The Taj Mahal

Three years ago I had the pleasure to visit this tranquil and beautiful place. Trust me, the stunningly white marble and intricate patterns are simply breathtaking when witnessing it in real life. The Taj is completely symmetrical in its design. The attention to detail, hailed as the finest example of Mughal architecture, a combination of Persian, Turkish and Indian architectural styles. It really is such a peaceful place, I would definitely advise to visit at sunset, the view is stunning. As the Taj was created from a culture so different from my own every single part of it provides inspiration opening my eyes to design techniques, especially on the interior walls, which I had never seen before. 

Hydropolis underwater hotel

In terms of architecture Dubai are constantly challenging themselves to create innovative designs. I have to say this tops all that I have seen so far. It is an underwater hotel which when complete will be submerged 66 feet underwater  charging $5550 a night, not cheap. This is will definitely be a sight to behold when it is complete by the end of 2009. The images aren't particularly clear so commenting on the aesthetics is difficult, however the concept is astounding.

William Morris

William Morris's work has intrigued me since I first studied him in my first year of sixth form at school. His work is incredibly detailed and intricate, most famous for his work in the arts and crafts movement, the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood. Morris's chief contribution was as a designer of repeating patterns for wallpapers and textiles, many based on observations from nature. Perhaps looking to the natural world from time to time would  improve us and designers, rather than constantly focussing on the modern world. 

I (heart) It.com

If searching for inspiration on a project or just want to see what work people are producing around the world then this website is great. You can simply type a key word of what you are looking for, bit it anything from typography to photography and hundreds of results will be collected and you can browse at your leisure. 

www.weheartit.com

Natwest bank card

Natwest have come up with a great idea to improve their chances of students banking with them. Here is how it works, you can design your own style of bank card and then simply pay five pounds for it to be made. Also, you can upload your own designs for other people to choose, if your design is chosen you will receive and additional five pounds for each card sold.

https://adaptcard.natwest.com/viewlibary.aspx?

Royal Armouries Museum

I visited this museum in first year when working on the Wilfred Owen project. It is situated in the centre of Leeds at Clarence Dock. The displays inside show case historical items dating between the 17th and 20th century. I found the World War Two exhibits fascinating demonstrating what life would be like in the Blitz, which many of our Grandparents lived through. I do not feel that the visit effected me creatively, however it definitely provided me with a broader perspective on Britain's two world wars.

Anne Frank Museum

I visited this museum five years ago and it had a profound effect on me. The Holocaust is one the most revered events in history. Anne Frank and her diary entries are world famous and visiting this museum allowed me to learn a great deal more about her plight in Amsterdam during Hitler's invasion. 

Join-Me

I learnt about this website after reading Yes Man by Danny Wallace. This website inspires generosity and love for your common man or woman. The idea of the website is to send polaroid pic of yourself with your details to join. Once you have joined it is your duty to do a random act of kindness every friday for a stranger. Be it calling a call centre and telling them that they are doing a great job or simply handing a stranger a bunch of flowers. It is truly refreshing to see generosity in a society where individuals mostly keep themselves to themselves. 

On the Road: Jack Kerouac

This book is all about freedom. It was seen as ground-breaking at the time and is still highly regarded today which has to be respected as it was published in 1957. From reading this book a new movement was spawned, the "Beat Generation". The Beat Generation was inspired by jazz, poetry and drug experiences. This book inspires you to take and chance, be spontaneous and see where life takes you, I guess in a slightly similar way to the previously mention book, Yes Man.

William Blake: The Complete Illuminated Books.

After discovering Tracey Emin I read a book about her which drew similarities between her and William Blake. So I also decided to read a book about him. He was a breath of fresh air, breaking the mould of artistic society at the time. From reading his poetry and appreciating his paintings I admire not only his romantic use of language and his artist skill. It is his imagination and creativity which had a profound effect on me.

