graphikfood

French Feast, C'est Bon!

2011-04-30T17:20:00.009+10:00

It's been a long time since my last post, mostly because all I've been doing is cooking and sharing the delicious results with my friends on our Facebook group page, My Dinner Heros. It's quite an obsession, hence the lack of any activity here.

But I do have some pics to share of a lunch I cooked today for Tris' parents- part housewarming, part birthday celebration, part excuse for me to cook some recipes from my ever increasing cookbook library. Not to toot my own horn, but the meal was a hit and so fun to prepare. I know cooking is the 'in thing' at the moment, but I've always loved doing this!

Chicken Pate Ripalles recipe

Cauliflower Soup

Duck Leg Confit with braised lentils and toasted walnut salad

Incredible selection of macarons, a gift from tris' parents- amazeballs! Enjoyed with Trampoline Bloody Orange sorbet and a glass of chilled white. Perfect ending :)

One a side note, my mum has started her own cooking blog My Kitchen Table, she's been cooking and documenting her culinary adventures for years and is now sharing it online. I guess the apple doesn't fall that far from the tree.

a few dollars worth spending on yourself

2011-02-10T15:27:00.006+11:00

2011 is "me year" and one of the things I'm doing for myself is buying a bunch of cut flowers every week with a limit of $5 (or $10 if I've missed a week) and it seems that the cheaper, less popular choices are the most interesting. To me anyway. It's a simple way to do something nice for yourself and finding interesting receptacles to put them in makes them even more aesthetically pleasing. Last week was jam jar of strawberry roses, this week a weird stemmed blue tinted glass I've had for ages that I never knew what to do with (and was close to being thrown out) and these bright red blooms.
There's a certain satisfaction in saving something and putting it to a new use as well as having some pretty petals smiling back at you each week.

Pretty patterns+lazing around the house = A perfect match!

2011-02-07T17:38:00.006+11:00

This recent obsession with kimonos was due to watching a few too many episodes of Boardwalk Empire while nursing a hang over. Seeing all the gorgeous night gowns/robes of the 1920's, I just had to have one! Sadly, I couldn't find anything close to those delicate silk night gowns, but I had stumbled upon some beautiful, silk, authentic Japanese kimonos. In the past 24 hours I have purchased 2 and eying off yet another! Because they are second hand, they're really affordable- the postage from Japan has been more or equal to the cost of the garment. Plus the strength of the Australian dollar does help a bit.

There are so many different kimono fabric patterns it's staggering. From delicate washes and incredibly small details, to big, bold, strong coloured prints- all meticulously made with impressive attention to the finest detail. Got to hand it to the Japanese! If only I had looked into this while holidaying there a few years ago.

The pics here are ones I've purchased/want and I can't wait to lounge around home in them, or even wear out :) Can't wait for their arrival, mister delivery man!

Winter Fun Times

2010-12-09T20:30:00.016+11:00

Compiling my list of things I'd like to do while on holidays, mostly food related, but I'm sure there's lots to do to work off these many meals!

London Eats
16th Dec Michelin Star Lunch http://www.arbutusrestaurant.co.uk/
19th Dec Proper British fare, nose to tail eating http://www.stjohnrestaurant.com/
A day of cheap eating http://www.timeout.com/london/feature/633/cheap-days-out-in-london-foodie

London Galleries & Museums
http://www.vam.ac.uk/
http://www.tate.org.uk/
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/

Cosey Cinema to escape the cold http://www.everymancinema.com/cinemas/baker-street/about-us

Design Studio visit http://visual-editions.com/

I'll steal a kiss here http://www.coventgardenlondonuk.com/events-entertainment-culture/articles/merry-kissmas

Sweden Eats:
I've been hanging out for this http://www.saluhallen.com/
Swedish fare http://www.pelikan.se/
Dumpling reminiscing http://www.jinandpeeters.se/
Some casual Italian Cafe Nero

Edible Xmas Gifts

2010-12-01T18:47:00.009+11:00

I've had a very productive afternoon! After a quick bowl of pho for lunch I got cracking with the potted chicken liver pate and apple and tomato chutney, assisted by chief taster and jar inspector, Sarah. She also did a cracking job on chopping up the tomatoes- I think she's earned herself a jar.

I tweaked the chutney recipe a little from last year, using both apple cider and malt vinegar and splash of balsamic at the end. Hope the jars are as air tight as the ones I got last year- they don't seem to seal as well... I'm just hoping they taste so good that they won't need to be in storage for long! All I need to do now is print these sticker labels out for the tops and Christmas is all wrapped up! *very pleased with myself*

Fully fuctioning cape, complete with super powers

2010-12-01T12:22:00.007+11:00

I asked Mel what Thomas wanted for Christmas and she said that he'd love a super hero cape and after a friend suggested I make one, I did- they're pretty easy to make (even with my minimal sewing prowess!)

Tris came up with the chocolate bar idea as the super hero emblem, like all kids it's pretty much their crack, but in Thomas' case he goes to extreme lengths to get his fix. I'm sure this cape will see him through the year on all his chocolate fueled adventures. Feeling quite chuffed with myself!

2011 Resolutions

2010-11-26T11:21:00.009+11:00

I've been home all this week with a stupid virus which has literally forced me to not work, so I've done a lot of thinking about the year and what has changed which brings me to some New Year resos. I know these lists are bullshit and no one sticks to them (I recall drinking more water was one of the easiest promises of 2009 and I couldn't even manage that) but hey, it's the intention right? Plus my list is meant to improve my life, so not doing these things would just be cheating myself. And I hate being cheated.

Draw/collage/create/do other than on the computer.
I've found that I hate making a mess, what's with that? (My room is an exception) I even don't write things down anymore- terrible. Ever since I got myself an iPhone, my face and hand have been soldered to that tiny screen. No more screen! Less simulated experiences!

Read more.
I read 1 book this year (but if I count cookbooks, I've read many) and what's more pathetic is that it was Anthony Bourdain novel so it doesn't really count. How can I call myself a book designer when I don't even read- I'll say it again, pathetic! (Note to self: You need to get a pair of reading glasses, you lost them a few months ago now squinting will no longer get you by).

Ride my bike more.
I only ride it to work or the shops in Richmond- which is usually a 10 minute ride. I should get over the ickiness of arriving at the destination sweaty and with flat hair, I need the exercise too.

Stop being a hater.
It's my job to be critical and try to improve on things, but it can also make me a sour old bitch. Take the job hat off when you're not at work.

Slow down! Work less.
This year I worked all day, to go home and work all night. You know the saying.

Get out.
Let's face it, I've been a hermit and more than my usual crab self. Not good. Should see my friends more, if they remember who I am.

Be silly.
I've become too serious in past few years, I need to lighten up and get sense of humour! When did I become so boring? (This is not a prompt for you to tell me in the comments section).

Use less exclamation marks in my correspondence.
I've gone a little overboard with the ol !!! in 2010, I blame Trambampoline.

So that's it for the moment. If you see me sometime in 2011 ask me how I'm going with these and hopefully I'll be able to reply with an enthusiastic "Hells yeah*"

*The Susan in 2011 will also be more enthusiastic about things in general.

Love these ladies!

2010-11-25T14:35:00.006+11:00

Let me introduce you to Anna and Britt of Visual Editions, the work these lovely ladies do is pretty much the ultimate in my books (pun unintentional). They see visuals a key part of storytelling, not there simply for decoration. Judging by their most recent project for Jonathan Safran Foer, they make books that you want to pick up and eat with your eyes.

Would love it if my books could get a similar reaction, even just a little! That short video is such a good example of how a book can engage and delight. It definitely puts a smile on my face. Perhaps I'll try and visit their toaster sized studio when I'm in London next... yeah maybe.

The trouble with freelancing

2010-11-25T10:50:00.007+11:00

Well, I've been a bit quiet of late because of the crap that's been happening with a particular project. One that I worked really hard on, stayed up all night on, obsessed to get it perfected (in the time allowed) and wanted to do a great job on, all in a crazy short amount of time - my reward? Less than half my invoice being paid and not even a copy of the final publication given to me. Yep, probably the worst project I've ever been a part of which at the start had so much promise. I hate that I invested so much care and attention to it. It's now out there in the shops and I can't even bear to look at it, I wish my name wasn't even on it. So many negative feelings are attached to it.

So, what have I learnt? Well, I can design a 172pg magazine in under 70 hours (which may be reflected in the design.. aheh), I work diligently under pressure (but expect some kind of gratitude for it), to avoid independent projects that lack a true professional front, not to be too giving of my time if it's not reciprocated, to clearly define my role within a collaborative team (I seemed to be at the very bottom of the pile), oh and to cover my arse with a super tight consultancy agreement that has to be signed off before any work commences. Yeah, that'd be the big one.
Being a freelancer this year has had it's highs and lows, this one being a major low, but at least the one thing I can be thankful for is that it happened early in my career. You make one misjudgment and you learn a lot from it. So, that's how I ended the year design-wise, 2011 will be a fresh new start.

I've really earned this month long holiday which is coming up very soon and no expense will be spared- it will be stress free and I will treat myself to whatever the hell I like, when I like - it's been a long while since I've said that to myself, or allowed myself that. Champagne and caviar (well, maybe oysters) all the way!

Spring, finally

2010-11-10T12:22:00.002+11:00

Flowers always cheer me up and the more interesting the better. These freesias have the most amazing scent and the lovely figs are from my backyard. It's nice to have the house smelling of fresh flowers and a snack is only an arm's length away!

Wardrobe 101 featured in The Collective - Russh Magazine!

2010-11-05T09:16:00.000+11:00

The Collective - Russh Magazine

Building Sustainable Urban Regions- Delivered!

2010-10-30T11:07:00.002+11:00

Got these shots from Helen this morning, quite happy with how these have turned out! Dust jacket was not part of my design, but I'm liking the raggedy edge effect- bonus! :)

A note on the design
Every attempt has been made to ensure that this publication is environmentally sustainable through the application of graphic techniques while using as little resources as possible.
Typography has been set in a 2 column grid using Adobe Garamond (Robert Slimbach) and Ecofont (SPRANQ). These typefaces have been chosen as they use less ink in laser printers, especially in the case of EcoFont’s clever integration of tiny holes within the stroke of the text which saves on ink coverage without compromising colour  or legibility.
All internal imagery and design elements appear in black as stipples, with colour used sparingly on the cover; green has been created from using a pattern of layered cyan and yellow inks.
This book is printed on acid-free paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources.

You can see developments of this project here and here.

The very hungry book collector

2010-10-19T17:46:00.007+11:00

My little nephew is turning 3 in November so I've been hunting around for 'suitable presents for 3 year old boys' but I want to give him something that he'll keep and perhaps something I can add to every birthday. Google (online shopping is so much better with parity!) had few suitable suggestions, until I stumbled across the classic Eric Carle book "The Very Hungy Caterpillar", immediately I thought "I can totally relate to that caterpillar" well, the eating part mostly and then realised that this would be a great book for my nephew. In fact, any of Eric Carle's beautifully illustrated books would make a great addition to a children's picture book collection, and I have to admit, I'm wanting to acquire the entire collection myself.

Carle has an amazing way with colour and collage, the two design talents I wish I had, but after a bit of research I found we share some similarities. Turns out that he didn't really get started with book illustration until his mid thirties (not that I'm that age just yet) but at least I know that it's never too late to get into publishing if it's something you're really passionate about (let's just ignore the new age we live in for the moment). I'd love to design books that are still loved 40 years on, that would have to be the best thing about working in publishing, being able to create something that will be around for hopefully, a long time.

En kärlekshistoria (1970)

2010-09-14T09:53:00.001+10:00

I found A Swedish Love Story after seeing footage of it used on this Summer Camp music video clip. It's such a sweet movie, full of teenage innocence, clumsy first time love and copious amounts of baby faced underage smoking, leather jackets and riding postie motorbikes with no helmets. (Oh the blissful ignorance of the time!) Swedes, eternally cool.

Building Sustainable Urban Regions- Sent to print!

2010-09-13T15:14:00.003+10:00

It's now in the hands of the printer in Sweden, so I'm looking forward to seeing whether it will print as I had imagined.

I still plan on printing myself a copy with the belly band idea I had, and Helen has kindly organised some A0 plans for me too.

A close up of the cover bitmap pattern, blue and yellow make... green

A section of the A0 plan Helen helped to organise- thanks Markus!

