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CHRISTMAS MARKET AT THE ROAMIN’ NOSE

By Craft, Edinburgh, Events, Talented Pals No Comments

Myself and my friend Rachel Patrick held a wee stall at the Roamin’ Nose’s Christmas Market last week. It was a fab event and great fun to chat to other crafty creatives such as Kapunk, By Mi and Bleather it was also awesome to finally meet in the flesh the lovely Zoe from Conversation Pieces who bought some of my Typetastic Tags, which you can buy here along with my ‘Ink’ print which is now for sale.

tags ink-blog she-believed

The Roamin’ Nose was a fabulous venue, with a cosy and welcoming atmosphere. We had Honey Bread Toast with Pecorino and Pears, which was divine followed by fabulous thin cut chips, which are somewhere between crisps and chips. I also sampled the heavenly Seasonal Tart with Winter Salad. We also had a good stab at working our way through the wine list, all of which were lush and ended the evening with marshmallows from The Marshmallow Lady (which I have been raving about to anyone who’ll listen – nothing like shop bought ones). Yum, I’ll definitely be going back.

ADVICE TO SINK IN SLOWLY

By Advice, Collaberation, Downloads, Type Love No Comments

Advice to Sink in SlowlyThis is my contribution to Advice to Sink in Slowly, an ongoing series of posters designed by graduates for the purpose of passing on advice and inspiration to first year students.

My advice is ‘If you don’t create it, it doesn’t exist’. When I was a student I often felt demotivated by comparing myself to other students/designers/agencies and lacked confidence in my work, and sometimes felt inhibited by this. Whereas the reality is that students are probably creatively at their free-est. I’d like to encourage them to be free, and unafraid and to have confidence in their ability; every creative has something totally unique to offer.

And because it’s nice to be nice you can download a free iPhone wallpaper of the print here.

Advice to sink in slowly

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

By Type Love No Comments

I do love a good costume drama, this one had particularly excellent opening titles. I loved the butterfly dust particles on the ageing lace and the decay of something beautiful, like Miss Havisham. To work on a project like this has definitely been added to my dream project list.

“We follow the birth and death of a butterfly. In beautifully textural 3D, the creature bursts out of the cocoon, unfurling its fragile self into a dark world. As the sequence progresses we see intricate filigree tattooed onto the wings, growing like creeping ivy.

Eventually the tattoos start to envelop the entire wingspan, patterns over patterns until the creature is blacked out to an eerie silhouette of itself.

The sequence parallels the lead character’s evolution – Pip’s fascination with Miss Havisham’s otherness and wealth before his realisation that all is not as it seems.”

By Momoco

THE JOY OF SEEX

By Edinburgh, Talented Pals No Comments

Today I have a guest post from the exceptionally talented Dan Seex. Aside from having a pretty awesome name, Dan has a D&AD Inbook Award and has recently exhibited at Coburg Studios. He’s also done some beautiful work for the lovely Hot Rum Cow magazine which was recently featured on It’s Nice That. Dan has another exhibition the opening night is Saturday 4 August from 7pm at Boda Bar on Leith Walk, that runs throughout August and September. If you’re in the area, get yourself down for a look.

So basically, I draw stuff. Things. Nothing specific really, I’ll occasionally have sporadic themes, methods of working but I rarely stick to them and am always game for trying something new. Essentially I have three addictions, caffeine, nicotine and drawing. I like a new brief because it gives me a new starting point and new things to play with.

Me in Chemicals Compounds Dan Seex

Me In Compounds  I studied Chemistry briefly, years ago. I like the way molecular structures look. This, however, was not sufficient interest to get me through a degree…

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DJCAD 2012 DEGREE SHOW

By Events No Comments

Meant to blog about this terrific degree show a-a-a-ages ago… Absolutely love going to the Dundee show, I am a Dundonian after all and it is just down the road from my favourite Dundee bar: Mennies. Across all disciplines the standard was completely superb. Here are some of my favourites.

Catriona Maciver

Catriona Maciver www.catmacdesign.com

Beverly Currie

Beverly Currie www.hellointhere.co.uk

Lisa Scrimegeour

Lisa Scrimgeour www.lisascrimgeour.com

Ottavio Di Sotto

Fellow Telford Grad Ottavio Di Sotto www.ottaviodisotto.com

Rosie McGregor

Rosie McGregor

Robbie Butler

Robbie Butler www.robbiebutler.co.uk

Sally Hackett

Sally Hackett www.sallyhackett.co.uk

Sophie D'agostino

Another fellow Telford Grad Sophie D’agostino www.sophiedagostino.co.uk

John Stafylarakis

John Stafylarakis

Kirsty Turpie

Kirsty Turpie www.kirstyturpie.tumblr.com

Suzanne Reilly

And finally some beautiful cats (Cats – always the way to my heart) by Suzanne Reilly www.suzanne-reilly.blogspot.co.uk.

LINOTYPE – THE TWITTER OF 1886

By Events, Type Love No Comments

Ottmar! You’ve done it! A line of type!

Whitelaw Reid, New York Tribune, 1886

At the Ampersand 2012 Conference we were treated to a screening of Linotype: The Film over lunch followed by a Q&A session with the director, Doug Wilson (whose very cool ampersand tattoo is set in Scala, fact fans).

This is a wonderful film and not only for type enthusiasts. The Linotype was invented on 3 July 1886 by German watchmaker Ottmar Mergenthaler and created a communication revolution. Publications that previously required to be typeset by hand could be done much faster using the LInotype machine to create lines of hot metal type. This allowed for news to be reported to the public hours after it happened, and also made the production of printed publications cheaper thus allowing for the widespread and timely dissemination of information to the masses. It also didn’t even put anyone out of work, it increased the demand for print so much that hand type setters were employed to operate Linotype machines. Win, win I say.

All in all a fascinating tale of an invention that changed the world, a great piece of social, industrial and cultural history. Linotype: The Film will be released on DVD in October and will also be available Netflix, iTunes and Amazon. Absolutely worth a watch,

Oh and I also treated myself to an awesome letterpress print, pressed by the director himself. Amazing Lintoype artwork by Brian Collins

Linotype-The-Film-Artwork-

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