Tracey Emin

Recently on BBC two there was a documentary/ interview with Tracey Emin conducted by Piers Morgan ( I think it is still on BBC i-player if you want to see it for yourself). I missed the start, however I was hooked straight away when I saw how passionate she was. When she mentioned her thought process for her piece "Everyone I have ever slept with" it immediately resonated with me.

Her work is poeticised truth with disinhibited honesty depicting her spiritual and physical anguish. I thoroughly respect her limitless creativity that stems from her personal experiences that she exhibits to the outside world. Her work has been perceived as controversial and egotistical.

However, I believe it has tremendous purpose, if she has no justification for a piece, it will not be created. Her work is her voice, it is the audience’s parogative to decide whether they like it or not. I want to use her lack of respect for boundaries and create work which I can personally justify being in existence, in Emin’s words, “I want society to hear what I am saying, for me being an artist isn’t just about making nice things or people patting you on the the back; it’s some kind of communication, a message”.

Homework for Grown-ups

I came across this book recently. If like me you feel that you have forgotten pretty much everything you learnt at school, then this book is for you. I was noticing that my mental mathematics and geographical knowledge was taking a quite serious downturn. This book re-teaches all of those things and more. 

Cheering and flashing billboard

A hit television show in Sweden is about two ordinary Swedes have one month to make it in Japan. This billboard is equipped with motion detectors and speakers. As people walk past they set off crazed Japanese fans cheering and taking pictures of them. The Advertising Agency this was created by was Le Bureau from Stockholm, Sweden.

Diesel XXX

Diesel are throwing a party for their 30th anniversary. The party is live around the world in 17 countries with the likes of N*E*R*D and Mark Ronson performing. Check out this tongue in cheek advert for it.



If you want to see more details on this event click on this link

www.diesel.com/xxx/

Take It To The Next Level

This TV advert is quite old, I am sure that many of you will have seen this before. I have to comment on how innovative it was at the time. To be honest, I had never or since seen an advert created using the audiences perspective. In this advert, you are living the life of a footballer with all the hard physical training and glitz and glamour which goes with it. It is obvious that the major sportswear brands are at the top of their game when it comes to advertising their products. However this advert shows you a lifestyle that you might want, how can you get there? By using Nike equipment and improving your own game.

Doug Alves

These images say so much. The effect of using illustration over the top of the photograph adds to its effect. The illustration is the feelings and emotions of the girl in the image. The image is white and pure, if the illustration was not added it would have a completely different message. The sheer panic is evident, however, to look at the girl you would never know. I guess some things are never what they initially seem. 

This work was created by a designer called Doug Alves. Alves is a Brazilian Graphic artist and illustrator based in Los Angeles. He has worked as a free-lancer for major corporations such as Coca-Cola and Citroen. 

See more of his work here.

www.nacionale.cc/ 

Tate Modern

From getting off the train these Graffiti images grabbed my attention and I was looking forward to see many more interesting things inside.

I have been once before when I was much younger and I thought my oppinion would change but it has not. From the outside you think, wow! However if you scrutanise what is actually in the gallery, it will fail to really get you particularly excited about art and design. Inside the MOMA or Gugenheim you can interact and be part of alot of the art on display, they are places where you can become excited.

You may disagree, but in my humble opinion the Tate Modern fails to achieve enthusiasm for art and design, it is a place full of large empty rooms with silence and the occasional sound of footsteps. 

The Tate seems like a gallery with a selective audience. Galleries are supposed to be for everyone, not just a minortity. Young people should enjoy places like this and become excited, not passing through each room as fast as they can to reach the gift shop, (which I saw alot of when I was there).

It seems a shame to me that people who do not normally visit galleries will judge the world of art and design with their first impressions of the Tate. 

Zoo poster

When designing a poster why not use the environment it will be placed in? This is very clever, similar to the Amnesty International prison bar posters idea, I do not know which was designed first but its simplicity works. Using the texture of the tree for the elephant is a stroke of genius. Young children are the main demographic of visitors to the zoo, with this poster the children can feel the texture of the tree and intrigue them, "does an elephant feel the same as a tree?". 

