisiveclientsthroughtheprocess FreelancersshouldcheckouttheInsightsectionwherewe FACEBOOKCOM/ explorewhetheryourfellowfreelancersshouldbeseenasrivals or COMPUTERARTS alliesTheFreelancersUnion’sSaraHorowiczcomesdownfirmlyon thelaersidepresentingthecaseforherso-called‘Love Banking’ approachWe’dlovetohearifyouagree Elsewhereit’saCatalonianspecial fromherBarcelona-based studioMartaCerdàdiscusseshernomadicmindsetwhileher neighbourandregularcreativecollaboratorAlexTrochutreveals the fascinatingprocessbehindhisrecentluminousposterseries in theProjectssectionIt’serilluminating NICKCARSON EDITOR [email protected] FEATURING MARTACERDÀ ALEXTROCHUT BLOKDESIGN BJÖRNKUSOFFSKY SARABLAKE Martaistheillustrator Barcelona-bornAlex VanessaEcksteinfounded Björnco-founded Zsoistheillustrationand behindthisissue’scover studiedgraphicdesign Blokinbringing StockholmDesignLab designstudioofNYC- imageandthe atElisavabeforegoing MartaCutleronboard a multidisciplinarydesign basedcreativeSarawho winneroftheArtDirector’s freelanceinHe’s to helprealiseher‘value agencyspecialisingin hasworkedforthelikesof ClubYoungGunssixth sincecollaboratedwith legacy’ethosThepair brandidentityInour NikeFordandWiredIn editionWemeetherin clientsincludingCoca- discusstheirfavourite SpecialReportstarting ourIndustryIssuesfeature her airyBarcelonastudio ColaThe Economist projectsandexplain pagehediscusses shediscussestacklingan to discusspsychology andNikeOnpagehe theirloveof‘thespace themodernapproach openbrief–includinghow musicandmayonnaise explainshowhecreated in-between’inthisissue’s tominimalismfroma tospotthosetimeswhen startingonpage his BinaryPrintsportaits StudioLife–page Scandinavianpointofview it’snotanopenbriefatall www.martacerda.com www.alextrochut.com www.blokdesign.com www.stockholmdesignlab.se www.hellozso.com WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK --
SEPTEMBER 2013 MEET THE TEAM MEET THE TEAM FUTUREPUBLISHINGLTD MONMOUTHSTREET BATHBABW PHONE FAX NICKCARSON EMAIL [email protected] EDITOR WEBwww.computerarts.co.uk For his brother’s ‘bushcra’ stag do, Nick ventured EDITORIAL MARKETING into the Welsh wilderness armed with baby wipes and NICK CARSONEDITOR PHILIPPANEWMAN antibacterial gel. He returned shaken but unscathed, [email protected] Group marketing manager [email protected] having slept in a hammock and whiled a spear. JULIA SAGARDEPUTYEDITOR [email protected] ALEXANDRAGEARY Marketing executive [email protected] JO GULLIVER ARTEDITOR [email protected] PRINT & PRODUCTION JULIASAGAR MARKCONSTANCE Production manager RUTH HAMILTON VIVTURNER Production co-ordinator DEPUTYEDITOR PRODUCTIONASSISTANT NOLACOKELY Ad production manager Julia ended her six-part CA Presents series with a [email protected] CIRCULATION heavy heart and a shocking pink cover. There was GARY EVANSSTAFFWRITER JAMESRYAN Direct marketing executive also an unfortunate incident with her sister-in-law’s [email protected] [email protected] new campervan, but it’s too soon to joke about that. JIM MCCAULEY NETWORKEDITOR DANIELFOLEY Trade marketing manager [email protected] [email protected] CONTRIBUTORS RICHARDJEFFERIES International account manager Zaneta Antosik, Caterina Barjau Dachs, richard.jeff[email protected] JOGULLIVER Joshua Checkley, Graham Fink, ARTEDITOR Franklintill, Dan Gray, Sara Horowicz, LICENSING Cat How, Chloe Jackson, Emily King, REGINAERAK Licensing director The final CA Presents in the series was a sad time for Karen Lewis, Reynard Li, Thiago Maia, [email protected] Rob Mead-Green, Roser Miquel Ortuño, Jo, but she won’t miss sorting out Julia’s enthusiastic Syma Tariq, Garrick Webster amateur art editing. She’s also been inciting jealousy FUTURE PUBLISHING LTD ADVERTISING DECLANGOUGH Head of creative and design with her increasingly impressive summer salads. NIALFERGUSON Managing director of technology, film and games CHARLIESAID Ad sales director DANOLIVER Editor-in-chief [email protected] STEVEGOTOBED Group art director ROBINABBOTT Creative director GARYEVANS LAURAWATSON Account manager JIMDOUGLASEditorial director [email protected] STAFFWRITER SUBSCRIPTIONS Gary headed north to interview Manchester studios JULIANTOZER Account manager [email protected] www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk for our Designer Series. He slept soundly for most of thenightmarishdelay-riddenjourney, which didn’t ROSSARTHURS Account manager NEXT ISSUE ON SALE [email protected] impress Alun the videographer, who was driving. September DISTRIBUTED BY Seymour Distribution Ltd, East Poultry Avenue, London ECA PT Tel: RUTHHAMILTON PRODUCTIONASSISTANT A member of the Audit Want to work for Future? Bureau of Circulations Ruth’s month was marred by a profusion of Visit www.futurenet.com/jobs paragraphs gone missing and an over-enthusiastic Print + digital (Jan-Dec 2012) junk filter. She’s heading off on her holidays shortly 'VUVSF QSPEVDFT IJHI RVBMJUZ NVMUJNFEJB QSPEVDUT XIJDI SFBDI PVS BVEJFODFT POMJOF PO aer this issue’s print deadline, thank goodness. mobile and in print. Future attracts over 50 million consumers to its brands every month across mWF DPSF TFDUPST 5FDIOPMPHZ &OUFSUBJONFOU .VTJD $SFBUJWF BOE 4QPSUT \"VUP 8F FYQPSU BOE license our publications. Future plc is a public Chief executive .BSL 8PPE company quoted on the Non-executive chairman Peter Allen -POEPO 4UPDL &YDIBOHF &KLHI ÀQDQFLDO RIÀFHU Graham Harding (symbol: FUTR). Tel +44 (0)207 042 4000 (London) www.futureplc.com 5FM #BUI © Future Publishing Limited 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. 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CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2013 CONTENTS EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: THE DESIGNER SERIES In the sixth instalment of our insightful video documentaries, we take a trip to Manchester to visit True North Introduction from co-founder Ady Bibby TRY THE Posters for the National Portrait Gallery SPECIAL REPORT iPAD EDITION FOR FREE! THE NEW MINIMALISM TURN TO PAGE 41 Minimalistdesignhasbeenaroundfordecadesbutwhatdoesthe FOR MORE... SUBSCRIBE TO termmeantoday?EmilyKingexploresthemodernapproach COMPUTER ARTS ďI?ďfYUXYfgĘďSaveupto ďIGďfYUXYfgĘďGUjYďidďhcďćăĒď ďKcf`Xk]XYĘďWcadihYfUfhgėWcėi_#g\cd IN CONVERSATION STUDIO LIFE MARTA CERDÀ BLOK DESIGN WemeettheillustratorinherBarcelona StudiopartnersVanessaEcksteinand studiotofindouthowherfascinationwith MartaCutlerintroduceBlokandshare psychologyinfluencesherwork the practice’s‘valuelegacy’ethos WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK --
CULTURE TRENDS SEPTEMBER 2013 DESIGNED FOR LIFE beefed up Two New York creatives have remixed wrapping paper, thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign arahFayandJustinColthave S givenwrappingpaperameaty makeoverFeelinguninspired by whatthemarkethadtoofferthe New York-basedduolauncheda KickstarterprojecttofundGiCouture –acompanyofferingauniquerange of coordinatedwrappingpaperlines Aermorethandoublingitsoriginal fundraisinggoalit’snowpossibletobuy hamburgercheeseleuceandbunprint papertheideabeingtotransformyour gisintoaburgerfortheluckyrecipient “Theburgerpaper”Coltsays“was createdbyphotographingeightdifferent burgersandretouchingthemintoone largemega-burgerCreatingthese paernsmeansgoingthroughallofthe photosandscansonatightmacrolevel” IronicallyenoughFayandColtare vegetarians“Ithinkifweweren’talready” saysColt“theprocessofretouching alltheimperfectionsinthehamburger wouldhaveconvertedus” What’snextforGiCouture? “Themostcommonsuggestionwe’ve beengeingontheinternet”Coltsays “isto makeabaconwrappingpaper designPeopleonlinelovebacon” PRODUCT: TheCheeseburgerSet byGiCouture www.gicouture.com COST: TRENDING Stay one CUTTING EDGE STILL FRESH MAINSTREAM ILLUSTRATION: Joshua Checkley, www.joshuacheckley.co.uk step ahead Designers continue Fruity visuals The addition of with our to make intangible provide light- scale borders forces tangible, hearted, fresh brings graphic barometer visualising sounds appeal across dynamism to still- of visual cool in order to generate editorial shoots life and fashion alluring pa erns. and advertising. photography. WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -12-