The Talented Mr. Broad

2010-09-12T19:19:00.006+10:00

It's always great to collaborate in any kind of creative work, but what makes it even better is when you get to involve your friends, combining art and food! I got Joel on board to paint a mural on Trampoline Gelato's Fitzroy shop front here in Melbourne and he's done an amazing job. In the works in progress images here, you can see he's really captured the young at heart, playful nature of the Trampoline brand with his cute little character chowing down on some gelato and holding a dairy cow shaped cloud attached to a string. Trampoline is all about taking you back to life's simple pleasures, like when you were a kid cloud watching and making pictures out of the random shapes.

I've blogged about Joel on here before with his involvement with the Drawing Blood exhibition, he's a product/industrial designer by trade, but pursuing a more artistic career is something Joel has been prodding at on and off, so I'm sure this mural is only the start to a few more commissions. Joel has an incredible work ethic, has plenty of eye-for-detail and most of all, is reliable which is an attribute that some artists work may not have ;)

While he powered through this epic job (it took him about 24 hours to complete over the weekend) he's had a bit of interest from other small businesses to do similar pieces on their shopfronts- so, great job Joel! It also helps that this spot is primo real estate! No doubt you will have many more job opportunities like these in the future.

Tris above and Sarah below tucking in while watching the show

A book designer's business card

2010-09-11T09:46:00.009+10:00

I just realised this morning that I probably need some real business cards after the design of Wardrobe 101, so I made these from a stamp and some vintage mini index cards. It's a nice way to illustrate what I specialise in while also being a library reference card to my latest book project. I'm going to try and flip one to Tony Palmer of Penguin at the AGDA Back to Basics Book Design seminar today ;)

Happy days after a few cloudy ones

2010-09-07T17:49:00.009+10:00

This cheered me up after stumbling across it on Facebook today and reminded me why I chose publication design over other design jobs. Wardobe 101 has been a great learning curve and a really positive experience and after seeing this video, the book is now very much a reality!

I made the right choice in following a career in books, all those weeks of doubting myself are now quashed–this video has pepped me up a lot! Onwards and upwards.

Winter to Winter then Summer to Summer

2010-09-02T18:02:00.007+10:00

I have some excellent news- I'm off to the UK, Holland, Sweden and Thailand this Christmas! I'll be spending Chrissy with my sister and husband in Eindhoven, NYE in Amsterdam with a bunch of Melbourne friends, then to Stockholm to stay with Helen and then finally defrosting for a week or so in Thailand.

In my excitement I have been thinking about how cold it will be with the potential of a snowy white Christmas and New Years that I bought this incredible Navaho Cloak designed and made to order by Audrey Cantwell- its pretty argh-mazing! I thought I'd blog about it even though it hasn't even arrived, I just hope it's warm enough- it's pretty much an outdoor version of the snuggie so it has to be right?

"Susan, High Priestess of Richmond and Shaman of All Things Graphic" - Helen, Facebook 2 Sept 12.30am

So after that rather impulsive but needed (yes needed!) purchase I'm now starring down the barrel of a pile of weekend work. Which is good. It will keep me from spending money and there will be no online shopping- I promise.

Terrariums Take II

2010-08-28T16:56:00.006+10:00

It was about this time last year that I was introduced to terrariums and was so enthused that I rushed out and made my own, which I enjoyed looking at for about 3 months until they all rotted and dried out at the same time (how I managed to do both astounds me) perhaps this is due to the fact that i) I used mini succulents from Ikea and ii) used moss that I found at the end of my street. In my enthusiasm I thought that this stupid plant combination would be able to survive in a mini greenhouse- WRONG! See Exhibit A below in it's current state.

Exhibit A: The only thing that lives is a poor lonely plastic triceratop and a few pebbles. Sad.

I shudder to think how the ones I gave as gifts look now. But, I haven't given up! After finding a book on miniature gardens at the op-shop for $2 my aim is to hone my green thumb and actually learn to create something that has a hope of staying alive in such an environment. As you can see, these things were killer in the 70's and hopefully I'll be able to create one of these that lives for more than 3 months.

Standing in the way of control

2010-08-27T10:25:00.012+10:00

Recently I've been interested in the idea of design without over-designing, without the pedantic spit and polish that I love to do, or "Obsessing" as Tris puts it. So I thought why not try something new and let go of the 'Control freak/Perfectionist Susan' to make way for a more 'Experimental, "Let's see what happens" Susan'. I guess Tris has had some influence on me when he said that "Everything is too polished and perfect these days", I'll also note that this is what he said after my comment; "You're into clunky at the moment aren't you?" when looking at some of his layouts (it sounds much worse than I actually intended) but, I'm starting to come around to this way of thinking and the Green Urbanism book is the perfect project to explore this a little more.

Now of course I will always hold on to parts of my Design Controller sensibilities, my ideas will still be considered and carefully planned to try and create an outcome that I like, but, have less control over the finished project which brings me to my ideas on the book cover.
Designing without waste or with as least impact on resources has been an interesting process when put to book design. Lovely paper stocks are expensive and the recycled kind that doesn't look cheap isn't cheap either, so I've been thinking about the cover of this modest little book venture and how I can create something special within the limitations and this is where I had a Design Moment* which woke me from my doze late last night (strange, I know).

A while back, I worked at an engineering office and there were heaps of A0 plan drawings from architects and planners and I thought perhaps I could use this paper for a cover, or use it as a belly band that folds out to a poster with a 'green' message inside- something like this but done differently. My idea is to recycle KTH student's A0 plans that were intended for the rubbish bin which will add some textural interest and reflect some of the subject matter. I'm also liking the idea of designing rubber stamps to imprint the book title and poster message. I'll get good economies on the belly bands too since I'll be working with international paper sizes (A0 down to A5) so that's another plus.

The tricky part is producing this with as few 'design miles' or waste as possible by using local businesses in Stockholm. So, it will be an interesting task to find stamp suppliers that can do what I want and be able to understand me, or whether Helen will be happy to do some liaising for me for a truly collaborative outcome. Which brings us to the biggest hurdle- this belly band idea all hinges on whether there will be a group of happy volunteers at KTH Stockholm (perhaps the featured authors?) who would be interested in putting their own touch to these books by cutting, stamping, folding and wrapping these belly from my 'loose' set of instructions. I like the idea that each one will be different, it could make the publication more special and unique and makes the total design process a fun, collaborative effort. Everybody wins right?

*When the clouds part and you are struck with the lighting of pure genius

Sustainable Book Design

2010-08-25T12:22:00.009+10:00

I'm really enjoying book design and the publishing process and I'm pretty sure that this is the design path I want to take on full time if possible, despite how hard it is to get into. Now that the Thames & Hudson book has gone to print (I'll get my copy in October!) my good friend Helen, now back in Stockholm has given me the opportunity to collaborate with her again on another thesis project. After seeing the inexpensive books I made of Sarah's thesis, the idea came to design a collection of theses in one book for KTH which Helen will be editing in English, called Sustainable Urbanism & Green Metropolitan City Regions.

The best thing about working on self initiated projects is the freedom in how they are designed, so I've decided to try and push the content within the graphic design of the book so it will be as environmentally sustainable as possible, while also fitting within the small funding we have for this job– I love a challenge! The book will be printed at KTH with the allowance of a colour cover, internal pages in mono and of course, will fit within an A4 format and a PDF option for reading on screen.

Some design decisions were easy, such as an A5 book format for no paper waste, using the university's printers and of course recycled papers, but I felt that more could be done within the actual typesetting of the document. I've decided on a 2-column grid for reading ease and less paper usage and have found some eco-typefaces that save ink when using laser printers. I've come across 3 so far and would like to try and use all 3 which will be an interesting challenge as the all look completely different. These fonts are Garamond, (I'll be using Adobe Garamond), Century Gothic, and the most recent, Dutch designed EcoFont which was created in 2009, winner of the European Environmental Design Award in 2010 and best of all free for download! Those clever Dutchies. (If you can understand Dutch, check this news video about Ecofont). Whilst it's not the most attractive typeface, I think it's intent and use is more important. I'd love to see more of these holey typefaces on the market.

For the cover, I'm playing with the idea of stiples or patterns in a block colour for maximum coverage whilst using minimal ink, so now it's just a case of pushing these constraints I've made as much as possible. I'll keep you all posted with any interesting design developments!

Get more style in your editorial life!

2010-08-13T15:00:00.005+10:00

It's clean, bold, typographic and the layout is super tight! Why can't more editorials look like this and who said that 2 colour job's aren't interesting and modern?

Get's me excited anyway.

Modern Life Is Rubbish

2010-08-04T14:50:00.015+10:00

Not being in full time employment I've found that I'm time rich but otherwise poor, so I've been giving my video card a good working out (and generous friends passing on movies and tv sitcoms- thank you torrent downloads!). It's winter after all and I've enjoyed sitting in my warm and comfortable surroundings and being entertained for a few hours.

I came across the clip below from Bombay Talkie (1970), one of the many films by which Wes Anderson had taken inspiration (this song also featured in The Darjeeling Limited). I understand where his love of set design comes from now- I want a giant typewriter to dance on god dammit! And this is one of the things that I miss in modern cinema- set design. Real, physical objects instead of green screens, special FX and 3D (more real than real? Give me a break!) Everything these days seems fake, flimsy and disposable, perhaps this is why I left adland for book design and that I op shop more than ever due to the quality in the craftsmanship (and because of what's sitting in my bank account..) To quote a great rock band, Blur– Modern Life is Rubbish, but this clip should cheer you up.

Cute huh?

Watching older films makes me appreciate things that are lacking in the over saturated, mind numbing movie blockbusters and American sitcoms (Inception and 30 Rock are exceptions to this rule- great viewing!). Things like good dialogue, when romantic themes were not cliche or when comedy wasn't only about toilet humour (not saying that I'm above fart jokes... just sayin) are what old films provide and is a refreshing change. I guess I like to daydream about the days when things were at slower pace, when things seemed more simple and innocent. That's the point of film right? To transport you to another place?

Anyway back to that neat little film, here's a longer clip if your interested, I think I need to track this one down to watch in full, Bollywood your the master of fantasy- take me there!

Watch Typewriter Tip Tip... Karta Hain in World | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Clogs- Hideous yet attractive at the same time

2010-07-02T09:30:00.007+10:00

I'm not talking about those patent, black platform opened toed Funkis sandals either- I'm talking clogs. I love them, attractive and ugly at the same time. I don't care that I have a pair that I wear in winter with my heels exposed to the elements (I do wear stockings with them at least) and that I may appear like I'm teetering when turning corners at a moderate pace- I get some height dammit! And I think they're cute- and that's what cute is, right? Not beautiful, but a little awkward and likable. Maybe that's why I like them so much because I can relate. Haha. Well the awkward part anyway.

If one pair isn't enough, my sister Jane is sending me over some Summer sandals for my birthday from Sweden- again, not very suitable for Winter, but meh, I don't care! I wanted these more than the new bike she was planning to get me! I'm very excited about this and as always, packages in the mail are the best! Thanks Jane xxxo

À Bout de Souffle (Breathless)

2010-06-30T21:23:00.004+10:00

It's the 50th anniversary of this Jean-Luc Goddard film and I'll admit it- I love Jean Seberg, I think I want to be her. Except for the drug overdose and abusive husbands part.

Ming, make me some damn cupcakes.

2010-06-17T18:05:00.009+10:00

Loving this little recipe blog, delectable treats await for the eyes and tummy here! The humble cupcake has been freed of it's mumsy and Donna Hay homemaker shackles, so cupcakes have my full attention now, yes I'm late, but Ming takes cute to a whole new level. Just look at them! That flourless beet chocolate cupcake is the perfect sized indulgence. The food styling is so simplistic and adorable I just want to devour all of them, and it gets better, there's even delicious savoury cupcakes- hazaar, everybody wins!

I'm so sold on these, if only Ming could materialise in my kitchen, I know that I'd feel totally dejected when my attempt doesn't turn out exactly the same. (Let's not forget my last attempt of passionfruit cupcakes; delicious, but visually- a major disappointment.)

Ming, I only want one! (Of each).

Real books vs. eBooks

2010-06-05T09:38:00.011+10:00

Yep, I see the irony in this post- using my blog to voice my thoughts on the rise of the eBook and the coming decrease of the printed, but I guess I can't deny the fact that I'm a Gen Y'r. Just this morning I found myself reading this article on The Age website instead of unwrapping the plastic from the rolled up newspaper that lies in the hallway. Aheh.

