Computer Artsの December 2018 の目次

This issue’s cover enjoyed a particularly involved and lengthy gestation period, ironically matching its own ‘shapeshifting’ coverline. We knew straight away that we wanted something that suggested metamorphosis – the process of logos changing rather than any final result – and we found inspiration in the iconic Unknown Pleasures album sleeve by Peter Saville and a beautiful poster by Studio Mut (Effect and Affect: Architecture and The Digital Sublime) that depicted a wonderful, rippling metal wave. We wanted to combine the scientific mystery of the Joy Division sleeve with the mysterious fluidity of the Studio Mut poster: an elaborate process that belied a ‘less is more’, minimalist black disc with bold functional text in full view. Whatever strange hybrid was in our head, we needed a 3D artist to weave…

BEREN NEALE EDITOR Caving into peer pressure, the 37-year-old editor had his first driving lesson, and found it fun. “It’s just like a game,” he ill-advisedly yelled at his instructor. He’s yet to hear from Derek’s Drives about the second lesson. MARK WYNNE ART EDITOR Mark enjoyed collaborating with his partner in crime, motion graphic whiz Dan Pearce on this month’s cover. Dan’s attention to detail and formidable technical skills transformed a vague brief into a thing of beauty. AARON POTTER PRODUCTION EDITOR Aaron questioned his sanity after going to the cinema to see a Coldplay documentary, only to have the Freddie Mercury biopic play out instead. But that didn’t stop him now — he had one vision so it was a kind of magic.…

1. Clients need more than good design “Clients need to use our work with confidence,” pointed out illustrator Christoph Niemann, discussing client relationship complexities. “Part of our job as creatives is to give clients that confidence they need to use our work.” 2. Digital has reinvigorated print “Print is dead, right? Well, I don’t know what will happen in the future,” said graphic designer Paul Sahre, “but the digital shift has actually created more opportunities for me as a book cover designer. We think about books as permanent objects now, it’s been nothing but good so far.” 3. Conversations are powerful Google’s Hector Ouilhet talked about the power of conversation – and why technology needs to adapt to us. “You’ve learned a lot about me: how I dress; how I…

“The first thing is to corner the client to have a call, or ideally have them come into my shop to talk to me because email is tricky, as you can lose context. We talk about what the problem is, and the budget, and to just get them to know they’re in good hands and be excited to work with me. I’m lucky that often people just come to me now because they like my style. Once we’ve figured out what they’re looking for, the first step is to do some research – see what the marketplace looks like, where they’re residing in it, what they aspire to be, who their competition is. Then you start sketching. I sketch by hand until something feels ready to be vectored. Sometimes I…

Yuko Shimizu spent 11 years working in a corporate job before packing it all in and starting art school in her mid-30s. She’s a real poster girl for following your dreams, although such a phrase will earn you a scathing response if uttered in Shimizu’s presence – she has no time for wishy washy inspirational quotes. We caught up with the artist after her talk at Reasons. to festival of creativity in Brighton, to find out how hard work, a pragmatic approach to the commercial design industry and – of course – an inimitable talent, have earned her a place as one of the world’s most in-demand illustrators. Your talk at Reasons. to was called Magic and Horror of Being a Creative. What is the most magical thing about being…

Whether you suffer from mental health challenges or not, practising mindfulness can help you enjoy your work and life more, becoming more creative and productive. And London-based designer-entrepreneur Catalin Zorzini, who recently launched the free mindfulness app Plum Village (www.plumvillage.app), is a keen advocate. “Thanks to applying some basic mindfulness techniques, like focusing on my breath, which started to reveal my thinking patterns, I managed to uncover my deep-rooted anxiety and become friends with it, as well as learning to pause and rest on pleasant feelings and emotions,” he explains. “It’s a long story and a work in progress, but I am happy to report that the simple act of watching your breath can have a tremendous impact on your life and work.” It can help to find a physical…

1. COMMUNICATE ALL THE TIME “To collaborate well you’ve got to communicate,” says designer Josh Peter. “We have regular video chats and are constantly sharing things on Slack – our current go-to messaging platform.” These video chats are vital, even when you don’t have much to talk about, agrees co-founder David Freer. “And, where at all possible, you should also make an effort to meet face to face.” You also need to realise that the studio dynamic will be affected by not being in the same place, adds co-founder Neil Wallace. “We exploit the potential of Google Hangouts and Slack to plug the gaps.” 2. REMEMBER YOU’RE A TEAM Just because you’re not physically in the same place, that doesn’t mean you can’t feel, and act, like a team, says…

JONATHAN CALUGI Jonathan’s beautiful use of line and colour has won him commissions for Apple, Herman Miller, Airbnb, Sony and British Airways. To create this illustration for Twentytwo’s food hall, Jonathan was inspired by the concept of ‘balance’; a search for a mindful, inner and outer balance, where what we eat allows us to move and express ourselves day to day as dynamic human beings. PAULO PETTIGIANI Turin-based photographer Paolo Pettigiani shot to fame when he depicted Central Park using his beautiful infrared technique, and his work has been celebrated by The Washington Post, Vogue and Lonely Planet amongst others. We took him up to the top of the Leadenhall Building to see the views Twentytwo will offer across the capital, and to capture them through his lens. MERIJN HOSI…

