Ace Jet 170

Not enough Nitsche

I found a copy of Nitsche-designed A History of Ships and Seafaring to add to my snails-pace New Illustrated Library of Science and Invention collection. There's a few images on Flickr. Isn't it about time someone wrote a book about Nitsche? Heller could do it, he wrote this. And then, there's also this. Sadly, for reasons they explain here, BustBright have discontinued their absolutely amazing Nitsche Flickr archive. Which is tragic but understandable. It does, however, add further weight to the need for some kind of permanent representation of this astonishing designer's works.

Culture Takes a Train: The Design Research Unit (1942-72)

The Design Research Unit (DRU) was one of the first British design consultancies to combine graphics, architecture and industrial design. Now a touring exhibition showcases their biggest achievements, including the Festival of Britain, British Rail and Watneys Brewery. And it had guest reviewer Johnny Cullen feeling all “Get Carter”…

 

Put simply, the DRU thought better design could improve Britain culturally, socially and economically. They certainly got off to a good start. The 1951 Festival of Britain was wildly successful, and Micha Black’s South Bank proposals are well worth seeing. Other work on display includes eye-catching commissions for Ilford Cameras, ICI and the Victoria Line.

The DRU’s 1965 rebranding of British Railways was another smash hit. Initially slated by the press, their Swiss-inspired logo is still going places 46 years later.

 

"A pint of bitter. In a thin glass."

The Watneys Brewery rebrand is the show’s centrepiece. DRU hotshot Milner Gray took the lead, and he aced it. Even now, the plastic lettering and slab serif font jumps out at you. Copied by countless UK pubs and shopping centres, it took me straight back to the Birmingham I knew in the 80s. And that's where the trouble starts. Some DRU work can seem like the font of failure; brutalist shorthand for dodgy boozers, dark subways and rough estates. Even its name - the Design Research Unit - now sounds impersonal, more suited to Soviet-style social engineering than considerate urban planning. So it’s interesting to see how hopeful and positive their members actually were.

 

"You're a big man, but you're in bad shape…"

Are you a fan of post-war British architecture, design and typography? Then you should definitely check this exhibition out. Rightly or wrongly, for me it captures the Britain of Mike Hodges' 1971 classic "Get Carter". It’s First Class smoking carriages, flashy new gadgets and strange concrete landscapes.

We see a Britain that's trying to design a brighter future; to re-imagine city living on a grander, futuristic scale. Misplaced or not, the DRU's creativity, vision and optimism really shine through.

Johnny Cullen

“The Design Research Unit: 1942-1972” is a touring Cubitt Gallery exhibition.

Stitch Up

One for the grid kids: Lizzie Finn's sewn grids from Swiss zine publisher Nieves. Where you'll find all manner of weirdness, downloadable to your iThing for not very much via their new App. Includes David Shrigley's It Is It. And talking of Shriggers, here's an important message about The Arse:

On-Screen Romance

Romance is in the air. With Valentine's Day fast approaching one point oh have the answer to your prayers: and it's Screen-printed in two colours on 315gsm Acid Free Heritage White Stock. "You" measures 700x500mm and "& Me" 210x300mm. Better get over there fast, there's only 60 sets.

For info here.

U&lc

Talking of ITC: The fonts.com blog is doing a sterling job at making early editions of the ITC journal U&lc available online. Fascinating stuff, we used to get the newspaper style mag during the late 80s/early 90s but lacked the long sight to keep hold of them. Think I've a special edition stashed in the loft (must dig it out).

It's still published electronically although it has to be said, ITC's heyday really was the 70s, when they released all those landmark fonts.

Re-Enter The Dragon

Just finalising my work for Bespoke Editions. The personalised inscription still to do. One of the last things I did was to re-establish this fella. Even if you've only seen the classic 70s film there's a good chance you'll remember those cross-country-runner-saving Waterburys getting caught in the tunnel when the train came through. And Peter making an insightful comparison to the fiery mytho-beast.

I'd originally used the Gill-inspired ITC Golden Cockerel Ornament. Then we had some doubts about it's suitability. Partly because of the dragon's association with Wales (no offence Wales, you're just not part of the story). But it's a pretty vivid scene and I'm really happy to see it back.

There's some great stuff about the Golden Cockerel Press on the ITC website, if you want to know more. And, for that matter, if you've never, ever seen the film you've missed a Great British classic. Of course, what you should really do is order yourself a hand-crafted Bespoke Edition (once the project goes live).

Opposites

Details are sketchy (when I Google it, all I get is me!) but this dropped through the door last week. It's Pentagram's latest New Year keepsake. 12 antigrams to decipher with illustrations, cunningly printed dark grey and black, to act as clues. Pentagram have a tradition of producing these little books at this time of year but they're usually attributed to a partner. This time, I can't find anything that reveals who conceived the piece. Perhaps that's a tactic to perpetuate a spooky air of mystery.

Merciless Creatures from the Dawn of Time!

It wasn't me, it was Jon Hicks. He spotted them: new wallpapers from the highly commendable Doctor Who publicity machine (design by Stuart Manning), downloadable from the official site - with more promised! A great follow up to last year's WWII poster.

DRU at IPS

I know what I'd be doing, if I happened to find myself in or around Birmingham between 12th January and 12th February. I'd be stomping on over to the International Project Space to wallow in the awesomeness of Design Research Unit, thanks to the Cubitt Gallery touring exhibition.

Pushing it

It's all change over here with me jumping ship after six years with hamillBosket (now Hamill Bosket Dempsey). Six years of brilliant work and some lovely people. I've learned a pile of stuff and my work has moved on massively. It wasn't so long ago that it was 99% print, now it's practically that percentage of digital…I'm flippin' loving it. I still treasure print but I'm at an age when the challenges that digital brings are timely and welcome.

Thought Collective represents the amalgamation of Belfast's best kept design secret, Fishbone (don't bother looking, you won't find anything, it was that secret) and (justifiably) self-titled web alchemists RT Networks. It's a marriage made you know where.

A major bonus of the launch process has been the opportunity to work with ace copywriter Mike Reed. Mike helped us pull together the positioning text for TC. Writing about yourself, objectively, is a challenge but with Mike's help it was a pleasure and we really hope that it proves to be the first of many collaborations.

If you feel inclined, you can follow Thought Collective on The Twitter (@thoughtco). Our blog is hardly formed so I'll give that a plug once it's gathered some momentum.

Just in case you were wondering, me, Sam Irwin and Janine were pushing 350pt Gotham Bold, made out of cardboard and correx, through red lycra on Friday for what turned out to be a superb poster idea. Too early to give any more away right now.

Slugging it out

It might only be a token but for the meagre contribution I made, towards the enormously successful Kickstarter fundraising campaign, this little thank you from the Linotype Film chaps is a delight. Letterpressed on pulpy, beer mat board, it dropped through the door on Friday. You must be up-to-speed with the project but just in case you're not, it's all here.

The fundraising campaign is a pretty amazing thing in itself. They set out to raise $8,000 but made nearly $25,000 - from, it would seem, just 279 backers. My bit really was paltry and that's not modesty talking; I was as tight as the proverbial gnat's chuff but thankfully they clearly have had some much, much more generous support.

Blake 7 (er…8, actually)

I don't know about you but I'm forever on the lookout for an elegant, chunky sans. If it comes with a whole family in tow, then all the better. Enter Blake from Fontsmith.