Table of contents for August 2018 in Computer Arts

JULIA SAGAR ECOMMERCE EDITOR, CREATIVE BLOQ This month, Julia has spent a surprising amount of time swimming in rivers and the sea, and seems to be back on a cider rotation (three years off, one year on). She is having the best summer. TOM MAY FREELANCE WRITER Tom has been living in Rotterdam this month. Highlights have included gatecrashing a local street party, being mindwarped by Cube Houses, eating a lot of herring, and dancing on a bar with dock workers. LISA HASSELL FREELANCE WRITER Lisa launched a business on a shoestring while juggling life as a single mum, met her business partner on Tinder and once hosted an art show that ended with a Space Hopper race down Brick Lane. Production notes PRINTERS TEXT AND COVER CMYK, PLUS PANTONE…

A new side to Pentagram www.pentagram.com The world’s largest independent design consultancy, Pentagram, continues to add to its partner line-up with the appointment of German graphic designer, Sascha Lobe. In his previous position at studio L2M3, which he founded, Lobe worked for prestigious companies including Mercedes Benz, Hugo Boss and Adidas. From here he moved onto Alliance Graphique Internationale as well as becoming a professor of typography at HfG Offenbach. Fellow Pentagram partner, Marina Willer, commented on Lobe's appointment; “Sascha’s work pushes the boundaries of our discipline, constantly reinventing and exploring new forms of engagement through typography and graphic design language,” she says. “It is extremely exciting to have a partner that creates such innovative and beautiful work.” The Fame Monsters www.platige.com/project/feature/the-monstersi Los Monsteros, a new concept developed by Platige…

"I am a Canadian surface pattern designer, currently working abroad in Lisbon, Portugal, in a plant-filled wonderland and co-working space called Second Home. I create prints, patterns and illustrations inspired by nature and the world around me, and my work is driven by the desire to spread beauty and leave something beautiful behind with every step I take. "In my feed, I showcase how my work comes to life on products, and I feature things that relate to my passion for pattern, colour and travel. I love sharing pictures that show how I see the world, and how these things pop up in my life. That’s why I love Instagram – you get a little curated glimpse into how others perceive and interact with the world." See more: www.elizabetholwen.com @elizabetholwen…

@ALEXANDRADAVY Use of the words ‘synergy’ and ‘innovation’ mostly make me want to vom. Also, if you’re a design agency, make it clear what the actual-f you do! @PIXELDOTLUKE If you don’t know the difference, you’re probably on the BS side of the fence. @CHANNINGBAILEY Jargon by nature is enigmatic; the arch-nemesis of good design. MONIKA GAUSE You have to speak to the heart and mind of the person who is listening. So whatever you say has to be both meaningful and comprehensible. STEVE THOMPSON ‘White space’ is design jargon. ‘Real estate’ is BS. There is no line, there is only a blank page and a creative who should be selling houses.…

SPACIAL AWARENESS DASH MARSHALL IDENTITY by TwoPoints.Net www.twopoints.net When European design studio TwoPoints.Net was commissioned by New York City architecture firm Dash Marshall to design its visual identity, it is perhaps no surprise that the studio looked to the field of architecture for inspiration. “We realised that architecture acts in the intersection of the old and the new, the static and the flexible, the properties of matter and the lives of people,” explains TwoPoints.Net co-founder, Martin Lorenz. “Within these constraints, Dash Marshall creates spaces that tell the stories of their habitants and invites them to create new ones.” The resulting flexible identity works within the confined space of the letters ‘D’ and ‘M’ – which operate like the outer walls of a building – but within this framework, virtually anything…

THINK SIDEWAYS This sector is so saturated you need to stand out. We wanted to challenge the idea of beauty. ADAPT TO CHANGES A brand in this sector must react to the changing landscape and needs of the audience. Talking and listening to the audience is key. BACK UP YOUR STATEMENTS This audience is vocal, outspoken, knowledgeable and passionate. They will see through spin and they’re not afraid to call you out. FIND YOUR NICHE You can’t appeal to everyone. When creating this brand we knew the younger audience needed something challenging that didn’t feel mainstream – we were fine with turning off the mainstream audience in the process.…