CULTURE PEOPLE SEPTEMBER 2013 MY STYLE IS... BOLD, PURPOSEFUL Designer James Gilbert cras bespoke teams AND MATHEMATIC around himself for each new project from anywhere. Aside from the obvious benefit of keeping overheads low, I think that constantly meeting and working with PHOTOGRAPHY: JD Spivey things more exciting and inspiring for all. new, talented, passionate people makes Talk us through how you approach and A recent project required a full rebrand Designer Paul Sirmon develop projects now… and website redesign, so I started with wears his creative PHOTOGRAPHY: Percy Dean a great brand strategist I’d worked with taste on his T-shirts... before, as well as a top-notch developer to build the bespoke CMS. Once we’d or occasionally his skin developed the project a lile, I brought NEW VENTURES in a photographer to help bring the buzzbombcreative.com identity to life. That’s just this particular Working solo, project, though. Some jobs need extra with others designers, some need extra developers, or even more specific skill sets. I think it’s MUNNY healthy to constantly question if you could I’vecustomised James Gilbert decided to make his ad hoc do things differently. Don’t just stick to one sometoysbut collaborative approach official, transforming method – even if it is tried and tested. there’ssomethingspecial James Gilbert Design into Studio Contents How do you maintain a strong aesthetic aboutablankMunnyIt when your team is constantly changing? I’m always at the heart of every project, so hassuchcharactereven or James Gilbert, operating as it’s a combination of my creative direction whenblank–itreminds F a one-man studio rarely meant and knowing that the people I work with methatlessismore working alone. Aer five years are experts at what they do and share the collaborating with specialists on projects, same vision. That said, every project and the designer felt it was time to build this every client is different, so a ‘house style’ into his mission statement. We speak to is irrelevant. AMPERSAND him to find out why it was so important TATTOO to relaunch himself as Studio Contents, How did you approach the change to and how he went about doing it. your studio and working process? TheU&lc The change was more about leing people mastheaddesignedby Why did you choose to move away from know the ethos behind Studio Contents. HerbLubalinisthemodel your one-man studio approach? Explaining to people that this isn’t a typical I’ve never truly worked solo – I always have agency dynamic can take time, but once formy‘handpersand’ other designers, developers, illustrators, I go through the reasons behind it they Lubalinisahugeinfluence copywriters and so on collaborating soon get it. Therebrandobviouslycame onmeforbothcleverness with me. The transformation into ‘Studio aspartofthisprocesswithchangestothe Contents’ represents a decision to actively namevisualidentityandwebsite andtypography make this a part of my professional model. It’s about assembling bespoke teams on Why did you pick the name? ILLUSTRATION : Chloe Jackson, www.chloejackson.com acompulsivecollecting Why did you decide against building thatitisthefinaloutputthatiscritiqued Thesayinggoesthatthewholeisgreater a job-by-job basis. T-SHIRTS thanthesumofitspartsWhileit’strue I’maT-shirt a permanent team? acertainamountofaproject’ssuccessis fanaticandhave Different jobs require different expertise, directlylinkedtoacarefullyselectedset and I want to make sure that I’m working ofparts individualsprocessesresearch with people whose skills are particularly thoughtsideas—our‘contents’Theword problemIlovewearing alsoreferstoacollectionofpeoplewho relevant. This way, there are fewer artandT-shirtsarea limitations and the quality of the output are‘content’whichiswhatourworking greatmediumforthat can be much higher. Although I have a studio in Manchester, teams can operate www.studiocontents.com WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK dynamichopefullyachieves -14-
PHOTOGRAPHY: Baldur Kristjánsson MY DESIGN SPACE IS... LIKE GOING BACK IN TIME The creatives behind Reykjavík Leerpress invite us into their was includedinthepackageandwe Hildur Sigurdardoir studio, which was built inthe s – and hasn’t changed much simply loveit!”smilesSigurdardoir (le) and Olof Birna Onewallholdsamoveabletypeset Gardarsdoir in their whichSigurdardoirthinksisessential studio – the grey walls foreveryleerpressprinter“It’sjustthe and concrete floor pay uiltinthe sforindustrial Gardarsdoirhowtousetheminthe originalityofit”sheexplainsThepairstill homage to the space’s b use thegraphicdesignand garagewheretheywerethensituated useitoccasionallybutprefertodomost original industrial use leerpressstudiorunby Whenthemachinesmovedintotheirnew oftheirworkwithpolymerplates “That Hildur SigurdardoirandOlofBirna homealilebitoftheowner’shistory waywearenotaslimitedtothefontsand Gardarsdoirstillhasaratherraw camewiththem “Theyellowchair graphicswecanuse”sheexplains workshopfeeltoit Thereisalsoarangeofsmaller “Somepeoplesaythatvisitingus machines foraddinginterest–holes feelslikegoingbackafewdecadesin perforationsroundedcorners–satona time”laughsSigurdardoirAnodtothe desktoptheduorefertoasthe‘funbar’ building’soriginalcharacterthemachine “SOME PEOPLE SAY Afinalflourishcomesintheformofa shoprunbyhergrandfathercomesinthe wall-mountedlegodeerthehandiwork formofa logopaintedonthebackwall THAT VISITING US FEELS ofSigurdardoir´shusbandJens“It’sa Theleerpressprintingmachines reminder”shesays“ofhowcreativeone doedaroundthestudiooriginally LIKE GOING BACK A FEW canbebyusingoneformoverandover belongedtoanex-printerwhospent untilyoudon´tseethatformanymore twomonthsteachingSigurdardoirand DECADES IN TIME” butsomethingcompletelydifferent” WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -15-
CULTURE PLACES SEPTEMBER 2013 CREATIVE QUARTERS WARSAW, POLAND Graphic designer, illustrator and traveller Izabela Kaczmarek-Szurek has lived and worked in cities all over Poland. Here, she shares the design secrets of the capital she currently calls home HALA MIROWSKA PlMirowski MirowskaHallismyfoodparadise Ifyouneedlocalfruitsvegetablesor cheesegothere–itsellseverythingyou needfortheperfectmealThemain buildingsdatebacktoaroundand areanincredibleexampleoftheeclectic tradingarchitectureinWarsaw MUZEUM SZTUKI NOWOCZESNEJ UlPańska Aninspiringexhibitionspacewith well-equippedbookstoreandasmall coffeebartheMuseumofModernArtis currentlylocatedintheoldpavilionwhile permanentquartersarebeingplanned TFH Szpitalna wwwfacebookcom/TFHbutik HousingdesignsfromoverofPoland’s mostpromisingyoungfashiondesigners thislilepop-upshopisoneofthefirst suchboutiquesinPolandLocatedrightin thecentreofWarsawtheboutiqueoffers high-qualityclothesataffordableprices POWIŚLE RAILWAY STATION Smolna Firstlookattheinteresting architectureofthetrainstationNextgo downstairs-you’llseea‘flyingsaucer’that wasdesignedinthesasaticketoffice Nowit’stheperfectplaceforanevening ofbeeranddancing! KAFKA COFFEE BAR Oboźna wwwkawiarnia-kafkapl Kaaisthebestplacefordrinkingcoffee anddoingnothingYoucanalsoeatlunch orsomedeliciouscakeorbuysome second-handbooksIf theweatherisfine therearelotsofsunloungersoutsidethe building–suntansguaranteed This issue’s map is by Australian-born, Izabela Kaczmarek-Szurek is a Polish London-based freelancer Dan Gray, aka graphic designer and illustrator currently Lile Gonzales. www.littlegonzales.com based in Warsaw. www.formallina.com WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -16-
