Ace Jet 170

Special Branch

Better get this posted before we're too far into the Spring/Summer for it to be even slightly relevent; once all the leaves are out, that'll be it.

This is something I've been meaning to do for ages. Have come close a couple of times then bailed out thinking it's just too mundane even for Ace Jet. This is one of those things I imagine we all do. I mean, we all love tree tops don't we? Especially when they're leafless and the sky's a bit gloomy. Perhaps you've got a few snaps of them yourself? I keep taking them, then I figure, no one wants to see my tree top photos. Not when they've got their own to look at. So these are really just here for my reference. Feel free to move along swiftly. Sorry for wasting your time.

North did a thing for Dalton Maag once that used leafless tree tops. A type specimen book. That's what made me think, like the clouds, we all like them. For me it's their monochromatic/silhouetteness. Like they're etched and flat. Not all 3D and manychromatic, like what they really are. And then there's the thought that if you could dig them up and turn them upside down they'd look the same. Not just my thought. That's obviously not an original idea; lots of people have thought that. But still, it's interesting isn't it?…Isn't it?

Nut Screws Washers and Bolts

Spent a bit of time in my Dad's shed when we were in England at Easter. I've mentioned before that my Dad was a carpenter by trade (as they say). Not really a craftsman, more a jobbing carpenter who made things that would survive a bomb attack. He'd have done a roaring trade over here "Back in The Day" (as they also say). When he wasn't actually employed as a carpenter he was in architectural ironmongery. Knobs and knockers to you and I. He loved that. And who can blame him. Surrounded by bits and bobs all day long. Manning the trade counter. Awesome (which is something else they say).

A perk of the job was the legitimate take-homers. Nothing dodgy, my Dad's a good Christian chap, wouldn't tolerate inappropriate nastiness or pilferings. No way. We're talking end-of-the-line, surplus stock. If it was any good, if there was even the slightest chance it would "come in handy", back it came. To be filed away in a clearly labelled draw. 

Now he's not as sprightly as he once was, not so good on his feet and not so handy nowadays. So my Mom suggested he passed on some of his treasures, what with me getting handier by the day (I can move radiators you know). 

Off I trotted for a snoop about. And after a significant consultation period, certain tools were passed into my care. While peeking through the many compartments in Dad's shed I unearthed many vintage screw boxes. I feel like these boxes have always been in my life. I can remember loving them when I was as young as my kids are now. Especially the green and cream diamond design.

It's obviously a bit sad really, a clear sign of my Dad's decline, but his hands shake too much now for him to handle fiddly screws. So I think he was happy, actually very happy, to see them coming my way. He's got some great stuff in that shed. And while I hope and pray it's many years before I have to clear it out there's a part of me that is warmed by the idea of inheriting my Dad's ancient tools.

The Judd Street Papers

The Bespoke Editions project has been moving ahead, slowly but steadily. In amongst it all, the Judd Street Papers came up and I remembered I had some stashed away. I don't know much about them; the Judd Street Gallery website says this:

Judd Street Gallery Pattern Papers began in 1987, inspired by the Curwen Pattern Papers of the 1920s, a range of simple repeat patterns by contemporary artists such as Paul Nash and Eric Ravilious, intended primarily for bookbinding, but also attractive as wrapping paper.

I bought these at Falkiner's in Bloomsbury, many years ago. Falkiner's is now Shepherds but you can still get these and many more decorative papers there. Along with all sorts of other interesting bookbinary sundries.

Duvall

The Weirdness setting is permanently on "High" over on but does it float. Always worth keeping one eye on it while the other goes about its usual, normal, unweird business. These amazing paintings are by Nadia Duvall, who sails her artistic boat pretty close to the shores of the Outlandish Islands.

Beachwear

It's the crusty mollusks, that's what I like best. This time last week it was our first trip to the beach this year. The boys rockpooled while I snapped the surfaces.

Walgae

Oh come on, it's can't be just me. I mean, wall algae; it's amazing isn't it? While others are looking up and around, I'm compelled to look close and down. It's like looking at another planet through a really powerful telescope, except it's just the wall in front of you and everyone else is wondering what the hell you're doing…you weirdo. Freak.

Frogenstein

It was far too quite downstairs. Investigations revealed Seth (aged 5) had made a frog.

He explained, "I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.”…I liked it.

The Ministry of Fear

In case you missed it the Ministry of Stories launched on Friday. Read a full and terrifying account from Alistair/We Made This here. Or the official press release here.

