R27.CREATIVELAB / Blogspot

Dave Carson talks about graphic design and the secret to his own success: his own eye and audience awareness.



This is a great follow on from Letterpress or Computer (LCP)

Veteran graphic design/typography and letterpress teacher from the London College of Printing: David Dabner talks... giving an insight into the principles of design, creative letterpress and why computers make students sloppy.



This i have personal interest in as David was a lecturer of mine in the early 90s.

First of all the comment that computers make you lazy I disagree with. It's our lack of effort or focus that makes us lazy. Right, now I got that off my chest, lets move on.

As times and methods of production change we are quick to metion what has been lost rather than what we have gained. If the skillset of students/designers has diminished for the simple reason that they are designing on the computer rather than on paper then its simple to say that the original concept was weak. And thats my point it boils down to the original thought, idea, concept call it what you will. What are we trying to achieve?

I will add, while studying the methods of letterpress and hot metal I gained a better understanding of alignment, spacing, leading and how complex to put a simple page of text together was. It was only then that i understood where the terms upper and lowercase came from. The skill of these practitioners is amazing, the patience and speed to get an article to press. So It is worth understanding the methods of old, learn from the source and gain a better understanding of the media and materials we use today.

Lets not presume that all design of today is produced on a computer, some of the most unique designs embrace older production techniques to achieve an original look in a laser print world.

I do find it amusing that the textures and quality of print with setting type in these ways is so often replicated using photoshop and other software packages and there's nothing wrong with that when its done well. You'll always get good and bad design subjective as that is.

A lecturer may frown upon students but can you imagine the scribes frowning and dismissing the Gutenberg....

I appreciate the beauty of the older printing processes, and I do feel that users let the computer make them lazy. We stop looking at kerning because thats the way the font is set. We have a lot of control and speed to experiment with variations, so why not take the time. Any tool that makes a process easy can make a person lazy, it can stop you thinking, clicking on icons at the top of the screen to arrange type without thinking about the shapes these arrangements create. In the long run, Its the original concept and eye that identifies a creative thinker and whether you let the tools you use, limit you.

What is the creative process and how do you convey it into words? 

This is a great poster for the new Terminators web presence, but I can't wait to see this kind of concept on billboards, bus shelters, you name it. You think I'm talking about the poster below, no... I'm talking about the link below.

Click here to see what the hell I'm referring to...

Ansel Adams Master Photographers (1983) BBC Series



View Main Site: Ansel Adams (Feb. 20 1902 — Apr. 22, 1984)

Ansel Adams Master Photographers (1983) BBC Series



View Main Site: Ansel Adams (Feb. 20 1902 — Apr. 22, 1984)

Ansel Adams Master Photographers (1983) BBC Series



View Main Site: Ansel Adams (Feb. 20 1902 — Apr. 22, 1984)

Ansel Adams Master Photographers (1983) BBC Series



Adams, Ansel (Feb. 20 1902 — Apr. 22, 1984), photographer and environmentalist, was born in San Francisco, California, the son of Charles Hitchcock Adams, a businessman, and Olive Bray. The grandson of a wealthy timber baron, Adams grew up in a house set amid the sand dunes of the Golden Gate. When Adams was only four, an aftershock of the great earthquake and fire of 1906 threw him to the ground and badly broke his nose, distinctly marking him for life. A year later the family fortune collapsed in the financial panic of 1907, and Adams's father spent the rest of his life doggedly but fruitlessly attempting to recoup.

An only child, Adams was born when his mother was nearly forty. His relatively elderly parents, affluent family history, and the live-in presence of his mother's maiden sister and aged father all combined to create an environment that was decidedly Victorian and both socially and emotionally conservative. Adams's mother spent much of her time brooding and fretting over her husband's inability to restore the Adams fortune, leaving an ambivalent imprint on her son. Charles Adams, on the other hand, deeply and patiently influenced, encouraged, and supported his son... continue reading

Text by William Turnage

Future of Web Applications - "Educating clients to say yes" by Paul Boag.

This is a great insight into the client designer relationship. Many of us will relate to this irrespective on which side you sit. Enjoy



Source: Carsonified

Created for the Flash on the Beach conference in Brighton UK.
Created by Rob Chiu | Audio by Hecq.
Special thanks to Susie Q and John Davey.

Episode 7: The Finale - Filmmaker Kevin Smith announces the final challenge. Who will reign supreme and win $400,000USD plus HP gear? Moby helps crown the winners. Guest judges: Michio Kaku, Lewis Kofsky, KaNancy Spector

Watch it here...



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R27 were asked to create an identity for Tenero Software limited. They needed an identity that was young, affluent and forward thinking.

Tenero create, amongst other applications a mindmapping application for the iPhone. After an initial discussion we presented a range of concepts of which one was taken forward and developed into their new brand. This in turn will be rolled out through all Tenero's communications. The design is based on the idea of thought bubbles, being organic and ever changing, no fixed form.