Party Shank

Last night I went to Party Shanks single launch "Penis vs Vagina and Gary" at the Electricity Showrooms, Hoxton.

To be honest I wasn't that optimistic. I had heard that they played childrens instruments... and that it all started as a joke but thought why not.. lets have at laugh at Nu Rave's expense..

They were brilliant! I don't know how to describe the music, I supoose electronica, drum and bass..? I don't know. Just raally good. Next gig and I'm there.

(I particularly liked the death metal - drum and bass. I'd just like to add that this did all start off as a piss take and it has just worked. please don't think they take themselves seriously. it's just all good fun!)

Apart from how good they were.. I have a few other things to note...

..The toys they played with..

They had got proper children's toys, taken them apart then wired them up so they could play them like a synth or something.. Childrens toys with massive plugs growing out of them. I'm really rubbish at describing all this- but check out the photo..and their myspace. http://www.myspace.com/partyshank

P.S theyre not NuRave really.. but all their photos are..

Other thing was the floor... I know this was not their choice, as they were pretty pissed off when they saw it there.. but I thought it was great and it changed with the music! It was a floor made up of coloured squares that flashed and changed colour.. pretty much an evolved version of the 70's dance floor. Tom spent most of the night trying to work out how it worked.. "maybe LCD?" I said.. he said "no.."etc.. etc..

Anyway, check out the video of it changing with music, and you'll catch them playing in the background. I particularly like it when it goes black and white.

Clip On

I'm not really sure where this post is going, but bear with me..

I was at a Brazilian bar the other night and a band started setting up next to my table. The percussionist was also playing the flute etc so needed everything close at hand and ready to use so used almost scaffolding to attach various percussive instruments which were then ready to use.

It's not ground breaking and not new but somehow struck me as one of those solutions that are overlooked and that evolve from a routine. So I started thinking about possibilities where this could be brought into other products/designs.

Then I saw the ice cream clipped onto an espresso cup saucer in Wallpaper (October2007) which is from an article about Fortnum&Masons ice cream parlour.

What a brilliant idea.. the easiest way to present the ice cream, and I'm sure it goes perfectly with the espresso..

Again I'm not so sure where all this is going, or how it is useful to me, or whether it has already been spent as a design idea in all design worlds..

We shall see..

Wallpaper.. Quite literally!

This image is featured in this months Wallpaper. It is a photo of inside the house that Architect Gianni Botsford designed for his writer father and his 16,000 books (Writers Retreat,Costa Rica). This is a stunningly beautiful solution. I particularly like how the struts mirror the ceiling. From the front of the building the glass front displays the books like a peacock tail. (no picture..)


When a design solution is this good you forget that it was ever a problem, the result is so organic that a first glance you could almost think that the books were bought to fill the space rather than the space created for the books.

Another wall of books can be found at the "V Zátiší" Restaurant in Prague. It was recently given a facelift by Czech designer Barbora Skorpilova and now features four distinctive rooms, including one boasting a wall made of books.

Why is it that when a mundane /ordinary object is multiplied and grouped together it becomes extraordinary?

Brixton Market

Today I went to Brixton Market. I used to pass it regularly on the train and enjoy passing the flurry of colour but today I was there in search of jerseys.. there were none, but nevertheless a change is as good as a rest..

I regularly go to Shepherds Bush Market and I thought it would be pretty much the same, but Wow.. it was at least 10 times as good.

The main thing I like about Brixton is the architecture. For a relatively run down part of London the architecture is amazing, and I quite like how some of it is tagged so badly. Even in the market, the architecture is brilliant. hence photos of the ceiling and arches.. Apologies for poor photos again!
The market was full of colour and intrigue, I particularly like the walls of stickers and the tattoo shop window.. I have never seen tattoos of peoples faces before.. I suppose it's better than a name, but you would have to really trust in the tattooer!

The thing I was inspired by the most was however something I didn't take a photo of, it was above a greengrocers, and felt like it was a little rude.. In retrospect I could have asked, but never mind.. I've done a shoddy drawing of it instead.

It was just a string of lights above his produce, but they were all energy saving light bulbs. And it looked great.. Much more modern than normal light bulbs, some how sculptural beautiful and just nice to see how everyone is chipping in to save the world.. not just middle class hippies.

