Interactive Design Institute

Adobe Design Awards

2012-02-28T09:10:00.000Z

Interactive Design Institute graduate Lisa Winstanley has been selected to compete in the semi final of the worldwide competition, the Adobe Design Awards 2012. Having recently graduated with a first class honours degree in Graphic Design, Lisa is one of only 200 entrants to reach this stage of the competition.

Lisa is quick to acknowledge that she owes much of her success to the flexibility offered by online study:

“Until August 2010 I lived and worked in the UK, where I had previously gained a National Diploma and Higher National Diploma in Graphic design and worked as a graphic designer for around 14 years, 5 of which were at senior level.

In July 2010 my husband and I chose to move to Kuwait to be with his family. I realised that most job vacancies here, especially in the creative industries, expect a degree qualification as a standard requirement.

I managed to secure a job teaching English as a second language, but I'm a creative at heart and passionate about design! So one of the reasons I chose to complete my degree was to keep my creativity alive and also to help open a few doors in the Middle East.

I discovered IDI during an internet search for distance learning providers. There are many distance learning options available but few cater for the creative industries. The IDI courses provide really flexible study options which mean I can continue with my day job as a teacher, work on my freelance design, keep to my family commitments and still find some time to study. Admittedly my schedule is a little hectic at times!

Studying online gives me the freedom to choose when I want to study and where. The modules I have completed so far have all been very stimulating, everything is explained well and there are clear tasks, objectives and activities enabling me to manage my time and plan my schedule effectively”.

One of the pieces Lisa submitted for the Adobe Awards was prepared for her negotiated projects module in her final year with IDI, it featured the BME British Music Experience logo. Lisa had to contact them to see if she can use the logo in her competition entry, they were delighted to oblige and offered her a complementary membership for the next 12 months.

This link will take you to a video Lisa prepared for IDI, showing her at work in Kuwait:

http://youtu.be/yCZfIkYAyIo

Of course Lisa has her fingers crossed and hopes to do well in the Adobe Design Awards, but she is equally ambitious in her career goals:

“I want to start my own design agency in Kuwait and I'm even considering continuing my education to enable me to teach Graphic Design at higher education level.”

We all wish her well.

Webs we weave.

2012-02-21T09:02:00.000Z

In our endless quest to bring you news of the great, the good and the downright interesting, please have a look at the work of Canadian artist, Robert Davidovitz who creates paintings by combining painting, sculpture and sewing in a process described as “woven painting”. Davidovitz uses non traditional media such as extruded material paint which, once dried, he uses as if it were thread, weaving complex textiles out of pure pigment.

You can view Davidovitz’ work by following this link:

http://robertdavidovitz.com/

In the Dog House

2012-02-20T08:58:00.000Z

Use the link below to access a wonderful story about a 12 year old American boy writing to Frank Lloyd Wright in 1956 and asking him to design a dog house for his pet. Given Lloyd Wright's reputation as a grumpy old man, the result is heartwarming.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/j-michael-welton/a-dog-house-by-frank-lloyd-wright_b_1277187.html?

Street art; the world in pictures

2012-02-14T12:54:00.000Z

Take a minute to type this url into your browser and marvel at the work of these street artists:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2011/nov/17/3d-street-art-in-pictures#/?picture=381979547&index=0

Get on your bike ...

2012-02-13T16:38:00.000Z

... and get along to Brunel's Old Station in Bristol between the 23rd and 25th of March, for "Bespoke Bristol", a handmade bicycle show featuring work from such luminaries in the field as Mercian and Condor from the UK, Cinelli from Italy and Crisp and Independent Fabrication from the US.A. The event also boasts custom framebuilders who will be available to create your very own bespoke frame from a choice of materials including steel, carbon fibre, wood, titanium and bamboo.

Instant Revolution

2012-02-07T13:12:00.002Z

Following the trend for all things retro, Polaroid and Impossible will be staging the first in a series of collaborations celebrating the launch of the Polaroid Classic line. The premise is interesting; it features images captured on the final, original Polaroid Spectra film production run from 2008 and explores the relationship analogue photographers have had with instant film over the last 60 years. Entitled, “Instant Revolution” the event opens at the Impossible Project Space in New York City on February 9^th and runs through until March 23^rd.

The Other Cinema

2012-02-06T11:03:00.002Z

I was intrigued by news that ardent film goers are being encouraged to indulge their enthusiasm by attending screenings at a global network of “pop up” cinemas including such non traditional settings as oil rigs, libraries and churches. Intended to “bring back a sense of community, passion and a social experience to cinema going” organisers of “The Other Cinema” are planning monthly screenings starting with “Brief Encounter” on February 14^th which will be shown simultaneously in venues across the UK and internationally. Participants will be expected to dress appropriately; black tie of course.

IDI on the BBC

2012-02-01T12:19:00.000Z

If you have a spare couple of minutes, use the url below to listen to IDI's own Fiona Crosbie discussing the advantages of studying online:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b01bb8wt

Stuff you can’t make up.

2012-01-30T11:25:00.000Z

Just had this pointed out to me … Daniel Rapley, artist, has devoted 18 months of his life to copying the King James Bible by hand. Using a ball point pen and standard note paper, Rapely has recorded it all; 66 books, 1,189 chapters, 31,102 verses, 783,137 words.

UCAS Stats.

2012-01-30T10:52:00.002Z

According to today’s “Guardian”, the latest figures from UCAS will show a 10% drop in the number of UK students applying to start university courses in 2012. This, according to Professor David Green vice chancellor of the University of Worchester, is the steepest fall for 30 years. Professor Green’s prediction is predicated on his theory that by summer 2012, there will be 70,000 fewer applications by UK based students – the biggest fall in the proportion of UK students since the 1970’s. He also stated that about 140,000 students would be rejected by universities due to their numbers being capped; last year this amounted to one in three applicants being rejected. Although there are a number of reasons for this drop in applications, Green quoted the rise in tuition fees as a possible deterrent, and some students mistakenly believing that these were payable upfront.

IDI on BBC Radio.

2012-01-26T13:22:00.002Z

One of our directors, Fiona Crosbie will be on Radio Scotland’s Culture Café on Tuesday 31^st Jan at 13.00.

Fiona has been invited to talk about the importance of good design, the Interactive Design Institute and our courses.

The programme opens with Ed Hollis, Head of Interior Design at Edinburgh College of Art speaking to Richard Murphy who was recently awarded a grant to restore St Peter’s Seminary in Cardross. This will link to a discussion about the life and legacy of Isy Metzstein, Scottish Architect, recently deceased.

This will be followed by Fiona talking about the importance of design, why the UK has such a good reputation for design, and why UK design should be celebrated – this is in connection with the Design Museum London’s relocation to a brand new building.

