This is the one

Thankyou for you time

2012-01-03T12:52:00.002Z

Flotsam & Jetsam

2011-09-20T12:35:00.002+01:00

Flotsam & Jetsam HD from Flotsam and Jetsam on Vimeo.

Interesting documentary about the beachcombers of Texel, one of the largest Frisian islands north of Holland.

found at NOTCOT.org

Alphabetised Bible

2011-07-19T10:35:00.002+01:00

Not entirely sure what this piece is about by Tauba Auerbach but I'm assuming it's along the lines of everything that's in the bible isn't true so it doesn't matter whether you can read it or not. Or maybe that if you have complete and utter faith in Christianity, it doesn't matter what order the letters are in, they are still the words of God. I like it though, whatever it's about.

Found at: http://www.todayandtomorrow.net/
http://www.taubaauerbach.com/

Madeon - Pop Culture

2011-07-12T22:09:00.001+01:00

awesomeness...its the best thing I've seen in over a month

Matthew Cusick - Images that don't exist

2011-06-07T09:49:00.005+01:00

These are some quite amazing uses of maps. I know these 'road' ones above aren't real places but if Ordnance Survey did an equivalent of Google Street View, it would be incredible if it looked something like these.

Found at: http://butdoesitfloat.com/
http://www.mattcusick.com/

The Greeks - Is Tropical

2011-06-01T09:20:00.001+01:00

Skittles - Touch

2011-05-17T10:10:00.002+01:00

I love this ad

Dodgy Shutterstock

2011-05-04T08:57:00.001+01:00

Nazism is ok...?

Badminton 2011

2011-04-29T00:34:00.005+01:00

Went to Badminton for the first time this year and thought it was great, don't have any preconceptions about the type of people you might expect to be milling around, if you want to see an animal doing what it is fully capable of, this is the place to see it. The power of these horses is immense, a really great day out (the sun helped).

Von Thord - Wedding Night

2011-03-18T16:19:00.000Z

Get your Friday funk on

Kacper Hamilton Drinking set

2011-03-18T14:15:00.002Z

Designed for Ballantine's I think this is one of the best looking drinking accessories/sets/essentials I have ever seen, especially in relation to whiskey.

Full article on Core 77
http://www.core77.com/blog/object_culture/kacper_hamiltons_art_of_degustation_drinking_set_18818.asp

Casteller

2011-03-15T09:10:00.000Z

Casteller from Mike Randolph on Vimeo.

One day I will go and see this

Perspective

2011-03-14T20:55:00.004Z

I think these images put the devastation in Japan into context more than most

Andrew Bird - Tenuousness

2011-02-10T11:52:00.001Z

Think i'm going to have to fly to Vermont in June

Robo-Rainbow

2011-02-04T11:11:00.001Z

robo-rainbow from mudlevel on Vimeo.

This is brilliant.
Robo-Rainbow is one of Akay his “Instruments of Mass Destructions”, a.k.a. “complicated technical solutions to aide in simple acts of vandalism”.

found at http://www.todayandtomorrow.net/

Scale of the Universe

2011-02-01T12:00:00.003Z

Came across this a little while ago, but was reminded by Jonathan Barnbrook today via Twitter:

http://primaxstudio.com/stuff/scale_of_universe/

I suggest you don't look at it if you're having one of those "what's the point in anything that I do"...days. Probably won't help.

New Skins trailer

2011-01-14T11:23:00.002Z

Loving the trailer for the new series of Skins. Maybe I'll watch this series

Colour Club

2011-01-11T11:39:00.002Z

MTV GONZO IDENTS from Colour Club on Vimeo.

Some friends of mine from Kingston who formed their own little collective of animators and illustrators.
Here is some of their recent work for MTV's Gonzo.

check out http://colour-club.blogspot.com/ for some other things.

good stuff.

Alcowebizer

2011-01-10T15:53:00.003Z

For the first post of 2011 I thought something alcohol-ish related would be appropriate. I am currently not drinking for as long as I can be bothered to keep it up...most likely January 31st. This is not however a new year's resolution, because I don't make new year's resolutions, due to the pressure it creates everytime I walk past the alcohol section in a supermarket or near a pub. Pressure isn't something I want, so it is simply an act I felt like taking, and it just so happens to be January...no pressure.
As I assume at least one other person is abstaining from alcohol at the moment (that's what I tell myself anyway) I thought I'd post a link for a website that will remind you what you are missing when you stumble in drunk and turn on your computer for a late night surf (hastily made sandwich in-hand, crumbs falling down between the gaps in the key board).

http://www.alcowebizer.com/ will create an alcoholically induced view of any website you choose. Bottoms up.