But, back to my rant. I've been wrestling with this 'problem' in my mind for a while and it's topical now that the iPad has reached Australia. Only yesterday I was sitting next to someone on the tram reading a book from a horrible looking white electronic tablet. Ick! So, what will happen to traditional book design? As you may already know, I am passionate about print design- it was the focus of all my work at uni and subsequently- all I know and love! And, as a new graduate with all my fine tuned skills (which perhaps are becoming a little outdated now) I'm trying to enter the world of publication design at the beginning of a new technology- the eBook. I've had a recent success, I'm designing my first book title for Thames & Hudson and it's a very pleasurable experience, but will I be able to design more printed books after this one, and ultimately, can I make a living out of it?

Print may have been around forever, but the speed in which new technologies are traveling- better screen resolution and paper simulation (rather ridiculous don't you think?), the only way print design can compete will be in the tactile nature of the construction and design. It's the future of print design and is becoming a very specialised area- beautiful and desirable objects, not just pages of text.

So, as a specialised area, how does a new graduate enter? How do I get the needed print experience to design such beautiful objects when their demand is decreasing? I guess I shouldn't dig my heels in and not want to see this new and exciting technology unfold, however, how can I dismiss all these years of devotion to what I love- print. It's a very strange feeling to be a graduate who feels their skills are defunct.

Uni marked the end of a few things for me and the start of an exciting new career in print design but now I'm starting to think that perhaps I should have dressed as a book for "The End" themed costume grad party, instead of a full stop. I guess being optimistic is something I should keep aiming for. It's not the end, but the transition from the old to the new.

Conversations with Designers Film 01: Michaela Webb, Studio Round

2010-05-24T09:15:00.005+10:00

This is the first video of the series, I'm very happy to see these interviews on Australian designers now on the internet- I look forward to see who else will be involved! Thanks AGDA!

When your passion becomes your obsession

2010-05-02T15:47:00.019+10:00

I really should be doing some freelance right now, but I thought I'd update you on recent creative happenings and my thoughts on them.
Last week I attended Agideas 2010 and while the speakers were not as many or as well known as the previous year, it still was an inspiring week. One of the two speakers that have stuck in my mind since is a little peculiar, as he wasn't a graphic designer but a landscape designer, Simon Taylor. Not many people may remember his speech as it wasn't one that offered amazing video visuals or a banging soundtrack (and also just after the lunch break), but his talk was an honest account of this passion in nature and the Australian landscape- but before your eyes roll back into your head, give this post a chance.

A common thread that ran through the Australian speakers was the notion of what is it to be Australian and that we always seem to look outwards to what other countries are doing and not the place we live. Of course its painfully un-Australian to be patriotic, but what I saw Taylor was his passion for this place and all it's unique beauty and culture- one that is pretty foreign to many city slickers.
Taylor spoke about his projects abroad, but spoke at length of local projects and of his restoration of a private heritage garden in Hawthorn that had seen decades of neglect. This vast garden, complete a rose garden, kitchen garden and tennis court was brought back to it's former glory however with the introduction of forgotten plant species and techniques to withstand the dry Australian climate- and all his work is purely organic. On top of being skilled gardener come botanist, he is also a painter and sculptor- this is where he really amazed me, his passion is also his obsession. Taylor has climbed great landscapes both here and in NZ and what is astonishing is that he collects clays and pigments from mountain hikes to create pieces of art- amazing! This is truly someone who has a strong connection to nature and expresses it through gardening using natural and organic science, and fine art with the raw ingredients nature provides.

Seeing this has inspired me to further incorporate my love for design with my passion for all things culinary and has also sharpened by interest in what Australia has to offer- an untapped resource of sorts- and like Taylor, I think I'd be truly happy in what I love and do.

Which brings me to the late Les Mason, Australia's most influential figure in Melbourne's graphic design scene. I'm rather embarrassed to say that I had not known of him (perhaps my own untapped resource) until the moving speech that was given by his wife Gail and collegues- they spoke so fondly of him I couldn't help but get choked up myself. During the speech, visuals of Les' lifetime work rolled across the screens and what truly spiked my interest was his cover designs for an Australian food magazine Epicurean, published from 1968-1988, looking as fresh now as they would have then. How could I not know about this magazine (and designer for that matter) for all this time? Another unfortunate thing is that I can't seem to find any copies of these magazines, there's no trace of them at all, but here are some cover examples courtesy of Dominic Hofstede's blog Re-collection.

Despite finding out about Epicurean late, I'm just glad that I know about it now. It's pretty unbelievable to see the diversity in each of the covers, and also what would be the complete trust the publisher had in Mason's work. This kind of avant garde design is never seen in any current food magazines- I can only hope that this may change.

The Agideas conference may have been full of bored (and some attentive, at least in the front rows) students but I had taken enough out of it to push me forward into a place where inspiration, optimism and creativity lie.

How can packaging urge me to re-tile my bathroom?

2010-04-21T13:08:00.012+10:00

Well, by looking as good as this! And I have no idea how to re-tile a bathroom! Sydney based War Design are a tight multi disciplined studio who, amongst many other things, produce some really lust-worthy packaging. I have little interest in packaging design myself, but after seeing the work these guys do I'm beginning to change my mind. Their work is fresh, innovative, use mixed media (embroidery anyone?) and all together rather desirable. Oh and speaking of things that are desirable, they have also designed the website for thecoolhunter.com.au

Young Hunting- Fata Morgana

2010-04-13T20:40:00.009+10:00

On Saturday morning I caught up with Soph for a coffee in the city and to take her to see my friend Candice's first Young Hunting jewelery collection 'Fata Morgana' at the Craft Victoria's Craft Hatch Market. On top of Candice being a truly unique and talented jewelery maker, she is also a successful art director/graphic designer, but her work as Young Hunting in a few short words is pretty damn amazing.

So I think I'll leave the artist to better articulate this:

Each collection is a philosophical exploration that questions and transcends realms influenced by a thematic thought. Each jewellery piece is limited and formed by hand in Melbourne from high quality materials.

For Young Hunting's first collection Fata Morgana, Candice explores the realms of myth and folklore.

Fata Morgana is the Italian name for Morgan le Fay. Reputedly a sorceress and able to change shape at will, she was sometimes said to live below the sea in a crystal palace that could also rise above the surface.

It's clear to see that Young Hunting doesn't create mere trinkets, but wearable pieces of sculpture and this is what I love about it. Some cast and some are hand carved but all are unique and eerily beautiful with a lot of love and pleasure spent in creating them. It may not be my style, but with most things I admire and appreciate is that all pieces come from a place that is considered, has a story and an obvious journey before arriving at the finished piece.

Mount Etna Ring: Hand carved jet crystal

Spike Ring: .925

Floating Castle Ring: Oxidised .925

Process- Yessssss!

2010-04-08T14:47:00.006+10:00

Some good news Melbourne, finally a publication for Australian (and some International) graphic design! I just bought Issue 1 now and I'm sooo looking forward to devouring the beautifully slick pages of this quarterly when it arrives. When I read that it was somewhere between book and magazine I was sold, plus its designed my one of my favourite Melbourne design studios Hunt.
Now I can stick this in front of my parents and say "This is what I want to do!" imagine being featured in this journal along with all these fantastic people- if only!

Food. Form? Omg, This. Is. It.

2010-04-08T13:02:00.000+10:00

All that I want is now in magazine form; Condiment– Adventures in Food and Form, a deliciously new Melbourne publication has me in fits of excitement! Just in time for Autumn and the soon approaching cooler indoor days, I just have to get my hands on a subscription to while away the merry hours. I wish I had known about the launch of this 2 issue per year magazine, it was only a few days ago. I'm very excited by this, nice one Melbourne!

My, my Melbourne, where are we headed?

2010-04-08T11:28:00.003+10:00

Our beloved Melbourne has a great reputation for being one of the more cultured cities in Australia and one more accepting of public/street art– something that I've been very proud of, but looks like things have begun to change as of a few days ago, in Rankins Lane.

A plain, poo-brown brick wall in place of a commissioned eye catching splash of creative colour and vibrant personality- isn't Australia brown enough in this drought? What is happening to the city I know and live in? This on top of the threat of Lentil as Anything closing down it's Abbotsford Convent location (simply depressing!), I hope I hear some positive Melbourne news soon.

Bathroom Signage: No need for a body when you have faces like these

2010-04-05T14:16:00.000+10:00

Crap, am I becoming... a retrosexual?

2010-03-15T09:45:00.017+11:00

As most people know I love food and love cooking for people, but yesterday I found myself on eBay at 12am looking at retro kitchenware and kicknacks. Yes, I frighten even myself. Nothing against people out there who love crafty stuff and bake, but I never thought that I'd ever be succumb to that crap (ah heh, that come out a bit harsh). Now look at me! I blame a weekend revolving around my obsession, not only did I have a dinner party on Friday, I watched a ridiculous amount of cooking shows (which turned into more cooking), then hunting down foodie films as I've seen pretty much all of them, then finally capping the weekend off with watching my shared-with-Sarah-copy of Eat Drink Man Woman for what's probably the 20th time (I'm not exaggerating either) yes, I see how this is bordering OCD. But, the opening scene in Eat Drink Man Woman is the best!

There is another scene in there that I love where Grandpa Chu makes school lunches for his kind-of grand daughter and puts all these delicious gourmet meals in a stacked tiffin. So now I really want a tiffin and found one (in shock horror), bright teal melamine. And yes, I must have it.

And if thats is not enough, I'm now pining after these ridiculous measuring cups- I don't even bake! I even looked at cake stands- I don't even own a cake tin! Not that I blame Cam, but after the yummy dessert he made for the dinner party on Friday, I've now developed a taste for sweet things and last night I was obsessively looking for the perfect honey cake recipe. Oh dear, soon I'll be posting up photos of baked goods and table settings. Nooooo! I promise this blog will not include these things.. unless my inner retrosexual gets the better of me. Like just now.

Drawing Blood

2010-03-12T08:54:00.024+11:00

The identity by Joel Broad. Ink and red wool- nice touch :)

I went to the Drawing Blood exhibition opening last night at GreenWood Gallery where my friend Joel had much involvement in the installation and organisation of the exhibit. The gallery shows a collection of illustrators predominantly from an urban art background, on various mediums from old books to timber.

In addition to the artist works, Joel had installed a fantastic collaborative centrepiece which the artists made their mark on– a pair of giant tattooed arms suspended from the ceiling of the gallery space. I haven't got a great pic of them in full view, but they are about 3m long with movable joints, one hand holding a Stanley knife the other with the index finger cut and a pool of black woolly ink spilling from it's tip onto the floor with sketches floating in the whirlpool below.

It was a great start to the exhibition, with a few of the pieces quickly sold in the first hour. I really loved the work by Nior, if I was in the market to purchase anything I would have! He had beautifully painted in very skilled, fine detail a bunch of different animals including raccoons, bears, rabbits, sloths and dugongs (best!), his pieces were arranged in a pyramid formation with little timber roofs at the far corners of the triangle, this was my favourite.

For Joel's hard work he was offered a great deal on his favourite piece by Reka, we all urged him to take it and after some coaxing, he did. Wise choice! It was one of the standouts of the night and it will be a nice memento of the evening and all the work Joel went to in creating what ended up being a live art show on opening night.

Everything is OK
H60 x W90 cm acrylic & stain on framed wood

I recommend you go check out all the talented artists of varying styles, including quite a few female artists too, its on from 11 - 28 March 2010.

– Drawing Blood Featured Artists –
Tai Snaith ∙ Al Stark ∙ Nior ∙ Two One ∙ Reka ∙ Erin Smith ∙ MP Fikaris ∙ Side Project ∙ Adrian Knott ∙ Ainslie Fletcher ∙ Charlotte Lance ∙ Cecilia Fogelberg ∙ Michael Hawkins ∙ Pandarosa ∙ Phebe Parisia

Online shoppping, its my downfall...

2010-03-02T13:20:00.006+11:00

It's a happy distraction of mine that turns into hours of trawling, looking at things that I can't afford, but it's not all bad I suppose. After I heard (and rather late) that Urban Outfitters delivers to Australia, I signed up to their newsletter for more happy distractions to my inbox and I have to admit, I like the current creative of these more than the actual offers they advertise (probably to do with my low bank account, haha). They're a bit more 'designy' than your usual advertising/marketing material and I'd like to see more of this in mainstream design. Less starbursts and more overlaid typesetting and pretty photography ploise- it made me look twice!