CULTURE EVENTS KEY INFO SEPTEMBER 2013 PHOTOGRAPHY: courtesy ofACMSIGGRAPH !\" LOCATION CaliforniaUSA WHEN -July ATTENDEES $ KEYNOTE SPEAKERS KirkWiseKevinLima DavidSilvermanRon ClementsHenrySelick ChrisSandersPete DocterMikeMitchell EricGoldberg WATCH THE FULL SESSION wwwbitly/iP Im SIGGRAPH 2013 CRAFT IS STILL KING Welcome to thenewfrontierofanimation JuliaSagarreportsfromthekeynote at Siggraph !\"#wherenineworld-classdirectorsdebatedissuessuchasthe importanceoffilm-makingcrainthefaceofconstantlydevelopingtechnology everignorethetechnologybut Nowhereisthecomplexrelationship shouldbesecondarytoyourabilityto N don’tforgetallittooktogetit betweentechnologyandcreativitymore actuallyconveywhatitisyouhavein there”Thatwastheadvicefrom celebratedthanatSiggraphwherele - yourheadandthatinvolvesthecra legendaryanimatorandfilmdirector brainmeetsright-braininacacophony of storytellingasmuchasanything Eric Goldbergduringaninspiring ofcoloursoundandlightThisyear– else” Goldbergtoldtheaudience keynote sessionatthisyear’sSiggraph theevent’sthanniversary–wasno “Knowinghowtousethecamera conferenceanannualgatheringofthe differentbringingtogetherexactly knowingwhatcertainthingsinfilm globe’sbestmindsincomputergraphics artistsresearchscientistsgamingexperts grammarmeanandwhyyouwould andinteractivetechniques anddevelopersfilm-makersstudentsand use them–that’swhatIfindthemost Goldbergwho’sbestknownforhis academicsfromcountriesaroundthe lackinginyounganimators thesedays”he workatWaltDisneyAnimationStudios worldinAnaheimCaliforniaforaweek continued“Itdoesn’tmaerwhatgraphic joinedanimpressivepanelofOscar- of panelspapersandpresentations styleitisitshouldstillhavethesamegreat winningandnominateddirectorsonstage Similarlynowhereistheimportance principlesofactingtimingstaging” fortheMarcDavisLecture Giants’First ofcra moreclearlyillustratedthan “It’stheabilitytoconveyasimple Stepstorecounttheirfirstforaysinto throughouttheconference’sbustlinghalls idea clearly”agreedfilmdirectoranimator animationprovidinganecdotesadvice andexhibitionroomswheretomorrow’s andscreenwriterKirkWiseaddingthat andpredictionsforthefutureofthefield techshinesalongsidestunningnew successfulanimationrevolvesaroundthe Theoverridingmessagethroughout workfromtheworld’sheavyweightVFX abilitytocommunicate the-minutediscussionwasoneof studiosandpioneeringanimationtalent Duringthesessionthepanelalso cra “Withtoday’stechnologyyoucan Astechnologybecomesincreasingly debatedthecurrentstateoftheindustry dopracticallyanythingButthatdoesn’t advancedhoweverit’seasytoforgetthe offeringavaluableinsightintothe necessarilymeanyoushould”warned basicprinciplesofanimationcautioned challengesinvolvedincreatingfeature Goldberg“Themostimportantthingis thekeynotepanelists it’svitalnottolose films“It’sanincredibletimeforanimation canyoutellyourstory?” sightofthebiggerpicture“Technique –andalsooneoftheworsttimes” WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -18-
SEPTEMBER 2013 EVENTS CULTURE StillsfromEpic the new moviefrom KEEPING OBJECTIVE BlueSkyStudiosand the subjectofoneof HOW DO YOU STAY FRESH Siggraph’sproduction sessionsentitled‘Blue ON A FIVE-YEAR PROJECT? SkyStudiosPresents% The Fantastical WorldofEpic’ ERIC GOLDBERG ANIMATOR FILM DIRECTORAND VOICE ACTOR “It’seasytolose perspectiveoverseveral yearsonaprojectBut nomaerhowmundane theassignmentisthere’s CREDIT: Epic © and ™ Fox. All rights reserved alwaysachallengeinit That’showIstayfresh whatinthishaven’tIdone before?HowdoIsolve thisparticularissue?” KIRK WISE FILM-DIRECTOR ANIMATORAND SCREENWRITER “Keepyourselfopen to newthingsandseek experiencesinthe real non-animationnon-film worldReadeverything PHOTOGRAPHY'courtesyofACMSIGGRAPH !\" youcangetyourhandson Allofit’sgreatandrefills observedstop-motiondirectorHenry oneofthebig studiosIwouldlooktonew Selickexplainingthatsky-highbudgetsare media”advisedSelick“Noteverythingneeds the creativebaeries” placinganunhealthypressureoncreators tobeonamoviescreen–everyone’sgot toproduceblockbusterseverytime abigscreenathome”hesaidreferencing “It’sbecomeveryrisk-aversiveIthinkit’s theentranceofcompanieslikeNetflixand goingtoexplodeSomebody’sgoingtodo Amazonintotheliveactionandanimation PETE DOCTER somethingdifferentthatwillbreakaway marketsasexamplesofnewpathsintothe FILM-MAKER ANIMATOR fromthatandbealotlessexpensive” industry“Lookatalltheotheroptionsthat SCREENWRITER Sowhat’sthefutureforanimation? areemergingrightnow”headded“It’s “Iusedtothinkitwasall Emergingtechnologyitseemswillprovide superhopefulAndyoucanputanything theanswerforthenextgenerationof on YouTube” abouttechniquebutfor animatorsasweenteranewfrontierof “I’dsayforanyonedoingtheirshort anyartformtheartisa creativity“Unlessyou’reanaturalfitat filmdowhatyouwanttodo”emphasised MikeMitchellwhodirectedDreamWorks reflectionoftheperson “IT’S AN INCREDIBLE Animation’sShrekForeverA er“Don’tmake insideWhatyouhaveto itsoyoucangetintoPixarorDreamWorks TIME FOR ANIMATION ortailorittowhatyourmumwants–it’syour focusoniswhoyouare chancetoreallyexpressyourself” andwhatyou’redoing “Technologyisonlygoingtogetbeer – AND ALSO ONE OF fastermoreportable”concludedDavid Thewayyouinteractwith THE WORST TIMES” SilvermanofTheSimpsonsfame“That otherpeopleisreallykey” labourpartwillbesquasheddowngiving you moretimetoexpressyourcreativity HENRY SELICK, STOP-MOTION DIRECTOR in yourstorytelling” WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -19-
CULTURE EVENTS SEPTEMBER 2013 WHAT’S ON dates for your diary September’s packed event schedule continues into October, with conferences and talks popping up le, right and centre around the world – so there’s plenty to keep you inspired as we head into the autumn months communicationsprofessionals turninganalbumintotheworld’s togethertoexplorethefuture mostinteractivedigitalapp ofadvertisingWithmorethan eventstheWeekpromises to“transcendstandardindustry RE:DESIGN/INSPIRE conferencesandmovetheneedle 21-22 OCT 2013 onkeyindustrychallenges” SmogShoppe ' \"#SLaCienega Blvd LosAngeles CA(!!)* www redesignconference com AIGA DESIGN CONFERENCE TheInspireinstallmentofthe 10-12 OCT 2013 Re Designeventseriestakesplace MinneapolisConventionCentre inLosAngelesandfocusesonthe Minneapolis Minnesota ever-elusivesearchforinspiration www designconference aiga org thatcreativeswranglewithdaily Thisyear’sAIGAconferenceis There’saspecialfocusoncross- splitneatlyintothree headdesign pollination lookingforinspiration thinkingandstrategyheart outsideoftraditionalsources designforsocialimpactandhand designascra Italsoplayshost toCommandXaliveon-stage TYPO LONDON searchforthenextbigthingin 18 OCT 2013 designthatseessevenup-and- BarbicanCentre SilkSt City comingdesignersstepintothe of London EC'Y+DS spotlightinfrontofanaudience www typotalks com/london GENERATE THE LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL of industryleaders Theever-popularTypoevent 13 SEPT 2013 14-22 SEPT 2013 serieshitsLondon’sBarbican GrandConnaughtRooms VariouslocationsinLondon CentreinOctoberUnfortunately London WC'B\"DA www londondesignfestival com WIRED 2013 that’sallweknowsofarkeepan www generateconf com Centredaroundthehubofthe 17-18 OCT 2013 eyeonthewebsiteforupdates WebdesignconferenceGenerate V&Amuseumandlaunchedto TobaccoDock \"!PortersWalk isthefirsteventfromoursister celebratetheexceptionalcreativity London E#W'SF titlesCreativeBloqandnet oftheUK’scapitalLondonDesign www wiredevent co uk INK2013 and itpromisestobeacorker Festivalisoneoftheworld’skey Thisyearisthethirdanniversary 25-27 OCT 2013 The programmeincludestalks designevents oftheself-titledevent thataims LeMeridienKochi Maradu fromworld-classspeakerssuch to bringthevaluesofWired Cochin Kerala India as gridguruMarkBoltondesigner- magazinetolifeThespeaker www bit ly/ink'!