Graffiti

This is pretty new Graffiti near my house.. I've been meaning to take a photo for ages.. so here it is. I live 1 min from here, and it's strange that i never saw anyone working on it.. it must have taken ages.. I don't know what it means, or who it's by but i like it. It defiantly improves my life.

The Perfect Sunday

I spent the perfect sunday afternoon yesterday on Hampstead heath watching kite flying with tom's family. I suppose this isn't really a design orientated post, but it is inspirational to me in some sense.

Beauitiful brightly coloured shapes whizzing around the sky, lifting people of the ground, amazing children, captivating adults. Tom, his brother Nick and his Dad Stood for hours watching with the same expression on their faces.. similar to that of a cat watching a piece of string danging and ready to pounce.

Below is a very poor video of the one of the kites. I have no video editing software to speak of so soory about it talking and the rubbish ending..!

I imagine it lacing and weaving up ribbons in the sky..

Inspiration Towel.. What a title..

Saw this on guy on Facehunter.blodspot (I am an avid scroller). and think it's fab, Not only shape, uase of towel etc, but his proud pose.

Made me smile.

Shapewise though very nice.. reminds me of some of my old work., got me thinking about working on it again..



P.s Thanks to Facehunter and towel-man

Made Me Smile...

With thanks to http://postsecret.blogspot.com/

Big Up Danielle Scutt!

Dannielle Scutt S/S 2008

Dannielle Scutt S/S 2008

Dannielle Scutt S/S 2007

Dannielle Scutt S/S 2008

Apologies for poor quality images..

I'm a sort the sort of fashion designer, that kind of hates everything fashion stands for- thats why I haven't really paid much attention to Fashion week.. (that and if you see other peoples work it makes you copy them without wanting too..and hating the press that shit designers get)

But Danielle Scutt is a different Kettle of Fish. Firstly she did her degree at Ravensbourne- Where I did also- so much love for that and then finished with a M.A at St Martins.. the ultimate springboard.

It does irritate me that all her press labels her as a St martins graduate and never mentions Ravensbourne- as though St Martins is responsible for every amazing designer ever- bollocks to that. Ravensbourne is ace- if if your serious about fashion design- not fashion promotion etc. then I seriously suggest you go there. Btw Christopher Bailey also went to Ravensbourne...

So Danielle Scutt.. what can I say.. I know its not all that wearable- but I love that this girl has a style. a really thumping- look who I am style. She is out there it conquer all and she really bloody deserves it. Her style is so strong that I would always be able to recognise it..in any form, any season. Which I can't say for Giles Deacon for example- who changes his style so often that i wonder if it is him doing the designing at all or whether he sucks inspiration from different "muses".. (fraud..! )

One of the things that makes her work unique for a young designer is that not only is the pattern cutting spot on, and the sihouettes exciting, but she incorporates strong prints, colour and fabrics as well. often designers are about print or cut. She is both - and her prints are done by hand... (I can't help thinking this is another Ravensbourne thing as you get the opportunity to combine pathways i.e menswear, womenswear, print, knit...)

Finally.. When I was dipping in and out of college after my degree in the summer 2006, she was there using the colleges equipment to print. I love the fact that she isn't the poncey fashion person I hate. She was ballsy and determined, and honest. She is making a go of it in the impossible of world of fashion. All I can do is watch in awe.

And- forgot to say this- I bloody love her clothes. Maybe its because they are the type of things I would design- but love love love love. Christopher Kane watch out- slow and steady wins the race, and she is going to beat your ass. (And she doesn't have funding from Versace, and she doesn't have to fake burglaries to get out of fashion week.)

Bet you didn't know I have this fashion bitch beast inside me...

Seven Hundred Penguins

My Seven Hundred penguins book has arrived!

And I'm thrilled.

When I find a scanning device- or buy one i'll scan some of my favorites.