Ladies, all the ladies, louder now, help me out...

2010-02-15T22:02:00.019+11:00

When I met up with AFOM a few weeks ago, Suzy mentioned something that's stuck in my mind ever since. She said that being a successful graphic designer and a woman is harder than it is for men; you need to be very determined while being mindful of your style. Style meaning showing a balanced/broad style, without looking overly feminine.

So what is the feminine style that shows balance? I thought this post could focus on the female designers who I admire and hopefully in the future, have a spot next to them.

AFOM is my favourite female graphic designer from Melbourne. She is not afraid to use bright colours, cheerful yet considered, not stuffy or too cute. She strikes the right balance with sentiment which shows a caring perceptiveness that isn't too saccharine.

Of course there's Michaela Webb & Kate Mansell of Studio Round, possibly the most desired studio of choice for many design graduates! Round's work is clean, minimal and rather distinctive, but not always using a 'house style' in my opinion.

Katrine Hansen of Geschäft is a new resident to Melbourne from Denmark by way of New York. The work of hers that caught my eye was her promo pieces for Baker D. Chirico artisan bakers, in Melbourne. I wonder who did the identity for it, because its super nice!

Shaz Madani is a UK designer who's work I appreciate. Her work is clean, thoughtful and she isn't afraid of using bright and bold colours, her taste in colour is really good. Mandani has clever ideas and her execution is tidy, she also has a sense of humour which I like! She just recently posted some newspaper format work- dammit, I should have posted my self promo's on my website earlier!!

Kate Moross is also one talented lady from the UK, her style isn't something that I'm a big fan of, but I do appreciate her openness to all creative possibilities and her keen collaborative approach to design. She's not afraid of trying things that are unfamiliar and luckily has an impressive client list under her belt which I'd imagine makes new clients feel at ease.

I'm actually rather sad to see how very short my list is, I really need to do some more digging to find some more pieces of gold. I'm sure there out there, I just have to find them!

A birthday gift and a great achievement for one talented lady!

2010-02-12T14:10:00.007+11:00

Not me of course, but my close friend Sarah received first class honours for her thesis and I thought that publishing a few copies for her would make a great birthday gift. It's such an achievement and it's my way of combining my talents with hers despite our degrees being so different. She loved them and so do I, hopefully these will be published for real- her supervisor had mentioned that it's a real possibility!

I set the text in Dolly and Franklin Gothic, but couldn't make my mind up on the 3 different book cover typefaces, so I did 2 of each in all the colours. Designing this gift was rather liberating actually, no constraints and I did what I wanted aesthetically. The content of the book may be of a serious tone, but the only 'rule' I put on myself was that it should look good together as a set and on their own as well. I'm loving Optix coloured 200gsm card and the Envirocare 70gsm internal pages- very pleased with this indeed :)

Here's my crappy photography- I can never go the physical book justice! I'll learn one day (or pay someone to do it for me in the future, haha).

It's been a long time between posts

2010-02-12T09:39:00.007+11:00

Well, mostly because I've been trying to keep busy and on top of things now that uni is over. I've developed my website which is an online portfolio of my work, did a lot of shameless self promotion via the internets and met with AFOM to talk over my work and possible mentoring for this year and I must say it's paid off. I've picked up some freelance and people have been calling me for folio viewings which I'm very chuffed about :) So I guess not getting accepted into honours gave me the real kick up the bum to get out there and find work. But I have to say, working part time really suits me- I don't think I could do full time thing again. I work like crazy when I do so having the spare day off here and there gives me a nice balance. Let's just hope that the work keeps coming in so I can continue this leisurely lifestyle!

There's a few jobs and interesting prospects in the pipeline that are happening that are exciting, but can't mention them in any further detail until they actually happen, but here's a brief run down; one is branding and website for a new Dutch design blog and the other is a branding and packaging job for an online gift shop. Plus I got a cold call from a Melbourne publishing house to meet next week with the senior editor and lifestyle publisher! I'm sooooo excited about that, I'd be interested in doing anything for them in any capacity! And to think, I had all these worries about print being a pursuit that was hard to attain these days!

It's been a good year for a lot of people I know really, a friend of mine just got his dream job at Lifelounge as an art director with his friend and copywriter (they wanted to work with each other professionally but hey were both working at different agencies), another friend has landed a sweet job in urban planning in the CBD for a brief stint at home before returning Sweden and another close friend is undertaking her Phd this year and will be tutoring students at Latrobe Uni! Oh and of course Tris has his hipster gig at Chase and Galley which I've always envied, haha.
So 2010 is panning out to be pretty damn good, just as I hoped, even though last year I thought I'd be doing very different things and my gleeful optimism is still in tact!

I saw this a few months back and it made me smile

2010-02-11T22:21:00.005+11:00

There's some things that digital media can't do.

I've been bombing the design blogs, keep posted!

2010-01-14T09:49:00.005+11:00

http://www.australianedge.net/
This site is new to me, found via The Design Files. Featuring Australian designers and creative peoples.

http://www.australianinfront.com.au/
They've revamped their site too- muuuuuch better!

Getting organised... in 3 weeks when it gets here

2010-01-08T17:28:00.006+11:00

I looked everywhere for the perfect diary when I was in Tokyo but couldn't find anything out of the huge selection I saw and I'm talking an epic range- an entire basement floor devoted to stationery at Loft! But since then I've come across the perfect diary on eBay from a Korean stockist, I can't wait for this to arrive in the mail, lets just hope that this diary will make me as organised as I hope!

This bag is cool, does this make me a dork?

2010-01-08T12:03:00.003+11:00

bhaloshop.com, fashion with a conscience

2010-01-06T12:05:00.003+11:00

I wish I knew about these guys before I went out and bought a bunch of cheap summer dresses that were made in china. Oh the guilt sets in...

Bhalo is a fair trade design label that aims to create desirable fashion whilst empowering disadvantaged people, especially women, allowing them to work their way out of poverty.

Our cotton is hand loomed and hand embroidered by women in rural Bangladesh, not only giving them much needed employment and training, but providing them with simple things that we take for granted - education/childcare for their children, basic healthcare, and most of all, dignity. We oppose human exploitation and feel everyone should be given the right to fair employment terms, and given a decent price for their work. Wouldn't you expect the same?
- Taken from http://www.bhaloshop.com/

Say it with Chutney

2009-12-24T14:57:00.003+11:00

Me and Tris made chutney for xmas gifts this year and made funny labels for friends and family. Lets hope they taste as good as Sarah's mum's chutney– we pinched the recipe from her!

susanhardjono.com

2009-12-23T12:42:00.002+11:00

Omg, I finally have my own website! It's taken a few days as I had no clue, I've used indexhibit as a template and getting that up and running took a while..

Indexhibit is pretty popular amongst designers and lots of indexhibit built sites look similar, but it was a good place to start and an introduction to basic css customising. Again, I had no clue how to do this, but after lots of forum searches, patience and perserverance it's finally done. Coding is really something else!

I'm happy with it so far, its simple, clean online portfolio. Can't wait for some newer projects to launch so I can add more recent work, bookmark me for updates!

Monash Art & Design Degree Book

2009-12-07T15:14:00.008+11:00

Tristan's work is on page 127 (above), for some strange reason they didn't add his description with his image, so here it is:

Explorations in materials and form with a focus on how different combinations often result in something exciting and new. Unrestricted synthesis.

I wish we had one of these, nice memento and promo at the same time!

If you're going to Warp 20 Tokyo and see our faces, say hello!

2009-11-21T03:20:00.004+11:00

We like to party!

Thanks KW Doggett!

2009-11-13T16:20:00.005+11:00

Shots of my promo item from the paper merchants KW Doggett. Thanks, you guys are lovely!

My 3rd year folio

2009-11-12T23:15:00.007+11:00

I'm way too busy these days to get my website underway, so here's a few pages of my folio. Enjoy, I hope you like it! :)

'The End' Grad Party

2009-11-08T11:47:00.006+11:00

Here's Andy's amazing stop motion video capturing the awesome night. Fun times indeed, I'll miss these people!

If you want to see it in best resolution, go here http://www.andysocial.net/theend.html
Thanks Andy, this was a great idea :D

New beginnings

2009-11-06T11:47:00.004+11:00

Uni is over for 2009 and I have an extremely killer hang over, tequila was a bad choice- I don't even drink tequila! Last night was the end of uni party and it was a weird evening. Well one, because it was a dress up theme for 'The End of an Era' so there was a lot of strange and hilarious costumes around (I had come as a full stop and the current whereabouts of that huge black circular sandwich-board is still unknown), and two, because I guess it hasn't really sunk in that uni is.. over.

Without getting all soppy and self indulgently introspective (well, what's a blog for afterall?) I'd have to say uni has been the best decision I've made for my career in design. Leaving my job to go back to uni was a huge deal for me. I left the comfort of a full time job and all the good things that come with it, but it's been so worth it. I remember tossing around in my mind whether I should/shouldn't go to uni and being worried about the unfamiliar (I had never done any kind of full time study after high school) but, at the end of the day, I knew I wasn't creatively satisfied in an advertising studio.
Now that I'm done with uni, I can literally see the investment I've made. I've been at this for a while and now I'm at a completely different level to where I was a few 2 years ago. I have a folio that I'm proud of, have picked up a few cool jobs along the way and have met some really cool, driven designers that are so talented– I know that they will be huge successes in the future. If I had what they have now when I was 21, I'd be killing it!

But uni didn't come without its harder times. Working a job while at uni meant that I did some long hours in front of a computer, on the worst days it was 9am-12am. My eyesight is a little worse than it used to be, but my work is so much better for it. Ha, the perils of being a designer. And of course there was that rocking of the academic boat in the middle of the year which made teacher/student relations a little tense (and still are) but hey, I just wanted a lot from uni as I left work to learn and be challenged.

I guess uni means different things to different people, but for me it proves that I'm doing what I love and have given up things just to do it. I plan on doing this for a long time and I feel that the last 5 years was only leading up to now.

I'm having good feelings about 2010, its going to be a very busy and very good year.

The day my neurosis was made public

2009-10-22T21:15:00.003+11:00

The folio shoot was an epic day– 9am-6pm in the studio non stop, then wrapped by 8.30pm with everyone heading home with their CD of 150 or so shots each. Man, what a jam packed day! Mega thanks to Dan B for all his free time and patience (and eating while working as I kept looking at the time), I was so worried that we'd run out of time and not get all our shots, but as he kept assuring me that everything will be fine and of course, it did go fine.

My neurosis however, had come out by mid afternoon and was seen in public when I thought some large red marks on the polished concrete floor was from a beer spill mixing with some PVC posters I had- I was straight onto my hands and knees scrubbing away, only to realise that the stain was there the whole time. Very embarrassing, yet typical Susan behaviour (which prior to this, I had hidden well). I laugh and cringe when I think about it. Heh, heh, ergh.. I blame it on folio week.

Anyways, the set up at Apeture Studios is awesome, I can't get over how cheap it was to hire at student rates. All the staff there were so nice and helpful and all the equipment was all new. I'd definitely go back there again- oh and you can't beat the location!

D1 & D2

It's really true– Vee never sleeps

Work mode

Using 'The Photo-Tron' was a work out for Dan's (now called "power") right leg.

The floor system worked out quite well

Lauren was lucky last and I had also found to be a speed-stylist. Love your work :)

The last hour was a mad dash to capture everything, I hope everyone was pleased with their shots and got all they needed. It had been a slow start to the day, but we got quicker as the day progressed. Thanks to everyone for being so organised!

Then it was back to my place for beer and ciders and I shouted Dan some great Indian food around the corner from my place. We finished at 10.30pm and Dan headed home, happy and tired with his slab of beer (thank you Lauren) and the promise of free ice cream. I will make good on the promise ;)

I then went to my Mac, looked at my shots– and they're awesome! I made the mistake of dropping a few of them into my layout and before I knew it, it was 2am. Gah! Time for bed.