#) philosopherOliverReichenstein CIRCLES programmeincludesSundeet Thethree-dayInkConference andmobilewebthoughtleader 19-20 SEPT 2013 SinghTulicreatorofIndia’s inKeralaIndiabringstogether StephanieRieger PalaceArtsCenter Grapevine Akashtabletcomputer LangLang thoughtleadersandvisionariesin Texas TX !\"# thepianistfamedforpartnering ordertofuelinnovationandfoster www circlesconference com withYouTubeandGoogleto knowledgeIthasbeenlikenedwe SPIKES ASIA Thetwo-dayCirclesconferencein assemblethefirst-everonline aretoldtoa“brainspa” 15-17 SEPT 2013 Texascoverstopicsfrompassion orchestra andBjorktalkingabout SuntecSingaporeInternational andcreativitytoprocessesand ConventionandExhibition journeysandaimsto“reigniteyour Centre SuntecCity Singapore passionandimagination” www spikes asia Bringingtogethercreativethinkers fromaroundtheworldSpikesAsia ADVERTISING WEEK Festivalisacollaborationbetween 23-27 SEPT 2013 CannesLionsandHaymarketand VariousvenuesaroundNewYork includestheSpikesAsiaawards City$mainlyMidtownManhaan% theregion’smostprestigious www advertisingweek com awardsforcreativeadvertising AdvertisingWeekgathers industry-leadingmarketingand WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -20-
SEPTEMBER 2013 GRAHAM FINK INSIGHT ABOUTTHEWRITER GrahamFinkischiefcreativeofficerat Ogilvy&MatherChinaandinhisfirst yearatthecompanywonaCannes GrandPrixforhis\"CokeHands campaignHis -yearcareeralso includesastintatM&CSaatchi wwwogilvycom aving been in China for exactly two years another. With 34 provinces or divisions to create work H now, I’ve seen huge changes. Shanghai looks for, things can get a little frustrating at times. very different now to how it did when I first Another thing that I find fascinating is the cultural arrived. The pace here is so much faster than the UK, tapestry woven together here. Although the majority and it’s an incredibly exciting city to live in. of people at my studio are mainland Chinese, we have Just as everything moves along quickly here, the people from all over Asia, as well as a smattering of design scene is shifting, too. This year, the Cannes Aussies, Americans and Brits. People come from very Lions festival hosted its first ever China Day, attended different backgrounds and educational systems and by clients, creatives and even government ministers. of course there are a lot of different opinions, which That has to be a good thing – it means creativity is makes the meetings so much more interesting. high on the agenda, and now it needs to be more However, there can be issues with this. I’m painting prevalent in the work Chinese studios are producing. everyone with a rather large ink brush here, but the One of the things that’s often overlooked is that general rule is that Asians, especially the Chinese, are China has only been doing advertising, as the West very humble and quite shy. No one ever asks questions. understands it, for around 20 years. Clients and So they may well seem to agree in the meeting, but 30 consumers are less sophisticated in their tastes and mins later on Weibo (Chinese Twitter), the truth will therefore most of the work here is quite rational and out. It’s one of the more difcult tasks in the creative straightforward. Sit and watch the commercial breaks department, because I really want to encourage on TV and you’ll see happy families, blue skies, white everyone to have a voice, I want to know what they fluffy clouds, green grass, perfect lighting, smiling think and, perhaps more importantly, what they feel. faces and flawless skin, all accompanied by a deluge of information and cutesy music. The car adverts are particularly uninspiring – I would defy anyone to be able to tell them apart. How gratifying and encouraging then, when one or two clients have listened to their ad agencies and done “CHINA HAS ONLY BEEN something different. DDB recently did a campaign for VW where it asked the public to design ‘The people’s DOING ADVERTISING, AS THE car’. The result was not only a breakthrough, but has become something that China can hold up to the WEST UNDERSTANDS IT, FOR world and be proud. Similarly with JWT Shanghai’s brilliant Samsonite AROUND 20 YEARS” poster that won a Grand Prix in Cannes in 2011. The three-act design showing the plane journey of a man and his luggage is highly original in any country, not least China. Not to be outdone, Ogilvy & Mather China won the Grand Prix the following year with #CokeHands, which has since gone on to become One thing that I’ve noticed is how in an attempt to the most awarded ad in Coca-Cola’s history. catch up with the West, the default practice is to copy It was encouraging to note that work from China it. The philosophy seems to be, “Well we know what won 25 Lions this year, an all-time high. Great creative they do is great, we are not yet capable, so let’s learn work helps attract overseas talent too, and I get a lot of by copying.” Sure, creativity is supposed to be all about calls not just from the UK but from places as diverse as originality, but let me point out that the great artists Brazil, USA, Argentina, Sweden and of course around learnt their trade by copying the masters. So having Asia. So it’s a very exciting time to be here and I can pondered this state of affairs for a while, I now have honestly say that in my opinion there are currently a more understanding view. more creative opportunities than in London. One thing that does suffer though is that by The hard thing, though, is to get the balance right focusing on copying the West, perhaps creatives in between locals and expats. Although in Shanghai, China are missing what is right under their noses. speaking Mandarin is not essential, you do need to Creativity is all around in abundance, it’s just that have some knowledge of the country. Obviously this the jewels need cutting from the stones. Hundreds can take time to acquire, especially as the place is so of years ago it was China that lead the way in terms big. There are actually more people in Shanghai than of innovation. It is my quest to help bring this back. there are in the whole of Australia, and according to Millward Brown there is only a 52 per cent chance that Is China’s design and advertising scene on the rise? Tweet what works in one Chinese province will work in your thoughts to @ComputerArts using #DesignMatters WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -23-
INSIGHT DESIGN MATTERS SEPTEMBER 2013 “ AS A FREELANCER, DO YOU SEE FELLOW FREELANCERS AS RIVALS OR ALLIES?” STEVENBONNER ILLUSTRATORANDDESIGNER www.stevenbonner.com “Rivalry is natural and helps you strive to improve, but you can’t let it make you become insular. I try to be friendly with other freelancers wherever I can as it’s good to have a network of people with a similar skillset who you can recommend to clients if you’re too busy. It’s something I’ve done quite a few times, and I know other people have done it for me too. If we can help each other out and create a friendlier NIKKIFARQUHARSON industry, then why shouldn’t we?” GRAPHICARTIST www.nikkifarquharson.com “If I had to choose between the two, I’d pick allies. Although the art and design industry is very competitive, it is still comradely. JILEE A network of support exists DESIGNERANDARTDIRECTOR among professional creatives. www.pleaseenjoy.com Also, I am aware that my “I never see other creatives hand-drawn, graphic and abstract as rivals. I’m confident about style suits a very specific kind my work and appreciate of market and client. If you’re what others do. I have confident in your work and exchanged mostly helpful ability, you shouldn’t need to and inspiring information view your fellow peers as rivals.” with other freelancers.” WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -24-
