Faber & Faber

I've got my eye on a delightful hardback set of 6 poetry classics Faber & Faber have released for their 80th birthday, including Sylvia Plath and John Betjeman, each with a cover and end-paper created by a different printmaker; Paul Catherall, Peter Lawrence, Joe McLaren, Clare Curtis, Heaney Nick Morley and Mark Hearld.

They're all absoloutly gorgeous and i love that F&F are promoting works by these amazing artists. Nicely enough, i've found an article covering this on the creative review website with individual close ups of some of the books and their end-papers to whet your appetites.

http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2009/april/fabers-80th-anniversary-poetry-covers

picture courtesy of design sponge
http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/06/faber-poetry-covers.html

James Houston

I saw this yesterday at 'Pick Me Up' at Somerset House as one of the videos shown in the It's Nice That cinema . So so so nice, it made my tummy do that nice swoopy thing like when you hear something beautiful (skip to 1:10 if you have no patience).

In his own words:
"Based on the lyric (and alternate title) "Big Ideas: Don't get any" I grouped together a collection of old redundant hardware, and placed them in a situation where they're trying their best to do something that they're not exactly designed to do, and not quite getting there." http://1o3o.tumblr.com/

Shoreditch wants to meet you

This is what i finished and printed last monday for the crit on tuesday. It went pretty well, only that i should try to change the main type to a gill related one and try it out on letterpress. For the "Live East London like a local brief", my idea was to promote the idea adopting language used in personal/lonely hearts adverts. I had three variations on copy, with each focusing on area around Columbia Road Market as i think this is the most fascinating part of Shoreditch; one for the area of Shoreditch as a whole, one focusing on the flower market and one for the venue ' The Flea Pit'. Most applicable to print, as most things i do: posters/ billboards/ flyers/teaser 'business cards'.

(these are the examples when modified)

i hate dogs

i feel a bit uncomfortable and at a bit of a loss. and increasingly nervous in case i get nearly attached by that twat of a dog. so this is what it has come to? great. and i could so nearly have got my mac today. what. the. fuck. what's a brother got to do? safe to say im in one of my moods again. Im listening to the Walkmen which although lovely, isn't really helping.

Mr Bingo

Line drawings for 'tiny acts of rebellion'. I will get this book! This one's my favourite. His hair portraits are beautiful as well(including one for the mighty boosh, obviously). Best new find.

I also found this interview with him which is lovely: http://matandme.net/mr-bingo-new-age-illustrator

Cover Versions

While trawling through numerous websites to find inspiration for this seemingly neverending project i stumbled across these INCREDIBLE 'cover versions' of classic albums if they Pelican books in the 1960's by Littlepixel. They look so authentic and beaten up, and are simply delightful. The Strokes, Hup and Au Revoir Simone's are also favourites. Have a gander at Littlepixel's flickr:

www.flickr.com/photos/littlepixel/sets/72157594269138651

Department of eagles

i really really like Department of Eagles; Daniel Rossen from Grizzly Bear's side project in case you thought they sounded a bit familiar. Delightful cover of Elvis. I feel really ill.

My Ideal Man...

"I could probably conform to your standards.
Naw. I like eating mayonnaise and peanut butter sandwiches in the rain, watching Barney Miller reruns, peeing on birds in the park and licking strangers on the subway; you eat beets raw, have climbed Kilimanjaro, and sweat freely and often. Must wear size five shoes."

A month later than planned....

I finished my Shoreditch identity project! I used photoshop fully for the first time from thurdasy to tuesday last week.

It was HORRIBLE. i was even reliving everything in my sleep for a whole week: zooming in and out, changing the background colour, shifting slightly left, slightly right. I now know why i like doing things by hand.... It was, however, very satisfying learning something and then forcing myself to use it. i can use photoshop! hurrahhhhh.

These are three posters, not too sure how i feel about them although the SHOREDITCH type one is my favourite. The book though. What a beast. I'm really happy with how it came out though. phew. over and out.

i woke up

with the imprint of my ear on my arm

New Finds

After perusing the internet for pretty much the whole of yesterday i found some lovely little titbits.

I want to live in Rennies Seaside Modern or buy up everything with pretend money to have in my pretend house. i would happily live amongst the delightful postcards and silken scarves and every single one of the old books. James Brown's Linoprints would also do VERY nicely. The one above is my favourite, taken from his website.

Seb Lester is another absolute favourite. Some of his calligraphy stuff reminds me of Letman. Tits, Arse and Keep it Simple are my faves. Pictures all from his website.

i heart

Potential starting point for new project...due monday. Brilliant. Quite excited though.

(picture from http://a-hole-in-the-head.blogspot.com/2007/07/something-for-males.html)

How nice is this?

I've been listening to it on spotify for the past few weeks now but this is the first time i've seen the video. the spinning tops! magic.

After freaking out a bit about the industry report, i put myself to work last night and this morning and sent out emails to 5 practitioners with my first response a couple of hours ago! what a nice man.

Obscure Shoreditch

first post of work for a while. this is for a identity project for one of the stations on the soon to be opened east london line. my concept was based around the obscure stories throughout history on my chosen station, shoreditch; the 207 year old man, links between shoreditch church, shakespeare and the nursery rhyme 'oranges and lemons' and the fake/black market trade (focusing on watches). i like the photo but im a bit sick of this project to be honest. 5 weeks is a long time. hopefully a couple of days of not looking at it while allow me to look at it with fresh eyes allowing me to do something halfway decent with it.

i need to snap out of this yo. over and out.

Bande a Part

I like how loudly they clap.

The Sky Always Looks So Nice From My Window

hello

spotify. out of the blue, and it feels magnificent. as if i needed another distraction. no complaints though!

Doubtful

Like a mother a few days before childbirth (one would imagine). I'm feeling a bit disheartened and wondering if this is the right thing. Plough on through i guess.

(my snaggle tooth is SO annoying. i can feel it in my sleep and slowly slowly im getting a bit obsessed by it. maybe its a hint to my conscious that i should do some fucking work.)

Brum Brum

Our neighbour had a visitor with a Fiat 500 and, feeling like a bit of a creepo, i took a picture of it. If i could muster up the energy to learn to drive/had a spare £6000 + lying around i would snap one up in a heartbeat.

It reminds me of a green car i had for my polly pocket when i was tiny. That's what i'm talking about.

Childhood Flashback...but a bit better