NYC Poster

This poster caught my eye when I walking in Manhattan. The different possible combinations is what makes this poster interesting. The poster consists of two halves of two different people. One of these posters on its own the poster has no impact. However when a few of these posters are placed together they become effective. The message, "your-other-you" is executed perfectly. This poster is not trying to be over the top with fancy Photoshop techniques, it does not need it, it thrives on the concept behind it. 

This is what I believe design is about. It is not about using the most fancy images or typography if it does not deliver the message. The effectiveness of the message is the most important thing. This poster is a perfect example of what I beleive to be great design.

V & A

Yesterday I visited the Victoria & Albert Museum in South Kensington, London (the world largest museum of decorative arts and design). When walking up to the building the aesthetics took my breath away. The architectural style is Victorian, it was founded in the 1899. As you step inside the building it opens up to you, from the main hall, the vocal point to over-reaching staircases leading to different eras, cultures and artistic disciplines; such as ceramics, glass, textiles, ironwork, furniture, sculpture, printmaking, drawing the photography. 

The V & A was in complete contrast to that of the Museum of Modern Art, it felt regal, with it's marble floors, red brick walls, English oak wall panelling and hand-painted ceilings. However after recent development holds a modern twist. For instance this glass sculpture located in the lobby.

For viewing art, the V & A had a real flow to it. You are not walking into big empty rooms with only the sounds of peoples footsteps to accompany you. The art is displayed in winding hallways, holding your interest whilst walking through this visual labyrinth. 

Whilst there I attended the Fashion V Sport exhibition which explored the relationship between contemporary fashion and global sportswear brands, looking at how the two industries have both inspired and collaborated with each other in recent years. 

I have never been someone who takes a keen interest into, "who's this years designer" or what is the "main colour everyone should be wearing". To be honest, this exhibitions opened my eyes a little. I realised that fashion is not necessarily what will sell in every Topman and appeal to the mainstream.  It is more expressing yourself through the use of materials and colour. It is completely about what you believe looks unique and exciting, other peoples opinions are not particularly relevant. You design for you, no-one else.  

As well as the clothes on display there was a video playing which held my attention. It was about trainer customising. The guys involved  weren't working for large sportswear companies but working in their bedrooms and workshops at home. It isn't a job to them, it's their passion. They love what they do. Creating something unique which has an impact on someone is what all of us as designers want to achieve. That hunger was inspirational.  

Heineken Jammin' Festival

Not only do I commend the idea and execution of this the image, I also need to mention my own response to it. The warmth and vibrancy is entrancing. Capturing the festival atmosphere, hands are in the air, people are having a great time raving the bands they love. This image encapsulates the whole festival experience. The image works, I can see see the passion emulating from the stage and through the crowd. 

I found this advert on this website (www.ibelieveinadv.com), check it out. This site is full of some really skillfully executed advertising campaigns. 

Solar Tree

These were on display for 4 weeks in October on a busy street in Vienna, Austria. They were able to provide enough light for the whole night even after several cloudy days. These solar powered LED light systems cut carbon emissions and electricity bills of the local authorities. 

Not only are these lights striking, they are completely energy efficient which is very fitting in the current environmental climate. 

Orangina Advert

Well, what can I say about this. It is definitely an effective advert, in as far as, now remember the Orangina brand. However, it doesn't necessarily make me want to drink one. It is bizarre, a bear and a deer dancing in a provocative and sexual way, a flamingo poll dancing. What is the message there?

The famous Cadbury Gorilla advert recently won a D & AD award, rewarding the effectiveness of that campaign and that message was just as ambiguous. I began questioning whether advertising the product is the main focus anymore, is it purely about the promotion of the brand instead? 

Is this a new advertising strategy, purely to get people talking?