SEPTEMBER 2013 DESIGN MATTERS INSIGHT STUARTWHITTON ILLUSTRATOR www.stuartwhion.co.uk “The creatives that I have had the pleasure of getting to know have all been fantastic people. Many understand the situations you may be presented with as a freelancer, and are able to offer not just advice but share recommended services, bounce ideas around, promote your work on social networks, even recommend you to a potential client.” PHOTOGRAPHY: Giselle Galvao GOODWIVESAND WARRIORS CRAIGREDMAN ARTISTSANDILLUSTRATORS GRAPHICARTIST www.goodwivesandwarriors.co.uk www.craigandkarl.com “We have some really good “Definitely allies. We often friends who are illustrators in chat with other illustrators different countries, and are about projects. I think a always exchanging info or asking client is going to come to us for advice. Friends or allies, either for a specific look, so if we’re way it is definitely a good thing not the right fit for a project to have contemporaries to turn we’re always happy if it goes to when you need a little help.” to a friend instead.” YOURVIEWS @PICTUREYOUROWN @BRAINFREEZEANIM @PATCKLEIN @BEWAREWETPAINT “Have full respect “Doing indie work, I see “You need rivals in order “I graduated a few years Tweet @ComputerArts for fellow designers: other freelancers as to push yourself. If ago but haven’t managed with your thoughts using use each other allies... when approaching everyone was an ally, I’d to work in design, I’m for experience. It’s companies for work, the get bored and my work intimidated by my #DesignMatters healthy competition!” line gets blurry.” would never develop.” freelancing peers.” WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -25-
INSIGHT CAT HOW SEPTEMBER 2013 ABOUTTHEWRITER CatHowstudiedEnglish literatureatBristol Universityandthen communicationdesign at CentralSaintMartins In Cat andRoger How setupHowkapow a colourfuldesignshop promotingtheworkof independentcreatives wwwhowkapowcom How to sell your designer wares With low overheads, easy ock management and a huge potential cu omer base, online retail has its advantages, but Cat How argues there are areas where a physical space ju can’t be beaten inancial efciency is one area where online customer can see them in the flesh and feel how well F retail is leagues ahead, for the obvious they’ve been made. This made us realise the value of reason that you don’t need an expensive high having bigger pictures when selling online to mimic street location, complete with branded refit, to trade that in-your-face experience. Low value, impulse buys from. For online all you need is a website and a space, like cards are also more successful in a real shop as any space, to store your goods. postage costs and delivery times can deter potential But that’s not to say that a good digital shopfront customers, whereas products at mid-range price isn’t expensive either. Web empresarios are quickly points sell better online. realising that the value of their trade and the costs For any business, reaching and communicating of building a good e-commerce shop can be eye- with customers is key. Online, the reach is potentially watering. We’re currently getting Howkapow anyone with access to the internet, but it’s the redesigned and it’s costing a nice big chunk of communication aspect that can prove more difcult. our Christmas profits. Yes, you can sign someone up to your mailing list, get Stock management of a physical shop can also be them to follow you and tweet them product updates, a challenge. When we opened a physical pop-up we but there’s no substitute for a face-to-face encounter. already had stock from online trading. After long days In the physical shop, we talked to hundreds of people sorting the shop fitting and displays we thought we about our brand, and had the chance to explain what were ready to go. It was only as shoppers started to we were about. It helped build our profile and we arrive that we realised we hadn’t priced anything – noticed that Google searches for ‘Howkapow’ were we were used to this being done automatically. up very significantly while we had the pop-up shop. A few months later, we needed to re-price items for It’s practically impossible to survive in today’s our January sales. What took a few minutes on our market with a physical shop alone. But while online e-commerce site took days in the physical one. selling might be efcient, it’s not always the best place When you’re used to the sleek efciency of an online for certain products. A physical shop can also get you shop, the manual labour and time wasted on menial closer to your customers and really help galvanise your tasks in a physical one can be a real frustration. brand. So in the battle between online and offline The type of stock that sells well in a physical shop retailing, who wins? The jury’s still out. compared to an online one is subtly different too. Generally, products that have a higher price point Does a physical pop-up shop reach places that a website due to material or build quality work better when a just can’t? Tweet @ComputerArts using #DesignMatters WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -26-
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INSIGHT SARA HOROWICZ SEPTEMBER 2013 ABOUTTHEWRITER SaraHorowiczisthe founderandexecutive directoroftheFreelancers Unionanorganisation that focusesoncreative cooperativemarket-based solutionsto pressingsocial problemswithover membersacrosstheUSA wwwfreelancersunionorg The importance of Love Banking Greedy, selfish networking will get you nowhere, says the Freelancers Union’s Sara Horowicz. For effeive professional relationships, a little bit of giving can go a long way reelancers know that relationships are After some robust giving, you can start to ask F everything. They can get you leads or for help, advice and so on. It is, in fact, a virtuous be a support network when you’re in the circle. These relationships aren’t business transactions depths of a lull. People are always asking for tips so much as the outgrowth of how you choose to live about how best to develop these relationships, and your life, working and playing with people you enjoy that conversation nearly always devolves into tricks and care about. for becoming a better networker. There are a few unwritten rules for Love Banking. Whipping yourself into a frenzy working a room The first is that people really don’t appreciate those isn’t the best use of your time and energy. You build who expect a ‘get’ for every ‘give’. What’s more, when relationships by giving: help, information, and, someone gives you something – such as a lead, an eventually, shared work. I call it Love Banking. introduction or a tip – you shouldn’t ask for more. Often when people think of networking, they focus Build your relationships by practicing creative (not on, “What can I get?” That leads either to obnoxious creepy) contact. Don’t be one of those ‘only-calls- networking or anxiety-ridden encounters where you when-they-want-something’ networkers; send over an feel you failed if you come away with ‘nothing’. article or video clip your contact might be interested Change your mindset to, “What can I give?” and in, congratulate them on something, or ask them a start building up your