Note to self: Don't do the first mock up the day before you need to have it done

2009-10-19T22:39:00.002+11:00

I thought after years of mock ups that I'd have 'the skillz' to do a complicated thumb index catalogue the day before I needed it done. Silly Susan. Look at this crap! I've printed on a stock that's way too thick that the staples have massacred the paper and I didn't add any creep to the booklet so I ended up slicing off all the names from the tabs. Smarts I am. So smarts that I will need to get all A3 10 double sided prints again... I've set up an account at the printers... I'm afraid to see what the bill has come to after all this stuff is done. Eeeep! Lets hope twice is a charm for the sake of my wallet.

Material Conversations- its good, its gone

2009-10-14T18:24:00.004+11:00

After a morning of trial and error mocking up the dust jackets, riding my bike back and forth to the printers in the wet and wading through piles of paper samples, the book is now all done with all fingers still in tact! In my mad rush before getting this in for submission I took some dodgey photos to share. I seemed to have missed taking a shot of the main typsetting style, but when the folio shoot happens, I'll have some better detailed imagery.

It's funny how everything becomes more clear after you've written a rationale/summary of your work. All the mad scheming and planning seems to come together and makes a nice whole. I'm proud of this piece and its not often that I say something like that out loud (or put it in writing for that matter).

The strategy behind the design of this book was to satisfy a number of different needs, mainly the unconventional structure of a thesis text, while remaining true to the author’s (Helen Runting) personality. At a surface level the book has a neutral feel, but once looked upon closer has many layers:

Function– The coloured stock not only serves as an easy way to navigate through the book, it also echoes the mood of each of the chapters. Grey represents the current negative place urban planning exists in through Helen’s eyes, blue represents the late night conversations she had with other professionals and white is the more optimistic and positive view in Helen’s personal ‘voice’.

Form– As this thesis is non-traditional in structure and one that is considered a ‘personal account’, the size of the book was designed to represent the size of a diary/journal.
The dust jacket also serves a purpose that can be made more personal. A choice of a reversible jacket gives the reader the option to choose whether the thesis is of a predominantly negative focus, or one that promotes discussion and further conversations for positive change within urban planning.
The slightly textured ‘Rives Design’ stock used for both the dust jacket and end papers gives the book a refined feel while referencing material in a tactile way.

Typography– The typography has been given an elegant yet contemporary feel, one that serves the text well and remains formal and academic. The typographic interpretations found in the figures spaced throughout the book help to break up the large amounts of text whilst adding another layer of interest.

It's done, it's good and now its gone.

Jean Claude (Dust) Jaquettie

2009-10-07T21:43:00.002+11:00

Just a few ideas for Material Conversations, one references being inbetween, the other, conversations. Helen said that she liked both equally, so I'm toying with the idea of making it reversible so she can have both.

And the whole time I was designing these dust jackets I had this tune in my head:

Hee hee

Thesis Final Draft: Material Conversations by Helen Runting

2009-10-05T14:26:00.000+11:00

Phew, this was an epic task- I typeset this 210 page thesis in about 5 days! I'm doing this for a dear friend in Stockholm, Helen, who is about to complete her Masters of Science in Urban Planning and Design. This is also my major project for my typography class, it's been a great job to do and we're helping each other out through this project.

I've noticed that this kind of work requires some level of OCD, being methodical in this kind of work is essential to getting everything looking perfect. I'll be getting this printed on coloured stock and hard cover bound tomorrow, you can see some of the samples above. Now all I need do is design a dust jacket. I'm a terrible designer in the fact that I do judge a book on its cover, so this will be a challenge!

We're hoping to get this up and running complete with an ISBN I want to get a paperback version designed too, so lets hope it happens- then we'll both be published designers, ha! ;)

Lets take a trip

2009-09-28T19:04:00.006+10:00

I'm in the process of planning my very last and final uni folio and earlier today I was looking through all my old files from the past 2 years, ah the memories!

My work has changed a lot I'd like to think (and hopefully improved!) since I started and I thought I'd post some of my old semester folios for you to look at (click on them for a close up).

Some of this is pretty funny, but its good to see where I've come to where I am now. I plan to professionally shoot my final folio, so fingers crossed it won't look as amateur as the stuff below, there's a few goodins in here though, but enough talk, lets take a trip down memory lane– enjoy! :)

2008 2nd year, semester 2:

Yes, this class was all rather food related! I made a motion graphics piece for The Perfect Cuppa Mug too

I hate the second (surprise) poster I did for Understars- you can tell that the process was unenjoyable by the outcome, heh

Click here to view the Mighty Boosh video

One of my favourite projects- food+friends= good times!

2008 2nd year, semester 1:

Ha! Check out the cover

Later that year I saw this guy walk out of a bank with a wad of $50 notes..

I tried not to be skeptical, but how couldn't I?!

Yep, I worked at Lentil as Anything for a day as part of a collaborative effort to get a website for them underway... that project has come to a halt it seems..

Not an great re-brand, but this was a project where I learnt alot about design strategy and planning. (Thanks DC)

I still live here, but not feeling as rich as I did then, heh.

Check out the video here- Warning: LAME! Uni student video or what?!Bahahaa!

2009 3rd year, semester 1

Check out my post for it here

So there you go, a quick trip back in time. Keep posted for the final photography one and possible website..

Another year of instant noodles?

2009-09-20T08:08:00.004+10:00

Recently at uni we have had a few lectures on the honours streams offered next year. If you had asked me at the start of 2009 I would have said flat out- no I'm not interested. But now I've started to change my mind. I've done a lots of thinking and here's a few reasons why I think being even more poor for another year is now rather appealing:

Working with the most talented students, in a more collaborative environment
Having the support of uni staff that have my interests at heart rather than making a profit on a job
The opportunity to work on real, interesting briefs and have real budgets to work with
The opportunity to do workshops/meet with internationally renowned designers
Undertaking a research project on an aspect of design that I'm passionate about is something I'll never have the amount of time or the same commitment to do if not at uni
We're in a recession, so why the hell not, now is the best time to be studying
There will be broader scope and level of opportunities after graduating with honours
I'll never go back once I leave uni
Its only 1 more year
On top of all this, everyone I've asked says to go for it

But above all, its to find confidence in myself. It's one of my annoying traits, I have massive self doubt, and I'm also very shy. I have no trouble with any technical skill or the professional practice side of design- I'm employable. Its mainly about developing my creative skill and feeling bullet-proof confident in it. I think this will take me to the next level in my design career and this is why I decided to return to uni in the first place and at the moment, I'm not sure if I've got what I wanted out of it just yet.

So, I'll apply and if I don't get in, that ok too, but I've got to at least try. It'll be an interesting year if I do get in, but I doubt I'll regret doing it by the end of it and that's motivation enough for me.

So, if you were a typeface...

2009-09-09T14:36:00.000+10:00

I got a cute email from Dan this morning saying that this typeface reminded him of me. I've told people about particular fonts that remind me of them, or their character, but I always wondered how I look to others. Brevia is a nice little typeface so I'm quite flattered, thanks Dan :)

2009 Shift Printmaking Catalogue

2009-09-05T13:43:00.008+10:00

I've decided (even if a little late) to do the Printmaking brief instead of Islands, I think a gallery exhibition catalogue is more suited to my design style rather than a corporate brochure.
I should have thought about this before, but I guess my intentions at that point was to improve on the corporate stuff I did last semester. The Islands brief was looking pretty grey in areas which made the whole process unenjoyable; by week 5 there was still no confirmed content, unsure of the direction, and corporate design isn't something I want to pursue in the future... I also have to think about how my end of year folio will look and what I'd be proud in showing.

So, here's a few pages (front, middle spread and last spread) of the Shift Printmaking catalogue- look what you can do in 4 hours when you have all the information! I thought a tab system would be a nice way of presenting all the student's work while showing the theme of shift literally. The students at the end of the booklet receive the most space which is a nice sentiment for those who graduated with honours. The stepped pages also signify the progression of learning through to the world stage.

Now that this has been polished off, I have more time to work on the other briefs- woo!

Tokyo Bookmark

2009-09-01T18:36:00.006+10:00

This is not much of a blog entry, just somewhere to keep all my links and info for my Tokyo trip.

• Japan's No. 1 English Magazine, loads of stuff here: Metropolis

• Great food blog on Tokyo eating

• Where to eat and rub shoulders with salarymen
Momotaro
Ogawa Ebisu Building Floor B1, 1-8-8 Ebisu-nishi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-5428-5707 japanchickenfoodservice.co.jp
Buri
1-14-1 Ebisu-nishi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3494-7744
Honoji
1-5-8 Ebisu-nishi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3770-8381

• Touristy places to see
Tsukiji Fish Market
5-2 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan 35.661389139.769722 tsukiji-market.or.jp
Take the Hibiya line of the Tokyo Metro to Tsukiji station, exit 1.

• Free stuff
Meiji-jingu
1-1 Yoyogi-Kamizonocho, Shibuy, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3379-5511
Meiji-jingu is open sunrise to sunset. Admission is free. Take the JR Yamanote line to Harajuku station.

Yoyogi Park
Shibuya-ku, Toyko, Japan
Yoyogi Park is open from dawn to dusk. Admission is free. Take the JR Yamanote line to Harajuku, Omotesando exit, or the Chiyoda line to Yoyogi-koen, exit 4.

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
11 Naito-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3350-0151 35.68533139.7085 env.go.jp

Hama-rikyu Garden
1-1-Hamarikyu-teien, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3541-0200
Take the JR Yamanote line to Shibuya station, Hachiko exit.

• That huge Shibuya Crossing
Shibuya 109
2-29-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3477-5111

Tokyu Food Show
Tokyu Department Store, B1 Flo, 2-24-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku (Shibuya Station), Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3-3477-3111

• Shopping! (to come)

My Design Manifesto, or, Things That I Have Learnt Lately..

2009-08-31T11:57:00.008+10:00

This semester feels much more light on in comparison to the start of the year, I guess its because I've now settled into my job and there are fewer uni projects (although though some are larger in content).
So, with all this rare free time and head space, I've started to reflect on how my creative process has changed and the McGuffins I have come across that have made some of my more recent works a success. Here they are in no particular order:

1. Collaboration, whether in your own discipline or outside it will always make your work better. Sharing of ideas and exposure to different ways of thinking is integral to creative growth.

2. The only way you can be innovative is in your concept/idea and if your concept is strong and well researched it will design itself.

3. Print is three dimensional and should be treated as such from the very beginning of the design process. Stock selection and how you treat it is easiest way to create difference.

4. The more you do outside of graphic design the more it enriches your work.

5. If you are not passionate about the work you are doing, it will show.

6. Great design has many layers/ is multi faceted/ has many strong connections.

7. Avoid trends they can be spotted a mile away, they also date badly.

These are no new revelations, but arriving at these ideas in my own time has really helped me to sort through the endless sea of crap to see a clear direction, and feel more confident in my work.

This really is graphikfood!

2009-08-26T21:35:00.010+10:00

Being obsessed with cooking shows, stumbling across this little gem made my day! Yeah, Japan is a known for crazy novelties and TV shows (Francis a poodle, the host of the show? Now I've seen it all in TV cookery) but cute aesthetics and attention to detail, in all things, is something that the Japanese do very well. This cute little bento box is amazing, I would have loved to have taken one of these babies to school as a kid- hell, even now!
I guess the equivalent of this in Australia would be kid's novelty birthday cakes, but bento comes in all kinds of crazy designs much more intricate than the video shown here, including anime. A clever way to disguise foods that kids may not like eating- or even some adults, haha.
But there's something about the homemade cuteness of the bento box in this video that I love, the comic character ones seem too overdone. Oh and this little lady is just too darn cute!

Warp20 Tokyo!!!

2009-08-23T10:06:00.009+10:00

Me, Trissle and Dan bushybeard met up yesterday to book Warp20 Tokyo tickets for November which is pretty exciting! The lineup so far is Battles, Chris Cunningham (DJ and music video director, check his mental reel), !!!, Clark and Flying Lotus.

I've never been to Japan although my sister had lived there for a few years back in 2000 (I was too poor and irresponsible to organise such a trip, ha) so let the countdown commence!
The whole ticket ordering process was pretty amusing, the payment section of the website was completely in Japanese characters and we had to keep referring to a PDF supplied to us by one of the organisers which told us what to write within the fields, instead of translated questions. So when we didn't know what we were being asked (or what were being made to choose) we had to go back and forth using an online translator. One of the translations we were given was 'old woman' lol.
It took us an hour or so at Yellow Bird over beers and fries to book them, and the only way we knew that the payment went through while waiting for the confirmation page to load was when Dan got a call from his bank asking him whether his card was stolen as a sum of money was spent in Japan. Ha, pretty funny (and quite a good bank if you ask me).

