The Responsinator
17th April 2012
The Responsinator is a simple website that shows you a quick indication of how responsive your site is on various mobile devices. Nifty.
CommentPack This! Pad
12th April 2012
Pack This! Pad is cool. I love the little note on the bottom *Bring half of what you think you need, and twice as much money.
We’re usually quite good at remembering things, but I think I should get one for us anyway. Tuxedo, check.
Pictoplasm Berlin 2012
10th April 2012
Pictoplasma’s Festival of Contemporary Character Design and Art kicks off tomorrow in Berlin.
Cute, quirky and amazingly creative, the Pictoplasma Festival is the ultimate gathering of the world’s leading character designers. Check out their website for more info.
Moo Luxe
5th April 2012
Oooooo! I’m so excited I finally have the chance to get some Moo Luxe Business Cards printed for a friend.
A streak of colour running through the fabric of every card and 600gsm of sweetness. Yay! Stay tuned!
The Hungry Workshop
4th April 2012
How AMmmmmA-ZING are these letterpressed aerograms by Melbourne studio The Hungry Workshop?
Native American Neon? Yes please!
(via OhJoy!)
Juan Muguruza
29th March 2012
My awesome friends over at Design Lagoon have just launched Juan Muguruza‘s new site that coincides with his Pieles exhibition, opening today in the Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid.
Who knew that bark could be so sexy?
Inspiration vs Imitation
29th March 2012
Today I’m going to write about inspiration.
A couple of months ago I read an article by the awesome Jessica Hische called Inspiration vs Imitation about why we should question inspiration that can end in plagiarism in the creative world.
As a designer I’m inspired by all kinds of things – living in Cape Town, sexy photography, gorgeous typography, my friends, the sunshine, the list could go on. I believe that inspiration can be found anywhere, you just have to know how to look. I also believe that to make something totally original is almost impossible and that almost everything can be linked back to something else.
After reading Jessica’s article and her point number 2 “Not everything you make should be on the internet” I wondered whether I should post my picture, but I thought it was a good example of how as a designer, you can take ideas and inspiration from a number of people and places and use them together to create something new.
This is how it went…
When my brother and his wife told me they were using an owl theme for their baby’s nursery I was so excited because I love owls! I began looking for inspiration and thinking of ideas so I could give him a print as a gift when he was born.
I discovered a Mengsal print in a store on London’s Portobello Road (coincidently, Mengsal was started by a London based South African designer) and I thought the style would be perfect for a baby’s room. Simple, cute and colourful. I found the boat cushion on their website and I thought the idea could work nicely, plus I LOVE traditional Seigaiha waves (which I hand drew on my Wacom). Logically, because of the boat, my train of thought followed onto the story of The Owl and the Pussycat.
Long before this little project came about I’d saved some images from The DieLine of a branding project by an Australian graphic designer called Meagan Brown. I thought the owls she’d created were awesome and her work was amazing. Before I go on I will say that if there’s one thing about my print that’s a direct copy, it would be the owl. I traced it in Illustrator and tweaked it only slightly. The pussycat is more or less the owl with ears, tweaked a little more again and also inspired by the Maneki Neko or Lucky Cat.
Initially I designed a sailboat very similar to the Mengsal one, but decided in the end that an origami boat would work better. Simple, sweet and in keeping with what was becoming a more Asian design by the minute – and also fitting as the baby was going to be half Chinese!
So the question today is How original is my design? I believe that while not entirely original, it is my own work and it did take creativity on my part to bring all these elements together. I’ve written a couple of things about copyright before, including this post about how inspired design can get you in trouble, and this post about designers being directly ripped-off, but each case really needs to be looked at individually.
Comparing Jessica Hische’s work with Marian Bantjes is a good example of how we can see a designer’s influence (although it may be only a very small part) and Jessica is always quick to admit she doesn’t “…own swirly decorations, no one does.”