Fiona will identify the UK’s unique approach to design education as being the reason why UK designers are sought after and why UK design has such a strong reputation worldwide. She will also present her impression of how design is taught in China, Russia, Hungary and other countries throught the world.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01bb8wt

Renault looks to students for car design competition

2012-01-23T10:47:00.000Z

Renault has launched a student graphics competition to design a paint job for its new two seater, "Twizy" - and offered to pay the winner’s tuition fees for a year.

Open to college and university students around the UK, entrants can download templates to submit designs of three views of the car.

The zero-emission Twizy will launch in the UK ‘in coming months’ Renault says and comes with three trim levels.

For those wishing to hedge their bets, there is ‘no limit to the amount of times you can enter,’ according to the entry site, which also states, ‘There are no restrictions on the university you study at.’

The car will visit University College London on 13 February, Birmingham City University on 14 February, Manchester Metropolitan University on 16 February and the University of Glasgow on 17 February.

Entrants can visit www.designatwizy.co.uk to download a template and must submit designs by 20 February. One runner up will receive a weekend for two in Paris, and the third prize is a £250 voucher for French Connection.

A Renault-appointed judging panel will select a shortlist of ten, put to a public Facebook vote, before winners are announced on 16 April 2012.

Good luck.

Kodak

2012-01-20T11:24:00.000Z

In a week dominated by news of photography giant Kodak’s imminent bankruptcy, The Sunday Times Magazine’s free 50^th Anniversary Exhibition will take place from 31 January – 19 February at the Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York’s HQ, Kings Road, London, SW3. Exhibits include work by Don McCullin, David Bailey, Sam Taylor Wood and the recently deceased Eve Arden. Try to visit; this was after all, the golden age of photography and the exhibition reflects the industry’s moving from analogue to digital.

But Kodak’s passing is more than just the sad tale of yet another big firm paying the price for not moving quickly enough in a rapidly evolving technological industry. For many, many years the name Kodak was synonymous with photographic innovation. Kodak pioneered film as we know it, the interchangeable film cartridge and the Box Brownie camera, bringing photography within the grasp of a mass market for the first time.

George Eastman, Kodak’s founder, supplied the camera and all the consumables the customer would need for decades and by the 1970’s Kodak had captured more than 80% of the American market. Interestingly, Eastman devised the strategy of selling the company’s cameras at a loss relying on the lucrative film and film processing/printing markets to generate income.

However, this model floundered and failed as increasingly, camera enthusiasts went digital.

Although photography is a billion dollar industry today, Kodak has failed to capture enough of the camera manufacture, software development or printing service provision market to remain a viable business.

Without Kodak and the pioneering work of George Eastman, it is hard to imagine how much of our visual history over the past hundred plus years would have gone unrecorded. Indeed, much of the family histories millions of people retain in albums and shoe boxes the world over owe their existence to George Eastman’s vision.

A sad day indeed.

But is it Art?

2012-01-19T15:00:00.002Z

The Bradford lad has done it again. Fresh from questioning the authenticity of works of art produced by teams of employees labouring in the studios of the great and good, David Hockney’s latest exhibition, “A Bigger Picture” (mentioned here recently) offers up 150 Yorkshire landscapes, many of which are prints, blown up using an iPad “app”. Controversy, and therefore, publicity guaranteed. But why? Hockney has been using technology to create his works of art for years; remember the Polaroid collages of the 1980’s? This is merely an extension of earlier experimentation. With the iPad, images can be enlarged up to three metres in size – without loss of colour or pixilation occurring. Marco Livingstone, curator of the current Hockney exhibition, assures us that only one print of each picture exists but does not rule out the possibility of creating more in the future. Could this mean that a Hockney exhibition is coming to a gallery near you … soon? The same exhibition that is appearing in towns and cities all over the world? Watch this space.

Coming to a street near you.

2012-01-16T13:39:00.001Z

When your sole means of distribution is through a number of street vendors, your magazine has got to be visually arresting.

Consequently, for the first time in its 20 year history, “The Big Issue” has opted for “the most dramatic overall” according to its UK boss, editor Paul McNamee: ‘Consumers are not going to stand and flick through the magazine and we aren’t seen in supermarket lighting so the bright red and stark yellow of our first cover is good for this time of year”.

The cover is certainly bold. The restricted colour scheme lends the image the gravitas and authority of an iconic poster. This is intended to reflect the shift towards a heavier, more in depth political content.

Eve Arnold : an appreciation.

2012-01-10T10:37:00.000Z

Just heard that Eve Arnold the celebrated American photojournalist died last week in London.

A renowned photographer who worked for the Magnum Photo Agency, Picture Post, Time and Life, Arnold began her career in the 1940’s after taking a six week course in photography at the New School for Social Research in New York.

She went on to photograph a range of subjects from migrant workers, Cuban fishermen and Afghan tribesmen to the celebrities of her day including Jacqui Kennedy, Malcolm X and Margaret Thatcher. However, she will be most remembered for her book “Marilyn Munroe: An Appreciation” which captured the vulnerable side of the glamorous actress.

Eve Arnold settled in London in the 1960s, where she worked for the Sunday Times Magazine and other publications. In the 1970s she became one of the first American photographers to work in China.
Arnold’s work was exhibited at Britain's National Portrait Gallery and was the subject of a retrospective show at the Barbican in London in 1996.

Arnold was a fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and in 1995 was named Master Photographer by New York's International Centre of Photography.

In 2003 she was given an OBE for services to photography, and in 2009 received a lifetime achievement prize from the Sony World Photography Awards.

Another design classic.

2012-01-09T13:24:00.000Z

Like so many design classics, we take them for granted. But the ubiquitous road signs that warn and inform us every time we take to the highways and byways of Britain have achieved a new status with the inclusion of one of their number in The Design Museum’s collection.

Prior to the 1960’s British roads boasted an impressive if confusing array of signage in a variety of colours, symbols and lettering. Although potentially dangerous, the signs themselves drew little reaction from the authorities until the number of cars on our roads began to increase dramatically. The advent of the motorway and the age of the car forced a radical rethinking of how the motorist was to be informed while travelling.

Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert were charged with bringing about this standardisation. The pair were responsible for devising two new typefaces; “Motorway” and “Transport”, as well as introducing the use of pictograms instead of words.

Their designs have undoubtedly changed the face of the British landscape and have influenced road signage throughout the world.

Do as I say, not as I do.

2012-01-04T11:37:00.000Z

Interesting one this.

