Tuesday 11 December 2012

Design History - Icons Example 1…

As the article states, 'When Noorda and his partner Massimo Vignelli took on the subway signs, they didn't just update them — they invented what they thought of as a new grammar for New York City.'

This is now considered iconic and also is connected to another Icon 'Helvetica'...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/09/magazine/who-made-that-subway-signage.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1&


Thursday 6 December 2012

Re-post of this posting on my blog from June 2011 Type Reference 1, Tony Forster and Letraset...

Tony Forster was my Tutor/Mentor and for a time Friend, who always had time for a chat and advice at Bolton College of Art & Design, Bolton in the UK from 1977 to 1981, and then for many years after. Everything that I know about Headline/Hand crafted Typography and Layout, came from Tony. It's hard to believe that he is no longer with us and that it's 4 years since he passed away. Just to give you some idea of the immense knowledge and how well connected Tony was, the following are some of the names he passed on to me in the first 2 years of my course. Herb Lubalin, Alan Fletcher, Trevor Johnson, Saul Bass, Massimo Vignelli, Phil Grimshaw, Lionel Hatch, Rolling Stone Magazine, Eric Gill, David Hillman, The Quick Brown Fox Company, JWT Manchester, Royle/Murgatroyd Design, Keith Murgatroyd, Mouse and Kelly, Michael English, Philip Castle to name but a few… Tony also in his later work had a connection to Art Nouveau and Charles Rennie Mackintosh having designed a family of fonts called 'Willow' CRM reference The next post on Art Nouveau and Mackintosh will follow this posting...

Wednesday 5 December 2012

Design History 'Bridge to the 20th Century' Links Part 3…

More Visual reference taken from MOSI (The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester) 

Quote taken from The Linotype & Machinery Co. Ltd Collections Handout.

'Machine That Sets Type Conquers The World'

'The linotype machine spread throughout the world, often following the paths of British Colonialism. Linotype manufacturers almost worshipped the machine and its ability to spread the printed word. At the outbreak of the First World War, it was estimated that there were 30,000 linotype machines in operation across the world. Julius Muller, who wrote a history of the linotype machine, argued:' 

"Let these thirty thousand Linotypes but fall into tune, and there shall arise a chorus, that will, indeed, sweep War from the world forever."








Design History 'Bridge to the 20th Century' Links Part 2…

More Visual reference from MOSI (Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester) and from The Rylands Library this link on Vimeo of a Letterpress demonstration by Graham Moss from the Incline Press operating a Britannia Press, explaining both the technique and the process of the equipment and the historical information of the press from a locally generated source. http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/firstimpressions/From-Manuscript-to-Print/Technology-of-the-Book/Video-of-printing-in-action/




Design History - 'Bridge to the Twentieth Century'… Example Links 1...

http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/firstimpressions/ [The University of Manchester - John Rylands Library online Archive for Manuscript and Print]

http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/firstimpressions/Pioneers-of-Print/

http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/firstimpressions/Pioneers-of-Print/William-Caxton/

http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/firstimpressions/Spread-of-Print-through-Europe/Manchester/

http://www.mosi.org.uk/explore-mosi/explore-mosi-themes/communications/printing.aspx [Fleet Street of the North]

http://www.waitangi.com/colenso/colenso1.html [The First Printed Book in New Zealand 1835]

http://christchurchartgallery.org.nz/exhibitions/pressed-letters-fine-printing-in-new-zealand-since/ [NZ Perspective]

The above links set the background story to the beginnings, of European Typography and Letterpress development from the 15th Century, moving the power away from the Church in Europe, onwards through the Industrial Revolution of the UK and again Manchester. The spread around the Globe of the British Empire, ensuring the greater awareness of the Linotype Printing Press and the Power of Communication to the Colonies in the 19th Century, and all this from a Manchester based Company (later American led when the company diversified)

I have also included links from an NZ perspective, as this also has a Religious slant to the early development of printing in the country.

The pics shown were taken back in 2008 at MOSI in Manchester, during a Letterpress demonstration. The Press shown is called a Colombian.

Tuesday 4 December 2012

Alan Fletcher - British Graphic Designer 1931 – 2006

One of Britain's most influential and Iconic Graphic Designer/Art Directors of the later half of the 20th Century and into the early 21st Century. Link to his Obituary posted in the British Newspaper, The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2006/sep/25/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries Founder of Pentagram, colleague of David Hillman, Mentor to Mancunian (Manchester) Graphic Designer, Peter Saville and close friend of Anthony Forster, Typographic Designer founder of QBF (Quick Brown Fox Headline setting and Fonthouse) based in Manchester. http://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/2006/alanfletcher Question is: Where does Fletcher's work sit in the list of 10 most influential designers of the last 50 years?

Emigre - Pioneers of 80's Foundry and Typographic Design...

http://www.emigre.com/EOther.php To me one of the Pioneers of the 80's. Founded in 84 by Rudy Vanderlans and his Wife, I first became aware of their work in early 85 after being sent a copy of their Magazine by a Graphic Design friend of mine who was working in London at the time. Heavily criticised by some design heavyweights of the time, they went on to create some of the most iconic fonts of the late 20th Century and still have a strong place in current typographic design and thinking. There is also a very good Essay reference section on their website, which is worth a look for entry level research.

