Maybe it’s because I’ve just returned from judging at an Advertising Awards or because I’ve just finished reading his brilliant book ‘Damn Good Advice’ but George Lois really is a bit of a legend, writes Martin Maher. Whilst not strictly just a designer (although he started out as one and he designed plenty of logos) George Lois could be seen as one of the most prolific and creative advertising communicators of the last half century, […]
Following our previous Heroes feature on Henrik Kubel, this week we’re showcasing another young designer with a similar love of original, contemporary typographic-based design; Belgian graphic designer, publisher, conference organiser and teacher Sara De Bondt. I have to admit I only actually discovered Sara’s work last year and was playing catch-up for a while. Since then though I’ve become a big fan of her approach and the colourful, direct style of her work, writes Martin […]
When we started this series the idea was to profile unsung designers who had been big influences on our design careers. The urge to write features on the likes of Saul Bass, Paul Rand or Otl Aicher has been strong but for the most part we’ve stuck to our guns and featured some very interesting, older spokesmen as well as a few younger designers that have amazed us with the work they’ve created in relatively […]
When it comes to modern brand packaging there is one person that has been there since the start. She is undoubtedly the queen of packaging design and the awards and accolades that her company have received speak volumes about the quality and originality of their work. From champagnes to coffee, marmalades to mustards, perfumes to preserves, she’s done it all and all the while exuding a class and refined Englishness that puts the royal family […]
Imagine if your portfolio contained branding for an Olympics Games, maps and graphics for an entire metro system – in fact make that two metro systems – as well as signage, wayfinding and branding for a zoo. Hang on, make that two zoos! In the case of American designer Lance Wyman that’s just the tip of the iceberg in what has been a lifetime of awe-inspiring work. The fact that Lance Wyman isn’t as well […]
As designers we all have our favourite, writes Martin Maher, classic pieces of work whether created by more well known designers or by someone more obscure. One of my all-time favourites, that really has stood the test of time is the Deutsche Bank identity. Designed by German designer Anton Stankowski, it still looks as striking and timeless now as it did when it first appeared back in 1974. Anton Stankowski was born in 1906, in […]
Looking back through our ‘design heroes‘ series so far it would be a fair to ask, where are all the female designers? Well this weeks profile will help to address this by focussing on the eclectic, colourful and sometimes eccentric work of the wonderful Morag Myerscough. Most well known for projects that integrate graphics and type within architectural environments, her award-winning work on wayfinding systems, exhibitions, installations and even schools has been well documented in […]
Who’d have thought that a Neville Brody exhibition at the V&A could have changed the life of one designer so profoundly. But that’s exactly what happened to designer Tom Hingston writes Martin Maher. He initially studied at the London College of Printing before going onto Central St Martins. The Neville Brody connection didn’t end there either. Tom’s tutor Jon Wozencroft worked with Neville Brody and encouraged Tom to go along for an interview for a junior designer position […]