Next week we're meeting up again to swap notes on cheap flights and accommodation, I think we'll be spending 2 weeks in Tokyo. Yay to holidays, I'm so excited!!

If you have any suggestions on cool places or things to do in Japan, please post me a comment! Thanks :)

Leisurely weekend fun

2009-08-22T13:06:00.008+10:00

This weekend is a rare occasion in that I actually have free time to do creative stuff other than homework! I made these cute terrariums this morning, one for me and Tris (the big one) and the others for friends- a birthday present and a house warming gift.
These are so easy and cheap to make and I'm wrapped with how my dinosaur forest dwellings have turned out! I've also found a nice little moss supply at the end of my street- exxxxcellent.
I just hope to god that they don't die by the end of next week :(

Another thing that makes this weekend awesome is that I'm picking up my new ebay purchase (yes, I finally won!) a 1970's peach coloured vintage bike tomorrow. But sadly won't be able to ride it until I get some new tubes and possible tyres. Not to worry- let the leisurely weekend continue!

That's it, I'm terrarium obsessed!

2009-08-19T22:19:00.008+10:00

I've seen crappy DIY terrariums before, but the other week Dan showed me some really cute moss terrariums with teeny toys arranged on miniature landscapes and this is when I got interested (well, in combination with boredom and a quick & cheap fix to help distract me from the fact that I won't be winning any vintage bikes on ebay :( anytime soon.. Ha).

I'm not much of a gardener and the idea of having a mini world sitting on my desk is pretty god damn appealing!
So far I'm liking the idea of a prehistoric swampy looking terrarium, let see if I can get these big ideas to fit into a small jar... mini lands... yesss

If any of you out there know of places to find tiny, miniature plastic dinosaurs or even a plentiful supply of moss near the Richmond area, please let me know in the comments section below ;)

KW Doggett: JPP Synthetic Promo Finals!!

2009-08-19T01:06:00.005+10:00

Well, the illustrations speak for themselves and I'll say it again- awesome work by a busy little Vee. I'm really happy with how these have turned out overall and they wouldn't have been half as good if I tried to do the illustrations- see my dismal attempt below, bahaha!

Vee never sleeps

2009-08-17T09:30:00.016+10:00

Here's some AMAZING illustrations my lovely and super talented friend Vee has done for me to use on KW Doggett brief to promote a synthetic paper stock. These are still works in progress, but thought I'd post them up anyway as they are awesome! Thanks for your all your help on this Vee!!

The concept behind this set of promotional double sided postcards draws from the children’s storybook character Paddington Bear, a figure well known for wearing gumboots. The significance of the gumboot illustrates all the qualities of JPP Synthetic– both are waterproof, durable and strong.
Providing an alternative ending to the first story in the Paddington Bear series ‘Please Take Care of This Bear!’, these pristine cards enclosed a battered and worn envelope show a sequence of humourous, although a little morbid set of illustrations which depict the life of Paddington who never was taken care of, to find that his gumboots are the only part of him like JPP Synthetic, that are everlasting.

Here's the packaging for the postcards, Paddington has one of these around his neck in the storybook:

Oh and here's the reference I've got for colouring:

I'll post the finals up when they're done, and Vee the mark I get for this, I'll owe it all to you x :)

So, who's going to fund this revolution?

2009-08-12T21:58:00.009+10:00

This evening I had the pleasure in seeing Rick Poynor speak at Capitol Theatre on Design Thinking or Critical Design. I'm not much of an academic, but seeing someone speak so eloquently on all areas of graphic design (well, he is Rick Poynor after all) was really inspiring. I walked out feeling like I had a better sense of purpose when it comes to my role as part of the next generation of graphic designers, but at the same time rather embarrassed about the the misrepresentation of Melbourne's design community... more of this to follow.

What Poynor wanted us to see that its in our hands to make change for the future of graphic design and to not let ourselves simply become a business tool used to sell more product (or worse, being taken out of the equation totally with business schools in the US offering 'Design Thinking' courses), while also discussing our role as communicators as messengers with social responsibility.
He spoke about the need for play, the need to experiment and create through design- not simply designing for a proposed outcome or for a client. Isn't that this exactly what got us interested in design in the first place? I guess over time we have been so consumed in the 'business' of our industry that we forgot where we came from and where we should be going.
He also showed us the work of designers Dunne & Raby, Jan Van Toom and Metahaven that have done/are doing self initiated projects to redefine what design is in their respective fields (industrial/graphic design), away capital gain.

Of course these ideas aren't new, but its becoming more evident that this change begins with us- not the education of the client or factors outside the design community. Hearing about these designers that are so passionate about the future of design and taking matters into their own hands was exciting and almost like an invitation to be a part of a new wave in design history (or maybe I just got swept up in it all, not a bad thing though!)
Poynor could have spoken for much longer but after the hour or so, he wrapped up and went into question time and this is where it got awkward. I think this would have to be the first time I felt embarrassed to call myself a designer from Melbourne.
It seems like for the most part, the people speaking up were the ones who totally missed the point of Poynor's discussion. What he was doing was holding a mirror up to us and said "This is the state of design at the moment, something needs to change or are we all going to roll over and take it?" and people were actually asking him for the answer! Another audience member actually said "Well, who's going to pay us for all this extra, unpaid work, we are busy enough doing the client work" Who said a design revolution was easy?!
It kind of descended from there with another audience member ending question time with "Well perhaps we work on the 'dream' 10% of the time and the other 90% we spend on real work." Geez, talk about the worst possible way to wrap up an evening that was meant to be the fuse to spark a new felt passion for a design utopia!

All I can say is thank god David Pidgeon was showing Rick Poynor around Melbourne- not all of us are stupid, but I was still squirming in my chair. Melbourne- massive FAIL.

The Uniform Project: 1 dress, 365 days

2009-08-10T15:20:00.009+10:00

I'm having a bit of a style crisis at the moment and in my vain attempt to get away from dressing in the same jeans and t-shirt, my daily uniform, I stumbled across this site; The Uniform Project:1 dress, 365 days. This chick is attempting to wear this dress every day for a year and uploading a pic of her outfit on this site as an exercise in sustainable fashion as well as a a fundraiser for Akanksha Foundation. Oh and by the way, she's made 7 of these dresses, so no she's not walking around all smelly like Tristan thought.
She's been wearing the dress since May this year and so far, this dress is quite versatile. I spose its mostly to do with the accessories which makes the outfit look different everyday (you can donate accessories to her for the cause- great publicity for the providers and all for a good cause too, so everybody wins!), but what else can you do when wearing the same think over and over?

Its a great design, it can be worn in 3 different ways; front (pleat), back to front (buttons) and opened. It's pretty cute too and I really want one, but it seems they're not for sale. Perhaps I'll get one made..

But first, I think I'll get haircut.

...Damn, wish I thought of this

2009-08-08T12:11:00.006+10:00

"Self-promotion annual gift limited to 300 numbered copies. Intending to share with clients and friends some of the graphic design universe, a typographic Concentration Game was created. It's comprised of 20 pairs of cards, each one presenting a different type family. Extra cards bring a typographical glossary with main terms and the explanation of the sentence witch names the gift: "the quick brown fox jumps to over the lazy dog". The package also contains a text about the evolution of type design, locating in history each font used in the cards." -ps.2

Great idea by Brazilian studio ps.2 I've never heard of them before, but they do some fantastic work and are my current fave. Their website has interesting navigation, I wish it was more visually friendly (I'm a lazy reader when it come to websites) but I appreciate the thought they put into categorising work through typefaces, colours and finishes. See more of the typography card game here, nice vacuum packaging too.

How to imposition your 16pp booklet on A3 paper

2009-08-05T12:47:00.007+10:00

Hello typography elective people! Here's some help on making your booklet using one A3 page, click on the images for a bigger look:

1) Set up an A3 page with grid lines for all the sections, then duplicate. Number each section as per Niko's brief sheet, then save it.

2) In another document, set up your 16 individual pages at the finished size you like, this way as you can see how the thing will look as you design it which is important when you want stuff to line up exactly.

2) Once your ready to make/paginate the booklet, export all pages as PDFs, single pages with crops and page numbers as reference

3) Open up your A3 page and import all the pages into your numbered sections, making sure that you centre the PDF within the area and rotated where needed.
Short cut to make everything centred within each section is:
Right click/ Fitting/ Fit content to frame
THEN do the same again, but select Centre content to frame.
This will make sure that your pages are bang in the centre of every page and that all you crop marks will line up.

4) Ta daa! Nicely paginated!

Now all you need to remember is when you print it double sided, is to have it on 'Short Edge Binding' in paper handling with it auto centred and ignore printer margins by setting this to 'None'. This makes sure that you don't get an extra white margin around the edge and your work and that its centred on both sides. Fold your paper while keeping mind page 1 is facing up on top, trim the sides and you have your booklet.

Hope this is clear, if I've missed anything please let me know in the comments section!
Cheers, Sus

Islands Project- Proposal Document

2009-08-03T21:51:00.009+10:00

For Professional Practice we've been given a few briefs to choose from, I have gone for the 'corporate' one which is a proposal document that seeks support and funding from major corporations for use on research programs for Tasmania's islands. As I bombed out last semester's attempt of corporate I thought I'd give it another crack and try to push the perceptions of what corporate design really is.

I'm not trying to do anything ground breaking, these layouts are all clean and minimal, but my choices have been subtle enough to make it look different to whats currently out there. I'm pushing, but not going all out crazy, and if you're asking corporations for half a million dollars in funding, I think its best to err on the safer side of things.
The challenge in this project is making use of the photography that was supplied which was pretty ordinary. I've decided on photohopping these images, using a more moody tone that is consistent throughout and have also used a technique called Tilt Shifting, basically I'm making these island landscapes look even more miniature by giving them a toy model look. Click on the below images to have a closer look. This is to emphasize the precious and delicate environment in this area, to help further promote it's protection. Its a bit of a leap, but I'm going with it for now.

Below are the first drafts of a few spreads:

Front and back cover.. I guess funding of the Islands Project could be the silver lining to these clouds..?

Intro spread
Proposal details, RHS is a featured paragraph on tipped in grey/blue tracing paper, turn over the page...

... to reveal the highlighted areas in which funding will go to.

Here are the original shots that we were supplied. The solution I've come up with is a bit of an improvement I think.

I ♥ Typography

2009-08-02T22:20:00.014+10:00

So far my elective is by far my favourite class. I really enjoy Niko's teaching style and his approach to the creative process is really refreshing. His love of type is something I find infectious and the more time I spend on this project the more I want to learn about typography.

What makes this class exciting is that we have free reign on the content of this semester long project, and the final design can be anything we like as long as its substantial. Yes, freedom!
Of course, my subject matter is food related and I've decided to design a calendar that is seasonally based rather than month based, with seasonal Victorian produce noted and paired with interesting recipe. Whether this is per month or per week is something I'm yet to find out but I want this hanging calendar to be more than just 12 spreads.
Foundry have done something similar to this with their Measure series, but I want it to hero typography with the inclusion of recipes and other foodie tid bits.
Below is a sneak peek (click to enlarge) of a small 16pp booklet that we're doing which is a kind of proposal for the major project. I've called it Seasoning to reference the food/cooking and seasonal produce theme. Clevers!

I stumbled upon NEUTRAFACE by type foundry House Industries after an exhausting search- I nearly gave up looking, but I at the moment its my favourite typeface as its perfect for this project. 38 weights of awesomeness and this may sound tragic, but I'm spending many hours typesetting when I could be doing other things. What's even more tragic is before I got my hands on this typeface I WAS ACTUALLY HAVING DREAMS ABOUT IT. This is a true sign of a type geek, but you know what, I'll wear that with pride.

Keep posted, I'll take a few snaps of the final booklet and put them up here when its complete.

Ooops..

2009-07-31T10:00:00.006+10:00

Sorry readers, but I've just realised that I've never received notifications when people leave me comments, but now that's fixed up. Please don't think I'm ignoring you- I've just read through them all today! Thanks for your comments and keep them coming!!

To stand up, or not stand up..