Love Bank account. question that shows you value their opinion. Finally, Let’s say you’ve just taken on a big-ticket client the words ‘thank you’ have limitless power. Especially and are feeling overwhelmed with work. How about when someone gives you work leads, thank them and subcontracting? Hack that gig into smaller pieces and let them know what happened, even if it didn’t quite contract a fellow freelancer to do portions under your work out this time. supervision. Get someone good at time-consuming Reciprocity is most powerful when the gift is tasks, or someone starting out who needs experience. unexpected and costs the giver something in time, Make sure your agreement specifies that you’re the energy or other resources. It’s doing a good deed not intermediary with the client and they can’t go around because you have to, but because you want to. It’s Love you to be hired directly, and remember to talk to your Theory in action: build your Love Bank account, and accountant in order to make sure you comply with tax your relationships will compound in value over time. requirements. Of course, you’d never subcontract to someone you don’t trust. You build trust through Is it all about giving, or is competition between freelancers relationships. You build relationships by giving. healthy? Tweet @ComputerArts using #DesignMatters WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -28-
Computer Arts selects the hoest new design, illustration and motion work from the global design scene GUYASAYSHI GUYAHANSENIDENTITY by Woodlake Design Studio www.woodlake.de “Guya Hansen, a copywriter, approached us because she wanted an all-new corporate identity – something brave and bold, which would suck her future clients in,” recalls Christian Frech of Woodlake Design Studio. “She also wanted it to feature the ‘H’ initial of her surname.” The Frankfurt-based consultancy craed a minimalist design for the new branding, referencing line art in the concept and applying it across everything from business cards to leerheads. “We thought of the ‘H’ not as a leer, but as related to writing and thinking, which is why the final design completes the ‘H’ as a zigzag,” he says. WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -30-
— PROJECT HIGHLIGHT — WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -31-
SHOWCASE SEPTEMBER 2013 Woodlakestudiowasinspiredbylineartinitsidentitydesign forFrankfurt-basedcopywriterGuyaHansen“Linesarea referenceforwritinganddrawingtextandconcept”says creativedirectorChristianFrech “Isketchedvarious‘H’leerformsjusttoseewhatworkedand whatdidn’twork”recallsFrech“ThemoreIdrewthelesslines IusedIthenmovedintoIllustratorandInDesign” Thefinalidentitydesignwasappliedacrossallbranding collateralfromleerheadstoenvelopesbusinesscards – front andback–andsmallpromo-posters Hansenaskedforhernewidentitytobebraveboldand incorporatetheinitialofhersurnameThemostchallenging partoftheprojectwastokeepthedesign“assimpleas possibleyethavesomethingofanimpact”saysFrech WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -32-
SEPTEMBER 2013 THE VERY BEST NEW DESIGN THE REST OF THE INDUSTRY SAYS… JOHNPASSAFIUME Graphic designer www.johnpassafiume.com “Woodlake’s offering demonstrates an ongoing aesthetic migration back to simplified form, purified colour, and the elimination of ornament. With clever reference to the marks of an editor’s trade, Woodlake successfully endows Hansen with a sense of bold individualism in an otherwise unprovocative industry.” DAWNHANCOCK Founder, Firebelly www.firebellydesign.com “Beautiful, simple, bold and inviting. The mix of stark black-and-white with tan and mint is reminiscent of mid-century tones, yet still feels timeless and friendly. The marque is strong, but not overpowering. I really want to type a leer on the stationery with an old Royal typewriter. A perfect set.” MADSJAKOB POULSEN Graphic designer and creative thinker www.madsjakobpoulsen.com “The identity is clean and characterful at the same time. I’m in doubt if the black frame is needed as it almost takes over – the overlap of the frame and logo is nice and unexpected though. I might have considered including more copywriting, for a copywriter, or doing none at all...” WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -33-
STRAIGHTDOWNTHEMIDDLE SCHIZZIBOOKSPAPELARIA ILLUSTRATION by Bruno Miranda www.cargocollective.com/brunomiranda “Catchy” and “aractive” – these were two of the key components of a recent cover illustration commission tackled by São Paulo-based creative Bruno Miranda for Brazilian stationery company SchizziBooks Papelaria. Inspired by cartoons, pop art and instrumental music, the art director and illustrator contrasted a vivid foreground colour palee with a neutral background. “It’s all about detailed traces combined with bright colours,” says Miranda, who sketched over photographed elements in Photoshop before adding doodled details of his own. “The split elements explain the concept of ‘essence’ by showing what’s inside the objects – like the face split in half revealing the skull,” he says. WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -34-
THE VERY BEST NEW DESIGN ALITTLETOTHELEFT CONCEPTSTOREIDENTITY by Arthur Foliard www.arthurfoliard.com Recent visual communications graduate Arthur Foliard designed Le , a concept storeaimedatle -handedpeopleaspart ofhisfinal-yearprojectThechallenge? To “communicatewithpercentofthe populationbutawakentheinterestofthe otherpercent”heexplains Featuringacleanclashingaesthetic, Foliard’s identity cheerfully explores different cultural interests – art, music, theatre, literature and so on – to create an experience that will change visitors’ perceptions of being le -handed. “I was inspired by Wolff Olins’ (RED) project,” he says. “They used the right communication in the right place at the right moment.” WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -35-
SHOWCASE SEPTEMBER 2013 HIDDENPICTURES JEANPAULGAULTIEREXHIBITIONPOSTER by Amanda Berglund www.amandaberglund.com Aspiring Swedish graphic designer and illustrator Amanda Berglund took a “patchwork” approach in her application to Beckmans College of Design in Stockholm. Briefed to create a poster and invitation cards for an exhibition focused on French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier, Berglund married free- flowing typography with a pared-back colour scheme in her advent calendar-inspired design. “The playfulness of Jean Paul Gaultier’s fashion design work gave me the idea of incorporating a surprise element – the hidden picture,” she explains. “Every time someone pulls off a card, a unique new image – more true to Gaultier’s aesthetics – appears.” WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -36-
SEPTEMBER 2013 THE VERY BEST NEW DESIGN FRANCO-MEXICANAFFAIR MEXIQUEFONT by Ismael Fino www.behance.net/yofino Born in Los Mochis in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, Ismael Fino now lives and works in Guadalajara. He splits his time between an in-house agency job and his own FN-Studio, through which he developed the ornate display typeface Mexique. “I wanted to reflect a Mexican mood in an elegant, modern way. The challenge was to create a typeface that didn’t fit with Mexican clichés – Mayas, folklore and so on.” Inspired by a combination of French art nouveau and Mexican blacksmithing – “It reminds me of the love affair between Porfirio Díaz and France,” smiles Fino – the resulting serif typeface has modern hints and a touch of calligraphy, particularly on the ‘A’, ‘R’ and ‘M’ leerforms. This detail adds personality, but Fino admits it posed an extra challenge when importing the ligatures into FontLab Studio.