David Hockney; he of “A Bigger Splash” and numerous photographic collages, has used a Radio Times interview to criticise the practice of artists who use assistants as part of their creative process. It doesn’t take a great stretch of the imagination to assume that he is referring to Damien Hirst’s legion of 100+ subordinates who work on the production lines that produce such works as the spot paintings.

"I sit in a chair and watch, while they do the work," he said in a Time Out interview of 2006.

Quite.

But this is hardly news. From time immemorial artists have been known to use assistants, more commonly referred to as apprentices, to help with the completion of their work. Michelangelo, Rubens and Rembrandt are prime examples. That is why we have vaguely recognisable but essentially unattributable works classed as belonging to “the school of”.

More recently artists such as Jeff Koons and Andy Warhol have made no secret of their “process”.

But then Hockney has an exhibition to promote; “David Hockney: A Bigger Picture” and he is doing so with a poster which proclaims:

"All the works here were made by the artist himself, personally".

You can catch it at The Royal Academy later this month.

Arise, Sir Jonathan

2012-01-03T15:04:00.000Z

Everyone at IDI is delighted with the news that Jonathan Ive, the senior vice president of industrial design at Apple, has been awarded a knighthood in the New Year’s Honours list and we extend our best wishes to him for 2012.

Richard Hamilton

2011-12-21T10:48:00.000Z

I’m sure that like me you were sadden to hear of the death of one of the UK’s most prestigious artists last September, Richard Hamilton. Many of Hamilton’s works have become icons of Britain’s pop culture. In celebration of his life, The National Portrait Gallery in London is hosting an exhibition of portraits and photographs of Hamilton and contributors include Francis Bacon, David Hockney and Lord Snowden.

iPad... New App.

2011-12-20T11:19:00.002Z

Just heard that The British Journal of Photography has launched an iPad app. – a major step for the world’s longest running photography magazine. Along with stunning imagery, the app. is intended to bring the magazine’s usual in-depth analysis of the latest trends in visual technology to your iPad. I’d be interested to hear from anyone who intends to use their live news, article sharing and social media facilities.

Do they know its Christmas?

2011-12-19T11:11:00.001Z

In the run up to Christmas a number of design companies have taken to posting a variety of inventive, quirky and downright brilliant videos giving their take on the season of goodwill to all customers and potential clients. One of my favourites can be accessed through this url:

http://www.designbymusic.com/christmas/merry/index.html

Cheeky without being too cynical and just a bit naughty.

Interactive Design Institute student wins national competition.

2011-12-16T11:40:00.001Z

Lucas Kuta, one of our students, has just won a prestigious national design competition. You can read about his achievement by following this link:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/product-design/award/prweb9041854.htm

An angel with a hangover ….

2011-12-14T14:59:00.000Z

Tracey Emin has been appointed Professor of Drawing at the Royal Academy. Fellow appointees include Fiona Rae as Professor of Painting and Richard Wilson as Professor of Sculpture. I suspect the media will be full of comment and criticism as Ms Emin’s suitability for the role is discussed and dissected. However, I have little doubt that her tendency to attract publicity will do much to raise the Academy’s profile over the period of her tenure.

Secret worth sharing ….

2011-12-14T12:40:00.000Z

Surely “Secret Cinema” is about as close to a complete theatrical experience as is available anywhere on the planet. Creative director Fabien Rigall’s premise is deceptively simple; he places the screening of a classic film at the end of an interactive experience for his audience that involves theatrical sets and characters, musical theatre and live performance. The very fabric of the location, the building he uses, is transformed into experiential zones each designed to provide a different strand of a narrative defined by the audience through a series of choices.

Available in London until January 22^nd 2012

How the years have flown….

2011-12-12T14:36:00.004Z

Never thought I’d see the day when a book covering the golden age of the New Romantics would become a good choice when faced with the prospect of buying a Christmas present for middle aged men & women everywhere.

But “We Can Be Heroes” by Graham Smith (photography & interviews) & Chris Sullivan (text) is just that. A glorious mixture of photography and text by the pair captures of essence of clubbing in early ‘80’s London as the flamboyant backlash to the austerity of ‘70’s Punk flourished. By his own admission, Smith is not and never considered himself a professional photographer but his images are a vivid and valuable social record of a specific period in our history.

Smith stopped taking photographs in 1984.

Faking it.

2011-12-08T09:30:00.000Z

According to the latest research conducted by Professor Martin Kemp of Oxford University, those of us who view a painting we believe to be genuine experience different emotions to those we feel when informed an artwork is a fake.

Apparently this demonstrates that our response is not rational; it is firmly linked to the accompanying information we receive as opposed to an entirely objective judgement. Therefore, the professor concludes, any pleasure the viewer derives from the viewing of artworks is influenced by what he or she is told about the piece.

Additionally, viewers will respond differently to a work that has been attributed to an acknowledged master when it is presented alongside a similar work by an unknown artist.
Is anyone else reminded of the tale of the king’s new clothes?

“I think it is good that books still exist, but they do make me sleepy”. Frank Zappa (1940 - 1993)

2011-12-07T09:30:00.001Z

According to the National Literary Trust, almost four million children in the UK - about 33% - do not own a book. The charity’s conclusions are drawn from a survey of 18,000 children aged between 11 and 16 years and represent a decrease in book ownership from 90% in 2005 to 66% amongst the group.

And before any technocrats out there respond with statistics showing that children are more likely to be reading from computer screens, Jonathan Douglas, director of the National Literary Trust, tells us that this is not the case; children are increasingly relying on films and images for their information according to the charity’s findings. It would appear that the phenomenal success of J.K. Rowling has done little to avert this trend.

Design Council Forum.

2011-12-06T09:37:00.000Z

During a meeting of nigh on one hundred of the UK’s leading lights from the fields of education, business, design and industry at the Design Council Forum, a mere 54.2% supported the motion that the government should have a design strategy.

However, encouragingly 75% of attendees did agree that the UK does need an integrated design vision first and the consensus was that any strategy should be ‘joined up across all Government departments, be actionable specific, and encompass government procurement as well as other levers outside government for delivering the vision’ according to the Design Council.

Watch this space for developments.

University Fee Changes

2011-12-02T13:36:00.002Z

The Office for Fair Access (Offa) has reported that to date, approximately 20% of universities in England have had plans to amend their fee packages approved; 25 will use increased fees to expand, 11 have opted to reduce fees.

Another story of Student Achievement

2011-11-29T16:23:00.001Z

We would like to pass on our congratulations to Lukasz Kuta who has been announced as the winner of the Hadyen Technology D.I.C.E competition.

The competition was for a student to design the plastic enclosure and then the packaging for a consumer electronics device. Lukasz will now have his design manufactured on a large scale when D.I.C.E. launches their service into the UK and European markets in the New Year.

