Design Good Design

Britain's Design Council champion great ideas that make things better and ultimately improves lives. This was illustrated perfectly by David Kester in his 2011presentation at Cape Town's Design Indaba. His speech focused on a challenge that the Design Council made to Britain's top designers and manufacturers to reduce infection rates within the NHS. Companies worked in collaboration to produce innovative hospital furniture and equipment that improved usability, storage and made them easier and quicker to clean. The Bedside Cabinet Fewer hard-to-reach corners and surfaces make the bedside cabinet easier to clean and more accessible for patients. The problem: Existing bedside cabinets are difficult to clean. Their complex internal spaces, inaccessible surfaces, angular joints and rough, absorbent materials can harbour liquids, dirt and bacteria. The solution: A revised version of the traditional bedside cabinet made from durable, wipe-clean plastic that reduces the number of ...

As an active member of the AIGA , I fully support the organisation and their initiatives. Below I have featured an article that outlines their design for good program, which is creating projects that have a positive social impact that benefits the world, our country and our communities. Please get involved and support the fantastic work that the AIGA are doing. Read more here .

In 2011 I had the great pleasure of attending a presentation by Diebedo Francis Kere at Cape Town's Design Indaba. Kere spoke with so much integrity and told a story that brought some in the auditorium to tears. After finishing his degree in architecture at Technische Universität in Berlin he chose to return to his home town of Gando in Burkina Faso and to use his education to help re build his community. Using the limited materials that were available in Gando, Kere worked with his community to build beautiful low cost structures that worked within their natural environment. I hope that you are as inspired as I was by this incredible mans achievements.

Back in 1990, aged just 18, I can still clearly remember using four software packages. There was Aldus PageMaker and Freehand, an animation package called swivel and then there was Adobe Photoshop. Since then, Adobe Photoshop has been a good friend of mine. Its been with me throughout my design career. In 2013 I was interviewed for Advanced Photoshop Magazine and over the past two years (2013/14) I have been a mentor for the Icograda endorsed Adobe Design Achievement Awards. Without doubt, Photoshop and Illustrator are my two favourite software packages. They have allowed me to create almost all of my portfolio of work. To celebrate Photoshop turning 25 years old, eight of today's experts were asked to use 1990's version 1.0. The clip below shows the hilarious results as each of the experts try to get to grips with how limited the first version is in comparison to today's Creative Cloud version. Surprisingly though, the first version of the software had levels, however ther...

2015 saw the inaugural 'Wine Label Design Awards' in South Africa. What will continue as an annual event has been created by Winemag.co.za and sponsored by label supplier Rotolabel to help promote excellence within the field of wine label package design in South Africa. Its hoped that the awards will raise the standards of what wine producers demand and designers supply. This years Awards consisted of three categories: 1) under R60 a bottle; 2) over R60 a bottle and 3) labels forming a series – with no price constraints. 165 bottles from 92 entrants were attracted to the event. The esteemed judging panel featured designers Joanne Thomas, Creative Director at the Jupiter Drawing Room and Sean Harrison: principal of Whitespace design along with George Jardine, Executive Chef at Jordan Restaurant, Ivan Oertle, Wine Buyer at Woolworths SA and Winemag.co.za editor Christian Eedes. The Judging criteria consisted of originality of concept, shelf appeal, effectiveness as a piece of co...

Over the past months we have seen some very high profile brand redesigns within the tech sector, including the likes off Google, Opera and Lenovo. To this end, I thought that it would be interesting to take a brief look behind the scenes at some of the agencies, processes and rationales that have been employed within each of the three projects. Google One of the most publicised re design is that of the Google logo mark, probably due to that fact that it plays such a huge part of our daily lives. Unlike the recent Facebook re design which most people didn't even realise even happened, this recent redesign of Google does seem to have formed two very distinct camps between those who love it and those who really dislike it. I just want to start by saying that I am well and truly in the LOVE IT camp! I really am a fan! Visually, this new approach delivers on a fresh modern feel but there’s so many more reasons why this new brand mark improves the Google experience for me. The obvious ad...