Another Classic piece of Design Print History comes to an end - The Dandy...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-20581867 Another Classic piece of Design Print History comes to an end. The Dandy which for over 75 years entertained generations of Children. Is this another Nail in the Coffin for Commercial Comic Print? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-20417849 Dandy's history marked in a Display at the National Library of Scotland from the 20/11/12. Thoughts very much appreciated on this subject...

Friday 30 November 2012

A second posting for this item on the work of Jason Bruge, London based Visual Artist...

Thoughts from Christchurch...: The work of Jason Bruge...: This lead has come courtesy of Lawrence Giles, as part of setting up the next phase of my core project on the MA (Project completed as part of the MA and fully submitted in April 2011) http://www.jasonbruges.com/projects/international-projects/mimosa I was fortunate to see this installation at the Design museum in London in February 2011...

Thursday 29 November 2012

2nd Posting - Climate Counts presents Unstoppable

Thoughts from Christchurch...: Climate Counts presents Unstoppable A second time posting for this environmental video, though a few years old now, it's still worth a look and still very relevant to the current discussions...


YouTube - Spin

http://youtu.be/oP59tQf_njc

I was sent this by a friend of mine in the States 6 years ago who teaches Film and Media in NYC, and have used this as an example to show different aspects of the Creative Process on many occasions to my Graphic Design and Advertising students. 




Design History Ref 1 - Visual Research: An Introduction to Research Methodologies in Graphic Design, Ian Noble (Author), Russell Bestley (Author)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/2940373205/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

One of the first books recommended to me by one of my Professors at Salford University in the UK for my MA Book List, this is the 2nd Edition reprint, updated in 2011, it was originally published in 2004. It sets out strategies for engaging in Research and how to compile information, assemble your thoughts to begin writing a draft and putting forward 'A well balanced argument'.

Describe, Analyse, Interpret, Judge...

Friday 23 November 2012

1st Teaching session - Design Histories at YOOBEE School of Art & Design...


It's good to get back to some teaching hours, and my first session at YOOBEE School of Art & Design here in Christchurch on Monday 26/11/12 in the afternoon. Thought I would kick off with one of my favourite Type Designers Neville Brody, followed by Tony Forster…


Monday 16 July 2012

Rylands Library Thursday 26/07/12 @ 5.30pm - '4 Areas of Investigation (A Mancunian Personal Journey)'

Subject: Rylands Library Thursday 26/07/12 @ 5.30pm - '4 Areas of Investigation (A Mancunian Personal Journey)'

Afternoon everyone, 

Below are details of my forthcoming activity week at the Rylands, if you can attend the presentation evening, could you please contact the Rylands directly to book places (seats are limited) for the presentation on the 26/07/12. If you could also send this out through your own connections, this will be very much appreciated. 

Look forward to seeing you.

Thanks. Peter.




  • Presentation on Thursday 26/07/12 @ 5.30pm - 6.30pm (followed by a Q&A) Presented by Peter Godkin MA, MCSD, MDINZ. On the following project topic.

    '4 Areas of Investigation (A Mancunian Personal Journey)'

    Bookings direct on this number and e-mail 0161 306 0555 and jrul.events@manchester.ac.uk


    Part of a week long activity at the Rylands, starting on the 23/07/12 and concluding 29/07/12, called as stated '4 Areas of Investigation (A Mancunian Personal Journey)' This presentation focuses on my Artist's work undertaken last year at The University of Salford on the Masters of Art in Communications Design course. The Rylands assisted with the logistics of Author's work undertaken on-site, and featured in the final submission.

    *Places for this event can be reserved by contacting The John Rylands Library event line directly.

    The above is in support of the following - Weeklong activity WB 23/07/12 - 29/07/12

    'Handwriting, is it a dying art and recollecting a personal memory?'


    An activity which asks the question 'Is Handwriting a dying art form?' and then asks of the visitor 'can they recall a specific memory connected to a place or time?' They are then asked to record this on a postcard in their own hand and post them in a postbox. This activity will run throughout the WB 23/07/12, and concludes on Sunday the 29/07/12.


Sunday 10 June 2012

MB96 150696 Manchester Bombing Updated Identity...


Firstly please excuse the multiple mailing nature of this e-mail, and also that it has been sometime since my last mail out on this project. Also there are a number of you who are receiving this for the first time and are not aware of my work, the background for this may be unfamiliar and the concept work, first undertaken back in 2010, as part of my MA in Communication Design course at University of Salford and continuing to develop.

The link for the background can be found on Behance and is http://bit.ly/s1fHvS The anniversary for this, is this coming Friday. There will also be a week long project activity and presentation on this, week beginning the 23/07/12 at The John Rylands Library (details to follow in the coming weeks) both on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The work on the Manchester Bombing project, now dovetails into one of my other current Typographic projects called CHCH 220212 and again the link on Behance is http://bit.ly/u8vqOJ

If you can spare a few minutes to look at this work and provide some feedback, or send these links on through your own networks, this will be very much appreciated, especially the CHCH 220212, as I'm trying to continue to raise awareness of the continuing struggle of Designers in CHCH NZ to trade and maintain their business's after the main earthquakes in the last 18 months. There will be articles coming out in the press in the coming months further developing both the discussion and the creative work to be undertaken and promoted, and a website to act as a portal for people both creative and non creative to become involved. I'm also looking to develop collaboration on producing some of the work, especially on the print side, and if anyone knows of a good printer, who has worked on 'not for profit projects', can you also please drop me a line on this? 

Thanks you for taking the time to read this information, and I look forward to your replies. 

Kind regards.

Peter.

Thursday 24 May 2012