2009-07-27T16:45:00.014+10:00

Today was an interesting day. After a letter written by myself and another student in regards to a positive change for semester 2 was sent a few weeks ago, it was received with heavy offense and today made rather public. I can understand that it was taken negatively, as it is a criticism after all, but there was no offering of actual understanding of the issues we pin pointed. Instead it was announced that the letter used condemning language and the way it was written was considered 'emotionally charged'. This rebuttal was a little unfair as no one except the staff and a handful of students have actually seen the letter and I made very sure that everything stated was professional and actual, as I was speaking on behalf of a few students who felt or had experienced things that were negative.

Anyway, after the below email was sent, I had little to do with any follow up meetings and things went ahead with my acknowledgment, why I was not involved or kept in the loop is unknown to me, but basically, I now appear as a trouble maker and feel rather misrepresented. Which is sad. I just wanted this semester to be better for all (and so far it has been, the introduction of theory and history of design for example!) however, I now feel like relationships have been made harder and walls have been put up. Quite the opposite effect to my intention.

Here's The Letter to read for yourself, names removed, just the content of the issues raised. All I wanted to do was put across the kind of learning environment we all desire, but the question is; were we too condemning?

"We come to you on behalf of the third years in regards to our somewhat negative experience of first semester, and in particular our interactions with X. Hopefully through this formal letter we can communicate to you all the issues we think need raising and let the faculty know how the student body feels.

Firstly we would like to emphasize that we believe X is not only a capable and willing co-coordinator, his wisdom has proved invaluable to the year level as a whole. In no way are we questioning his competence in his current position, we are merely raising issues that we feel can be easily resolved if given the right consideration. We would like to stress that the concerns we have raised should not be perceived as a personal attack.

Many students felt that semester one was not a positive experience. We feel that we were not given the support and encouragement to become creative and confident individuals that we envisioned for our final year. Quite a number of students felt disillusioned, uninspired and lacked confidence with the talented students feeling very negatively towards semester two. As you know, one student has left the program which saddens us, as we believe that the great students lift the class standard as a whole.

A few weeks ago we arranged a meeting with fellow students and each spoke about the experiences they had. The main concerns are as follows:

We all truly desire more encouragement and understanding of our style and of our thought/design processes. Students have become weary of feedback because it is rarely constructive in nature, rushed and often based more on a personal preference rather than a subjective view. Fear of being publicly ridiculed in front of other students has become evident; we cannot freely articulate our strategies to X. Students have therefore become afraid to openly share ideas and in some instances, refused to attend class for this reason.

We believe that its important to hear and understand lecturers reasons on why design is effective, not simply when it needs work. This discussion helps us to understand communication design better. We often find that written feedback is non-existent if X is pleased with our work.

As design students, we should be encouraged to find our design voice - not follow a particular style. We want to be encouraged to be the best we can be and graduate with self confidence and the belief that we will do well in the future. Surely this is also in the best interests of the university.

Our suggestion to resolve these issues is to incorporate another staff member in a role of support for X. The lack of female staff present in teaching second semester raises serious concerns. We therefore would ideally suggest that Y be more actively involved in a teaching role in second semester, and work closely with X to improve and provide pastoral care.

We understand that these issues may not changed in time for our last semester, but we feel that the younger students would benefit if action is taken.

Thank you for your time, consideration and this opportunity for us to voice of opinions. A positive education experience is very important to us."

So, it now feels after the very public announcement of The Letter, that I'm not looked upon very favourably by staff... I guess I just have to take it for the team.
After coming home from uni feeling a rather humiliated and misunderstood, there was one thing that did surprise me and cheered me up- and it was a letter from uni no less! I have received an invitation to apply for membership to the Golden Key International Honours Society :) so I guess today was not all bad.

My (current) reflection on design

2009-06-25T16:32:00.004+10:00

I was out for dinner with Tris last night and the topic of our future in design came up (our separate futures in this career by the way), not an uncommon topic of conversation over dumplings, but this time I realised that my opinion has changed from where I started in semester 1.

At the start, I went in all guns blazing, putting loads of pressure on myself to perform well, to be as competitive as possible, making sure I knew everything and everyone I needed to know to 'get an edge'. Typography this, modernism that, pure design blah, blah, blah. What a wanker I must have sounded like- and to be honest it was quite stressful really. I felt like a paranoid, red eyed, eye lid twitching designer who always thought I was running out of 'great ideas'. Quite a pathetic creature and something I really don't want to revisit. On top of that, attending lecture after lecture of the same doom and gloom, I left semester 1 feeling rather disillusioned, really flat and totally uninspired (and a dependency on wearing my glasses which I blame as a direct result to the before mentioned eye conditions.)

This.Was.Bad. And then I started questioning why I even put myself through it.

Having some time to sit and think ( instead of flying from the seat of my pants) now that I'm on uni hols, what I have realised is that ultimately I have to be true to myself. I can't 'pretend' to be something I'm not, someone else, I just have to be me and there's nothing wrong with that. I wish I could do a lot of things better of course and I aim to become better each time I come up against a challenge, but what I realise is that I can't deny my interests and I can't avoid the things I love and what I'm passionate about, simply because it doesn't match the 'design' part of my personality.

Meaning, and here's a good example- my work in semester 1 after the Cultivate catalogue. Its contrived, try-hardish and to be honest a little embarrassing. You may not be able to see it, but it was definitely there in the conceptual stages. I was trying SO hard to be 'a designer' that I lost my integrity and my passion for what should be an enjoyable and creative process.

I don't care how I sound to anyone, but after semester 1 being over I couldn't care less about trying to get a job in the top boutique studios of Melbourne. No thanks, I'll pass. I want to be happy and if I choose to stay where I am at the moment, in my part time job- that's ok. I'm totally cool with that. I have the possibility to make it my own, grow it and work with what I love- great food and great people. That's me, that's who I am and now that I realise this- its such a freakin relief!

Some great feedback from Trevor Choy

2009-06-25T16:17:00.008+10:00

In previous posts I've been uploading work in progress on my uni projects, one which was for the corporate identity for Choy Lawyers. About a month ago I had actually contacted Trevor in regards to Grown vs Aesop and sent my blog post to him to see what he thought of it. He thanked me for the heads up and after that, I thought that was it. But, last night I received a lovely email from him giving me some detailed and well considered feedback on my identity.

Although I didn't make it to the final shortlist, he did give me some great insight into how he saw my work and he was honest about it. I really appreciate the length he went to, I imagine he has a busy schedule so I'm truly surprised that he actually took the time to write this email. Any feedback is great feedback and the more detailed, the better.

Australian Grown Copycats

2009-06-07T13:04:00.013+10:00

I'm a fan and a user of Aesop, but when I saw the Adobe Caslon italic logotype of a new copycat product named Grown I couldn't help but have a closer look. Only to find that this new product is a complete rip off of the original Australian made brand, produced by another Melbourne company. In no way is Grown's product design accidental or a coincidence- they've really gone after Aesop's aesthetic and copied it. The scent combinations are the same, they claim to use similar quality essential oils and even the packaging and promotion is very similar (although recycled plastic bottles are cheap looking and typography is done really badly).

The only difference is its cheaper price point- how can these guys get away with it? They haven't even tried to do anything different except use a whole bunch of serif typefaces and vomited out on the packaging. They even used Optima typeface for their visual merchandising- Aesop's logotype no less- tsk tsk! Ha.

But seriously, Aesop is known for its strong branding, its quality ingredients and the unique way they package their products, so having Grown try to get consumer's thinking they're buying into a quality and original product when they're not is so awfully wrong.

I guess I'm passionate about this from a design point of view, rather than from a consumer point of view. Aesop's design and visual identity is beautifully restrained, instantly recognisable and integral to their brand, so having a cheap imitation of what originally is beautiful typography and inspired packaging is simply shit.

I guess imitation (even if done badly) is the highest form of flattery but Grown will be making money out of this brand. Seeing this reminded me of a case study Trevor Choy went through at AGideas this year where he stated Australian's are the biggest copycats around- not Asia. I was surprised at his statement, but is blindingly true now.

Third Year Semester 1 Folio

2009-06-04T14:15:00.007+10:00

Finally, semester 1 is all wrapped up and here's my folio. I opted for retouching the flat artwork to look like photography (except for the packaging) as I'm crap at taking crisp photos and most of my work is type based- my photos wouldn't do them justice.
I do plan on getting a pro and a studio to do my final folio photography so I think what I've done for now is good enough.. but I know its not ideal. At least everything is clean, easy to understand and looks pretty good (even if I say so myself!) If you want a closer look, click on the image and it should enlarge to A3 for you.

Well, all I can say now is thank GOD semester 1 is over, lets hope things pick up after a well earned break!

See the video here

Lindrum 4137 mock ups

2009-05-26T21:37:00.009+10:00

The bottles have arrived! Well, they arrived 2 weeks ago actually, but here's the current design of the packaging, its pretty much there. Please note that the print quality is REALLY BAD and colours have come out much darker than the final prints will be. So far I've updated the Lindrum logo, made the labels smaller, tinkered with the typesetting and included circular labels for the round items. Still yet to find a small soap, I'll try to find one this week.

Below is a badly shot view of the poorly constructed wallpaper that's inside, to continue the billiard theme. Hmm, I must be tired because I sound a little crabby.

This is the first draft mock up, the triangular shape was a bit overkill, I tend to get carried away with my ideas sometimes! I also decided to get rid of the aspirin bottle in the current version as I don't think its an important item. I'm thinking about staining the shoe brush to darker colour, or even staining a triangular shape onto it similar to the ones found on pool cue sticks.

The next post on this will hopefully be the finished items in all their glory!

Why so serious?

2009-05-18T16:32:00.005+10:00

Ok, before you read this post, I just have to say that this is going to be a big fat whinge. If you're interested in reading further, please do, if not, wait til the next post when I'm feeling abit more up beat.

I'm feeling really down with the state of 3rd year design lately. It seems that every time I turn up to uni its rammed down our throats how hard getting a job will be, how much competition we are up against, how few jobs there are, how design in Australia is not respected like in Europe and the length we need to go to, to simply get noticed. And its only Semester 1.

Yes I know its important to be exposed to the reality of the industry and be told the cold hard truth, but for some strange reason, uni has taken the approach that getting a job is a measure of your success as graduate designer from RMIT.

Not at one point have we spoken about how to BECOME a truly creative/innovative designer, it seems all the talk has been about employment. But surely to be employed, you have to obtain the skills and creativity that will GET you a job.

The whole reason I left my design job in advertising was to have the freedom to be creative and grow as a designer- as a creative person. But so far I'm finding the focus here at RMIT is to churn out the work with lesser time for a good idea. If I had known that, I would have stayed in advertising and happily lived my life as a Mac monkey.

Here's 1 tiny example where importance has been shifted to a result over good design:
Weekly soft deadlines need to be met, even if the idea is weak and under-developed just to satisfy a 'tick box' on your assessment sheet. We are then humiliated with lecturer comments like 'the lack of standard'- well, what do you expect for a half baked idea and more importance put on to coming to class with something to show than an truly great starting point? Ridiculous. Great design comes out great ideas. Or am I missing something?

I thought uni was a place where we students are unafraid to ask questions, feel and BE encouraged and our point of view valid and nurtured. Instead I'm feeling like we are being made to feel inadequate and blamed for 'not being at 3rd year standard'. Its easy to make us feel inadequate- but where's the solution and leadership from the people who are educating us to be great designers?

So, when I sit back and think about why am I so serious, why do I feel so much pressure and why am I working crazy hours- why?? Well, because I want a job as a designer- but WHY a designer? And from working like this what kind of designer will I be? Manic, rushed, polishing turd after turd?
The whole reason I chose the career of a designer was because I enjoyed it and I felt satisfaction and pride in a job well done from start to finish.
Think about it- all successful designers love what they do and people love them for it. More emphasis needs to be put into developing an idea, the journey in crafting an inspired idea and completing it whilst it being AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE.

Suffice to say that I'm not enjoying this year and the future is looking bleak in actually being able to do what we love. Would it kill us for a little sprinkling of optimism, a little encouragement and a few kind words? I really think something as simple as this could go a very, very long way.

Lindrum 4137 Label Ideas

2009-05-09T15:49:00.004+10:00

My favourite is the triangle design, a reference to the ball rack used in billiards. I think its the most functional design out of all these too.
Now all I have to do is keep an eye on the letterbox for my special delivery and I can start applying these to the different containers.