The competition was open to several London Universities and the winner was announced on Friday. Lukasz is delighted and is looking forward to the product launch early next year.

Here are the winning designs

2011-11-29T16:17:00.000Z

For the first time, the UK’s leading provider of online qualifications in Design, The Interactive Design Institute will be exhibiting at the UCAS “Design Your Future” event.

Why not take this opportunity to meet with and discuss your requirements with representatives from the institute and learn more about the study prospects available.

December 2011 - UCAS Design Your Future

Location: National Hall Olympia, London; Stand 32

Starts: Tue 06 Dec 2011 Ends: Wed 07 Dec 2011

For more information visit the UCAS events page

No more heroes

2011-11-28T17:00:00.000Z

Sometimes I feel that articles and incidents I come across in the media contain the seeds of their own destruction and therefore need no further comment from me. An example of this can be found in today’s Telegraph where Dr John Schofield of the Department of Archaeology at the University of York has suggested that graffiti found in an upper room in Demark Street, London and thought to be the work of one, Johnny Rotten is of major historic significance.

It is further suggested that the 8 cartoons should be considered in the same vein as the cave paintings in Lascaux and of greater cultural significance than the discovery of early recording by The Beatles; “a direct and powerful representation of a radical and dramatic movement of rebellion”.
Dr Schofield concludes that the site is both historically and archaeologically important and therefore should be designated a heritage site, complete with a blue plaque on the grounds that the site is “anti-heritage”. Eh?

For those interested in finding out what the whole Punk movement was about or just revisiting the past, get your safety pins out and pop along to the Signal Gallery, 32 Paul Street, London where Gaye Black is curating an exhibition of Punk art dedicated to the late Poly Styrene entitled “Punk & Beyond”.

Golden Eye

2011-11-24T09:36:00.001Z

I must admit that in these digital times, I find it refreshing that those champions of the analogue film format Lomography have reinforced their position by launching yet another series of cameras, the Diana F, Diana Mini and Fisheye 2, this time in gold. For those unfamiliar with this lot, I suggest a visit to their website at: http://www.lomography.com/

New viewers should prepare to be dazzled. Not only by the colour of these camera but by the breadth and depth of this company’s philosophy. Their customers make a lifestyle choice; users buy into the ethos of the company and become part of a global network that takes pictures, exhibits them and supports international aid organisation, “Light for the World”.

The quality and range of photographs is pretty interesting too.

Eggs is eggs…

2011-11-23T14:18:00.000Z

The darling of the BBC’s “Antiques Roadshow”, Faberge, has opened a new store in Grafton Street, London; the first since 1915 -with plans to open another in New York next year.

The family firm is probably most famous for the jewelled eggs made by the House of Faberge between 1885 and 1917, specifically the large versions produced for Alexander III and Nicholas II of Russia.

Cutting Corners

2011-11-21T15:31:00.002Z

According to The Sunday Times, universities in the UK have discontinued 5,000 degree courses because of government cuts in funding and the increase in tuition fees. This report follows claims made in a study by the group S.P.A. (Supporting Professionalism in Admissions) who claim that this figure amounts to a 12%drop in the number of courses that will be offered in 2012 when compared to 2011.

The Sunday Times report claims that this decline is directly related to tuition fee increases as universities compete for students willing –or indeed able – to pay the maximum fee level of £9,000 per annum; courses considered economically unviable will simply disappear.

For the student who has opted to remain at home during their studies to save money to find out that their course has now been cut is a disgrace. For the student who has graduated from a university who no longer considers that course worthy is a tragedy.

Student of the Month

2011-11-21T12:18:00.000Z

Lisa Winstanley

Lisa is currently living in Kuwait in the Middle East. She is currently studying for her BA Hons degree in Graphic Design along with teaching English as a foreign language.

Lisa has previously studied a BTEC National Diploma and Higher National Diploma in Graphic Design. She also had over twelve years experience working within the design and print industry.

For the past six years Lisa worked as a senior designer for a busy agency, based in Southport, Northwest England. One of Lisa’s major clients was Vimto Soft Drinks including Vimto International, with whom she had worked with for the past 5 years on many packaging, point of sale and corporate branding projects. She has also worked with Slazenger Sports, launching their new sports drinks range, which won a 2008 PENT packaging design award.

With the previous qualifications and extensive industry experience has allowed Lisa to enter at level 6 of the programme only having one year to study to obtain her full degree.

If you have similar circumstances to Lisa and would like to formalise your qualifications contact our admissions team and they can advise you on your application.

To view more of Lisa's work click through to the gallery

Cat’s Eyes.

2011-11-18T10:34:00.000Z

Following on from our recent post about the Science Museum’s exhibition entitled, “Hidden Heroes; the Genius of Everyday Things”, there has been a flurry of activity in the media from those keen to identify and share their personal favourite everyday object.

You’ll recall we mentioned such diverse gems as the light bulb and the paperclip. The most recent have extolled the virtues of the UK’s three point plug, the juicer and of course … the Cat’s Eye; the reflective road safety device devised by Percy Shaw and introduced in the UK in 1933.

There are various versions of the story behind Shaw’s invention. However the most believable appears to be that he only realised that he had been using the reflections from tramlines to navigate in difficult conditions once they had been removed from roads near his home. He subsequently incorporated a reflective lens which had been developed by Richard Hollins Murray six years earlier into a durable rubber housing and the Cat’s Eye was born.

We’d love to hear about any designed object you consider should join this esteemed group.

America

2011-11-15T14:34:00.001Z

Although there appears to have been few official attempts to commemorate it, this year marked the 150th anniversary of the beginning of The American Civil War. Perhaps we, in the UK, have simply been unaware of any remembrance events but I would have thought Americans would have been keen to mark this bloody period but formative period in their history.

I suspect that the issues involved still resonate for many Americans. This was the first of the many wars that were to take place during the modern, industrial age. Mass produced weapons and the concept of “total war” resulted in the most costly war in American history with 620,000 soldiers from both sides being killed, the number of civilian casualties have proved to difficult to enumerate. With the introduction of trench based warfare and the machine gun, The American Civil War provided much of the blue print for the First World War in Europe. More positively, victory for the Union meant the abolition of slavery in the U.S. and the start of the Reconstruction era that shaped the social, political and economic future of America.

With vision of a fractured America in mind, I was fascinated by an article entitled:
“Five hidden messages in the American flag” by Megan Lane published in the BBC News Magazine.

Apparently, until as recently as 1912, there was no set design for the American flag, the Stars and Stripes. Consequently, hidden in older versions of the flag, keen eyed observers can detect aspects of America’s struggle to define its identity. As each faction tried to exert their influence over the population by imbuing the Stars and Stripes with their own bias, the design of the flag became open to interpretation.
And this according to the ever insightful Andrew Graham-Dixon makes the flag and art object; unique among other national symbols.