Happy 2011

Radio Song of the week - 3

2010-12-10T10:54:00.000Z

Cheers Ken

Panda-rama

2010-12-07T17:23:00.001Z

What?!...

Orangina Oddness

2010-12-04T10:45:00.002Z

I'm not sure if I want Orangina or some sort of farm animal...

taken from Creative Review
http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog

Grandma's Hearse

2010-11-17T17:48:00.003Z

Spotted this on the way back from Amsterdam.

Radio Song of the week - 2

2010-11-11T12:06:00.002Z

Suspicious Red Towel

2010-11-08T15:30:00.003Z

Took this photo a couple of weeks ago in Kingston. I hope they like pink.

Gunpower, Treason and Plot

2010-11-05T17:14:00.005Z

This evening across the country the sky will be illuminated by hundreds and thousands of fireworks, lawns will be scorched by bonfires made up of garden debris (most likely a little damp and green) and the odd effigie of Guy Fawkes will sit a little precariously on top.
It is the anniversary if the Gunpowder plot of 1605. It is also by coincidence Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, the first time it has fallen on November the 5th since 1972.

An interesting article on Creative Review blog today looks at the names some of these fireworks are called. Mostly nowadays derived from military terms, war and conflict. It references how names for fireworks have changed over the years with reference to current affairs, notably the language of space exploration that adorned these recreational explosives in the '50s and '60s. More relevant names for some of today's fireworks might be, 'Tuition Fee Rocket' or 'LibDem-olition'.
The recent U-turn by the LibDems on tuition fees is horrendous. Many people voted LibDem as a direct result of their public declaration and almost unanimous signing of a pledge not to raise them. Now within this coalition they have bent over and voted in favour of increasing the fees. This is of course a coalition and like any relationship you can't get everything your own way, but within the vote anyone had the opportunity to abstain....they didn't. You may think it naive to believe that a politician could be honest and not back track, but the LibDems had a unique chance to buck this trend, and stand up for key policies. They were never going to win a majority government, so if they did get into power it would be in a coalition. Ultimately they should never have signed and publicly declared to prevent any increase in tuition fees if they weren't prepared to follow it through. They are now completely and utterly tarred with the same brush as the other two parties. Well done.

I think that this day is a very important one within British history, and maybe more relevant this year than for a long time. While the original plot was intended to commit regicide of King James I of England and VI of Scotland, it's location of The House of Lords is perhaps more poignant. In the wake of the expenses scandal and with the country in financial dire straits, maybe this should be a day where politicians remember the potential of people power and to tread a little more carefully.

Tonight I hope all politicians feel a little hot under the collar and can see the metaphor in the burning fuse.

http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2010/november/fireworks-design

Radio Song of the week

2010-11-04T09:35:00.000Z

Scary Pumpkin

2010-11-01T10:54:00.001Z

This is one of the ways I've kept myself busy this week.

Limit to your Love

2010-10-27T11:59:00.003+01:00

I have been refraning from posting this because it's done the rounds a bit already. But I've not been able to stop listening to it from the first go. It's now nestled in my top 10 songs of all time....I realise it's a big statement, but I think it's valid.

Dave Osborne

2010-10-20T17:55:00.002+01:00

My favourite poem
by a friend of mine,
who I have not seen
in a very long time

Cheat Legal

2010-10-13T23:43:00.000+01:00

Good ad - this is the long version

Panique au Village

2010-10-13T12:05:00.004+01:00

You'll recognise this style of animation from the Cravendale adverts. I've always been a fan of them, but never known who did them. Now thanks to It's Nice That (not for the first time) my knowledge has grown.
This is the Trailer for a feature length film...if you can believe that. quite a jump from 15second shorts.

http://www.atowncalledpanic.com/

Chinese Swan Lake

2010-10-06T11:37:00.003+01:00

Probably the most mental balancing act I've ever seen

iPad light painting - Making Future Magic

2010-09-16T11:02:00.004+01:00

Making Future Magic: iPad light painting from Dentsu London on Vimeo.

This is awesome...I can just about grasp making the words, but as far as making the abstract shapes spin, change and move in all directions, my head just can't bend that way.
This is waiting to be raped by a massive ad agency.

The Reluctant Father

2010-09-15T09:21:00.004+01:00

Phillip Toledano's photographic diary of the first month he was a father. Genius funny. Here's the caption that accompanies the picture above:

Some men deal with their baby rage by drinking, or playing video games.

I made plates.

I thought this was high comedy, but Carla was not so amused.

For the longest time, when people asked to see a picture of Loulou, this was what I'd show them.

I liked not showing the usual cherubic photo. An adorable shot of Loulou poking her head out of a casserole pot, or something similarly bilious.

Does every baby picture have to be sweet and beautiful?