SHOWCASE SEPTEMBER 2013 — MOTION HIGHLIGHT SHELL-SHOCKED — ISLEOFMTVIDENT by Mainframe www.mainframe.co.uk Now in its seventh year, live music festival Isle of MTV bringsmusicfanstosunnyMalta–and it recentlyneededaneye-catchingidentHaving workedwithMainframe for over a decade, MTV’s brief to the motion graphics house was remarkably focused: “They asked for oversized shells with brash, synthetic pop paerning, invading the idyllic Maltese landscape,” recalls executive producer Adam Jenns. Mainframe played on the ‘pop invasion’ theme, emphasising the link between nautilus seashells found on the beach, and the cochlea in the human ear. “We had to animate the shells exactly in time with the music,” adds Jenns. “And because it was the full TV graphics package as well as the promos, the quantity of shots was also challenging.” WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -38-
SEPTEMBER 2013 THE VERY BEST NEW DESIGN WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -39-
SHOWCASE SEPTEMBER 2013 — FEATURED SHOWREEL — REELREVEAL STUDIOSHOWREEL by PlusOne www.plusoneamsterdam.com SinceopeningitsdoorsinearlyAmsterdam- baseddesignandanimationstudioPlusOnehas been busybuildinganimpressiveclientlistpicking up anumberofawardsonthewayThestudiohas beenso busyinfactthatithasn’thadtimetoput out ashowreel–untilnow CreativedirectorMartijnHogenampwasincharge oftheeditcuingeightminutes’worthofshotsdown tothefinaltwo-and-a-halfminutes“Theflowand rhythmwasachallengeandsowasfindingasuitable soundtrack”hesays “IntheendweaskedourfriendLennertBuschto createacustom-madetrackbasedonoureditwith thesounddesigncra edbythebeautifulMauricio D’Orey”explainsPlusOne’sMarcelVrieswijk WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -40-
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VIDEO INSIGHT SEPTEMBER 2013 EXCLUSIVE VIDEO THE DESIGNER SERIES PART 6: TRUE NORTH Watch the sixth instalment in our exclusive series exploring the ideas and creative processes of the world’s most exciting studios. Available now on our private YouTube channel: http://bit.ly/CA218-truenorth ABOUT THE STUDIO Manchester-based design consultancy True North has earned an eviable reputation for its branding and identity work, with three elements at its core: strategy, creativity and craft. Winning over 150 industry awards – including a string of D&AD and Design Effectiveness awards – the studio has found clients in the likes of the National Trust, Royal Mail and the British Council. www.thisistruenorth.co.uk WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -42-
SEPTEMBER 2013 VIDEO INSIGHT BONUS CONTENT! GETEVENMOREEXCLUSIVE VIDEOANDIMAGERYIN OUR iPADEDITION see p*# PART 1 PART 2 TRUENORTH% ROYALSTAMPS% NORTHERNSOULS DESIGNINGFORTHEQUEEN FoundersAdyBibbypicturedandMartinCarr TrueNorthdiscussesitsworkfortheRoyalMail’s discusstheformationofTrueNorthitsethosand stampcollectionandhowalldesignshadtobe someofitslandmarkclients rubber-stampedbytheQueen PART 3 PART 4 FOOTBALLHEROESSTAMPS% NATIONALPORTRAITGALLERY% ELEVENOFTHEBEST TAKEANOTHERLOOK Whatwouldthegreatesthome-countriesfootball TheNationalPortraitGalleryapproachedTrueNorth teaminhistorylooklike?That’sthequestionTrue tocreateacampaigntodrivevisitorengagement NorthansweredinarecentprojectforRoyalMail resultinginsomememorablepromotionalwork PART 5 PART 6 NATIONALPORTRAITGALLERY% LOOKINGTOTHEFUTURE% LEARNINGSOMETHINGNEW MOREOFTHESAME TrueNorth’scampaignfortheNationalPortrait MartinCarrandAdyBibbyTrueNorthfounders Gallerycastsfamousfacesinanewlight–everyone look aheadtoabrightfuturethat’saboutevolution fromLillyAllentoMaryQueenofScots ratherthanrevolution WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -43-
S P EC IAL RE P O R T THE NEW
SPECIAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 2013 AU T H O R Emily#King#is#a#London-based#design#writer# and#curator#Her#recent#projects#include#a# monograph#of#the#French#creative#team#M/M# Paris#$Thames#&#Hudson%#and#an#exhibition# about#the#graphic#designer#Richard#Hollis# that#originated#in#London'#then#travelled#to# the#Centre#Pompidou#and#will#open#in#Artists# Space in#New#York#in September#*345# n 1986 the graphic designer Neville Brody became art white plate. The staff delivering your meal would be wearing director of the newly launched magazine Arena. According long, white aprons and you would sit in an unadorned white room. to Brody, the publication was aimed at “readers who had If you wanted to chime in with your surroundings while eating grown out of The Face,” the magazine with which he had at St. John, you could wear a Céline white shirt and a pair of slim-cut been associated in the early 1980s. The Face was known dark indigo jeans from Uniqlo, thereby mixing items from both ends for freshly designed, experimental typefaces and dynamic layouts, of the market for minimally-oriented fashion. If you’re there for and the first issues of Arena were “very professional reasons you could take notes much in [that] mould”. in a buff-coloured Muji notebook or record But then Brody decided to try “WITHOUT IMPLYING THAT your interlocutor on your iPhone. All items something new. Looking afresh at Arena, STYLISTIC DEVELOPMENT are notably pared back and all could, and he suggested “that some of the hysteria very likely have, been brought together by should be taken out of the contemporary IS INEVITABLE, IT TENDS an individual whose life is guided by a less- design by adopting a very straightforward, is-more philosophy. Yet, to describe these informational approach, using Helvetica for TO BE THE CASE THAT objects as part of a single trend would involve headlines.” In effect, Brody went minimal. A PERIOD OF EXCESS glossing over their distinct histories. St. John was launched in 1994 and PIGS’ CHEEKS AND CRISP WHITE SHIRTS IN A FIELD IS FOLLOWED was a reaction against the fussy food that Without wanting to imply that any stylistic BY A TIME OF RESTRAINT” was served by most restaurants at that time. development is inevitable, it tends to be It was hugely refreshing and had a sizable the case that a period of excess in a field influence, not only in England but is followed by a time of restraint. Right now, both in Britain and worldwide. Since the height of the phenomenon in the early 2000s globally, there are examples of a toned-down approach across the there has been a counter-reaction in the UK that gave rise to the board. In food there is the St. John phenomenon. On the day I write, relatively light-to-eat but ingredient-heavy cooking of chefs such as the menu at the original Smithfield’s branch lists “Peas in the pod”, Yotam Ottolenghi. Nonetheless, St. John continues to be a success, “Brown shrimp and white cabbage” and “Crispy pig’s cheek and even if it is no longer the ‘hot’ place to be. dandelion.” Order any of these items and you would get exactly Céline meanwhile launched in its current guise under the what the text describes, served elegantly but without fuss on a designer Phoebe Philo in 2009. The brand has shifted high-end WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -46-