Serendipity Brief

2009-05-08T19:44:00.006+10:00

After the AGideas conference, it's got me thinking about our social responsibility as designers and the influence we can have on society when choosing work or starting our own projects.

For this current brief- we have been asked to walk the city in a direction we may not normally go and after 33 minutes stop, look around and choose something to 'solve'. I followed the alleys crossing Queen and King Sts and popped out back on Elizabeth St passing quite a few strip joints, peep show bars and adult book shops dotted around the corporate office sector. At the end of my journey I stopped near a set of stairs descending beneath street level for an adult book shop. So that's what I'll base this project on, now the adult entertainment industry doesn't offend me and I don't think its 'wrong', but it definitely is seedy and sleazy and there is a bit of mystery around it due to it's content.

So, how do I 'solve this problem' as a communication design project? I started thinking about the visual language of these shops and depending on where they were, they had varying levels of communication. Along King St the signage was more obvious using neon signs (although not as in your face as other signage in other areas of Melbourne) which have a seedy or negative/taboo feel about them. A shame really because I find neon signs to be quite beautiful if used in the right way. Anyway, when these stores were in a more highly traffiked area, like Elizabeth St the signs were muted down; simple sign-writing using minimal colour using words like 'Liberated Books' or 'Adult Fiction'. The type used is bold, large, yet discreet, appearing on edges of doorways and away from the regular spaces where mainstream advertising exists.

This is the typical style of signage for these shops and people are familiar with the pointed arrows and bold capital type that you don't even need to read it to know what they sell. The language used is quite vague and non-descript as you are already meant to already know what is down there. It's a visual language that works for the industry and these signs have been there and have remain unchanged for as long as I can remember.

So, what's my plan? I'm not so much solving a problem, but my intention to provoke conversation on what people think about these places, pro or against/right or wrong, whatever. I'm not preaching my thoughts on the viewer, but more trying to stimulate thoughts about this industry, from the people that work there, to the people that go in there, the strippers, pornstars, and the people capitalising from it all.

As many of the speakers at Agideas touched on the fact that as communicators we have the ability to influence and shape society, it doesn't necessarily mean we need to ram messages down throats. My experiment is to see whether a hidden, subversive message can have an effect on people who are so used to seeing the familar city landscape, which is fitting to the subject matter- after all, the advertising of the adult entertainment industry is also subversive and hidden because of it's explicit content.

This idea/experiment is still in the early stages, I'm not sure on how I can exactly measure the outcome, whether people will actually notice it and whether they think about it any further than just reading the new signage I'm proposing or whether measuring it is even important as its more about discussion. An idea is in there, I just have to keep digging.

Very nice!

2009-05-08T15:13:00.003+10:00

Some great identity work here, I better get started on the presentation folder for Choy Lawyers!
It was good to see Trevor speak at Agideas, I asked Tris if he thought the current design I have suits him and he said that it pretty on target. I think that through the folder I'll be able to extend the branding/identity more.

Oh and my packaging samples are on their way from NY, I'm pretty excited about getting them- keep watching this space!

Okay, I'm pretty sure I'm getting closer

2009-05-03T13:35:00.007+10:00

Looking over all the design drafts I think I've been overworking them, trying to do too much and having the logo say 'everything' when it doesn't need to. So I stripped it all back, maintaining the clear and straight forward approach but this time combining and refining the previous ideas; elegant and professional with a personal touch.

Option 3: Choy the Individual & The Company
Choy Lawyers has been given an elegant and confident identity showing the firm's expertise, professionalism and unique personal service.

• Baskerville typeface has been used for it’s elegant and professional style
• The tag line refers to the way Trevor speaks and deals with his clients, in clear everyday language without any legal jargon. The brackets are a design feature that act like speech marks for Trevor’s communication style and will be used as branding element
• Blue has been chosen to reference the colour that stimulates creative thinking as his clients are creative professionals in design and advertising, and also gives the company identity a professional and corporate feel.

Choy Lawyers Identity

2009-05-02T10:48:00.010+10:00

For some reason, I'm finding this brief really hard, branding an individual is difficult to get right.
Here are two options and both are quite different executions, I'm not sure what qualities I should be focusing on; the company and it's service, or Trevor as an individual. I can't decide.

This is option 1: The Company

Choy Lawyers has been given a classic and elegant identity with a focus on ‘plain English’ communication with a visual language that promotes the level of quality and personal service that the firm provides to their exclusive client list.

• The brandmark of the combined intellectual property symbols is a clear indicator of what Choy specialises in
• The use of the typeface Archer has classic feel however gives a personal touch with the rounded serifs on the round letterforms.
• The tag line references the way in which Trevor speaks and how he deals with clients, in clear everyday language without any legal jargon
• The colour choice also enforces the professional yet approachable qualities of Trevor’s personality.

Although the design may look traditional as a whole, it is it’s application that further communicates Choy Lawyers to be progressive and different to other standard law firms.

And this is option 2: Trevor Choy the individual

Choy Lawyers has been given a strong and confident identity with a focus on ‘plain English’ communication that promotes the kind of everyday language Trevor uses with his clients.
• Meta typeface has been used for it’s corporate, yet friendly style
• The brackets represent shields = the protection Choy Lawyers provides
• The tag line references the way in which Trevor speaks and how he deals with clients, in clear everyday language without any legal jargon
• Blue has been chosen to reference the colour that stimulates creative thinking as his clients are creative professionals in design and advertising and also gives the company identity a professional and corporate feel.

Packaging Brief- Lindrum 4137

2009-04-22T19:32:00.007+10:00

Complimentary gift pack from a hotel of our choice- my inspiration so far..

Sourcing these samples took forever, plus shipping will be $$ if I can't wangle them for free.. Breath freshener spray or mints, hmm what would Don Draper prefer? Probably mints with all the cigs he smokes.

And a few ideas on the treatment of the gift pack name (comes from Walter Lindrum's highest scoring game in his billiards career)..

2009 MELBOURNE MINIMALISM FESTIVAL SOUNDS: Artists vs Djs

2009-04-06T22:12:00.009+10:00

For component 2 I've decided to do a promotional set of 3 vinyl records, featuring Minimal DJ’s;
• Richie Hawtin,
• Autechre
• Ricardo Vilalobos

Who’s musical style reflects the featuring artist’s at Heidie Gallery;
• Dan Flavin,
• Donald Judd
• Frank Stella

Internal record sleeves include a biography of each artist and
DJ with a selection of tracks that compliment the artist’s work.
A piece of art from each of the featuring artist’s can be found inside the record sleeves.

Oh and you can check out the finalised Part 1 of this assignment below:

This poster was the bain of my existence

2009-04-04T20:00:00.003+11:00

Why? Because black on black is near impossible unless you have offset printing at your fingertips. My solution- calling on dear ol Joel to cut me out the vinyl sticker (thank you, thank you, thank you!) and 3 or so hours setting letraset in a wonky fashion (non intentional, but that's how hard it is!).

This is the PDF version, when I get round to taking some shots I'll post them up.

The small text reads:
*Since the ever increasing rise of online media, people have talked about the death of print for quite some time, but i believe nothing will replace the beautifully tactile nature of print– for its craft, its history and its continuous reinvention. Print is still here.
- Susan Hardjono

Cultivate work in progress

2009-03-30T22:21:00.001+11:00

Here's the cover and 2 spreads for the water wise plant catalogue, still a bit of photoshop to go, but its getting there!

The new me in 09

2009-03-26T22:37:00.003+11:00

In POG form!
.... Just kidding, in business card form.

I dig.. at the moment

2009-03-11T17:42:00.004+11:00

It's a snippet, but it gives you an idea.

Water Wise Native Plant Product Catalogue

2009-03-09T14:00:00.006+11:00

My approach to the plant catalogue is to show Aussie natives to be modern and fashionable as well as promoting the positives of planting natives in their natural climate.
So the challenge is to change the perceptions the beautiful domestic garden by presenting these 'familiar' plants in a visually arresting way. We all know what wattle looks like, but I was amazed to find how many strange varieties there are, in odd shapes and bright colours that are really unique to Australia.

This is my moodboard so far on what I want to do. Basically I'm showing the 'typical' Aussie varieties against the more unusual ones to promote natives as exciting and new alongside the kind of collage I'd like to do and other styling aspects. More to come..

My thoughts on design and Brief No. 1: 2009 Melbourne Minimalist Festival

2009-03-09T13:59:00.006+11:00

Well, this is the first brief of my final year of Comm Design, a logotype and promotional collateral for a Minimalist festival. I'm enjoying this so far, trying to really challenge myself and to do something innovative, and already this project has really shone a spotlight on things that I need to change in regards to how I approach design.

This is a really important year for me, so I'm giving it everything and spending a lot of time of crafting my ideas rather than executing them quickly. This is something I have a problem with, I just want to get things done and its a bad habit that I'm trying to break.

My approach this year is more systematic and lateral, I have to keep reminding myself over and over that design is a journey, not simply an outcome. Tristan helps a lot too, pushing and challenging me. I'm very protective of my work in regards to taking criticism.. as in, I'm not very good at it (ah heh..) and this is also something I have to overcome. After all, everything can be improved, its just knowing when something is really finished, complete.

I've broken down my processes and strategies so I can see how my ideas develop and whether something can be improved for next time. Although I don't want all briefs to be approached in a rigid way, it just helps me fine tune the process overall for next time, so I know what I should focus on and what should be left behind.

So anyway, here's brief 1, round 1 for the 2009 Melbourne Minimalism Festival:

Option 1
Inspired by Russian Constructavist typographer El Lissitsky's design of a book of poems Dilia Golosa (1923). It's this visual language, not the ideals of this style which is what I wanted to communicate as minimalist design.

Option 2. My favourite at the moment. Taking minimalism more literally by taking letters away by tinting them back and then finally removing vowels altogether as the words can still be read without them. I feel that this communicats everything in a simple, clever and concise way.

This was the point where I asked Tris what he thought and he said "You can do better, its all pretty expected". To which took quite badly because I thought I had already done a lot of work and right at that moment I felt my best logotype work as yet. But after I really had a good think about it I realised that he was right, this is the year and time to experiment and really push and challenge yourself.

So, my third option was to attempt to make a decorative font look minimalistic. I did this by taking the serifs away to communicate minimalist ideals. I used ITC Laubalin Graph as it has the same qualities as a sans serif when the serifs are taken away, but this was tricky and looked really messy and not minimalistic at all when applying it to each word. After staring at the screen for a while I then thought about using the 'cut off' serifs as a design element. Below are my outcomes of this experimentation.

This is the final for Option 3. It looks good, but perhaps the idea of showing the serifs is not right in communicating minimalist design as I am actually highlighting the serif; the 'decoration'. However, I guess it be said that I'm abstracting the letters by only showing the minimal features of the serifs. I'm still undecided on this one. I'll see what the happens after the critique.

Thanks goes out to Tris on this project, his advice was a real eye opener.

Secret Creative Collaboration

2009-01-04T20:15:00.008+11:00

Tris came up with this great idea today on making a little book/zine on our trip with Sarah on Joel to Ocean Grove/Lorne. We're heading there this weekend for 3 nights and have an entire house all to ourselves near the beach to finally kick back, relax and show Joel that there's more to Victoria than just the urban city sprawl.

This book/zine will be a mix of photos (courtesy of my new toy), illustrations, conversation snippets, souvenirs- basically anything that helps to document the holiday in a more interesting way than photos and head kept memories. The more I think about it though, I think we should keep it a secret between ourselves and publish it, make four copies and give them to Joel and Sarah at a later date.

I'm thinking of giving the photos a kind of summery nostalgic kind of feel, which I could do post, similar to this (tonally, not content/composition):

.. hmm, perhaps a little too 'romantic'.. I guess I should wait to see how the rest of the content turns out before I start art directing (sheesh!)

This quiet period of having nothing scheduled other than sun baking on the beach, relaxing and eating good food, gives me more than enough time to start on those illustrations I've been talking about and gives me some interesting content to draw from. In the last few days I had the thought on doing comics like to the ones found in The Age, "Overheard at x.xx am/pm". I could record drunken conversation snippets as short and crudely drawn comics. Tris had ideas on saving Scattagory doodles too which is a great idea. I think the whole thing should be primarily a visual diary, with a few words here and there- this is such a great project that is pretty much unplanned (well, as unplanned as I'm able) and gets me away from the Mac.

I'm even more excited about this trip now, more ideas to come I hope!