Crying is as much a part of it, if not most of it, at the beginning.

Read the whole thing, it's very good
found at: http://www.itsnicethat.com/
Phillip Toledano: http://theanthropologist.net/#/PhillipToledano/TheReluctantFather/

nendo: thin black line

2010-09-08T17:09:00.003+01:00

A collection of black wire furniture by Japanese studio Nendo will be shown at the Saatchi gallery in London later this month.
The collection also includes a clothes rack and all are intended to look like sketches.....mission accomplished. The chair (above) certainly achieves this and I love the boundary it crosses between practical furniture and sculpture/art. I wonder how comfy the chair is?? but also in a wider context, does the fact that it's going to be presented at the Saatchi gallery make it more art than furniture? If they let you sit on the chair then maybe its furniture, if not....then art? Or if the chair isn't comfy, then does it become art by default as no-one will sit on it anyway? Or is it a case of what the intention was when it was originally designed/made; I guess it's still furniture if it was intended to be uncomfortable from the idea's conception.

http://www.nendo.jp/en/
taken from: http://www.dezeen.com/2010/09/07/thin-black-lines-by-nendo/

Antidote

2010-09-06T13:22:00.001+01:00

I'm currently on a month long internship at Anitdote. Just started my second week, and enjoying the challenges so far.

http://www.antidote.co.uk/
http://antidotelikes.blogspot.com/

Brew Dog

2010-08-27T10:08:00.005+01:00

This is Brew Dog an experimental beer company and "A beacon of non-conformity in a increasingly monotone corporate desert" in beer world. Whoever got the job for branding this company must have had a lot of fun, not that I really like it that much. But its besides the point.
Above is their new brew, 'The End of History' in taxidermy packaging and is a head thumping 55% ABV and costs about £490 a bottle.

Found on DesignPorn
http://www.brewdog.com/

Everynone: Words

2010-08-25T09:39:00.004+01:00

WORDS from Everynone on Vimeo.

I was told about this last week during an interview, and didnt think i'd seen it. Now I realise I had, but I wasnt paying attention. It's already been dong the rounds on various blogs, but i'm still posting it because this would have been the perfect place to take my dingbat typeface.....

Drugs Law Review

2010-08-17T11:31:00.002+01:00

I've not actually written about my feelings towards the advantages drug legalisation would have on people, but I have had deep conversations with friends and family about the matter. Most of the time I have been shot down (especially within the family), but more and more we are reading about more high profile people than myself lobbying for at the very least, the laws to be reviewed. I also think you'll find Daniel Craig will back me up (as in Layer Cake) and Ben Elton puts forward a good case in High Society. Now the outgoing president of the Royal College of Physicians Sir Ian Gilmore also seems to have an opinion. There are also the documentries on Channel 4 at the moment by Angus Macqueen entitled Our Drugs War.
This fire is starting to get a bit more fuel...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-10990921
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/our-drugs-war/episode-guide

Women are Heroes - JR

2010-08-05T00:58:00.001+01:00

full trailer for 'Women are Heroes' by JR

Alexa Meade

2010-07-27T11:29:00.004+01:00

These images blow my mind!....human canvases. I love them
http://www.alexameade.com/

found at http://www.todayandtomorrow.net/

worth holding on to? Kingston 2010

2010-07-20T19:07:00.004+01:00

worth holding on to? from Rob Bowes on Vimeo.

