My reason for posting was to highlight that the Olympics has not only inspired many to ‘get up and get active’ but they have influence and inspired work. Shown here is a project we’ve just finished. I think I watching a medal ceremony at the time…..’Inspiring a generation’.

We’re so pleased with this stamp we thought we’d take a few shots and share them with you. The stamp forms part of a lovely wedding stationery package.

It’s been ages since I updated my blog. Apologies. Short of a ‘proper post’ I thought I would simply give you a quick preview of some recent work. I rather like the tyre mark!

Designers always enjoy going through a well developed and nicely presented portfolio but what is often missing is why something looks the way it does. Sadly, it’s all too easy to find an attractive image, select an interesting typeface and drop some text into a page layout.

The first thing I often look for is often the thing missing. What was the brief behind this? Design students often get caught up in presenting the most visually appealing work but a nicely designed brochure for the local fish shop where the brief has been met impeccably is of far more interest to me. It shows an understanding of the design process, an ability to deal with a client, an understanding of the technical requirements for print or web and, hopefully, some creative flare. I have to say I’ve been impressed with the students who have contacted me but all too often I wish I had an idea about why they created what they created.

We’d like to wish you a very Happy Christmas and a great 2012!

Following the event this year, an open call was put out to the Solas festival community requesting creative concepts for the re-brand of the festival. Now, if you’ve followed this blog, even in it’s very short life, you’ll appreciate my view on crowd sourcing but this was different. There was no ‘prize’ just a brief.

In my book this sort of scenario equals ‘just for fun’. So, I set to work and created a new logo and ‘brand identity’ for the festival. Since submitting it I’ve heard nothing, which either means they don’t check their email very often or they’ve chosen something else. Either way it was great to work on something ‘just for the heck of it’.

Now, back to work!

I conclude that everyone has an opinion on fonts. Whilst a good number of the people at the lecture would carefully select a font or typeface, I reckon everyone considers, even for a second, which font their Word doc or email is composed in. Ask around, you’ll be amazed at how many people, “don’t like Times”, or “find Comic Sans just right for, well, every situation.” I felt, then, slightly hard done by when, whilst telling others of the event, I received looks of, “that sounds rather geeky.”

I suppose the difference between ‘public’ and ‘geek’ occurs in the following. Whilst everyone might consider which font to use from the drop down font list on their computer, a ‘geek’ can love letters. There genuinely can be a love for a ‘curvy g’ or a ‘perfectly shaped ampersand.’ I ‘really like’ letters more than love them but what I enjoy even more, is listening to people who ‘have no real opinion’ express complete distain that they received an email from their boss in ‘bold Times New Roman.’

The result is, on many occasions, the ‘contest holder’ receives hundreds of entries for as little as $200. I have to confess I’ve visited these sites and even entered a few times but purely ‘just to see what happens.’ I’ve submitted entries that ‘match’ the ‘prize’ on offer but on occasion, I’m embarrassed to admit, I’ve submitted entries that have only taken me 20 minutes or so.

This can’t be a good way to get design work done? The client ends up with a huge selection of work from, well, anyone and the ‘designers’ have spent collectively hundreds of hours but individually potentially very little time producing under developed and frankly, at times, poor work.

I suppose it’s all simple economics. There’s a demand and therefore there’s a supply. It’s a shame, though, for the hundreds of designers that want to design, to produce work that really meets the brief and is carefully developed with the client over time into something special.