Be

It's funny where you turn up. I owe Michelle at homes blog Be a huge apology. Michelle gave me a big plug but it's been so hectic over the last couple of months, what with cunning plans and multi-projects, that I'm only now reciprocating.

Arse

OK, so we were down at Castle Ward (again!) last weekend, this time for the Pumpkin Festive. And we thought, hey, let's go find The Bum Tree! The weird thing was though, although I'm damned sure that this was the right tree, that's not the right bum.

Tooth and Claw

A parcel arrived last week. It contained the following items:

• 1 glass vial containing a real fake tooth, found near St Lucia

• 1 size comparison chart, illustrating the Beast's size relative to the Empire State Building

• 1 letter from expert hoax investigator, assuring us of the non-existent Beast's existence

• 1 DVD containing actual footage of made up footage

• 1 bottle of inky black rum

More evidence of The Kraken brand's mythical awesomeness.

Named must your fear be before banish it you can.

We were at W5 last week. It was Star Wars day and Noah wanted to be photographed under attack from a variety of Empirical villainy. After the onslaught, we explored the more educational and, overall, more dead Nature Quest installations.

We had a great time until some "wee shit" nicked Noah's light saber when we weren't looking. We tried using The Force to track it down but The Force was bloody hopeless. So I used My Wallet to buy a new one instead.

Thieving Jedi Bastards.

Enlargement

Dust Particle; as seen through an electron microscope
(by Seth Weston, aged 5)

Underbelly

Castle Ward, last Monday: An amazing, perfect-weather day; ideal for a spot of crabbing.

Ride

Packed and ready to scarper before The Inspectors could catch up with them, we were attracted to their gaudy lights and slipshod trappings.

  

Markets of Britain

Thanks Tim!

Prickly Pair

 

Designer Topher Sinkinson and illustrator Rob Halverson have a thing for cactus and have developed a range of home stuffs at Portland design studio makelike. It's all a bit weird and a bit nice too. Take a look, you can download their pdf catalogue here.

 

Who

Doctor Who, in my opinion, has a kind of unofficial reputation: Fun, a bit scary and patchy. In my books that's all OK. And the patchiness? Well, that just adds to the charm - it's endearing. When I was a kid it was the, famous, shaky Tardis walls and bad costumes. Now, although it's actually loads better, a series can't go by without a dodgy episode here and there. Like I said: Fun, a bit scary and patchy. But every now and then, it all comes together beautifully and you get a stonker of an episode. 

Our oldest, Noah, is a massive fan and so every week, without fail, selects the Doctor Who Adventures magazine. It's not a bad mag and pretty much lives up to that unofficial reputation: Fun, a bit…well you know.

And just like the show, every now and then, it all comes together. That's what happened in April. To coincide with the third (WWII-set) episode, Victory of the Daleks, the centre spread of the magazine featured this stonker. I was very impressed. None of the usual, OK-but-predictable, publicity shot from the episode or photomontage of Smith and Gillan in action pose. Instead we're treated to a really well executed period-style poster. Complete with suitably wonky type and hand-worked brush strokes. Like something straight out of the episode. I really hope they do more things like this.

The Johnson/Lowden Incident

If you know anything about guitars - really totally awesome acoustic guitars I mean - then you know more than me. Although after last Friday, I now know a little more. 

There are, apparently, only about four truly stupendous guitar families in the world. And one of them can be found just down the road in Downpatrick. Aficionados of the instrument rate Lowden above most of the others; I didn't know that. Sam (Fishbone) Bell had told me some of this a while back - perhaps as long as two years ago. But what did it mean to me? I'm not a guitarist. 

So when graphic design supremo Michael Johnson mentioned Lowden in an email and expressed his hope to visit them while over here, it only rang a vague and distant bell. Thankfully though, enough of a tinkle to prompt a couple of questions. And it wasn't long before pieces fell into place (including the fact that I actually already knew Lowden's sales manager Ricky). Then a few arrangements were made and a plan was hatched for a mini road trip to Lowden involving three men in a Mini: Me, Sam and Michael.

OK, so the instruments might not be my thing but an afternoon with Mr Johnson and a sneaky peak inside another factory/workshop was more than tempting enough for me. As it turned out, the trip and tour was ace. Michael was superb company (he basically knows everyone) and although George Lowden himself was in Italy at a trade show all the guys at Lowden were super-friendly and more than happy to talk about their work. Even I was excited by their craftsmanship and, especially, by the trappings of their workshops. Actually more than that; I was inspired…

We talk about the craft in what we do as designers. But there's craft and then there's craft; there's the craft of a carefully kerned piece of typography and then there's the, to be frank, higher-plane craft of the beautifully, hand built, world-class guitar. OK, I may not be equipped with the ability to appreciate how sublime a Lowden guitar sounds but witnessing the work in progress and hearing from a devotee I felt an irresistible energy. 