Requiem for a Dream

I had often heard this film name mentioned, or I would see the DVD case in HMV and just passed by. Eventually I decided to watch it, and what a good descision that was. 

Requiem for a Dream is about four people, who's lives change dramatically due to their personal addictions to drugs, prescription and illegal.   

The story essentially is very grim and unhappy, however  I was captivated by the direction of this film. The story is emphasised through the use of short takes, fast line-of-action cuts and time elapse photography. The sheer contrast of imagery from almost dream like to the stark isolating reality embodies the highs and lows that the characters endure.

The music from the film has been used for many other productions and is very recognisable (composed by Clint Mansell and performed by the Kronos Quartet).  Building from soft tones to a climatic crescendo at the end of the film which combines with the before mentioned directing producing a cinematic masterpiece.  

The website for the film encapsulates the film itself and also worth visiting afterwards.

www.requiemforadream.com

Pimp My Classroom

Created by Gollifer Langston Architects, the Classroom of the Future was designed as a highly ICT resourced demountable classroom for use throughout the Camden area to optimize availability to a wide group of school children.

It is fully transportable with state of the art ICT, film-making and music producing facilities.
Here's the technical part,

"The classroom arrives on site as an enclosed box. Computer control systems activate hydraulic legs that position the container onto the ground, and allow sections of the wall and roof to expand and open. The side wall of the container also opens out to enable an external audience to view films on a (small cinema sized) monitor from within the shell. Therefore the classroom is not only a learning environment; it is also a presentational facility".

The aesthetics are unconventional, however the practicality of this new age classroom is unquestionable. Providing additional education to local students surely only have a positive effect.

I believe when this appears at schools in Camden, just from it's initial appearance and technicality the pupils will start talking, creating intrigue and interest to learn. Isn't that the whole point of a classroom to provide a stimulating environment to learn? This definitely embodies the true meaning of a classroom.

                             

Kate Moross

Kate Moross's hand rendered  typography is so lively and vibrant. Her work is extremely detailed. I feel that designers revert to using software to produce typography to readily these days and need to explore different avenues to produce far more productive results. For example, this work. 

It is inspiring to realize that our hands still work and are capable of producing just as, or even more impressive typography than that of the likes of Adobe Illustrator.  

Moross's work has been very successful, she has produced work for a variety of media. Such as gig flyers for The Klaxons and billboard designs for Cadbury's Dairy Milk. Being only 22, this is a major achievement.  

Lets put our Macs' away and get out our old fashioned pen and paper.

Nike Running Battle

This was a viral campaign from Nike last year. It was designed to launch a new technology which allowed you, when running with a small micro-chip in the heel of your trainer, to measure your distance. 

This technology was given away free of charge to students at University. To make this campaign more effective they also handed Nike Plus equipment out to rival Universities such as Leeds Univers

ity vs Leeds Metropolitan and Oxford vs Cambridge. 

This was all created to ensure a Nike Running Battle, University student's would compete with their peers from rival Universities to see who could run the further distance over a 7 day period. Each University's progress could even be monitored on Facebook.

The campaign used  rivalry to drive the campaign, it got people talking a launched the product in a very positive way. It was a great success, I was even part of it. 

Chutney Bannister

I came across Bannister's work when I was browsing Flickr (a website where people can upload their own images). 

The premise of his work intrigued me. It seems he just takes pictures of random people of the tube. It was so random that it, for some reason interested me and I kept flicking through these images. 

It don't think it's particularly impressive photography, something about it captivated me though.. To be honest I don't think he even gets the subject's permission.

I guess that is the beauty of a website like www.flickr.com

You can engage with the weird and the wonderful.

FILE Magazine

In a previous post I mentioned the work of Dustin Fenstermacher. I wrote about his interesting and diverse photography style. 

I have found this website: http://filemagazine.com/index.html

This website is fantastic for discovering great photography. Hundreds of images are showcased here in a well laid out easy to navigate site.

