Visions of the future

A few weeks back, I visited the Royal Academy of Arts to look at the latest Anish Kapoor exhibition, but thats not the reason for this blog.

http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/anish-kapoor/

In fact its because of a much smaller and more intriguing exhibition that I'm posting this blog. Entitled Paper City: Urban Utopias,  it posed the question as to how we see the future of our cities, inviting individuals to illustrate their ideas and enter them into a competition.

After taking a look around the various ideas posted up on the walls I saw this as an opportunity to maybe give it a go.

Using my own illustrative style, I saw this as a pretty open brief and decided to run with a particular vision which as its title suggests (Daydream believer) to illustrate an idea which in its cartoon style depicts a futuristic city in the clouds.

http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/architecture-on-the-ramp/paper-city-urban-utopias,290,RAL.html

I hold no hope that will win but felt inspired by what I saw in the exhibition and compelled to send in an entry and see what happens.

When it works, it works.....

Whilst on my way to work I literally stumbled across the stenciled message below.

Simple and clear....whether this is part of a set, I don't know and quite frankly don't care.

All i found myself doing was agreeing with the statement and moving on...possibly on Monday I will take a look around to the messages setting, maybe not.

Until the next occasion....

Some secrets aren't worth telling...

I consider myself of average intelligence and that's probably why I have never seen the point in mental tests to measure your sense of intelligence.

Showing no interest in my view is the first step to hiding ones genius, in choosing to separate yourself from those who consider such games as a necessary means to place yourself in the society we live in.

With this in mind, my curiosity got the better of me and I couldn't help but sit down for five minutes and ponder the questions being asked...

There is definitely something to be said for seeing the answer but quite frankly it only shows me I might have a wider vocabulary than most.

Reading between the lines, I'm glad to have some intelligence, at least enough to get me through my day and occasionally help others through theirs.

Rest assured I'll be reading a book on the way home and staying away from the sudoku crazed travelers on the tube.

Until the next time....

I HEART SIMPLE DESIGN SOLUTIONS

No this isn't an advert for creative review or even a sign of admiration for the publication but a printed napkin for coffee republic.

This took me be surprise as I thought they had gone bust and after a little research that maybe the case.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/leisure/article6657881.ece

or not

http://www.coffeerepublic.co.uk/uk-bar-locations.php

As a designer (a term I broadly use) I saw this whilst out for dinner and immediately made the association to the publication mentioned above.

I obviously made the association as I on occasion read creative review and would do naturally.

This aside my point is that as a designer, one thing I have learnt if anything is simplicity works, if executed in the right way.

The example below, although visually strong in my opinion doesn't do its job in connecting to its audience and is lost in translation.

Now if you'll excuse me I'm in need of a caffeine hit but I'm not sure where to go....

Until the next occasion....

Design for life

For those like me who have in interest in the evolution of design and its effect on way we live our lives as consumers and the trend of popular culture, it was welcome surprise to see a single page in today's metro dedicated such a subject.

Despite being only a page it definitely made a change from the rest of headline news and more importantly the disposable rubbish that seem to fill the pages, which simply add the to early morning conservation before work.

I'll be making an effort to see how these 'Behind The Ideas' articles pan out to see if the D&AD have sold out or making an effort to reach the masses.

Until the next occasion...