So I don't know much about guitars but I do know about passion for your craft and obsession. And I think I know how materials – beautiful and often exotic woods in this case – can make you tremble with excitement; and I totally get how intense enthusiasm for your craft can be so powerful it overrides good sense, practical considerations and any otherwise sensible urge to play it safe and comfortable. 

I think I witnessed all that on Friday; uncompromising commitment to making something unlike anything else in it's category; something unquestionably superior. Something, actually, totally fucking awesome…

 

But that's just what I think and like I've said, I'm not a guitar-head. Michael is though, so check out what he's just blogged. And see more images in the usual place.

Tornado

When in England we just can't resist going back to Rothley, where we used to live. I've mentioned it before; it's where we got married, had our first born, made some really-very-super-lovely friends. As well as all that Rothley has one of the best chip shops ever, a great pub…oh, and a bloody great steam railway line running through it. And by pure coincidence, while we were there, the Tornado happened to be there as well.

The Tornado, if you don't happen to know (and why would you unless you're an enthusiast, which I'm not), is the first main-line steam locomotive to be built in the UK for about 50 years. It's brand-spanking-new and is pretty impressive. You can read all about it here. More Great Central Railway here.

 

Touch and Go

Just back from a week on the mainland, avoiding the interweb, so I wasn't sure that this had happened. If you haven't seen it and have a morbid or passing interest in reading it, I'm on Grafik's Site Specific thing this week. (Days in the land of my forefathers to follow very soon).

Chew Back, er…

I'm not big on chewy. So although this may be old news to veteran masticators, when my colleague pointed out the wrapper back, I thought Tidy World looked pretty neat.

Heatblast (on hillside)

Both my boys are ace drawers.

Twiggy

Since we were there camping earlier in the year, Castle Ward has had serious pulling power. That weekend was as close to perfect as I can remember. Last weekend we were back, just for the day. To play, picnic and collect post-winter twigs with organical appendages.

 

Lightweight #01

I was on a photo-shoot last week, in our photographer's studio. Like many, his studio is filled with interesting left-overs and obsolete equipment. And it reminded me of my snail's-pace collection of light meters. I haven't got many and the few I do have have been brought together over, well, more years than I can be bothered to work out. Like lots of the stuff I collect I have no interest in actual value. My light meters are, almost certainly, of no significant value; I strongly suspect a couple of them were just run-of-the-mill devises and no self-respecting pro would be seen dead with them. That doesn't matter to me. I'm not even that into photography, not really. I carry a very average compact digital thing and am very happy with it. To be honest, I just think they're great objects. They could be for anything for all I care; they're just great, pocket-size, twiddly objects.

 

Brick Buy Brick

 

We love a bit of Lego in our house (two small boys: aged 4 and 6). For the last few years a steady influx of kits have come through our door (or down the chimney, if you know what I mean). Each successive box more impressive than the last. Lego's doing some pretty amazing, creative stuff nowadays, with the beginning of 2010 seeing a flurry of new things. The Film/TV tie-ins are interesting but the exclusive-to-Lego sets are, in my view, more inspiring; superbly designed with commendable attention to detail.

If you're into it, I'm telling you things you probably already know but if you're not, if you've missed what Lego have been up to lately I think it would make an interesting brand case study. It's a classic, designer-friendly, toy but it's the level of commitment they've clearly applied to brand and product development and the business of Lego that would make an intriguing study. Like any great brand, they've invested on the ground level with tremendous creativity and what must be significant manufacturing capability; while I'm often impressed by how standard parts are ingeniously deployed across products our boys are delighted to discover, with a new kit, a new, previously unseen component.

Then there's the sales and marketing: Starting with prices that range from the incredibly accessible to the near-obstructively substantial, it's a brand you can get into easily and dream of greater and greater things. A content-rich website supplements the core Lego audience nicely and is growing and growing. Lego themed accessories are, generally, spot-on-brand; the keyrings were a sublimely simple but beautifully clever idea that we've bought into totally. The new(ish) board games are very well thought through. In stark contrast, the Playstation (etc) games have yet to grab us…but that's just us. There's plenty going on to get you hooked.