FIND WHAT’S UNIQUE All architectural firms are different, cater to different sectors and have a different design ethos. Focusing on what makes the company different will help you formulate a more relevant branding solution that’s unlike their competitors. BEYOND LOGOS Architectural practices are well known for their beautifully simple logos, but the wider identity design work rarely does anything too distinctive. Find a relevant visual language and tone of voice for your client in order to help differentiate. LET THE PRODUCT SPEAK You want people to remember your client’s incredible-looking buildings – the branding is just the vehicle. This is why minimal designs work in this sector. Fewer elements means greater scrutiny, however, so they need careful consideration.…

I’m typing this up on the train back to Bristol, after hearing the magazine design genius Matt Willey talk about his work at the latest London TypoCircle event. It was incredible, and even though we’re down to the wire with this issue’s print deadline (that is, tonight), I’ve got a replenished belly full of fire to carry on making Computer Arts the best mag it can be. I’m excited about its future, so stick around! But as great as it was to hear Matt, I felt there was something missing. I was waiting to hear about the times that he couldn’t create a masterwork in an evening (he really can, it’s silly); the times he couldn’t stop questioning his own integrity; the dark times that no one can control. That’s…

Interbrand's 2018 Best Global Brands report announced www.interbrand.com/best-brands Now in its 19th year, Interbrand's annual Best Global Brands report has named Apple, Google and Amazon as the most valuable brands in 2018. The report ranks the top 100 performing brands in the world. “Leading brands are more customer obsessed than ever," says Interbrand CEO Christian Purser, "bringing the voice of the customer into every aspect of their business, making bold moves and taking calculated risks based on customer understanding." World Illustration Awards: call for entries opens in November www.theaoi.com/world-illustration-awards The Association of Illustrators' annual competition is set to start taking entires from 21 November to 31 January 2019. As ever, projects in any media will be accepted, under select categories, from both professional and non-professional entrants. With winners getting industry…

MIMI VAN HELFTEREN Designer, Coley Porter Bell www.coleyporterbell.com “One recent logo design I really admire is the new Mozilla branding done by brand agency Johnson Banks. Not only does it have a real smile-in-the-mind idea within the mark (the ‘ill’ of Mozilla is made out of URL characters), it was also created in a really forward-thinking way, asking the general public for input. The idea itself puts Mozilla at the heart of the internet, and is simple enough that it conveys their internet ethos of being open and free for everyone; while the typestyle is reminiscent of coding. Using the general public as a sounding board throughout the design process also ties into Mozilla’s values of transparency and participation that lets people all over the world have the creativity and…

“There’s a trend for cut type at the moment, we’re seeing a lot of both serifs and serifs that are either cut, or taking clean letterforms that are slightly embellished, like the recent Debenhams rebrand. “Lots of brands are adapting type to provide a level of ownership: if you look at the redesign had by Greek yoghurt brand Chobani, we’re seeing a much friendlier take on type that’s rounded and not as harsh. Maybe a decade ago we were seeing a lot of brands look to Swiss Style, but that can get quite soulless or cold. Character and humanity are coming back in, and there’s more charm. Punctuation marks are also making a comeback: a lot of names are abbreviated so logos are making use of the full stop you…

Imagine you were in a car accident and had to spend time recovering in hospital. You’d expect your friends and family to rally around, and your employer to cover your workload while you convalesce. Your colleagues would send flowers and sign a card, relatives would help out with the kids. It would be an unpleasant experience, for sure, but at least you could count on everyone to do the right thing. Contrast that with a scenario in which you suffered a serious mental health problem. Now things get a bit muddier. The remedies would not be so obvious or straightforward; in fact, you might not know what to do at all. When you try to explain your problem to people, they may not understand. They may even be unsympathetic. Or…

ISSUE 285 NOV 2018 I N ▪ The top 30 UK design studios revealed s ▪ Why big brands need to take an ethical route ▪ Supple Studio founder Jamie Ellul on finding a good work-love balance ISSUE 284 OCTOBER 2018 2018’s Brand Impact Awards winners revealed, and find out how to best make a mark in illustration. Also, Chris Moody offers insight on bravery tackling mediocre design. ISSUE 283 SEPT 2018 Advance your design skills through experimental typography. Plus, Studio Sutherl& discusses keeping design simple yet brilliant, and freelancers reveal how to cope. ISSUE 282 AUGUST 2018 2018’s finest UK creative graduates are revealed. Also, learn the best way to nail textile design, and Asa Cook discusses how to make your brand campaigns more personable. ISSUE 281 JULY 2018…

www.andreeadobrin.com Kicking off a new series of Association of Illustrators-related articles, we caught up with Andreea Dobrin Dinu – the Romania-born, Hamberg-based illustrator that won this year’s Advertising New Talent title at the World Illustration Awards – who has founded the one-woman studio SUMMERKID. She reveals exactly what it took to ditch a career in business, retrain, and fully dedicate herself to the life of a full-time creative. Take us through your creative path so far… I started studying business management at university. It was around the third year when I discovered there was something far more interesting I could do with the computer than play games like The Sims all day. By learning useful programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator etc, I gathered the courage to feel OK about never…

