Leeds Print Festival

Leeds is set to play host to all things print later this month, with the third edition of the Leeds Print Festival.

Highlights include an interactive printing event, a selling print fair, and talks from the likes of illustrator Mr Bingo and Creative Review editor Patrick Burgoyne.
The festival takes place in a range of venues across the city, including Leeds Gallery and Leeds College of Music.

The aim is to champion contemporary and traditional print-making processes.
An opening night celebration will feature The Print Project and Nomad Press helping visitors get inked up and make their own prints.

Meanwhile a print selling fair will see works from the likes of Dust, Print For Good and the Leeds College of Art Graphic Design Course up for sale.
And print works will also be showing at venues Colours May Vary and Café 164 throughout the week.

The Print Talks programme will be held at Leeds College of Music, with the full lineup yet to be announced.
Leeds Print Festival runs at various venues around Leeds from 24-31 January. For more information visit www.leedsprintfestival.com

 

(Wed, 8 Jan 2014 | By Angus Montgomery)

Design industry predictions for 2014 - part one

In the first part of our series of design industry predictions for 2014, leading industry figures tell us what they think will happen in branding, graphics and illustration, interactive, product and financial performance.

Branding

‘Visually: The March of Mobile: brand designers will increasingly need the magnifying glasses out to create crafted and elegant solutions for smaller screens. Just as album covers shrunk from 12” vinyl to 12mm boxes on iTunes the visual platform for a brand is the new shrinky-dink. Strategically: Demand for significant programmes of change that lift an organisation, product or service to a new business level, rather than simply lift the face. The logo designer will continue to find the phone ringing less and less. Socially: The rise of mass customer-powered customisation — Twitter, Facebook, Weibo are not fads… they shape the way brands operate and will build from asking what people think, to using personal public data to give people what they love. Politically: The great power-cut. After an attack on banks the energy companies are next on the list. Expect gas, electricity and water brands to get a kicking and respond with a raft of softly-softly brand activity. Digital: Everything as a service. Forget ownership. Access is what we’ll see more of. Music was just the first to switch. Summary: We used to be reverential when it came to brands. We are now referential. Trust is eroded, we seek peer reviews, on and offline, before we commit to anything from banking to bags, bread to bass, bowling to bling. The brand ideas we produce tomorrow that can inhabit those conversations, will fuel business success.’
Simon Manchipp, executive creative director, SomeOne

Graphics and illustration

‘We’ve seen a growing demand for traditional hand-crafted illustration techniques, including watercolour, ink and pen, which we expect to see continue in 2014. Colour palettes are becoming simplified, with fewer, bolder tones applied. Strong typographic headlines, especially 3D rendered, are also becoming dominant in all types of media, from magazine covers to large outdoor media.’

Tom Robinson, co-founder, Handsome Frank

Interactive

‘Flat design emerged as a big trend for 2013 and there’s no sign of it abating. One of the drawbacks of flat design is the removal of common cues or “affordances” that imply interaction. Combine this with the lack of real estate on most smartphone displays—which necessitates a lot of hidden functionality—and you’re left with users frantically jabbing or swiping the screen in the hope that something reacts. To get around these issues, animation is going to play an increasing role in the interaction designer’s toolkit. Animation can achieve this by showing users where hidden information lives, what elements on a screen can be interacted with, and what actions are permissible next. However we’re talking very subtle and purposeful animations, rather than the excesses of the Flash community. Facebook helped legitimise this trend by famously building the Facebook Home prototype in Quartz Composer. So I expect to see a lot of interaction designers exploring traditional and not-so-traditional animation tools in 2014. I know we have been, to very positive effect.’
Andy Budd, founding partner and chief executive, Clearleft