Once you click on an image you find enticing, you will be linked to that particular artist's website, allowing you to see all of their work. 

This is what they say about themselves,

"We publish images that treat subjects in unexpected ways. Alternate tasks, unconventional observations, odd angles -- the photographs in the collection reinterpret traditional genres".

Distraction

This is a poster campaign that was in front of the urinals when I went to the cinema last week. Firstly the positioning is poster definitely gets your attention, there is no-where else to look apart from in front of you.

The idea is so simple. It uses the headphones to show two messages, the distraction that causes road accidents and consequences of that distraction, death. 

Dustin Fenstermacher

www.dustinf.com:

All biographical can be found on his website.

Fenstermacher creates some truly interesting photographs. They stop you in your tracks. He juxtaposes his images with bright colours and bizarre situations. They definitely pack a punch and are unlike anything I have seen before. There is no common theme, every image is a surprise and unpredictable. 

Have a little look for yourself. 

Beijing Olympics

During the Olympic games this year there was a lot of footage of campaigns and protests for human rights on the news. I did not see this until after the games had finished. This image was created by Amnesty International. It is extremely strong. It tells the audience how it is. No sugar coating. It works. 

Silent Companion

This is an image I found which immediately reverted me back to my childhood. However do not be fooled in the images simplicity, it conveys incredible symbolism. The child is far brighter than the background reflecting his innocence and vibrancy for life. He is stood on a dark road, representing his unknown future. 

The beauty of this image is in where the child's focus lies. On his toy horse. As children we did not worry about our futures, we focused on what made us happy. Life's simple pleasures, like splashing in puddles. 

This picture's innocence captivates it's beauty. 

Silent Companion 

by Angela Bacon-Kidwell

Tenderness

This photograph says a lot to me. What makes it so effective is the toddler's outstretching hand to the shadow of presumably her mother. This photograph is very tender by highlighting the child adoration of her mother. She is interacting with the shadow, she is taking comfort in it. She does not look upset or sad, she seems completely at ease. I believe this image has more impact by using the shadow of the mother and not the mother herself. I think that was a conscious decision made by the photographer. A decision that increases the impact ten fold in my opinion. 

This is called "Nuclear Family" by Linda Plaisted. 

Plant the letter

Honda wanted to send out the message that their out-door equipment was becoming more environmentally friendly, so they started a direct mail campaign. 

I have seen direct mail (with an environmental message) where seeds are sent out as an additional reminder to accompany a letter. This is the clever part. The letter itself was ingrained with plant seeds. The letter can then be planted and a plant will grow. The Honda message then became a part of the recipient's garden. 

Curiosity

We have all seen the intelligently thought out campaigns created by The Economist magazine. This image is very different from the others I have seen. It focuses on the typography just as much as everything else. From the previous messages I have seen from them they tend to rely on the image or very clever copy. 

The typography looks unstable and unbalanced. Perfectly reflecting the message. The type looks almost similar to that of Stanley Kubrick's "Clockwork Orange". Which was a surprise when used for the straight laced brand like The Economist. 

It is refreshing that a brand as identifiable as The Economist are not happy to stay in their comfort zone.

Yes Man

I bought this book last year after a recommendation from a friend and it lived up to all the hype he gave it. 

It is about a man called Danny who one day has a long hard look at his life and realises that it should be more exciting. He then decides to say "YES", whenever he is asked a question. Hilarious situations ensue. 

This book leaves you high on life by opening your mind to how exciting life can become if you are brave enough to embrace the unknown. 

 

D & AD

From browsing the D & AD Student Awards website from this years awards I found that one of our fellow students at the University of Leeds won the first prize for her piece on the V and A Bridge. 