My fascination with the macabre began at the tender age of four. First through TV shows like Tales From the Crypt and the Goosebumps novels, then through films like The Shining and Phenomena. Then just about every other medium there is: art, music, film, fashion, design, literature. Anything with an obscure feel to it had an irresistible appeal to me. My parents never thought much of it until puberty hit like a dark wave, painting everything black. Admittedly, some grim elements of my personal style were just a phase. Eventually, I transitioned from a teenage Lydia Deetz to a more mature Delia Deetz, swapping dramatic melancholy for mysterious chic. Those who have seen Beetlejuice will understand. But despite this evolution I can’t say that I ever grew out of it…

ANDY CULBERT Over on page 24, MERó partner Andy Culbert explores how designers should cater to the needs and habits of Gen Z, referencing recent in-depth research. www.worksbymero.com JAMES SOMMERVILLE James Sommerville, former VP of global design at Coca Cola, shares his thoughts on logo design past and present in this issue’s cover feature, over on page 42. YUKO SHIMIZU Yuko Shimizu discusses her journey from PR professional to award-winning illustrator on page 56, fresh from her talk at 2018’s Reasons.to festival in Brighton. www.yukoart.com OLLIE APLIN Ollie Aplin is one of the many creatives in the design industry today effected by mental health issues. On page 64, he and others outline what can be done. www.mindjournals.com AGA KARMOL On page 88, designer and printmaker Aga Karmol reveals how she…

As a Norwich University of the Arts graduate, Alex Foxley was midway through his commercial photography degree when he thought he was better suited to a career in illustration and graphic design. "I spent the next year living and working in sunny Barcelona," he says, "building up my portfolio and gaining experience.” It paid off, with Foxley securing work at agency Hey Studio, where he worked with clients like Uniqlo and Barcelona City Council. Since then, he's taken his love for patterns, bright colours and bold line work back to the UK. “I am now working as a freelance illustrator,” reveals Foxley. “Soon I'll be working on exciting collaborations and putting more out in the physical world.” See more: www.alexfoxley.com @alexfoxley…

www.wearebulletproof.com Thumbs up if you’ve ever seen a moving Instagram ad that’s made you stop scrolling and discover a brand you’d never heard of before. Now imagine browsing a VR clothes shop from the comfort of home – trying clothes on, then swapping colour and size instantly. What do these two experiences have in common? They’re both examples of brand engagement that goes far beyond identity, packaging, POS and TV; of brands using up-to-the-minute thinking and technology to create narratives that draw you deeper, if only briefly, into their world. Now that second one might seem more Back to the Future than present-day reality, but we’re well on our way towards it. And the fact remains it’s no longer enough for a brand to exist merely on shelf. Today’s brands…

WHERE TO LOOK FOR LOGO DESIGN INSPIRATION Thankfully for today’s designers, there’s a never-ending source of inspiration online for those looking to explore what makes a great logo design – or, indeed, to understand why one isn’t so great. Here are a few to get your creative juices flowing. 1. Logoed is a single-page archive that’s sole purpose is to present beautiful logo designs. Its simple vertical scroll makes it simple and easy to navigate, and as you move down the page more projects are automatically loaded onto the screen. Simply click on each thumbnail for more information on each project and a wider selection of images. 2. Logospire takes a similarly simple, infinite vertical scroll format and pares it back even further, offering just a single image and a…

“It’s entirely natural to feel overwhelmed from time to time,” says Dan Donald, frontend lead at AutoTrader Life. “That might be at home or at work. I know when I have a depressive spell, which comes around every month or two, it can happen to a greater effect. There have been loads of times over the years where I’ve not always dealt with it that well, and it’s taken a long time for me to feel like I’m back on top of things.” What he’s found is that, when you can, it helps to just limit your focus right down to: ‘What’s the one thing I can do, right now?’ “It’s about not being distracted by the amount or breadth of what there is to deal with, but instead just…

When David Freer returned to Glasgow after 10 years in London and couldn’t find “the right kind of job,” he called up his friend Neil Wallace, who was in a similar situation, and together they set up O Street. In the 12 years since, O Street’s client list has included Spotify, BrewDog and Google, though perhaps its most visible work – in Scotland, at least – is its designs for the Scottish polymer £5 and £10 notes, introduced in 2016 and 2017, respectively. As a “family of adventurous spirits”, the studio doesn’t like to stand still; the team of six is now split across three locations, across two different continents. To discover how, and why, the team collaborate from afar, we spoke to Freer, who is based in London; Wallace,…