Product

‘2014 will see the real upsurge and implementation of the cloud and the “air” product. The accelerating layout of infrastructure and uptake of ultra-high speed networks will inevitably open exciting opportunities for an enhanced “always-on” society and see the realisation of revolutionary interconnectivity. Devices will be increasingly reliant on the cloud’s power (remote processing, storage etc.) and the role of the coder in product design will be ever more important. They are the future engineers. You’d currently associate 4G and the cloud with your mobile devices. But just imagine how your day could be enhanced by everyday products being able to talk to each other wherever you are and whenever you want. This was concept, now it is really a reality. In 2014, the Cloud really could make a storm.’
Rowan Williams, designer, SeymourPowell

Financial Performance

‘2014 is likely to be another tough year for design. A recent survey that we published, The Financial Performance of Marketing Services Companies, highlights a reduced fee-income per head. It also shows that a greater proportion of fee income is being spent on staff costs. This, combined with the usual post-recession pressure on salaries, could see staff costs rise even further. On top of this, consultancies are having to deal with the demands of the ever-changing digital landscape. As we know, the individuals with expertise in these areas come at a price; they are often freelance, which means they cost even more. This will only exacerbate the problem. Consultancies have spent the last few years trimming non-staff costs as much as they can, so I doubt there is much room to make further savings to compensate. In light of this, directors will need to make sure they find the best way to pass on any increased staff costs to clients.’
Esther Carder, partner, Kingston Smith W1

 [Mon, 6 Jan 2014-DesignWeek]

Interabang designs classic children's TV stamps

Interabang has designed a set of 12 stamps for the Royal Mail featuring some of the best-loved characters from British children’s programmes over the last 60 years.

Dougal - The Magic Roundabout Created by Serge Danot made its UK debut in 1965.

The designs feature many of the characters breaking out of the perforated box so they look and feel ‘a bit like stickers’ says Interabang co-founder Adam Giles.
‘An extensive - and immensely enjoyable - research period spent watching the entirety of the TV characters’ output – and, in many cases consulting the show’s creators – resulted in the final chosen set,’ says Giles.
He adds, ‘We all agreed the images should be stills from the show, not something we created. And we wanted the characters to be engaging with the audience - looking and waving where possible.’
Compositions have been designed for: Andy Pandy; Ivor The Engine; Dougal – from The Magic Roundabout; Windy Miller – from Camberwick Green; Mr Benn; Great Uncle Bulgaria – from the Wombles; Bagpuss; Paddington Bear; Postman Pat; Bob The Builder; Peppa Pig and Shaun the Sheep.
Each decade since the 1950s is represented in the issue and Bagpuss has been included as this year marks the 40^th year since he appeared on television.
It is also the 50^th anniversary of The Magic Roundabout, which starred Dougal, created by animator Ivor Wood, who went on animate Postman Pat and Paddington Bear.
The presentation pack has ben designed in a TV listings-style with a character biography, and features an essay on the golden age of children’s TV, with a commissioned illustration by Chris Kasch.
A medal pack, designed by Interabang, was produced in conjunction with the Royal Mint. The pack focusses on the work of Small Films, creators of Bagpuss and Ivor the Engine.
The minted medal features one of the characters on each side, while newly commissioned illustrations were provided by Peter Firmin – the co-creator of these characters.
Copy was provided by Daniel Postgate, the son of the other Small Films co-creator Oliver Postgate.
The stamps are available from 7th January here.

 

Windy Miller - Camberwick Green. Broadcast from 1966, the series was narrated by Play School’s Brian Cant

Mr Benn appeared in 1971, ‘as if by magic’.

Great Uncle Bulgaria - The Wombles. The Wombles introduced us all to the idea of recycling way back in 1973.

Bagpuss, a ‘saggy old cloth cat’ first appeared on our Television screens in 1974.

Paddington Bear arrived on our screens from Darkest Peru in 1975.

Postman Pat and cat Jess were introduced in 1981

Shaun the Sheep starred in A Close Shave in 1995 on the big screen before moving to TV in 2007.

Peppa Pig celebrates her 10th anniversary in 2014.

Bob the Builder. We first asked ‘Can he fix it?’ in 1998

Ivor the Engine worked in the ‘top left-hand corner of Wales’ from 1959.