At the end of the day however, this was a gift for my nephew Maddox and I have no intention of trying to sell it (a proposed 8th point in Inspiration vs Imitation by one of Jessica’s readers was, “There’s a difference between making an imitation and selling it.”)
To be honest I would feel uncomfortable selling The Owl and the Pussycat because I don’t think it’s original enough, particularly the owl. Although perhaps with a new owl…
Toffie 2012
28th March 2012
The 2012 Toffie Pop Culture Festival kicks off this Friday at the Cape Town City Hall.
The 3 day conference and festival focuses on design, music, art and all things associated with popular culture.
Just some of the people lined up to talk include:
• Penny Martin (UK): Editor-in-Chief of The Gentlewoman Magazine
• Roel Wouters (The Netherlands): Director/Designer
• Omar Sosa (Spain): Art Director, Publisher and Designer of Apartmento Magazine
• Malibongwe Tyilo (SA): Founder of skattiewhatareyouwearing.blogspot.com
• Athi-Patra Ruga (SA): Performance and Contemporary Artist
• Chris Bisset (SA): Film Director
• Sibot (SA): Sound Designer
There’ll also be a Creative Showdown with 6 International teams competing in workshops, talks and short talks, including the likes of Alex Trochut, Will Hudson from It’s Nice That and Nacho Gil.
And… to top the whole lot off The Cape Town Electronic Music Festival will be putting on a host of parties over the weekend to celebrate. Need I say more?
See you there!
Docracy
28th March 2012
My super helpful husband pointed me towards Docracy this morning. It’s a cool little site that will come in handy for anyone needing an easy solution when despairing over job contracts.
Have a look at the Freelance Bundle that includes documents for Copyright, Web Design, NDAs and Print Design amongst others that can be edited and used with clients.
Twenty6 Magazine – Issue E
26th March 2012
My favourite online magazine launches it’s 5th issue today!
Twenty6 Issue E is live and sexy guys. Expressionism, Eruption, Eau Coloeur and the excellent House Industries Eames font.
Anna Tovar
23rd March 2012
Anna Tovar’s beautiful journals made me very happy this afternoon, as did her baby’s awesome nursery.
The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt
21st March 2012
Hidden around London are 200 giant eggs for The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt.
Although I haven’t found it yet, my favourite is Metropolis by British husband and wife designer-duo Rob and Nick Carter with a current bid of £2200. There’s a mad mix of artists, graphic designers, architects, fashion designers, jewellers and sculptors who have made eggs including Mr Brainwash, Tommy Hilfiger, Mulberry, Zaha Hadid and Hannah Martin.
With all of the money raised going to The Elephant Family and Action for Children - the hunt is on!
ChaChaMoon
21st March 2012
Last night we went to ChaChaMoon for dinner.
The food was good, the interior was super cool, but their logo is what does it for me!
Chilango
19th March 2012
Just been for lunch at Chilango on Fleet Street. Tasty tacos and some very awesome branding.
How cool are their wrestlers?
Sedation of Millions
16th March 2012
My lucky number 3. I’m also hearing the message after a week in London-town.
“The “Sedation Of Millions” print is inspired by the title of my favorite Public Enemy album “It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back”. I think the biggest problem in America is the indifference and complacency about important issues that results from much of the population being perpetually hypnotized by conspicuous consumption, social media, entertainment, and self-medication. Using sedation and escapism for relief from the rat race might make us less aware (blissfully ignorant) but also less empowered to improve our role within the rat race… a vicious cycle of cause and effect.” - Shepard Fairey
Brand Guidelines
14th March 2012
Yesterday I was doing some research on branding and came across a really great article on Smashing Magazine about Designing Style Guidelines For Brands And Websites.
Very useful for anyone interested.
London Design Week 2012
12th March 2012
Well what do you know? London Design Week 2012 is on this week – and we’re in London! Perfect timing.
Will let you know how it is…