ASK U L www stockholmdesignlab se TheJapaneseretailerAskuldistributesover # products with aguaranteeofdeliverywithinsixhoursoforder Itdeals with alargenumberofbrands#butwhenanitemsellsinsufficient quantitiesitproducesitsownversion Startingwithitsdesignfor Askulbaeries#StockholmDesignLabhascreatedthepackaging fortheseproprietaryproductsforthelastsevenyears Standouts ofthemostrecentcropincludepacketsforkeyboardwipesanda setofcolour-codedpaperclipbags#allillustratedinanextremely restrainedstyle SDLarguesthatitspackaginghasbecomethe company’sdefaultidentity
SPECIAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 2013 fashion en masse toward the minimal, but in truth minimalism at New Age nineties.” There are parallels between this reaction and the the lower end of the market predated Céline by a couple of years, with reception of Philo’s debut Céline Spring-Summer 2010 collection. the Japanese brand Uniqlo successfully launching in the UK in 2007. But, while fashion writer Sarah Mower described that show Another Japanese retailer, Muji, has a longer history in Europe than as “a brisk mission to make classy utilitarianism sexy” and noted Uniqlo, displacing Habitat and Paperchase as the go-to stores for that members of the audience came away saying, “Oh, I just want to basic household products and stationery be like that!”, Philo’s clothes were not read as in London around the same time that part of a wider cultural phenomenon of the St. John was launched. “PRESUMABLY JONATHAN order of the ‘New Age’. Finally, the iPhone is, of course, the Perhaps the across-the-board work of a team at Apple led by Jonathan Ive. IVE WOULD CONSIDER minimalism of the early 1990s was the Ive has nurtured a passion for Dieter Rams’ HIMSELF PART OF NO last of such all-encompassing trends. In restrained designs for Braun since the start the main a reaction against the wealth- of his career. Presumably he would consider TREND OTHER THAN flaunting tendencies of the 1980s, it took himself part of no trend other than being BEING AN UNCEASING hold in every area of the lifestyle market. an unceasing proponent of Rams’ 1970s Since then, as a result of the dawn of online manifesto, 10 Principles for Good Design. PROPONENT OF DIETER communication, trends like those outlined RAMS’ 10 PRINCIPLES earlier have become multiple and complex. THE NEW AGE NINETIES In art direction, the 1990s approach Writing about creativity and fashion in FOR GOOD DESIGN” was typified by the design of Sean Perkins, 1980s London for the V&A Magazine, Iain R who founded the consultancy North in 1995. Webb, fashion professor at the Royal College Citing the influence of Swiss designer Josef of Art and former editor of Blitz magazine, noted Rifat Özbek’s Müller-Brockmann and his Dutch peer Wim Crouwel, Perkins epoch-changing Spring-Summer 1990 collection. Declaring it a favoured Helvetica, set hard left, ragged right, often without capitals. “catwalk show that is fashion legend”, he remembered “an all-white Perkins applied this style across the board, from record sleeves, collection of up-market rave club clothes… It was a moment of pure through material for art galleries to large-scale corporate identities. clarity that appeared as a panacea to all the madness and mayhem But that was then and this is now. Latterly directions in that had gone on during the decade. A cleanser to welcome in the graphic design have not been a case of trend and counter-trend, WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -48-
MILIE UPROPER T Y www studiohiho com Thepromotionalliteratureproducedbypropertydevelopers hasbecomelavishtothepointofbeingcumbersome The Melbourne-basedbrandingteamStudioHiHobuckedthe trendwithitspared-downdesignforlocalpropertydeveloper Milieu Usingsimpleboxboardcontrastedwithgoodquality coonpaper#itgenerateda senseofmaterialitywithout resortingtoexcess Theconjunctionofboardandpaperis intendedtoechotheboundarybetweentheexteriorand interiorspacesofabuilding Withtheadditionofsimple# centredsans-seriftype#boldunderliningandbright# abstractedphotography#HiHocreatedanidentitythatisnot onlyrefreshinglyminimalinitsfield#butalsosubtlyseductive
SPECIAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 2013 but of mini and micro trends. In exploring the current turn toward for its local bakery Strata has considerable appeal, not only for being the minimal among certain contemporary design practices, the key beautifully executed – with its centred sans-serif capitals and bold questions are not about general movements, but specific contexts. stripes in a palette that brings to mind pistachio, orange, chocolate In certain areas, where excess has reigned for some time, graphic and strong coffee – but also in that it’s so unusual in its market. designers have seized the moment to exercise restraint. Another example of minimally presented pâtisserie is Made Thought’s rebrand of North’s Yauatcha that was undertaken a few LET THEM EAT CAKE years after the original. More ‘New Age’ than North’s approach, Amongst North’s stand-out work is the cake Made Thought’s designs cut back on the use box the agency designed for the Chinese of colour, but increased the application of restaurant and pâtisserie Yauatcha in 2004. “BY CUTTING BACK texture and subtle pattern with the avowed Its restrained pattern and exquisite colour intention of looking less ‘male’. Describing palette were inspired by visits to China. ON EXCESS, YOU CAN the project, the press used words such as Importantly, it was decidedly more minimal APPEAL TO THOSE WHO “bespoke”, “exquisite” and “indulgent”. than anything else on the market at that The motivation for the scheme is the belief time. Also in 2004 North launched a new OWN TOO MUCH AND that, by cutting back on excess, you can identity for the Barbican art gallery. THEREFORE HAVE A appeal to those who own too much and However, while the design for Yauatcha therefore have a desire for less. seemed new and inspired, a related approach DESIRE FOR LESS” For me it is The Hempel, a hotel at the Barbican seemed tired and bombastic. opened by the interior designer Anouska By the early noughties several London Hempel in 1997, that best encapsulates this galleries had gone for bold sans-serif identities and the Barbican kind of high-end New-Age minimalism. Tucked behind the façade looked simply to be falling in line. An approach that appeared of a row of Georgian houses, it was all white walls and floors, white fresh in one arena seemed deeply conformist in another. cushions and staff in slippers. The hotel closed earlier this year, but North’s design for Yauatcha never became part of a charge it’s not known if this was down to bad financial management or if for more minimal cake packaging. The serif typography, decorative the mega-rich simply lost their love of white orchids. borders and gilding associated with companies like Ladurée have held Perhaps it’s surprising given the tendency for excess at the sway in the mainstream. As a result, Barcelona group P.A.R’s design upper end of the market that restraint is not employed more often WWWCOMPUTERARTSCOUK -50-
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