The real talking point

2010-07-04T17:59:00.003+01:00

If you look at design blogs regularly then you've probably seen this photo before, or at least one of the other two in the series. The project was a comment on the confusing and somewhat farcical laws that surround the issues of photographing children. I probably didn't need to tell you that, it's a very good project very well executed, and therefore it communicates.
This was done by two of my good friends Samantha Harvey and Anna Brooks this year at uni. Now i don't know whether it's because I've seen this project develop over a long period of time, but the point that the image is trying to raise is a serious one. It does have underlying connotations about paedophilia, but ultimately it's an observation about the big brother society ours is slowly mutating into.
Of all the blogs this has been on, including It's Nice That and Creative Review, no one has commented on the actual message this photo sends out very well. It's being overlooked due the the technical accomplishments of the photography. All 3 are rather beautiful images in their own right, bold colours, the composition is spot on, as well as the little bit of nostalgia you feel when you see that the background looks something like your very own primary school; these things, and others, all contribute to the message becoming blurred. It is not Sam and Anna's fault at all and ironically the fact that this Orwellian tinged message is mostly overlooked, actually makes it communicate and comment on precisely that problem simultaneously.
We are not very good at viewing our own society from a neutral position, we are far too involved, moaning about tax rises, pensions and the state of youth today. What we are missing is messages from designers, artists, directors and authors that our world is changing right before our eyes in ways much more subtle than a few polar bears struggling to find solid ice and a slightly higher water mark on the white cliffs of Dover. We overlook them because of the masterful way in which these messages are woven into the fabric of context.
A film's message may be lost despite the fact it could (and probably is) shouting you in the face. We don't believe it because it comes in a box stamped "Hollywood", full of special effects, millions of pounds and beautiful people we would love to fuck...it's far fetched and nothing brewed in Hollywood could ever really happen, could it? Fundamentally though this film was once, just an idea, that most of the time is thought of by an intelligent person needing a medium for the message, but during its transformation from idea to blockbuster, the message becomes transparent. Invisible but so obviously there.
The message of a book is probably the most effective, as it's a much more tangible object than a film. We can imagine the intelligent person writing the lyrical prose, that we could never articulate even if we tried. You respect the author more than the director, you're ready to listen. The problem here is...the message doesn't reach most people, most novels never make it into the heady heights of popular culture, something that a film falls into without even trying to. It's a bit like a free loading, reality tv celebrity getting many more column inches than a scientist who just cured cancer.
The photograph above is much more in the book category, the frustrating thing here is, lots of intelligent people do see it...but once again the real grit behind the final object is passed over.
It's the same mentality which causes us to overlook changes in our own society, and move us a couple of pigeon steps closer to 1984.
Point in case: the smoking ban
It was the first law change for a very long time that actually reduced our freedom of choice. "you will not smoke because we say it's bad for you". Of course smoking is bad for us, the people around us, and it puts a big strain on the NHS and and and...easy justification for the government and ourselves to agree it should be banned in public. No protest, (or pretty inaudible anyway) done. What it tells the government though is, ban the things people feel bad about protesting about, even if it causes them to lose freedom, and it'll be fine. Do it over a long enough period of time and people will have forgotten they could even do the banned thing in the first place, also forgetting they lost freedom each time too; it will just creep up. Next on the list...alcohol and fatty foods.

This is the debate that photograph should provoke, not one about composition and how "lovely" the idea is.

www.samantha-harvey.co.uk/
www.anna-brooks.com/

Guillaume Nery base jumping at Dean's Blue Hole

2010-06-20T02:04:00.002+01:00

I've just found something new to try and achieve in my life

found at
http://www.todayandtomorrow.net

Kingston Uni Show

2010-06-19T23:11:00.011+01:00

My exhibition area for my Loss in London newspaper and my Dingbat typeface WorDing. Both can be seen further down my blog

here's a few other pieces that were displayed. The photos don't do them justice hence why a lot of other things didn't get put on here.

Dan Prettejohn
Portraits of champions of weird things. On the left we have the 6 time cheese rolling champ, and on the right the world champion Egg Roulette'r.

cheese rolling is this btw, as depicted in the awesome video/song Can You Give It by the Maccabees

Joe Provis
A quite beautiful drawing about something that i can't remember, aesthetically seductive though

Jess Harvey
Looking at making herself look like certain typefaces, based on when, where and who designed them. It's amazing what you can do with a couple of hairpieces and some make-up

Tom Digby
Proposing to repackage some of our best known products. I just like how amazingly pretty they are...quality screen prints

Mark Rogerson
A map of the world's economy - love a good map

To be Found

2010-06-10T11:56:00.002+01:00

Loss In London Newspaper

2010-05-30T00:45:00.002+01:00

caption on cover
Loss of human life is always tragic, and it is often the manner in which death occurs that resonates with us most, especially if we didn't know the deceased personally

Nike: Write the Future - Full Length

2010-05-21T21:38:00.002+01:00

Awesome

Nike: Write the Future

2010-05-17T19:47:00.001+01:00

If Carlsberg did Teamtalks

2010-05-17T19:43:00.004+01:00

Not sure how much I like this really, just had to post it because its World Cup related. Phil Taylor's cheeky dart is a bit naff...i'm assuming they did it so everyone knows know he is, and Tevor Brooking's little quip just sounds forced. o well.

My World Cup 23

2010-05-12T20:35:00.002+01:00

Barry in for Parker if he's fit

Siggi Eggertsson at Pick Me Up

2010-04-28T17:11:00.005+01:00

Went to Pick Me Up the other day at Somerset house, and I thought it was quite good, it was a really interesting exhibition...if you can even call it that, because it was a little bit more.
Screen printing workshops from Print Club and the ‘It’s Nice That’ cinema, nicely broke up the work on display, all of which was available to purchase. It was also nice to see an exhibition that was purely graphic ART, no major concept, no problem solving; just pretty things, and sometimes that’s all you need.
This piece above was my highlight though, a huge 2x2.5m quilt by Icelandic Siggi Eggertsson, made out of a massive 10,000 pieces.
Somerset House was also a very nice setting, Pick Me Up is on until 3 May.