You can read more about this subject in Megan Lane’s article at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15634606

‘Tis the season…”

2011-11-14T12:09:00.000Z

Those of you who have not yet succumbed to the contemporary practice of sending out of “e-cards” will welcome the issuing of the latest batch of Christmas stamps this week.

“Together” the boutique graphic design studio known for working with retail, arts and not-for-profit clients has designed this year’s offering in collaboration with the Royal Mail in-house design team. Using the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible as his inspiration, artist Peter Malone has produced a total of seven stamps depicting Mary and Joseph, Jesus and the archangel Gabriel in addition to scenes from the Nativity derived from the gospels of Matthew and Luke.

Last year’s stamps featured Aardman’s Wallace and Gromit in a series of festive scenes.

Image supplied by Design week http://www.designweek.co.uk

Interesting Link

2011-11-10T09:49:00.001Z

The BBC celebrates the The Genius of Everyday Things - from the coat hanger to the light bulb, things that we now take for granted

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15647633

Quick CS5 Photoshop annimation.

2011-11-08T10:33:00.000Z

It pays to advertise.

2011-11-08T10:10:00.000Z

Interesting exhibition opening this week at the Doyle Devere Gallery in West London if you happen to be in the area. Using drawings of her done by Kay Saatchi as a starting point, Amanda Eliasch has created a series of artworks in the form of Neon signs. Each piece depicts one of the Seven Deadly Sins; gluttony, wrath, sloth, envy, pride, greed and lust, for those of you who have forgotten.

What makes this event worthy of note is not so much the subject matter – which has been explored by everyone from Hieronymus Bosch to Bertold Brecht, Paul Cadmus to Otto Dix but the choice of medium; Neon. We associate the vivid, red/orange glow produced in the type of signage that has taken its name from this inert, noble gas with garish advertising; the gaudy and the seedy.

Of course, something similar has been done before. In a series of European exhibitions across 2006, including London’s Stephen Friedman Gallery, Kendell Geers produced a series of seven ultraviolet, neon pieces on the same subject. Does this latest venture by Eliasch add something to the whole? I await your comments.

Scary stuff….

2011-10-31T11:39:00.002Z

In keeping with the spirit of Halloween, a south London art collective known as The Vanishing Point offered an “immersive screening” of the 1960’s Hitchcock classic “ Physco” to a few brave souls last Saturday.

The event involved a recreation of Bates Motel and a number of suitably scary short films by local directors. The experiential event was a sell out; no doubt ticket sales were boosted by the promise of a free bar and half price admission for those accompanied by their mother. Brilliant.

The Cost of Education

2011-10-26T14:26:00.000+01:00

According to a survey commissioned by BBC Inside Out in the run up to the introduction of higher education tuition fees in 2012, the majority of those eligible to become students perceive the advantages of a university education as outweighing the costs.
However, the survey notes that 10% of potential university students are deterred by the prospect of higher tuition fees and 50% are considering applying to a university closer to home to offset their living costs.
Interestingly, 66% of the 1,000 + A level students in England surveyed claimed that they would consider applying for an apprenticeship.

Vindication

2011-10-25T14:21:00.001+01:00

Islington Council will be exhibiting many of the books and dust jackets defaced by playwright Joe Orton in the early 1960’s in their local history museum. Less inclined to celebrate these notorious tomes at the time, Orton and his partner Kenneth Halliwell were prosecuted by the council and subsequently jailed for the offence in 1962.
Orton went on to achieve success as a writer of plays which pilloried much of establishment Britain at the time before being murdered by Halliwell in 1968.
The exhibition heralds the publication of a book, “Malicious Damage” scheduled for December. If this isn’t an example of delicious irony, I don’t know what is.
Orton would have loved it.

Marked Increase in Design Student Numbers

2011-10-24T14:20:00.002+01:00

A new report, just published by Universities UK, notes a 25% increase in the number of students opting for the creative arts and design, substantially higher than the increase in student numbers across other disciplines.
Currently the percentage of creative arts students within the UK sits at 7% of the total student population - an increase of 0.7% from 2003/4

Pylons

2011-10-24T10:20:00.000+01:00

I have no doubt that you will recall a previous posting in which we announced the six finalists in The Department of Energy and Climate Change/National Grid’s competition to redesign the iconic British pylon.
Thought so. Well, apparently the jury, including Energy Secretary Chris Huhne, has chosen the winner. Danish engineering firm “Bystrup” has secured the £5,000 top prize although there are currently no plans to built any pylons which feature the new design, described by Mr Huhne as “grounded in reality and beautiful”.
I’m sure detractors will disagree, but as the need for pylons increases in direct proportion to the proliferation of wind, nuclear and hydroelectric plants, it looks like they might be with us for some time yet. At least, while they cost ten times less to install than underground cabling.

Photoshoplooter

2011-10-19T10:31:00.001+01:00

I’m always fascinated by the role humor plays in our understanding of the world that surrounds us, particularly when controversial issues are tackled by the authors/s. For example, a colleague has brought the following website to my attention:

http://photoshoplooter.tumblr.com/

The subject matter is obviously the recent riots in the UK. In the series of Photoshopped images, the author/s have used, among other vehicles, the 2012 Olympics as a means of re-examining these images and re-casting them as sporting or simply entertaining events.

I have no doubt that those who were physically closer to these events than I was will be less amused by these depictions of the riots, and this begs a number of questions principally, “what constitutes an acceptable subject for humour?”

For me, these images present a series of violent acts in such a way as to defuse them. Those who participated are ridiculed, essentially robbed of their ability to threaten and intimidate. However, as the audience, we are aware that these are Photoshopped images; know that the author/s are juxtaposing two or more situations for effect and that our perceptions are being manipulated.

Overall, the effect is comic and this is a mechanism humans have always used to cope with tragedy.

Analogue versus Digital

2011-10-14T10:30:00.000+01:00

An 11 minute silent film which is projected onto a huge monolith is the latest artwork to grace the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall. Artist Tacita Dean’s “Film” consists of a looped series of flickering images of giant bubbles, snails, fountains and clocks and is described as a “visual poem” and a celebration of analogue film making – it has the appearance of a film strip complete with sprocket holes.

Dean has used the exhibit to highlight her concern about the rapidly declining availability of analogue film as digital technology is increasingly seen to be the dominant force in contemporary photography.