This book is really so fantastic everyone should have one.

carpet invaders

Carpet invaders

Janek Simon, 2002

I stumbled across this piece of art when i was on facebook and an old school friend of mine asked me to join the group "Gasworks" on Facebook. ("Gasworks is a contemporary arts organisation based in South London housing 12 artists' studios and presenting a programme of exhibitions, artists residencies, educational projects and international fellowships") I saw it and thought that is was effing cool. I loved how the tradition a rug pattern grew into the spaceships, and that through looking sideways a traditional household item is transformed. It's a frame for a carpetty screen, rather then a decorative rug..

Anyway the point is that I thought I would have a look at what else this artist had done- and came across this photo..

And it tuns out, it is actually a computer game that is projected onto the floor.

This installation is meant to promote reflective thinking. It is not after all a rug, it is a Eastern prayer rug and using a gamepad, the beholder can fight against the rug by attacking parts of its design. This is, after all, a new battle against a rug whose design was once full of significances that have, in the meantime, been suppressed and degraded to the role of decoration. In a perverse way, the game restores life to this ornamentation by turning it into a hostile being that must be destroyed in combat.

Hmm.. now I'm in a little confusion. Did I like it better before when it was a just a clever use of the craft of rug making, and a nice play on the use of household items? I think i did. Its interesting making it into a game, but somehow makes it not art, or design, but media, and something, that because it doesn't strictly exist, will disappear and be forgotten. Will remain only in idea, and even that will fade. If it were a real rug then even if only one was ever made, and the buyer just kept it in storage at least it might be stumbled over in 5o years and enjoyed. As something that is made of light and electronics, it it were stored and stumbled over in 50 years technology may have changed and it would not work anymore. Infact you wouldn't even know what it was, or why. But then maybe that's the point. Maybe it will spend it's life in the 4th dimension, enjoyed in art academia. Or maybe the artist did make some rugs as well. that really would please me- and if i could afford to I would buy one- and play it in my head.

Coming Soon

I would just like to add that I have not forgotten about my street art project. It''s still on my mind. I know how I'm going to do it. Unfortunately I'm working two jobs at the moment and I'm rubbish at getting around to it.

Need to order some sticky back plastic... Exciting!

New Book Purchases..

I am very excited about two new books that i have just ordered from Amazon..

D-Day from work introduced me to the first, and the second as a recommendation from Amazon. they thought i might like it and I think i will..

So the first is Seven hundred Penguins which is:

"A collection of Penguin covers from Britain and around the world, "Seven Hundred Penguins" is a celebration of jackets that remain visually distinctive and addictive to us today, from the beautiful to the garish, design classics to design oddities. A full-colour, sensuous delight, with one jacket on every page, the featured jackets represent the personal favourites of Penguin staff from offices all over the world, and run from Penguin's birth in 1935 to the end of the twentieth century.Throughout there are jackets that bring back a flood of memories of the first time a book was read; there is beautiful typography from Jan Tschicold; arresting illustrations; visual witticisms from Derek Birdsall; countless mutations of the much-loved Penguin grid. There are also, with no formula at all, jackets that just make sense. Featuring old favourites and plenty of surprises, "700 Penguins" is a unique and inspiring collection of the most impactful and well-loved Penguin covers of the twentieth century. "

And the second is: 79 Short Essays on Design..

No description on this one but I think its pretty obvious what it'll be about.

Having had a quick flick through Seven Hundred Penguins I know I am going to be pretty much obsessed with it.

I also bought a book to stop me smoking..

Joy.

My Street Art Project

This image is from another project of mine and does not represent the type of graffiti I would like to do. It represents the interaction of the plant silhouette that I love with a chaos of some sort- here paint splats, but in reality I would hope to use paving slabs, bubbled paint work and even bad graffiti tags, and turn them into enriching pieces of street art.

I’m slowly realising how much I love graffiti.

Last time a contributed to street art (it was in my old back garden...very adventurous...) I made a stencil of a symmetrical lavender plant and sprayed it onto the base of a wall. It improved the garden no end!

Now I’m thinking of similar street art that uses the silhouette of nature to capture the beauty and multitude of tones with in city. To highlight the unobserved. The city has so many blank canvases I want to improve on these space- make people see the beauty that I see, to make them better, to make people appreciate them more. I don’t want to vandalise. I just need to think of a technique that suitable. I would rather not use stencils as I feel they are a little over used, but I’m sure there are lots of other techniques out there..