We boarded the Loadstar at 6am at the Oban pier. The skipper David Isaac is the husband of an old school friend of mine. David has fished the waters around Oban and the sound of Kerrerra for the past 25 years. I asked him if Reuben and I could join him, capturing him and his mate going about their work, hauling pots for langoustine. The weather was a mix of brooding skies and contrasting sunshine – perfect for picking out the vibrant colours of their all-weather gear and the rugged contours of Scotland’s west coast. Reuben was in his element working with the conditions and variations of light. He’s brilliant at seizing an opportunity, often hanging precariously off the boat’s edge to get the right shot.…

This issue we celebrate new talent in the creative industries – proudly showing off cover competition winner and recent graduate David Sum’s awesome, labyrinthine entry, and a 29-page feature of the finest design and illustration graduates in the UK. It was fun, if not a little daunting, going around a number of graduation shows this year, and contacting universities to see the graduates’ work from around the UK. Fun because this year’s crop of grads are a talented lot, and daunting because we knew we had to whittle the number down to only a handful. Starting on page 45 you’ll see work that’s imaginative, playful, serious, but above all quick to communicate and engage. I’d love to hear your thoughts on our selection, so get in touch! This seems like…

Since being picked up for internship, while still studying, by Hort’s founder Eike König, it’s been a busy time for Nadine. This year she was chosen as one of the European Adobe Creative Residency members – an initiative that offers money, resources and time to selected creatives to pursue a personal project. Nadine’s? The Undrawn Drawing: a project, "interested in image making that involves the community," she says. Nadine aims to tour Germany, working with the residents of three cities to investigate their unique shapes, resulting in a visualisation of the cities, "and," she continues, "there'll be exploration camps where people can see me doing weird things like cutting stuff, melting stuff, burning stuff, I don't know!" We can't wait to see how this project develops. www.nadinekolodziey.com…

Strong opinion and analysis from across the global design industry Remember when branding used to be called ‘corporate identity’? It spoke to one of the key branding rhetorics of the day: ‘you can trust me because I’m a big, global business.’ But last year’s damning research by Ipsos Connect revealed that 42 per cent of people claim to distrust big brands and 69 per cent distrust advertising. As a result, brands don’t always want to look big, corporate and powerful anymore. They want to look real and personable and reflect their true values and roots. Some attempts to do this can be very successful, building brand loyalty and bolstering beliefs in what a brand stands for. But equally, some attempts to appear more human can be met with massive skepticism…

www.savannarawson.co.uk As a creative, I’ve not always felt that having a design process alone is enough for great work. Without also having a ‘mindfulness’ process, I was only focused on the final result and missing out on the pleasure of doing, which is what had guided me towards this kind of life in the first place. That’s where flow comes in… Since becoming a freelancer and therefore being self-managed, techniques for the best ways to work have become more important to me. In the past I’ve often exerted myself by purposefully using stress and deadlines as a method for bashing out the goods. As if at the end perhaps I would be awarded a badge of honour for being unnecessarily unkind to myself. And simultaneously I’d metamorphose into a design…

Earlier this month students up and down the country were gripped in a frenzy of degree show prep, tirelessly curating displays of their work to show the public – often in a bid to attract the attention of design magazines, creative studios or digital agencies on the hunt for the next big thing. Instagram has been awash with colourful illustration and design emerging from degree shows and it’s encouraging to see how engaged students are with self-promotion. Of course, ‘likes’ does not a career make, and for many the stark reality of what comes next can be daunting. Back in 2005, my degree show was just the beginning of an unorthodox career journey that saw me side-step into a variety of professions. For reasons I can’t fathom professional practice wasn’t…