I suspect that Ms Dean is merely drawing attention to a situation of which those who work in the medium of photography are already aware; that the majority have adopted digital technology while a minority have retained allegiance to the analogue process. The reasons for this are diverse and range from simple economic to complex artistic considerations. However, the fact remains that it would be desirable to have analogue photography remaining as an affordable option for those who choose to use this process and not simply regarded as an obsolete process. My concern is that, in these cost cutting times, the fundamentals of the analogue process may be removed from the syllabus of the photography course of the future and would kill it off much more effectively than any digital innovation.

Interesting Photoshop Tutorial Link

2011-10-06T15:48:00.000+01:00

Skin Deep

2011-10-06T15:33:00.000+01:00

Those readers fortunate enough to have access to London this week should avail themselves of the opportunity to pop along to the Art London event in Chelsea. Although billed as an exhibition of the work of modern British artists, notable inclusions are works from Graham Sutherland, Jacob Epstein, Alfred Munnings, LS Lowry and Augustus John in addition to several pieces from Asian artists; Zeng Chuanxing and MF Husian.

As any regular visitor to such events would expect, the exhibition will include examples of contemporary photography, sculpture and installation art.

More unusually, patrons will experience tattoo art courtesy of Mo Coppoletta at the Heartbreak Gallery. Coppoletta has previously collaborated with the Chapman Brothers and Damien Hirst and has practiced his art on the singer Paloma Faith. Fellow skin embellisher Emma Hack will demonstrate live body paintings at the Rebecca Hoassack Gallery. Not sure if this means that the bodies will be living or Ms Hack will perform in real time …. Turn up and see.

Warhol Exhibition

2011-10-04T09:18:00.000+01:00

Those who follow such things will no doubt have noticed that the De La Warr Pavilion located in Bexhill, East Sussex is currently hosting an exhibition entitled “Warhol is Here”, scheduled to run until 26th February 2012.
The exhibition will explore Andy Warhol’s work in the context of his beliefs, lifestyle and legacy and boasts such iconic pieces as the “Marilyn Dipych” (1962), prints from the “Campbell’s Soup“ series (1968), a group of “Brillo Boxes” (1968) and portrait paintings including “Gilbert & George “ (1975), “Joseph Beuys” (1980) and “Robert Mapplethorpe “ (1983).

Additionally, there is a companion exhibition featuring cassette tape recordings of interviews conducted with Warhol’s friends, family and collaborators compiled over an eleven year period.

This has all the hallmarks of a classic event as Warhol divides opinion on the extent of his legacy to this day. Possibly,with the exception of Picasso, no other 20th century artist has been as widely recognised as Warhol; perhaps because, like Picasso, Warhol had a gift for generating column inches. The genius, charlatan or showman debate rages on …Where do you stand?

For information on the exhibition click here

Road sign re-design

2011-09-29T13:28:00.000+01:00

The ever informative and entertaining magazine “Blueprint” challenged a number of designers and artists to redesign the British road sign on the grounds that the majority were dated and in need of revamping to give them a contemporary feel. Given the potentially dry nature of the information these signs contain, the results range from interesting to challenging, amusing to informative and can be viewed by following this link:

http://www.blueprintmagazine.co.uk/index.php/everything-else/look-again-2/

Student of the Month

2011-09-27T10:59:00.000+01:00

Tarneem is currently just finished her studies with IDI, she has just completed level 6 of the BA (Hons) Graphic Design. Tarneem will be one of the first IDI students to complete her degree fully online.

From an early age Tarneem has been interested in arts and crafts. At school, she gained a qualification in art and decided to go to college to study Multimedia Design and Production.
However, she was disappointed that the course lacked any real experience of a practical, creative nature.

After working in a corporate environment in the Middle East, Tarneem finally realised that she wanted to make a career out of design and enrolled with IDI:

‘I love the practical element of drawing and crafting and this course sounded like it would allow me the opportunity to experience this while learning more about graphic design and the design process.’

Tarneem is currently working part time at the University of Strathclyde as a secretary to the directors of the Institute of Energy and Environment. The flexibility of working part time allows her to study online with IDI.

‘IDI was the only place that offered the flexibility of keeping my current job and studying the course I wanted. I needed the financial stability of my current job as I am paying a mortgage.’

You can view the work created by all our level 6 students in our gallery.
If you are interested in the Graphic Design course or would like to apply please visit our website.

Mother Britain Campaign

2011-09-26T10:59:00.002+01:00

I’d be really interested to hear your response to the latest campaign from respected advertising agency, “Mother” for the UK government.

The campaign is an integral part of PM David Cameron’s initiative designed to promote the UK as a vibrant destination for tourists and business people. A noble intention in itself but the main component of the campaign worries me; it centres on a number of permutations based on the strap line, “Great Britain”, for example “Innovation is Great Britain” and “Creativity is Great Britain” complete with appropriately UK centric illustrative imagery.

I feel the campaign is flawed and tired, relying on hackneyed ideas and an outdated strap line. Any thoughts?
To view the sample adverts visit http://www.designweek.co.uk/mother-creates-great-britain-brand-campaign-for-uk-government/3030372.article

Online product design degree course attracting lots of interest from students say IDI

2011-09-23T10:15:00.000+01:00

Read our latest Press release on PR News Product Design Press Release

The UK’s leading provider of online qualifications in Art & Design, the Interactive Design Institute, is experiencing a high level of interest in their innovative online Product Design course. “Our admissions team is receiving a significant number of enquiries from students looking for an online Product Design degree course and ultimately, a career in Product Design” reports Michael Stewart, a director with IDI.

“Our Product Design qualification has been specifically developed by the Institute and is accredited by the University of Hertfordshire, one of the UK’s leading universities. At IDI we are confident that our course suits the requirements of students who are aiming to become the Product Designers of the future”.

Throughout the world, the UK is recognised for its strong tradition of excellence in design education. UK Product design courses are based on a combination of sound educational methodology and industry practice that, in turn, generates highly sought after designers, hence the demand that is being experienced by IDI staff.

The Interactive Design Institute is a collaborative partner of the University of Hertfordshire and currently delivers their Product Design qualification to the level of Certificate in Education following one year’s online study, with the Product Design diploma being awarded after two years online study and finally, the degree after three years online study. Product Design students can opt to study all or part of the degree programme online as they also have the option to study any part of their course on an attendance basis at the University of Hertfordshire. In addition, students can choose to study product design on a full or part time basis.

Michael Stewart, director of IDI continues, “Our online Product Design course has been especially written by professional designers, industry practitioners and highly qualified academics for online delivery. Our course is specifically designed to prepare students for employment in a wide range of product design based professions”.