[Mon, 6 Jan 2014 | By Tom Banks]

Online retailers ‘plan move to high street’

One in six UK online retailers is planning to expand into bricks and mortar in 2014, according to new research.

eBay opened a London pop-up store at the end of 2011

The Royal Mail study shows that 16 per cent of UK SME online retailers expect to open their own store of seek space in one this year, offering opportunities for retail designers.
In total, 40 per cent of UK SME online retailers are planning to move into new channels in the next 12 months, in a bid to increase sales.
In seeking a move to the high street, these retailers are picking up on a long-running global trend.
Online brand eBay opened a pop-up store in London’s Soho at the end of 2011, while Amazon was reported to be looking at retail space in Seattle, USA, in 2012. Google has also dabbled in physical outlets.
Stuart Wood, co-founder of retail consultancy Missouri told Design Week that the trend could lead to more creativity in high street designs.
He says, ‘Because of their ingenuity, online retailers have done a great job of reaching their consumers online, and I think we’ll see a big rise in retailers being innovative in the offline world.’
Portland managing director Ibrahim Ibrahim says, ‘When you shop online it’s less about category silos, it’s about hybridisation and cross-blurring of category lines and that will migrate in-store.
‘An online brand is different from one day to the next and they’ll have to deliver that in-store as well.’
Royal Mail quizzed 406 UK SME online retailers for its study.

 

[Fri, 3 Jan 2014 | By Angus Montgomery]

Home 2014

Interiors behemoth Home returns this month to London’s Earls Court, offering an overview of the loveliest home furnishings from around the globe.

Dungeness Wallpaper by Mini Moderns

The curated trade show brings together more than 250 classic and modern brands, with many new product launches taking place.
Exhibitors include brands offering interior accessories, soft furnishings, lighting and kitchen and dining products.

SodaStream Play by Yves Behar

While products from around the world will be on show, Home features a dedicated area for emerging British design talent, Homegrown.
Among the exhibitors at this year’s event are 95%, Anorak, Another Country, Artek, Ella Doran, Hemingway Design, LSA,  Marimekko, Mini Moderns, iittala, Royal Doulton and Sebastian Conran’s Universal Expert.
Among our favourite products are these cute, bright cushions by Yoke:

Cushions by Yoke.

And this seemingly gravity-defying Leaning Tower of Pasta, by Black + Blum:

Leaning Tower of Pasta by Black + Blum.

While street artist Pure Evil has taken something of a less twee approach than most brands, with this range of urban-inspired plates for Royal Doulton:

Street Art Plates by Pure Evil for Royal Doulton

The Home event sits alongside the Top Drawer and Craft shows, which run alongside it at Earl’s Court.

Universal Expert Kitchenware by Sebastian Conran.

Home runs from 12-14 January at Earls Court 2, Lillie Road, London SW5

Suburbia by Seletti

[Thu, 2 Jan 2014 | By Emily Gosling]

Royal Mint issues World War I memorial coin

Remember how I said 2014 was the 100th anniversary of the 1st World War...well here it is.


The Royal Mint has issued a commemorative £2 coin marking 100 years since the outbreak of World War One.

The WWI memorial coin features Lord Kitchener

It is the first coin in a five-year series that will remember key events in the conflict from outbreak to Armistice and has been designed by sculptor John Bergdahl.
The first coin to be released features Lord Kitchener and the ‘Your Country Needs You!’ slogan used on a recruitment poster which is understood to be a variation of the cover illustration of a 1914 edition of London Opinion magazine, designed by graphic designer Alfred Leete.

Trinity House coin

The coin will enter circulation alongside other commemorative coins including a second £2 coin designed by Joe Whitlock-Blundell and David Eccles, which celebrates the 500^th anniversary of Trinity House, an organisation which has served Britain’s mariners since the time of Henry VIII.

The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games 50p

An official Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games 50p, designed by Alex Loudon and Dan Flashman, has been unveiled, featuring a cyclist and athlete above the Saltire of Scotland.