Towards the end of last year Lego released DesignbyMe: free downloadable software that allows you to design your own kit. In theory that's amazing: you can design a virtual model along with the box and then order it! I've not tried it yet, and apparently there were a few hick-ups with pricing, but that sounds impressive to me.

I suppose being complete converts excludes objectivity. And, although we have a small (tiny actually) arsenal of lethal weaponry, it's a very wholesome product that few could have a problem with. But it seems to me that as multi-channel modern brands go, Lego's not resting on it's laurels; it's working hard, doing an admirable job and I'm not sure if anything else comes close.

(Photos by Seth, aged 4)

Brace yourself

I've got a couple of dead bodies to dispose of. Anyone got any good recipes?

Moon + Antenna

I was watching the moon this morning as I drove into work
(quite safely thanks to few cars + speed bumps).

10

 

It's that time again when lovely stuff appears that you should be buying for someone special in your life but the temptation to keep it for yourself is almost over powering. First up: Typotheque's Limited Edition 2010 Diary.

Invincible

I was chatting this old chap last week, on his stall of miscellaneous memorabilia. Mostly military stuff, which is one thing I'm not really into...unless it happens to be designed in an interesting way, like that Bomber Command book from way back. He had a couple of random postcards with interesting type on them that he sold me for next to nothing, and while I was kneeling down to tuck them into my bag I spotted this old cigar box hidden under his table. Now I'm a sucker for a cigar box so was very pleased that he agreed to sell it to me.

  

There's many to choose from but I think my favourite rendering of the brand name is really the one on the pattern-edges tape that runs around the edges, but you are kind of spoilt for choice.

   

Incidentally, if anyone's commented lately: firstly, thanks! and secondly, my apologies for taking my time publishing them. I've had a pile of rubbish coming through the related email address so I switched it off for a while.

Bum Tree

Sadly too late for David's competition but our boys were delighted to discover this at Castle Ward this weekend. (An Arse Chestnut?).

Catch

We just had a meeting there, about stuff and things. Can't really say. But in the thick of it, this old thing came up. It's that laugh at the end.

"Every child is an artist...", Pablo Picasso

...worryingly, mine's David Shrigley.

(Inspired by an Airey Tweet)

Bad Idea

Call me an old stick-in-the-mud but for me (perhaps with this exception) a Swiss Army Knife that is anything other than red is just a knife no matter who's designed it.

The Fallen

It's around this time of year that my wife charges me with the task of clearing all the dead stuff out of the greenhouse. There's plenty of it. Stuff that, over the course of the growing season, has been snipped or knocked off, or has just dropped as it ends it's natural life. Withered, shriveled and decaying, it's all so much more interesting than when it was alive and thriving.

 

 

Irre-wristible?

  

Well actually, I'm not sure about these but they are strangely attractive.

Poster4Tomorrow

"...an open competition inviting the global creative community to create posters to draw attention to, and take action against, the repression of freedom of expression. It's organized by Associazione Culturale GoodDesign together with HM Studio and 4tomorrow. Freedom of expression is a right that the Western world takes for granted. But in many countries, such as Iran, innocent people are persecuted and imprisoned daily due to their pleas for democracy and freedom of the press or for exposing human rights abuses...

"...we're proud to be endorsed by Reporters sans Frontieres, the non-profit organisation that fights for freedom of press across the world, and supported by a jury to select the posters that includes: Marjane Satrapi, the author and filmmaker of Persepolis; prominent Iranian graphic designers Reza Abedini and Saed Meshki; internationally renowned graphic designers Alain Le Quernec, Pierre Bernard and Woody Pirtle; and Tommaso Minnetti and Pasquale Volpe, founders of the world’s largest social communication project Good50x70."

Find out more here.

Cracks and Crevices

 

 

This is all a bit out of order and all over the place but between our camping trip to Castle Ward and our week in the Wet County we got a few days on the west coast following an invitation to piggy-back our friend's holiday in Donegal. And when you're in Donegal, you spend all your time on the beach, whatever the weather. It's the law. For those unfamiliar with the region, the beaches are on the whole superb, generally amazing and on average excellent, with ultra-fine sand and clear, clear water. And geological interestingness abounds. (If you weren't freezing your knackers off, you could imagine you're on some craggy Greek island).

I spent much of my time, when out of the water, peering into cracks and crevices.