Essentially, IDI’s online Product Design course enables students to study towards a universally recognised degree and therefore entry to a competitive but often lucrative career. Throughout the course students are encouraged to adopt a professional attitude to their studies and the working environment is simulated through a sequence of practical projects which enables them to gain a range of technical skills and professional knowledge. As with all IDI courses, students are encouraged to be experimental and take risks in order to push the boundaries within their own practice. However, this innovative approach is underpinned by solid research work into historical and contemporary practices.
Michael Stewart concludes,

“The Interactive Design Institute’s online Product Design degree programme emphasises professionalism and industry relevance. We have experienced a significant demand to provide such a course online and following extensive development work, are delighted to offer our Product Design course for students across the UK and internationally”.

As an increasing number of people are looking to upgrade existing qualifications or retrain with the aim of taking a different career path, distance learning courses and online courses in particular are being seen as an attractive option and Product Design is no exception.

IDI is currently enrolling students for their October 2011intake and if the level of enquiries is indicative, expects demand to be high, particularly as places at attendance based universities in the UK are limited. “We have received a significant number of enquiries for this course and early enrolments from students anxious to secure their place; students who realise the value of a UK based design qualification”, says Stewart, “IDI’s Product Design course provides a thorough grounding for the student who is intent on a career in this area”. New students can apply for the course online at http://www.idesigni.co.uk/apply-now

With student fees set to increase significantly over the next 12 months, IDI’s pledge to maintain their current fee structure until after the October 2011 enrolment period is proving attractive to a large number of students.

“We are not subject to the same costs as face to face providers and our student fees are therefore much lower”, says Stewart.

For more information on the IDI Product Design Course visit our website

How do we put a price on University Education?

2011-09-16T11:17:00.000+01:00

The financial furore surrounding the free for all of the student fees issue in the UK seems set to rumble on.

Those who pay attention to such things; anxious, cash strapped parents for example, are acutely aware of the doubled edged sword examination success can become as their newly empowered offspring apply for a university place.
But which university do we choose? Until recently, factors such as location, availability of affordable student accommodation, the university’s reputation and the “right” course were key. Not anymore.

The UK government’s decision to allow English universities to charge tuition fees of up £9,000 per year resulted in an unexpected rush to do exactly that, as a significantly greater number than anticipated declared their intention to charge the maximum possible.
Choosing a university has become a matter of affordability.

Keen observers will be aware that Scottish universities will be allowed to increase their fees for undergraduates from the rest of the UK, or “RUK”s, from next year. This development follows the Scottish Government’s decision to remove their funding of Scottish universities subsequent to the introduction of higher fees in England. Consequently, the scramble to gain position in the marketplace has seen universities adopt a variety of tactics worthy of the most cost conscious supermarket.
But this free market mentality is not without risk.

For example, plans by Edinburgh University to increase fees to the maximum permissible, could mean potential students opting to study south of the border as the institution announces its intention to charge £36,000 for a full honours degree programme. By proposing to make their fees the highest in the UK at £9,000 per year for each of the four years of study required to attain an Honours degree, the university risks RUK students choosing more affordable institutions, perhaps in their home regions thus depriving them and the Scottish economy of much needed income. Compare the cost to a student opting to study at either Oxford or Cambridge University, who can, on average, expect to pay around £25,000 in tuition fees.

Still in Scotland, both Aberdeen and Heriot-Watt universities are marketing their “buy three years, get one free” degree packages in response to Edinburgh’s proposal to charge for each year of study, with the proviso that substantial bursaries will be available to students from low income backgrounds.
Indeed, the university reports that it plans to earmark more than 50% of the additional fee income to providing these bursaries, with the declared intention that no student will be denied access to its courses for financial reasons. Further, access and accommodation bursaries will be made available to students living in Scotland with the remaining balance of the increased fees going towards providing an enhanced student experience.
And this is the key to the issue; the student experience.

It can be argued that it is virtually impossible to compare one institution against another in any meaningful way. Certainly the range of courses available, quality of teaching and opportunities for research activity etcetera, etcetera are crucial and these are relatively easy to measure, and presumably the cost of providing these key elements to the student is a major factor in determining the level of student fees.

However, in terms of the experience an individual university provides for the individual student, there are just too many imponderable factors to make this an accurate costing. How can a university even begin to calculate the financial worth of the history, heritage and traditions built up since its inception?
Of course universities can list examples of facilities and amenities that provide added value but the true nature of the university experience ultimately rests with the individual and this only exacerbates the problem.

For example, native Scots, domiciled in Scotland are, and will continue to be, exempt from tuition fees. This means that attendance at any given lecture could consist of students who have paid anything from full fees to nothing at all.

This is similar to finding yourself aboard a budget aircraft, heading off towards foreign climes beset by the niggling doubt that you have paid more than your neighbour for the same holiday. Such a situation can only lead to disquiet and discontent.

The issue isn’t about the profile of individual universities or even the fees they charge; these are matters for the Marketing team.

According to the QS World Rankings for 2011/2012, Edinburgh University was recently ranked 20th in the world, 5th in the UK and 6th in Europe and should be applauded for this achievement and no doubt these figures will influence many potential students.

The issue is now value for money and that centres on our perceptions of individual universities.
By charging fees that are substantially higher than rival institutions, universities are asking students to invest in their brand, to become stakeholders in their reputation and to hope that both are future proof; the value of your education can go up as well as down.

Paying the fees to access a university education represents an investment in the future; a substantial investment. Let us hope that those responsible are aware of Oscar Wilde’s damning indictment, “Nowadays, people know the price of everything and the value of nothing”.

Graduate Employment

2011-09-15T11:48:00.000+01:00

There has been a great deal of wordage generated in the media recently in response to the latest report on the rate of unemployment among art & design graduates. This ranges from the “good students will always find jobs” stance to a firm laying of the blame at the feet of educational institutions and their apparent failure to provide a “real” work experience as part of the curriculum. Some pundits have suggested that the fault lies with students themselves and their inability to market their skills effectively.
However, before rushing to draw any conclusions, we should look towards putting this information into some kind of context. For example, the phrase “art & design graduates” covers a fairly broad and disparate group of people. The subject disciplines grouped together under this generic title covers everything from Fine Art to Graphic Design, Illustration to Photography, each with its own particular progression route.

Traditionally, Photography and Design based disciplines attract a high percentage of those who are keen to start their own business and it would be interesting to know how many graduates fall into the “self employed” category.

There is also the issue of available job opportunities. These are greater in some areas, less so in others. Fine Art graduates may find it more difficult to obtain employment related to their area of expertise than, for example, a graduate in Graphic Design. Additionally, we are in a period of recession, global recession. By their nature, art and design disciplines service other areas such as manufacture, retail and leisure, all of which are experiencing an economic down turn; consequently there are fewer jobs on offer – a fact also reflected across sectors other than art & design.