N.B I’m starting to see a pattern in my thoughts- see post title “Floral”

Nature V Man

My last two blogs gave focused on our city environment which has been so though provoking and inspiring to me recently. Nevertheless, here comes the contradiction. I am most at home, and at peace when I am surround by nature, more specifically the English countryside.

Today because of hugely stressful decisions at work (London Fashion Week dramas) I came to Hampstead heath to clear my head.I can think much more clearly there than when staring at my computer.

I love the movement of plants and trees, the strength and the delicacy. I love the dappled light.

We consider nature to be something different to us- we don't consider ourselves animals, we consider ourselves above nature, we try to contain nature. Even the New Forest is maintained by man.

We also consider nature (plants specifically) to be soft, when really it has ultimate control. It uproots our pavements; it grows in the cracks of our walls. When we are long gone and our cities have crumbled, plant life will remain, victorious.

Today I was musing that I like to concentrate on individual parts of the landscape, say for example a lump of grass.

Amongst its surroundings the grass can seem soft, but on its own be its silhouette is stark, string and beautiful. I realised that I’m not interested in the tones, textures etc within this silhouette. Just as I suppose in a city environment I’m not interested in the shape of a block/negative space, just what tones textures chaos it contains.

The Sartorialist- I LOVE YOU

This picture made me glow inside.

I found it on http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/ I have followed this blog for a year or so now and never fails to inspire me. I don't travel much. I wish I did, but this blog always makes me feel like I've been away, seen new things and I love it for it.

I have to say though that this photo is not typical for this blog, but it must be one of my all time favorites. The fashion is spot on- Dr. Martin's are the future everyone! (I've already got a pair- have you?) and the location is well spot on too!

I didn't realise that I loved street art graffiti and urban surroundings so much, but its really quite obvious that I do.

Overlooked Beauty Chapter 2 Learning to See

View from Montjuic Barcelona

The last post link brings be on the next stage of my obsession. Which is: when I look around the city all I see is blocks/shapes and negative spaces all interacting with each other. I suppose this is because ultimately that the city is made from.

I’m preoccupied with what we can see and what colour and more importantly what tones we can capture through a negative space. I.e. railings.. To me it’s almost the city is full of viewfinders. For me the paving slab is a view finder- a viewfinder for the overlooked chaos within.

I suppose in retrospect I’m a designer who is all about the overlooked details.

Barcelona Apartments (no true black in sight)

The other thing I became aware of today, while I was pondering all this is that in illustrating our world we take it as a given* that where these blocks are divided with black. And very rarely is the this the case. Even paving slabs aren’t really divided by black lines, It’s grey, or ark brown or moss and within any of those broad categories of colours is a multitude of tones. I could go on literally forever. But I won’t.

Okay so I don’t want to spend the rest of my design life inspired by a paving slab but I think it’s a useful design tool and helps me realise what I am inspired by helps me try to work out why.

*apart from classical paintings and artists such as Morandi who is a huge huge influence on me. More on him as soon as possible.

Overlooked Beauty

Apologies for the dull pictures. I need a better camera.

Recently I have been obsessing over the realisation that we have created our cities out of tones and texture. Take for example the pavement. It’s not a long flat grey block (as we might be tempted to illustrate it) full of different tones texture and intricacies. Each paving slab is different to the next and within each slab is a multitude of patterns texture and tones. I suppose it’s organised chaos.

It is this amount of overlooked detail, within the mundane blocks that we have built our world with, which has been preoccupying me. It is so frequently unobserved but it would be sorely missed if the world was made of pure block colours .i.e. adobe illustrator drawings- maybe that’s why I’m drawn to Illustrator drawings which use gradients…

I love scratches in paintwork that show the old paint underneath. I love the grubby marks that show a history of human contact, I love the different tones within a shadow, the unobserved layer of dust, the bubbles in paint from strong sunlight, I could go on….

I would like the work on a range of paintings based on this current obsession; I suppose they would really be colour experiments.

These would lead naturally onto a colour theme for a collection, I would like to experiment with creating the textures and depths of colour in a 2D form, maybe layering fabrics, linking fabrics together, panelling, the blocks of tones.. Ooh, I’m getting inspired…!