Opposites Attract

2010-04-28T00:37:00.000+01:00

WorDing

2010-04-22T10:35:00.007+01:00

A dingbat typeface based on word association. The dingbats are based on the most commonly occurring words during word association experiments undertaken by the University of South Florida in 1973.
More than 6,000 participants produced nearly three-quarters of a million responses to 5,019 stimulus words. Participants were asked to write the first word that came to mind that was meaningfully related or strongly associated to the presented word.
For example, if given BOOK _________, they might write READ on the blank next to it. This procedure is called a discrete association task because each participant produces only a single associate to each word.

See if you can get what they are, R is probably the hardest, but they are very common words. Probably need to redo 'i', don't think its quite bright enough, if you catch my drift.

The Election Debate

2010-04-16T20:55:00.004+01:00

why so blue?

So the first ever live election debate was on last night, and overall I thought it was quite good, I didn't feel the need to switch channels at least. No idea who i'm voting for, to quote Victoria Coren on Have I Got News For You last week; "you know those really great tennis matches where you think it's a shame that any player has to lose? Well it's the exact opposite of that."
Also was it just me or did the blue team visually stand out over the others? And thought it was quite interesting that in the edit of the closing statements put on ITV's YouTube channel (below), they've edited it so Nick Clegg speaks last, when on the Live broadcast he spoke first...why would they do that?

2012 Logo 1972

2010-04-08T16:47:00.003+01:00

I've always really liked the London Olympic logo, I think it's the most original since Munich 1972. And these new badges posted on It's Nice That today are also very cool.
http://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/2609-london-2012-logo

Four Letter Words

2010-03-30T11:13:00.003+01:00

Four Letter Words from Rob Seward on Vimeo.

it's nice when you come across something that's relevant to work your doing.
Word association is something i'm exploring to further 'Words of Numbers'

"Four Letter Words is an installation made by Rob Seward. It consists of four units, each capable of displaying all 26 letters of the alphabet with an arrangement of fluorescent lights. The piece displays an algorithmically generated word sequence, derived from a word association database developed by the University of South Florida between 1976 and 1998. The algorithms take into account word meaning, rhyme, letter sequencing, and association."

taken from: http://www.todayandtomorrow.net/

HG Wells book covers

2010-03-24T13:35:00.007Z

Brief:
Design a stunning and contemporary cover look for one of the 20th Century’s most acclaimed authors, HG Wells
Creative Challenge:
Known mostly for his Science Fiction writing, HG Wells also wrote incredible social novels that are still relevant today, covering topics such as the mid-life crisis, class, feminism, materialism, consumerism and love.

Description:
I wanted to strip the books down to their bare bones and effectively re-title them. The new ‘titles’ are well known sayings that give a prospective buyer a very basic idea of what the main plot is about. As HG Wells is predominantly known for his science fiction writing, I felt that this would be an appropriate method to clearly show they were not from this genre. It also aims encourage a new reader base for Wells’ novels.

The dust jackets are double sided, the front being treated typographically in relation to what the book has been ‘re-titled’ to. The back is more illustrative, reflecting another element of the story the main character has to deal with or is involved in.

JR - Women Are Heros - Paris

2010-03-01T17:45:00.005Z

from: http://blog.vandalog.com/2010/03/jr-women-are-heroes/

PUMA Hardchorus

2010-02-12T01:41:00.002Z

Bring on the World Cup!
http://www.pumahardchorus.com/

OXO not cube

2010-02-12T01:36:00.005Z

This is one of the stingiest pieces of "design" I have ever seen. I'm not sure how long oxo "cubes" have looked like this, but it is such a blatant attempt at cost cutting. I know we're in a bit of a financial black hole at the moment, but seriously, shaving off what cannot be anymore than half a gram of dust is just crap.
Whoever said "...I know, lets make the cube into an 'X' cos there is an X in our name and it saves us 8 quid a year!"...fucking genius. They probably had to change all there equipment in oxo land so they can make these grooves, money well spent when there isn't much about...i think not. Change for change sake. No doubt the suits think it's 'a bit of fun', not sure i've ever been that bothered about having a laugh when making gravy? maybe some people have.
If they're going to be that pedantic about things, then they should change the brand name to EX-O and find out what a 3D 'X' is actually called so you can bung that on the end of the title.

Flutes des Monts Mandara

2010-02-04T20:39:00.005Z

African Music Packaging - Flutes des Monts Mandara
October 2009
Joint project with: Ed Baigrie

Brief:
A project from Andersen M Studio. Design and create the album cover for an LP of the album Flutes des Monts Mandara, a compilation of traditional music from Cameroon in Africa.
The design must make the music appeal to a young, artistic and open minded audience in the UK/Western world. The essence of the music must be depicted in an authentic West African way, but with a modern artistic approach.

