If it wasn’t for Clerkenwell based hair salon Fourth Floor most of London’s designers would look like badly styled hippies. If you’re in the industry you’re sure to know someone who’s been there at some point over the years. When you walk out of their old school lift into the impressive warehouse space, you can’t help but admire their eye for great design, especially their postcards and the packaging for their product range (these and their identity were created by London based agency North. Now long time manager of Fourth Floor, Conor O’Brien, has taken this admirable creative eye to Norwich and has set up his own salon Flint. A great name derived not only from it’s obvious blade sharpening ability but also from an historical flint wall opposite the premises. Biblioteque partner Mason Wells has created the identity. If you’re in Norwich pop by for a chop and also to admire the creative surroundings.
Dave Brown
Posted on Wednesday, 9th of December 2009 Permalink
For the last year or so I’ve been using the London based coiffeur Mr. Ducktail – the Rock ‘n’ Roll Motherkutter, to get my signature short, back and sides with a razor-sharp side-parting. If your brave enough, Mr. D, or William to his regulars, will sharpen up his flicknife and give you a proper teddyboy razor cut! Whilst having my hair cut yesterday, by more traditional methods – a pair of scissors, he took receipt of his own Mr. Ducktail branded hair pomade (above) featuring the graphics of Vince Ray, he of the 50s tattoo inspired graphic art. Vince will be performing, along with his band The Boneshakers, this weekend at the 7th International London Tattoo Convention that’s being held this year at the Tobacco Dock, Wapping. You’ll be able to purchase Rockin’ belt buckles, guitar picks, books, and of course, the hair pomade. You could even get yourself a tattoo from, some of, the leading tattoo artist in the world.
Nathan Usmar Lauder
Posted on Thursday, 24th of September 2009 Permalink
I recently came across this online. It’s a website dedicated to simplifying various film posters. Although you may not recognise a lot of them, it doesn’t take away from the pleasure of seeing these things translated so beautifully into basic geometric forms. If only everything in life could get the same treatment.
Alex Geoffrey
Posted on Thursday, 24th of September 2009 Permalink
Heres a lovely flickr collection of vintage tape inserts. The collection features inserts from Dixons, Phillips, BASF. If your into 70’s and 80’s material check out the full collection here, brace yourself for some brave typography and colour combos.
Vikesh Bhatt
Posted on Monday, 16th of February 2009 Permalink
Here’s a really nice Levi’s advertisement that I spotted down on Old Street. The ad is made up of different styles of real 501 jeans cut into the shape of butterflies. Check it out before it flies away!
John Alexander
Posted on Wednesday, 8th of October 2008 Permalink
In conjunction with the Street Art exhibition at the Tate Modern, various works
have appeared in the area surrounding the Fibre studio.
Artists from Spain, Italy, France and Brazil were all showing works at the gallery
and in the nearby streets. Some placed legally, some appear to have been done
without permission. Either way, the message would seem to be the same:
Street art’s ok so long as the perpetrator’s not from Britain.
In a decision I support, the gallery purposefully excluded Banksy in an attempt
to draw attention to other just as accomplished artists and aspects of the art
form. Just a shame I think not to celebrate some more of our own emerging
and already established talent.
I spotted this on the way to work on Monday, it was put up the night before, a pretty cool horticulral adidas poster just under the bridge by Kingsland road London, unfortunately made with plastic plants but worth a look.
Vikesh Bhatt
Posted on Thursday, 24th of April 2008 Permalink
Seeing David’s earlier post, titled ’Flaming Logos’, it was clear that a lot of work was put into recreating those 80s motion graphics logos. Plenty of 3D and a good dose of Flame or After Effects I’d wager.
After Effects, Schmafter Effects. Check out how they did this back in the day…
Who needs Maya when you’ve got 6 craftsmen sweating night and day over 3 months, a motion control camera from the ark, and some old school ingenuity.
Hey, I know it’s a 10 minute video, but trust me it’s worth it just for the soundtrack… Altogether now, “Pay a little closer attention to detail…All the things you’re taking for granted… Are just as important as what you see”
Gary Butcher
Posted on Friday, 14th of March 2008 Permalink
CR Blog is at the Design Indaba in Cape Town and reports on a talk by graphic design legend Ivan Chermayeff. This animation of hundreds of logos that his studio has designed is a real gem. Chock full of famous brands such as Mobil, National Geographic and Chase Manhattan, it’s ten minutes long – if you don’t have the time just watch the quick rewind in the last five seconds (caution – flashing images) (via CR Blog)
David Rainbird
Posted on Sunday, 2nd of March 2008 Permalink
Love it or loath it, the Google logo is probably the most ubiquitous logo on the web. I’ve hated it for years but until today I didn’t know who was responsible – a chat with the designer of the Google logo. (via Microsoft Typography)
David Rainbird
Posted on Tuesday, 15th of January 2008 Permalink