1. DON’T GO BY THE BOOK Even though Mucho is keen to collaborate with clients as much as possible to make the most of a collective intelligence, this doesn’t mean it’s a stickler when it comes to taking instructions. “Read briefs but don’t listen to them too much,” advises Pablo. What’s the advantage to this more devil-may-care attitude? It helps to generate fresh, engaging ideas that may have not been discovered otherwise. “A brief is a democratic document that sums up the general feeling of a company but never gets to the details and the answers you need,” he adds. “Relevant answers are usually found beyond the brief.” 2. DARE TO CARE Playing fast and loose with a brief can have its advantages, but for Pablo this needs to be…

NADINE KOLODZIEY Nadine was chosen to be one of the European Adobe Creative Residency members and on page 16, we discover how she is using the initiative to further her art involving the community. www.nadinekolodziey.com ASA COOK The era of big brands automatically commanding respect is over. On page 22, creative director at Design Bridge, Asa Cook, examines the dos and don’ts of how brands can appear personable in this era of distrust. www.designbridge.com NATE KITCH Freelance illustrator Nate Kitch brought his arresting style to our special report over on page 36, where Lisa Hassell asks industry pros whether graduates are being properly prepared for work. www.natekitch.com PABLO JUNCADELLA Mucho is a multidisciplinary studio that’s driven to turn insightful ideas into lasting designs. On page 76, we catch up with…

KARL DORAN Creative director, Flow Creative www.weareflow.uk “Every profession uses terminology specific to it, which people from outside might not understand. And that’s fine. Where jargon crosses the line into bullshit is when it’s used to deceive, avoid specifics, or mask lack of knowledge. For me, it comes down to clarity and transparency. If jargon is being thrown around to avoid being accurate, it is in the realm of bullshit. We all know when this happens. Maybe there should be a bullshit button in every meeting room so when someone starts with the nonsense we can hit the button and an alarm goes off, and maybe a bucket of real-life bullshit is tipped on the offender. How do we arrange this? Do we need a Kickstarter campaign?” ODETTE COYLER Managing…

PAUL BELFORD Creative director, Paul Belford Ltd www.paulbelford.com “City Gateway works with London communities impacted by social and economic inequality. Our brief was to create a visual identity… a bright and attractive style that would increase engagement. We focused on the charity’s vision to create “a society where everyone can achieve their full potential” and decided on a clean and empathetic approach. The logo uses typography to tell the story of City Gateway’s role, featuring two y’s that represent the paths a person might take in life. Together they create a line that demonstrates how the charity helps individuals stay on course to reach their true potential. We applied this same angle across City Gateway materials. We also worked closely with the charity to build an archive of images that…

BE PATIENT “Understand the role and studio/clients you want to work for, show interest, do your research and don’t expect things to happen overnight,” says Will Hudson. “Everyone at the end of the phone or email was once where you are now. Persevere.” RECOGNISE YOUR VALUE “Understand the value that you bring to any situation and don’t waste your time working for free, as it shows that you don’t see that value in yourself,” advises intern editor Alec Dudson. START FRIENDSHIPS “Research the projects instead of the agencies. Befriend people, say hi and complement them on their work,” enthuses designer Jenny Theolin. “Collaborate with agencies – maybe there is a project or an idea you can ask their mentorship for? Or maybe they want to do it with you?” BE…

BLACK PENCIL, YELLOW PENCIL Brief name: Nationwide & Shelter Full title: #DearMr HousingMinister College: School of Communication Arts 2.0 Creative team: Naomi Taylor #DearMrHousingMinister is Naomi Taylor turning the tables on the current housing minister, in a ‘what if’ scenario: what if he was facing being turfed out of his home, like so many families in Britain? The result is weighty without losing its humour, and a worthy Black Pencil winner. WHITE PENCIL Brief name: Digital McKinsey Full title: YETU College: School of Communication Arts 2.0 Creative team: Megan Egan, Jonothan Hunt Jumping on the tragic situation of land grabbing – where corporations are stealing land from families that cannot prove ownership – YETU is a proposed crytocurrency that cements ownership for all to see, making it impossible for corrupt…