Teabag experience

I've finished my two days of work experience with Teabag Studios! Can't remember if I'd previously mentioned I was only working for two days, but yeah.

Printed type

I've been on the type boat again; I just can't help myself!

I believe it was in the first year when we used material to stamp and create letterforms. Well, after going through all my work over the past couple of years, I came across my prints!

I decided they're in need of a spring clean, so I took them into Photoshop and Illustrator (as you do) and had a play.

I used the magic wand tool to select the coloured background so I could delete it with ease. Ahh. :) I also selected parts of each stamp, where there was more fade; the background was still visible.

I then decided it was time to vector this bad boy; so I did! Into Illustrator we went, and out of Illustrator we got...

I actually really like it. It has a right abstract look about it.

It looks quite confined, yet it has a free kind of quality.

I like not quite knowing what each letter is. Some are obvious whereas others, you have to look closely and find specific features of a letter to distinguish which letter it is.

Teabag studios

I went to meet a few members of the team at Teabag studios today! Nervous I was, but it wasn't too bad. As nervous as I was, I don't think I came across as it at all. In fact, I think I came across as a little too confident. :s I really didn't mean to. I always go chatty when I'm nervous. In my defense though, they were huuuuge!

Anyway, I took my A3 folder containing some pieces of work. I also took my laptop to show them a PDF I'd put together an hour before I'd left to meet them.

They then went through some of their work which related to what I like to do. Apparently there's some bits and pieces I can do next week when I go to work there for a few days. I chose to work only a few days with them as I want to try a fit as many research visits in as possible. I'm sure though, if I enjoy it that much, they'd let me work a few extra days. After all, they're getting me for free!

Here's something I pulled off their website that I really like. Thought I'd whack it on here. :)

From London

I've been in touch with Phil from Idego Media in London recently. I asked for some inspiration as to what kind of briefs to write ready for when we start back at college. He sent me one he done years ago which was nice. I've had a brief read through of it and it sounds really interesting! It asks for a new versatile identity which can also be used in animation. It will be displayed on a large screen for all to see. They also mention other things to be designed and they're definitely up my street!

He also sent me one of the double page spreads I worked on during my day in London a while back...

I'm happy he's sent it to me. At least now I can see a small part of what I assisted with.

He got me laying out some of the information. It was mainly the one worded parts of cars (see page 2), although I got to jiggle the text around and the images. I'm pleased to be able to pop an example up here! :)

Philmac

Dad called the other day and said he'd spoken to philmac people about getting a new identity! I don't really blame him to be honest. I can't say I'm overly keen on the existing one... http://www.philmac.co.uk/

Soooo... I've been designing a brand new logo for them, as well as a business card and compliment slip.

I'll be sending them a PDF containing my work as soon as I get their details.

Apparently there's a huge company in Australia, so it'd be awesome if they decided to go with my design!

After looking through the products they have for sale, I felt as though it was important to link them in with the identity of the company. I knew from when I first started designing I wanted to use the initial of the companies name. Having the whole name next to the logo on a large scale makes the initial subtle.

I really like what I've come up with, and I hope the company does too. If not, ah well, at least I'm proud! :D

Summer work

Wow, it's taken me a while to pop another post out! .. I do have my reasons. Packing.. moving twice.. no internet access at home for a week.. work.. work experience. Alas, I am here now!

I've been giving the summer work a think. It's been playing on mind for a fair while. I've managed to think of a few ideas as to what briefs I could write. There's one dominant one in my mind though.

I want to find a way to make learning the alphabet easier for kids. I haven't thought of the ins and outs of all this yet, but I know it's a way I can incorporate a fresh and inventive typeface.

I've been playing around with some objects, literally to help my mind become more inspired by my ideas and to give me a starting point.

I used to have a button fetish and went through a stage where all I could think about were buttons.

I decided to create a typeface out of them. :)

I've been playing around with the letters I created to build words relating to the audience.

As much as I like this idea, I don't think it's appropriate. I don't think the letters are clear enough to be read by children who are learning the alphabet. The buttons make the letters look bitty and ''unwhole''. I think if I were to create a typeface out of separate objects, they would need to be close enough to look like a whole letter. Am I making sense?

Child-type

I saw this in the windows of Squares in town. I thought it was relevant to the route I want to take one of my own written briefs in.

I like how how rough it looks. It has a sophisticated yet child-like look about it. I could come up with something similar for my work.