Description:
We looked at how the music was recorded, all the songs were played outside and directly recorded with microphones, very low tech and uncomplicated. This recording is essentially a one-off copy of the music, that could never be repeated exactly, there is little or no production and it’s raw.
To access the music the outer sealed layer must be ripped off, the inside of this layer is a three colour screen printed poster, so depending on how you’ve opened the packet, will determine what your poster looks like. The ink on the centre of the vinyl is made to come off when rubbed (like a scratch card). This way every time you open the case to play the music, the disc itself becomes marked, changing the appearance; further enhancing the one off concept.

Words of Numbers

2010-01-14T00:05:00.003Z

Self Initiated
November 2009

Description:
I was looking at the relationship certain words have with a number, more specifically 0 to 9, as these are the fundamental digits for every number.
This specific 0 to 9 are things that should be understood by everyone over the age of sixteen, and if not then you might learn something as it will give the viewer provocation to understand why a certain word is used.
It still needs some work as some are perhaps not as clear as they should be and I don't think 'A' sized paper is the best format. Eventually I want to collate ten 0 to 9's in a book, each set based on a specific subject.

If you have any suggestions for words you think could be associated with a number feel free to leave a comment....and be the firs person ever to do so at the same time. x

Kseniya Simonova - Sand Animation

2009-12-06T22:04:00.000Z

Loss in London - Monument

2009-11-26T23:52:00.002Z

4 of 4

The Monument to The Great Fire of London, erected to commemorate the fire of 1666 and the people who lost their lives to it, is also the site of where six people committed suicide between 1788 and 1842. This is apparently very close to the "official" number of deaths The Great Fire itself caused; as peasants were not considered important enough to record at the time though, its not even close to the actual unknown figure.

Loss in London - Kennington Park

2009-11-11T12:36:00.003Z

3 of 4

The South field of Kennington Park was used as a public air-raid shelter during the second world war.
On October 15th the trenches suffered a direct hit killing 104 people. It was the largest single loss of life at a bomb incident in Lambeth. 48 of the bodies were recovered, but rescue efforts were hampered and the remaining 56 victims were covered with lime and the trenches filled in, effectively making the park a mass grave.

Loss in London - Marchioness

2009-11-09T00:26:00.004Z

2 of 4

This small stretch of the Thames between Southwark Bridge and Cannon Street Railway Bridge is where on 20 August 1989, 51 of 130 guests attending a birthday party on the Marchioness drowned after it was run down by the dredger Bowbelle.
The 1,880 ton Bowbelle caused the Marchioness to founder within 30 seconds of the collision, as the meager 46 ton vessel was pushed under water "like a toy boat".

Loss in London - Tyburn Gallows

2009-11-08T00:15:00.005Z

Photography - Loss in London

Brief:
Produce a piece of narrative photography
October 2009

Description:
1 photo from a series of 4
This central reservation road crossing, next to Marble Arch, was the site of the Tyburn Gallows, the place where up to, or maybe more than, 50 000 people met their maker.
It was one of the first public gallows to not only erect stands for the viewing public, but to charge them to watch the proceedings. Now next to the site ironically sits a cinema where people still go and pay for their entertainment.

Piano Stairs

2009-11-05T01:33:00.002Z

Great idea, genuinely fun "exercise"...wish i'd thought of that

Random Snooze

2009-11-04T01:07:00.002Z

Chris Jordan

2009-11-02T00:24:00.003Z

Just came across this tonight. Really great photos that are very thought provoking and interesting. Such as strong body of work...why have I not heard of this guy before!

http://www.chrisjordan.com/

Kasabian Football Hero

2009-11-01T13:12:00.001Z

Conservative Sun

2009-10-19T22:39:00.001+01:00

Is this what "The Sun" will look like when the election rolls around?