Shamrock £1 coin

Completing a series begun in 2013, two £1 coins have been released, one featuring flax and shamrock to represent Northern Ireland and another featuring a bluebell and thistle for Scotland.

Thistle £1 coin

Last year this floral series, designed by Timothy Noad, saw the introduction of a £1 coin featuring a rose to represent England and another featuring a daffodil to represent Wales.

Queen Anne £5 coin

Meanwhile a special edition £5 crown coin celebrating the life and legacy of Queen Anne 300 years after her death has been released. It is designed by Mark Richards FRBS, creator of the £5 crown struck for the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

[Thu, 2 Jan 2014 | By Tom Banks]

What should designers resolve to do differently next year?

What New Year’s resolutions do you think designers should make for 2014?

‘Stop listening to the people who say it can’t be done. The greatest compliment any idea can be given is when a client says “no way – you can’t do that!” When an idea is so bonkers, so batshit crazy that it blows the lid on the meeting and you are shown the door. We creative few are invited to the party because we’ve been to more interesting places, tasted weird things and learnt from a wide and varied catalogue of experiences that saying yes is far more interesting than saying ”actually, do you have it in vanilla?” Change is terrifying. The new can backfire. There is always a reason to say no to a truly innovative thought. But those who can ignore the misery-guts to go on and get the loopy ideas through are the ones that change markets and develop first mover advantages for products, services and organisations. And that’s what we are there to do. Stop worrying about people saying no and start devising ways for them to more easily say yes.’
Simon Manchipp, executive creative director, SomeOne

‘Believe in yourselves because 2014 is your time. Never before has there been so much momentum behind and belief in the role that design can play for the good of our economy, the good of society and just the overall way we live our lives. In 2014 the Design Council will be celebrating 70 years of the best of British design and working with the next generation of designers who can really make that difference. So be bold.’
John Mathers, chief executive, Design Council

‘One thing I’d like to see is more designers disconnecting from the vast number of social networks their work has become attuned to (i.e. Dribble and Instagram to name a few) and become less fixated on comments about their WIPS, sketches and follower counts and get back to basics. That is… more time and energy spent producing better quality work that isn’t inspired by creative vanity or borrowed ideas from other peoples work. Make it. Finish it. Then show it.’
Timba Smits, designer and illustrator

‘Darwin said “It is not the strongest of the species that survive nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.” One thing we all know about the future is that it will be different. So designers need to resolve to do everything differently. Great design is about challenge, bad or mediocre design is about familiarity, comfort zones and staleness. So bring on 2014 and lets get celebrating every paradigm shift!’
Liz Dunning, partner, Dunning Penney Jones

‘Open-source design is the way forward for 2014. Although the conception of design-based solutions may occur in isolation, it is crucial that specialists take a more collaborative approach to meeting the specifics of a brief. Designers must therefore think more laterally about how to source expertise and input from a number of different departments, to avoid the risk of missing out on key elements that could make a finished solution stronger. Marketing teams are obvious sources of secondary input. However, it is essential that time be taken to consider how more operational parts of a business could contribute ground-level insight, in order to make sure that a design is market ready.’
Simon Ward, chief executive, Holmes & Marchant

‘Be yourself. Don’t take no for an answer. Think inside the box. Listen. Mean what you say. Don’t be trendy. Learn to love words. Challenge yourself. Ask for more money. Don’t procrastinate. Be nice. Practice what you preach. Have an opinion. Don’t panic. Surprise yourself. Experiment. Stop pissing about. Set your sights higher. Push it. Defy convention. Whistle while you work. Have a reason. Tell stories. Steal like an artist. Say what you mean. Trust your instinct. Reinvent the wheel. Stop polishing turds. Hold your nerve. Be honest with yourself. Don’t look back. Be brave. Have fun.’
John Spencer, founder and creative director, Off the Top of My Head

 [Thu, 19 Dec 2013- DesignWeek]