Designer versus Suits

This is a brilliant book - Make it Bigger, by Paula Scher. It's not just full of great design. She gives a powerful insight into the power structures and decision - making processes of the various corporations she's worked for over the years. And the surprising conclusion is, the more suits you have to deal with the harder it is toget a good design selected. So read it - we're all going to have to deal with these people eventually.

Just my Type

I've just finished reading this. It's a good introduction to fonts, with history and information on the most noteworthy ones, and their creators. Eric Gill, it appears, had sex with his sister. And his dog.

Something to think about the next time you use Gill Sans.

Curiosity brief

Do you know what humour is? Easy! It's....errr....like....errr....you know......errr....shit!
Yeah, not as simple as it looks. The subject is too big to pin down - it's like asking 'what is the universe?'
I've been sweating over this question for weeks. Books on humour led to books on philosophy, and both were a fat lot of good. As far as I can see, humour is...what you make of it. It's unique to everyone. If one person laughs at something, then it's funny; the fact that no-one else in the world laughs, or that they disapprove, can't make it not funny. Much as they would like it to.

Anyway, experiment after experiment was abandoned. I got obsessed with doing it with a dip pen, which didn't work out. Some ideas had to go because they weren't doable, like A1 images of windows or stairwells. Eventually I passed the buck; you tell ME what humour is.

Chester cathedral

Far more impressive than I expected.

Bluebird at Bonneville

I found this card in an art shop in Chester. It was painted by Jack Vettriano, who I'd never heard of until yesterday. Beautiful contrast between the blue and the white.

Reading, reading, lots of reading

I'm reading lots of different stuff these days.
Research for the curiosity brief...
..

Bedside reading...


...And toilet reading.