In another new series, I wanted to write about some of histories design icons. Everything around us has at some point been designed. The designers who produce the worlds most recognised symbols, branding and packaging, play a role in our daily lives, but the designers themselves seldom get the notoriety or the similar celebrity that is awarded to those who work in the world of music, film, sport, fashion, art or even product design (Jonathan Ive, Philippe Stark). If you were to show an image of the identity for FedEx, the V&A, ABC, AT&T or the New York Subway to a member of the general public, they would more than likely be able to identify the brands, yet if you were to ask them who created the logo's they would probably have no idea. The likes of Alan Fletcher, Micheal Wolff, Micheal Bieruit, Lindon Leader are certainly recognised figures within the world of brand design but a lot less known by the general public. For the most part, us branding and packaging designers are...

A huge thanks to my company CTTC Design and Nedbank for the invitation to the premier of 'Refuse the Hour", a chamber opera (performance art) by South Africa's most internationally acclaimed artist, William Kenteridge. The venue for the evenings performance was the Cape Town City Hall. It always feels like such an honour to be inside this important and beautiful building. The very same place that in February 11th 1990, Nelson Mandela, standing on the balcony, made his first public speech after his release from prison. The evening began with dinner and drinks. On the table was a flipbook by Kenteridge titled 'Hurdle' to accompany the evenings performance. After dinner we entered the incredible auditorium, the amazing backdrop to the evenings show. The stage was set with mechanical structures made from bicycle wheels, drums, pipes and megaphones. The performance begins with the story of an eight-year-old boy on the train with his father who chronicling the ancient G...

In a new series, I am going to be writing about success, specifically success within the field of design. In this first installment I want to discuss what success really means? Then over the forthcoming series we will strive to break down what it takes to achieve and maintain success. I did an exercise a while ago to try and visualise what it takes to be a success within my chosen creative field. I thought it would be fun to feature it in the opening illustration to this post and it will be what I use as the basis to each section of this series. I broke my image down into four distinct areas. 1.Talent/Passion/love 2.Hard work 3. Experience 4. Integrity. Over the years it's changed a little but it was certainly a good place to start. I later came across a TED presentation from informational speaker, Richard St.John and his diagram for success, being the outcome of over 7 years of research and 500 face-to-face interviews. It definitely holds a lot more weight over my little sketch. Y...

This ground-breaking scheme is the outcome of a collaboration between the Arrels foundation and advertising agency The Cyranos Mcann, both based in Barcelona. The project combines creativity, typography and social commitment to give the homeless a voice and dignity back into their lives. All profits go towards food, shelter and social health for the people supported by the Arrels Foundation. I was so glad to see that this fantastic initiative had gained a massive online following last year. The stunning fonts are being used by some of the world’s largest brands and are also available for you to buy at: homelessfonts.org For more information please click here to visit the website. I have also included (above), the touching film that accompanied this super project. Please support this initiative and the amazing work that the Arrels foundations are doing.  

In today's world of business a brand is likely to be a corporation’s most valuable asset. It's the DNA of most companies and represents everything that a business or its products stand for. An example of this is Apple's minimalist branding that depicts quality and craftsmanship whilst Oxfam's visual language illustrates a non profit charity with a logo that looks like it hadn't been designed by an agency, although of course it more than lightly has been! Brands have become the fabric of our lives, we put trust in them and without knowing it they guide and aspire us. So what is the origin of branding? Well the word itself comes from the old Norse "Brandr", meaning "to burn", however its believed that branding could possibly be traced back even further, as far as 3000BC with archaeologists finding evidence of the Babylonians using advertising to encourage buyers to purchase goods. Branding of timber and cattle using hot iron rods to burn marks that...

This is my first post featuring my deep interest for vintage branding and packaging design. My fascination began whilst a student where we would often visit the Robert Opie museum of vintage packaging at the Gloucester Docks in England. From that point on I was hooked and it's since grown into a leisure pursuit (some might say obsession) of mine, with my poor wife and son often having our trips away interrupted with me snapping away at old boxes and signs. The invention of the cell phone camera has probably saved our house from a man cave filled with the stuff. To this end, I look forward to sharing my interest on the evolution of some of our most well known brands and packaging designs. Some have changed subtlety, yet others have had a complete face lift throughout their life span. We often take them for granted, but we live with these items and symbols every single day. They communicate, guide us and often without us even being aware of it, have a deep attachment to them, like an...