Student Radicalism

2009-10-13T17:35:00.006+01:00

Lawrence Zeegen is our new "Head of School of Communication Design Kingston University", after a 12 year stint at Brighton, doing i think, the same job. We haven't had much contact with him as yet, other than a brief introduction from himself on the first day.
He seems like a nice guy, and after such a long time at what I believe to be another great university for Graphic Design and Illustration, definitely has the experience to make Kingston better still.
Today during my daily scan of "It's Nice That" I spot his name on an article he's written for their weekly discussion...so I read it with a healthy sense of interest. (I'll post a link to it at the end of my ramblings).
To summarise; he's talking about how he feels; "tomorrow’s mavericks and misfits are commencing three years of study knuckling down to the proposition of rowing boats rather then rocking boats". He isn't exactly saying that we are all boring, as being boring and not radical are definitely different; but breaking down boundaries it seems we might not be doing.
Questioning why us students haven't rebelled like in the "civil rights Berkeley student rebellion of 1964, the Parisian student revolt of 1968, the Soweto uprising of 1976, even the poll tax riots of 1990" ; is valid, as I have thought similar things on several occasions, and there is a lot to protest about at the moment. But, in my view these acts were radical and influential at the time, and the same demonstrations now, would provoke a far smaller reaction than was achieved then. Art is about progression and doing new things, rebelling in this manner now is not new and we'd probably all be arrested under the "Counter Terrorism Act" or some bullshit very quickly.
Of course there are new things us students could do, but "in recession-hit UK" no-one is going to care about students who get a six grand a year loan, interest free, when everyone else is scraping round for pennies in the sofa. It would basically cause more harm than good I think. There is plenty of fantastic new work out there, but we are in a saturated design student world with thousands more graduating every year with an art/design related degree than did 20 years ago, making it much more difficult to be spotted. Sieving through the sheep takes longer now than ever and more perseverance is required...I have faith that there is good stuff out there.
I must say at this point I haven't spoken to Lawrence about this in person yet, so I'm trying not to be bitchy and slag off his opinion behind his back.
I just feel that the YBA's he referred to later in his article are also not doing anything radical themselves at the moment. Some of their work came out after the countries finances' were in a similar state to what they are now. There is perhaps something to be said for students working in their comfort zone, I don't know, Mr. Zeegen is in a far better vantage point to see that; but this "world crisis" might prove to be the catalyst needed to kick start some more radical student output. Hopefully when my year graduates we can give him some hope that the new generation of students is still radical at heart.

Cable

2009-09-08T08:32:00.000+01:00

AlcatraZ Kitchen

2009-09-08T08:31:00.000+01:00

CA-1

2009-09-08T08:29:00.000+01:00

San Francisco flickr

2009-09-08T08:24:00.001+01:00

"Cosmetic" Surgery

2009-09-07T22:16:00.008+01:00

Plastic surgery and all the procedures under the umbrella of this term, is without a doubt a spectacular feat in science and technology. However as with most spectacular feats, there lies an equally spectacular fall on the other side. (Newton's 3rd law of motion: Every action has an equal and opposite reaction).
The use of plastic reconstructive surgery is another wonderful string to the medical bow, but i can't help thinking that it's use for cosmetic purposes causes natural evolution to slow down...just a little bit.
The process of natural selection is inhibited by the fact that some people look like a more attractive mate and a suitable spouse to raise young with than what their genes will actually produce.
It basically means that genetically 'ugly'* people are reproducing because they look prettier. Their genes are obviously not affected by the surgery and are therefore producing children that are not as advanced (relatively speaking in evolution terms), had the non-surgically enhanced parent produced children with similarly non-surgically enhanced spouse.
Having said this, as our one underlying primeval instinct is to breed....then giving 'ugly' people the opportunity to breed is probably good in the long term for the human race, in terms of numbers at least. Bigger is not always better though; this being proved countless amounts of times in Africa and the resulting famine...but i digress, Africa is an entirely different can of worms.
This leads me to my underlying point; that "cosmetic" surgery is not merely cosmetic.

*I'm not referring to purely cosmetic looks, but i can also mean recessive diseases that could possibly be hidden in the genes or anything else hiding in the skeleton

I realise I have no evidence to back this up, but its just a blog, so make your own mind up, just thinking out loud really.

Pod

2009-09-04T07:49:00.001+01:00

Dolphins off the coast of Santa Barbara, CA.
pretty

Vegas Ambulance

2009-08-21T00:53:00.001+01:00

Boys Noize - Jeffer

2009-08-12T07:03:00.002+01:00

Apple Globe

2009-07-22T16:33:00.000+01:00

I wish i'd done this...really really wish

What's wrong?

2009-07-22T13:01:00.004+01:00

Another cool little thing I found on my trawl. Don't know really whose done it, some sort of combination between ChappsMalina design studio in New York and Little Fury which is at least one person, as they refer to themselves as "us".
http://chappsmalina.com/
http://www.littlefury.com/

Ink Calendar

2009-07-22T12:07:00.003+01:00

A really cool calendar I found whilst trawling the internet for images during my placement at SalterBaxter.
It's by a guy called Oscar Diaz and uses capillary action to suck ink across the numbers embossed on the page, one day at a time, gradually colouring itself in over the month.