While I accept that educational institutions should be constantly evaluating and re evaluating their methodology and that their students should be proactive in identifying job opportunities, I also think that we should be more aware of the consequences of the most wide ranging recession in 60 years. This means looking for a means of generating opportunities rather than bemoaning the lack of them.

My Object of Desire by Fiona Crosbie

2011-09-12T16:42:00.001+01:00

Director - Interactive Design Institute

Glass Fishing Float

My object of desire is at first glance, something very ordinary. I grew up in the West Highlands of Scotland, where I was lucky enough to live just a few metres from a sea loch. Much of my childhood was spent pottering about on the stony shore with my brother and sisters – winter and summer, totally unsupervised – would today’s children have such freedom? We’d ‘pop’ seaweed, search for interesting shells and pretty stones, and turn large stones over near the shoreline, all at once horrified and fascinated to watch the tiny ‘shrimps’ scuttle for cover.

One of my earliest memories was of being alone on the shore and spying something green and shiny floating a few feet from the water’s edge. Great excitement! Then a heart stopping moment when I realised it might float out to sea. I think I may have paddled in a bit, likely still wearing my shoes and socks, or perhaps I had to fish the ‘treasure’ out with a stick. One way or the other I managed to get hold of it, and what a thing of wonder it was, such a lovely shade of green. My first thought was that it was a crystal ball!

I rushed home with my find and was told without ceremony that it was a fishing float. That made no difference to me – I’d found it, it was mine, and no one else had one. If you come from a large family you’ll know what that feels like!

Later when I learned to read, I saw that the ball had the words ‘made in England’ stamped on its base. Not terribly mysterious or sophisticated, but again that made no difference to me. It was my crystal ball and played its part in many childhood games of gypsy fortune telling.

The fishing float, utilitarian as it may be, has remained a treasured possession, and has sat on the hearth, or on a shelf wherever I’ve lived. I don’t look at it too often, but when I do it really pleases me. To this day I have a love of green glass of any kind and I think that this stems from that original find. If it’s green and made of glass, I’m drawn to it like a magpie to silver, and it doesn’t need to be expensive or special, just green; I’m easily pleased!

Looking into the history of glass floats and was surprised to find quite a lot of information is available. The first recorded use was in Norway in 1844. The Norwegians used small floats, about the size of an egg. They also used glass to support their fishing nets. Gradually glass took the place of cork or wood and glass floats were made in Japan, Europe, Russia and North America. The earliest glass floats were individually blown by a glass blower – that’s the thing I like; crafting something in this way, for such a run of the mill, but important purpose.

The glass was usually recycled, which is why you can see bubbles of air within the spheres. The Japanese made their floats out of used Sake bottles! Once blown, the balls of glass were sealed with a ‘button’ of glass, and then cooled. The floats were often embossed with a maker’s mark or ‘trademark’ while they were still soft.

Later came ‘mass production’ and the floats were made in wooden moulds - moulded floats can be identified by seams on the outside, and sometimes indentations from the carved wooden moulds can be seen on the surface of these floats.

Most floats are green because that’s the colour of the recycled glass that was used in their production, but there are also clear floats, as well as other colours such as blue, amber, amethyst and aquamarine. Red floats are harder to find because they were more expensive to make. The rarest colour is ‘cranberry’ red, as real gold was used in the production of this colour and more vivid colours like orange, yellow, cobalt, purple and emerald were produced in the 1920s and 30s.

Sadly glass floats have since been replaced by very ordinary plastic or aluminium floats, and most coloured floats that can be found today are reproduction. However, many original floats are still drifting on ocean currents, and sometimes storms will drive them ashore. I think mine probably came from a local trawler, so nothing so romantic.

I only have one fishing float, and whilst I’d be delighted to find another, I’m not interested in starting a collection. However I was not surprised to find that for some people collecting floats has become a bit of an obsession: http://www.glassfloatjunkie.com/Photo_Gallery1.html

Wehrli Gig

2011-09-05T14:32:00.002+01:00

If you have a spare moment in your cluttered schedule, take the time to check out the work of Swiss artist Ursys Wehrli. Some of you may have come across his work before – he is famous for his “tidying up” of the works of Georges Seurat, Paul Klee and Jackson Pollock.

In his latest book, “The Art of the Clean Up”, Wehrli organises everything from constellations of stars to alphabet soup.
Of course, Wehrli comes in for criticism from art purists – he is also a well known comedian in Switzerland - but my feeling is that he making a valid point by reducing what we are seeing to its basic elements, forcing us to re-examine our perceptions. Is this not exactly the point of art?

Pylons and their design

2011-09-01T15:39:00.000+01:00

I may be a little late with this, but I’ve just read an excellent article by design and architecture critic, Hugh Pearman about pylons and their design. In the article, published last June, Mr Pearman offers his response to a competition launched by the Department of Energy with the National Grid and the Royal Institute of British Architects which invites designers, engineers and architects to submit their alternatives to this British icon.

Read the original article here: Google Search first arcicle

The article makes several interesting points in defence of the original 1927 design and throws up a number of intriguing questions, notably, “if it ain’t broke, why fix it?”

I’d be interested in your comments about this and possibly other examples of utilitarian design classics.

Interesting Video

2011-08-30T10:11:00.001+01:00

Have a look at this interesting video it explores typeface and typographical culture

Student of the Month

2011-08-15T16:06:00.006+01:00

Tasnim Aragi is a 24 year old Syrian, living in Kuwait. She is currently studying on the BA (Hons) Graphic Design programme.

“I studied my 12 years at school in the gulf, graduated high school with an art certificate from Kuwait.

I started getting interested in art and design when my husband opened his own lingerie store by working on designing magazine ads and flyers for the store, and then launching a website for online selling, I'm currently working with him on designing banners and ads for the online website as well as magazine ads and posters for the store, which is why I thought studying graphic design will be a great help for me so I can continue working in this field but with a much better knowledge.

I have two little children and now expecting my third, I find this very challenging trying to manage work with studying and family, but I found that IDI was so flexible and allowed me to do it all, I can't say it's easy especially that I'm studying full time now, it's very challenging but yet fun, I work at my own pace, and I find it especially helpful that I don't need to leave the house since I can't leave my children that often to attend a collage, I also find it great that I can study whenever I find a free time, at my own pace.

The modules are fun, I enjoy working on the projects so much, and the tutors are very nice, helpful and understanding.”

At IDI there is no such thing as a typical IDI student. Every one of our students is different from their peers; they all have differing personal circumstances and need a flexible study plan which recognises this.

Tasnim is enrolled on IDI's BA (Hons) Graphic Design Programme for more information visit our course page.