In 2013 I attended the Design Educators Indaba, which endeavoured to create a forum for educators within design to engage with each other and to increase their knowledge of creative education. The event followed the three-day Design Indaba conference in Cape Town. The seminar was hosted by Neville Brody - world-renowned designer, professor and Dean of the School of Communication at the Royal College of Art in London along with Lawrence Zeegen, (Dean of Design at London College of Communication, University of the Arts in London). The event focused on presentations and a round the table discussion which resulted in a strategy for 'Creative Education in Developing Communities'. Back in 2013 I was working as a commercial designer for a studio in Cape Town but was also involved with a South African NGO who was helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to gain education, training and the skills required to find employment. The event was a great opportunity to gain a valuabl...

My family and I recently visited 'The Art of the Brick' exhibition which is currently on show in Cape Town. The exhibition by artist Nathan Sawaya is unique in that it's constructed completely from Lego blocks! There's a short film as you enter the exhibition, where Sawaya tells the compelling story of his journey from an unhappy lawyer to an inspired and celebrated artist with his work from Lego blocks. He speaks about believing in yourself and doing the things that you love, " art is necessary." My wife and I enjoyed the sentiment within some of the work, especial the piece 'step ladder', where a figures arms extend into a ladder that they are also climbing. The quote by Sawaya, next to the artwork reads "Sometimes when you're looking for a step up, you don't have to look any further than yourself. Were all capable of more than we think." A lot of the exhibits are supported by Sawayas inspirational words, helping give depth to the e...

The World-renowned 'design Indaba' conference takes place each year in February at Cape Town’s CTICC conference centre. The event sits at the top of the design community’s calendar with the three-day program including presentations and insight from both the worlds most established and celebrated creative professionals along with local up and coming talent. Renowned graphic designer Michael Bierut has helped host the conference since 2010 and will be returned this year to also present. This years (2015) distinguished speakers included co founder of the world renown advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy, Dan Wieden who was the brain child of the Nike tagline "Just Do It", Stanley Hainsworth who has held senior creative positions at Lego, Starbucks and Nike and Pentagrams Emily Oberman. Managing director and founder of the Design Indaba is RavI Naidoo who was also the brainchild behind Interactive Africa, responsible for high profile projects including the “First African in ...

Just the other day I had a realisation that its been over 20 years since I left university! Two decade's later I still feel so fortunate to be able to do a job that I love so much and that challenges me on a daily bases, thanks in part to some of the fantastic teachers, lecturers and mentors who's lessons back then still play a role in my thoughts today. One of my favorite lessons, that will always stay with me, was being taught the importance of your work really meaning something to you, putting heart and soul into everything that you do and most importantly, to think differently. Its interesting how one simple thing can change the way that you work and can stay with you for the rest of your career. This one particular event was so, so simple, yet brilliant, original and creative! At the time I was studying A level art at South Bristol college (UK) and it was our very first lesson of the year. Our lecturer, who I remember resembling the late celebrity artist and television pre...

Last year Dan Wieden spoke at Cape Town's Design Indaba conference. Wieden's words have inspired me for many years, so it was a rare opportunity to hear one of the most respected authorities on advertising and creative thinking speak in person. Wieden is probably best know for co-founding one of the worlds most admired advertising agencies; Wieden+Kennedy and coining the Nike tagline "Just Do It." Incidentally Wieden pitched the idea to Nike in 1988 after he had read a newspaper article about Gary Gilmore who was sentenced to death for murder. The condemned man was reported as saying “let’s do this” as he faced a firing squad. Wieden suggested a slightly altered version as the slogan, changing it to "just Do It". The rest as they say is history. In his Design Indaba presentation, Wieden spoke on the importance of allowing yourself to be able to fail and his addiction to Chaos! Many years ago I stumbled across the ' Welcome to Optimism ' blog which i...