Check it out here. 

www.dandad.org/studentawards08/moving.asp

Silver Clouds

Four years ago I visited the Tate Modern in London. The reason for my visit was that I was working on a Andy Warhol project for Art class at school. Before I went I had seen the the famous Campbell's soup cans etc. However their was one piece which immediately captivated my imagination. It is called "Silver Clouds". These are silver balloons filled with helium. Their direction changes to the touch of others. The excitement and laughter in the room was very interesting. It then clicked with me that the art was not the balloons. It was the reaction Warhol was seeking from the audience. Very clever

CHANEL Tokyo

During the day this building looks like a simple black box. However as soon as it gets dark a ten story LED light show is created. This would definitely grab my attention. Stunning. 

There's more, the designer says,

"look closer and you can see that the materials chosen for the building's exterior evoke the brands iconic designs: The boxy pattern of the curtain wall resembles the quilted leather of a handbag, for example, and the checked white frit pattern on the ground-level glass evokes the nubby tweed of a Chanel suit".

  

Knife crime

From watching the news and reading newspapers knife crime is becoming more and more rife with young people being stabbed on British streets daily. 

The Metropolitan police have produced anti-knife campaigns in response to this.

From watching an advert like this below. I do not not see how this would stop a young person carrying a knife. They carry them for protection, they are scared for their own safety. They want to feel safe, telling them carrying a knife "is not a good look" is not going to make them feel anymore safe. 

I can understand the message the video is trying to get across. However I believe it falls on deaf ears. Relating knife crime to purely "looking cool" is only looking at a minute part of the reason. They need to feel safer on the street. Don't just throw messages at them. Speak to them, understand them, ask them what would help the situation. Adverts like this avoid the real realities of this problem which need to be addressed they do not contribute to a solution. 

Heres the link:

www.itsnotagame.org

The Pixar Story

This documentary is about Pixar's meteoric rise, starting with Toy Story leading to consecutive hits such as Finding Nemo and Ratatouille to name but a few. 

Before I watched this I knew very little about Pixar. It seemed to me that with all the success Pixar have seen the whole process must have been plain sailing. However, this was not the case. 

Pixar was born when computer scientists and animators spun off from Lucas Film to do what they love, explore the possibilities of animation and push the boundaries. This was a whole new world, animation was still in the very early stages and no-one knew what the future held. 

Something I learnt was that when Pixar were struggling financially, Steve Jobs (CEO, co-founder and Chairman of Apple Inc) invested, and continued to even though he was losing money initially. He must have seen the future potential Pixar.

What I found inspiring from this film was the sheer determination of the people behind Pixar especially John Lasseter. They risked it all to pursue their dream and vision. They had to battle with Disney, over-come financial problems and work extremely long hours. They never lost sight of their dream, no matter what the critics thought. 

Mark and Jez

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Peep Show is a BAFTA award winning British sitcom, which I am sure many of you have seen and perhaps rate it as highly as I do. 

It is about two central characters Mark, who very pessimistic and uncomfortable is social situations, and Jeremy, a failing musician who lives for the moment and is very optimistic of life.

The way this comedy was shot was completely differently than anything seen before. The events of the two main character's lives are seen almost exclusively from their point of view. Cameras where often strapped to the actor's heads to achieve this effect. 

The two main character's internal monologues are also played to the audience using voice overs, the characters thoughts do not often match what they are saying which gives the audience a sense of dramatic irony. Providing an extra perspective into the characters world which gives Peep Show the comedic edge that many comedy shows fail to realise the importance of.    

Here's a clip if you have not seen in it.

http:www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtnNvdoYSzM

"I am James Bond" 

4 Creative

This is what they say about themselves:

"4 Creative is the communications company set up by Channel 4. Our model is about fast turn around, high creativity projects regardless of medium."

This team is responsible for the great T.V promos such as the infamous Skins launch house party advert. 

Their work is always fresh. Sometimes it may leave you laughing, sad or just speechless. They are a company I am already contacting for work experience. Their work is always changing, and the fast paced turn-around on briefs would keep you on your creative toes.

Check out a show reel of their work. 

www.channel4.com/4creative/