Writemaster

Now I love a pencil as much as the next man...unless, that is, the next man is the editor of Pencil Talk, which is where I first saw these beauties, inspired by the classic, now defunct Routemaster bus. Boy, that man loves pencils.

    

With thanks to Thomas for pointing me in the right direction.

Block Head

I couldn't explain the unsettling feeling that I was being watched.

Totally Clips

  

In a seemingly off-the-cuff remark last week, Daniel-binkythedoormat-Gray mentioned that "You can never have enough bulldog clips..." Damn right I thought. I've got 83, so far. Although strictly speaking mine are actually Boston Clips, the Bulldog being it's slightly duller father.

Factory Records

There are a few perks that come along to designers: great, exciting, big stuff like international travel or sumptuous dinners in posh restaurants; small, everyday stuff like (for us) trays of soft white bread from one client, fruit cakes from another. You might get the occasional bottle of something as a thank you for a job well done, a favour or putting up with someone's second cousin's son on a work placement.

I remember once getting a mountain of Club biscuits left over from a "How many Club biscuit does it take to fill a Saab 900" competition and we once got to visit the Coronation Street set because we'd organised a conference in Granada's studios in Manchester. 

But for me, there's almost always been one, perhaps unglamorous, perk I've enjoyed immensely and that is the opportunity to get a sneaky peek "behind the scenes". Doesn't really matter where; a factory or workshop; a bakery or farm, I don't care; they're all really interesting; partly because I think I'm nosey by nature and partly because these are all places usually out of bounds to anyone not involved in the business in question. Factories are especially interesting: regardless of how mundane the product a company produces, the chances are that the kit they need to produce it is big, complex, covered in control panels and miraculously transforms a bag full of granulated plastic into a perfectly machined length of something we all need.

And so I've started a new Flickr set to record these visits. Wish I'd started it years back because there have been many missed opportunities for interesting photos. But I didn't so never mind. It kicks off with a trip to a plastic extruder and the roof of a new supermarket.

    

Clamentation

It's sad when iconic faces/names from your childhood depart. I was on holiday so missed Freud's death last week and only just found out by accident. If you didn't know him, here's a taster.

Duck Fight Season

  

  

Sunday saw us at Castle Espie, a nearby Wildfowl Trust centre, with lovely friends and lots of ducks. Fat ducks not in the slightest bit interested in the seed we were throwing at them. Smug, fat ducks; over fed, overpaid and over there, not eating our seed. They were, nevertheless, entertaining: some dipped below the surface and were never seen again; some made unusual and amusing sounds; and others fought, quacking and screeching, pecking and flapping. But what impressed us most was the variety on offer (I haven't, unfortunately, captured some of the most striking specimens in residence). There were of course, the traditional ducks; the classic, timeless ducks we all know and eat (crispy); but then there were the others, the rare and endangered: the punk ducks, the goth ducks, the camp ducks, the prim ducks, the ducks with utensils for beaks and the modernist ducks, in all their minimalist black and whiteness. But still they ignored our seed.

 

Bastards.

Forest

  

Down in the forest on St Patrick's Day we found:

1 x Dark, dark purple beetle

1 x Horse stick

1 x Quantity of spring nettles for green, green risotto

Beard

 

Like with last week's post about Rothley, I doubt many will be that interested in my new beardiness. Thing is, although I'm knocking on a bit now, it is my first and I'm rather enjoying all the stroking and twiddling. So partly out of necessity and partly because I like to do things properly I've been exploring methods of facial husbandry. First off: The Vintage German method.

   

Typographicalaphragalistic...

David Sames has spare copies of Typographica for sale if anyone's interested. They fetch a tidy sum nowadays but David's dead on (as the locals say) so if you are interested, drop him a line before they disappear. Don't mean to do the hard sell, but it really is a rare chance to buy a bit of typo magic; if I had the cash, I'd snap 'em up.

Cowskine

  

The much coveted Helvetica Moleskine is indisputably beautiful, but just the other day I was distracted by another piece of lovely Swiss-ness. This Corporal's case, now seen hanging around my boss's neck, is just big enough for a couple of maps, a compass and a Toblerone. Or, if you prefer, a couple of Moleskine notebooks.

Kenney picked it up in Zermatt. He's back there now so we've all put our order in.

      

Walker

There's some very cool and interesting stuff on the Walker Art design blog.

Heart Health

Simon Whybray twetted tweeted twittered twet...whatever...this a couple of minutes ago. Excellent cause aside, the petition signing mechanism is lovely. Try it.

Almost forgot, Jamie Boyd did it.