Ace Jet 170

Ben's Scraps

 

Ben's quite modest about this but I've been thinking about it a lot and it:

a) is lovely

and

b) says a lot about him

(Images used without permission, hope that's OK Ben)

"Vernacular"

Is that the right word?

I was not good at English at school; almost as bad as I was at French (last exam: 3% - you probably got more for getting your name right). I'm better now (thanks to this). But I always hesitate to use that word when describing this kind of thing that I abso-fucking-lutely love, shown on the Book Covers blog this week...

So, is that the right word?

Land of the Pipe Smoking Giants

Not sure if I've mentioned this place before. 

Hidden at the far reaches of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum (that we visit frequently) is an enthusiast-run miniature railway. Although you'd think I was, by the amount of rail-related stuff on Ace Jet, I'm not particularly interesting in all this, but our boys are and it's hard not to get sucked in, it's kind of magical. Mostly hidden in a walled garden, all the public see is a semi-circle of track that comes out of one red brick arch and disappears again through another. But we're sneaky. We always follow the rough path up the side, around the back to get the full picture. 

We were there on Saturday again and our boys were thrilled to be invited aboard. While they were looping around the lawn, I was taken into the workshop to investigate the lathes. It was excellent. And the enthusiasm of the pipe smoking, engine fiddlers that look after it all is inspiring.

 

 

X-ray Pecks

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't you think that x-rays are ace? Unquestionably cool (unless they're of your own mangled limbs of course) I suspect they have almost universal appeal to designers.

Like dutch grey board, bulldog clips, letterpress, those rectilinear things, die-cutting and foil-blocking (and other stuff I can't think of right now), x-rays fall into that exclusive club of materials/effects that provoke near euphoria in us when we get the chance to use them on a job...No, what I mean is, when they are perfect for a job. So perfect, you know the client would be mad if he/she didn't go for it.

Neon, that's another one.

It's at an early stage still but we're hoping to use x-rays for a job* and have been talking to Nick Veasey about it. He knows his onions.

* No chickens were x-rayed specifically to create this post.

Found Cloud Friday

I'm not sure if it's a peculiarity of our geographical location but the Winter provides slim pickings for the cloud spotter. The Spring, on the other hand...

Coming Soon: The Return of Found Type Friday
If you've sent me stuff, the usual apology; I've been working on a secret, soon to be revealed, design project.

Feel the time

I was in one of those meetings yesterday. You know, the meetings that go on and on. Other people talking, prevaricating around the you know what (as they say). Eyes glazing over, watching that couple through the window, arriving in the car park separately then leaving together. And it occurred to me that what we all need is a braille watch.

Ace Jet steals post from We Made This

I won't lie; just saw this on the We Made This blog and thought it deserved more blog love. A lovely job if you ask me and there's a website packed full of everything you'd ever want to know about the project.

Supertimeawayonvacation

Perhaps should mention I'm on holiday so it's a no blog week. Right this minute I'm trying to organise a Thunderbird's themed birthday party for our, now, 5 year old. Found Fred's brilliant flickr set of sets from Supermarionation productions.

Slightly grubby, mostly inconsistent

It can't be just me can it? The Plain English Campaign is a worthy endeavour, championing a cause that should be of interest to all of us that work on "communication" material. So why are their marks so bloody aweful?

I'm not just having a go. It's just that everytime I see one of them, I'm amazed at how out of whack their designs are with the cause the organisation champion and wonder why someone hasn't done something about it. I've seen beautiful, considered, well written material blighted by that ugly little sketch.

I have no problem with the idea, "crystal clear" is spot on; it's just drawn so badly. Surely, if it was a better, more appropriate design, that reflected clarity and precision more effectively, it would only help further the cause.

Anyway, I'm going to write to them.

No Elsewhere

Having a bit of trouble with Elsewhere right now so I've temporarily suspended it pending investigations. Hopefully, it'll be back soon but for now you'll just have to stay here.