The Visitor 2

2009-07-01T02:13:00.002+01:00

The Visitor 2

October 2008

Brief

To produce a piece of work based on the phrase "The Visitor"

Description

Ok this is pretty much the same concept as last time but executed in a more photographic manner.
Using preservation jars I wanted to show the items I had previously listed in a preserved state; as if they were the last of their kind. The jar labeled "Rainforest" is left open to show my other underlying point; that the Rainforests of the world will eventually disappear without significant protection...if they are not protected, this jar is waiting.

Pantone South Africa

2009-06-17T16:47:00.005+01:00

Self Initiated - Pantone South Africa
April 2009

South Africa has a long history of segregation and racism. I looked into apartheid; a system of legal racial segregation enforced by the South African government between 1948 and 1994. Part of the laws meant separate beaches for the four ethnic groups (Black, White, Indian and Coloured), as well as other public amenities.
The Pantone swatches are designed as if it were 1994, and would be for the public to carry around. The names of the different colours denote what political and social rights that person would lose depending on how tanned or burnt they became in the Sun. The closer to "Black" they become on their card, the less rights they have.

Saatchi & Saatchi Viral

2009-06-03T19:11:00.002+01:00

Funny little viral from S&S taken from its nice that.

Behind The Seen film

2009-05-27T15:12:00.007+01:00

A small very unpolished viral to accompany the poster and invite for the Kingston degree show 2009.

Inappropriate

2009-05-20T17:12:00.002+01:00

Inappropriate Typography - Public Breast Feeding
November 2008

Brief:
Choose a topic or subject area that could be seen as inappropriate and produce a piece of typography on it.

Description:
My chosen topic was public breast feeding, not that I necessarily think it is inappropriate, but it is definitely controversial and is seen as inappropriate by some people. For this reason I looked at points of view from a nursing mother and the general public, and pretty much just used the quotes I heard.

I Witness Too

2009-05-20T17:04:00.003+01:00

I Witness a Geo Cache
With currently 801,490 active Geo Caches in the world, its the world’s biggest treasure hunt. This is one of them stuck to the metal work of Knights Park bridge in Kingston Upon Thames.

(exactly what it says in the box on the image)

Kingston Degree Show '09

2009-05-09T17:20:00.004+01:00

Show Ident - Kingston Degree Show '09
May 2009
Joint Project - James Titterton, Jess Harvey and Alexandra Delaney

Brief:
Come up with a concept for the 2009 degree show for the faculty of art, design and architecture

Description:
The concept lay in how we felt that Kingston design students are so into their work, that they have almost become part of it with the amount of effort put in during the run up to the show. It was also about the hard work that goes on behind the scenes before the show is opened.

P.S. this didnt get chosen by the powers that be in suits...and it fucking well should have done, because it was the best idea by a mile
(not bitter at all)

Pig Flu

2009-05-03T21:49:00.001+01:00

Sheringham

2009-04-27T15:21:00.003+01:00

This was a photo from on a disused train in Sheringham, Norfolk. I think it was at a museum, but it was about 2am and i'd had 2am's worth of alcohol, so couldn't be 100% sure of that. Quite like the photo though.

LSD

2009-04-27T15:15:00.003+01:00

Post cards from the edge

This pretty much just was a muck around, but ended up having potential to be quite cool. The idea was that after I had done the words (Long Shore Drift), i'd come back the next day and photograph what long shore drift had actually done to it...alas we left before the tide had gone out again. It's the thought that counts.

Mugabe ebaguM

2009-04-27T13:03:00.005+01:00

The reaction in Yorkshire if the President of Zimbabwe stopped by for a spot of tea.

Snow Geese

2009-04-26T19:49:00.003+01:00

Moving Image - Animals
Joint Project - Jon Barnett and Kirsty Ayree
January 2009

Brief:
Show animal characteristics in humans

Description:
A fairly ridiculous video. Basically we had the idea of showing how the daily commute to work, was like the migration of birds...or more specifically in this case; Snow Geese.

I Witness

2009-04-25T22:48:00.007+01:00

Self Initiated - I Witness
April 2009

Description:
I was originally looking at 'why looking up is important', in the sense of taking in the small details of places you know very well and may have lived for a number of years, but have never noticed; sort of psycho geography, but not really.
It came to me looking a journeys, and more specifically car journeys. Coming into a town or city a different way from usual and not having a clue where you are until you're at your destination....so again kind of lead me back to noticing things you have usually ignored.
These photos show 3 elements of a journey people tend to 'ignore', and I am capturing what is ignored. By chance the 3 final images I chose all had a close link, or were infact animals.

I Witness Bats - Wildlife is something which is quite often and obviously missed whilst on a journey
I Witness Roadkill - The kneejerk "eew" reaction we have when seeing roadkill, but is never thought about again after the initial sighting
I Witness a Zebra Crossing - A Zebra crossing is ignored by a motorist

Irony?

2009-04-24T12:58:00.001+01:00