davidthedesigner

this made me smile #164

When I'm sat behind this screen and my mind begins to wander, and I start wondering quite what it is I should be doing, I just glance out of the window - and there it is...

...a prompt from the wings, as it were.

actually, i didn't say that

Talking of cars, I was pleased to see the Renault ZE launch that I went to featured in an 'advertorial' in last Saturday's Guardian Weekend. I must admit that I never usually read advertorials, but I made an exception for this one. And, oh, what a surprise - there's me quoted in the text:

Now excuse me for splitting hairs, but the thing is I never spoke to anyone from The Guardian. And I certainly never told anyone that my next car will definitely be an EV. For it definitely won't be. Not because I don't think that this - or something very like this - is going to be the future of motoring, nor because I'm wedded to the notion of being a confirmed petrol head. But because I can't rely on a car that only has a range of 100 miles on a full charge, with no assurance that I could find a charging point within a 25-mile radius. My driving needs simply don't fit into a pattern that electric power can currently cater for. When that changes - as it undoubtedly will - I'll be in the queue.

That's a bit naughty of The Guardian, though, don't you think? Or am I biting the hand that feeds? - after all, I was there at their invitation.

car clash

Parking by the colour-blind.

this made me smile #163

Poster by Karl Gerstner (found via MOMA).

By the way, I used to own one of those Braun razors (the one you can see halfway down here, but in black). It looked great (thanks to DR), but the thing fell apart after a week's use.

this made me cross-eyed #3

Rotating rays from Professor Akiyoshi Kitaoka.

this made me cross-eyed #2

Anterior median and anterior lateral eyes of a phidippus princeps jumping spider, by Thomas Shahan.

this made me cross-eyed #1

Paintings by Casey Weldon (via central repository, via things magazine).

the drawbacks of being a designer #3

After my silent wiz around the streets of London on Saturday I wandered along the riverside for a peek at the Design Museum. Now first of all I have a confession to make, which shocks me just as much as it will probably shock you: this was my first ever visit to the Design Museum. It's not that I've been trying to avoid it - it's just that it's in a part of London that's a bit off the beaten track for me. And that's been a big mistake on my part, really. Still, things will be a little easier in that respect once it moves to its new home up west.

I'd specifically wanted to catch the Wim Crouwel exhibition before it closed - so I managed to do that by the skin of my teeth. And I'll give you a rundown on that another day. Meantime I'm going to tell you about another little display in the foyer there: the work of some of the high achievers in the International Society of Typographic Designer's Student Assessment Scheme. It's easy to overlook, but well worth stopping for. But this is a tale of why it sometimes doesn't help to be a graphic designer: because when we look at anything related to typography we never simply take things at face value. And such is the case with this excellently-presented proposal from Jun Kwon: a wayfinding system for cyclists in central London.

Because I looked at this and all I can think is that there isn't a road junction in London where you would carry straight on in a northerly direction to get to Holborn, turn left to get to Picadilly Circus, and take a north easterly turn to reach Covent Garden. Or are you going to prove me wrong?

You see, that's just one of the drawbacks over being a designer: thinking too much about what you see in front of you.

That aside, though, you can read more about Jun's Cycling Cities project over on his web site.

this made me smile #162

Venus Bar espresso machine from Victoria Arduino.

Want. One.

(via iainclaridge.net)

this made me smile #161

Balloon art by Larry Moss (via The Whistling Duck).

A Jeff Koons pastiche would be even funnier, mind.