Flâneur Graphic Information.

So I decided to calculate my journey and represent it in graphics. I traced my steps on Google Maps with it's Walking Route Planner and worked out that my journey from Aldgate to Bethnal Green via Central London was 15.3 miles, to which Google said it should take me 5hours 13minutes... not far off my 5hours 30minutes finish time. I traced round the path i took on Google to create my 15.3 mile perimeter [that looked like a seagull] and calculated [I say calculated, but what I really mean is tried desperately to remember Maths lessons.] that the area in which I surrounded was 14.6 square miles. You'd dare to imagine how much money that area is collectively worth in terms of land. After knowing the perimeter, I calculated the speed in which I averaged over the course of 5 ½ hours, resulting in 2.7mph, slightly less than your average walking speed. Which means that I made up for my time in the TATE Britain by walking faster than the average walking speed. Also, I must mention that I bow to Univers, absolutely love using that typeface.

Flâneuring London for 5 ½.

The term flâneur comes from the French masculine noun flâneur—which has a basic meaning of "stroller". Charles Baudelaire developed a derived meaning of flâneur—that of "a person who walks the city in order to experience it".
5 ½ hours that flâneuring adventure lasted. I got off the bus coming back from a night out South of the river, got to Aldgate and got a rush of flâneurism. As you can see on the map, I walked from Aldgate all the way down to Westminster and then further along to the TATE Britain, where I saw the Turner Prize. I then wandered from there up to Buckingham Palace for a spot of tourism, which I found very weird because it felt like I was on holiday being surrounded by people taking the stereotypical landmark photographs. I then walked around Hyde Park and stopped to watch a goose with a broken leg, it was most upsetting yet in my state of mind it was very stimulating to watch. Then I made my way up to Regent's Park - which by the way is nowhere near as nice as Hyde Park. Then I went to the BT Tower and stood at the foot of it, annoyed that I didn't have my SLR with me. One for another time I guess. I then made my way from there to Tottenham Court Road and walked back to Bethnal Green from there along the bus route, smiling to myself every time one of 'my' buses drove past. The experience, like I said, took 5 and a half hours, and left me feeling totally liberated and inspired. I think I might go flâneuring a lot more if I have get the time.

Roman Numerals idea.

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As a designer it's normal to have an ongoing business card project that means you scrap the last idea every month or so. I really wanted to use Roman Numerals as a phone number to see how many people can read roman numerals and to challenge the conventional format for contact numbers. I love using Bembo, it's one of my favourite roman typefaces and I'm pleased with the outcome of the phone number composition. Although... I wonder how long this design will last before my next idea kicks this one to Room 101.

The Reverse Graffiti Project.

So I was going through my old YouTube Favourites and I re-stumbled across this gem. I love watching this video because it really opens your mind up to how much we [as a civilisation] pollute this world. We used to have a pressure hose but I broke it once cleaning moss off our path. I wouldn't mind getting hold of another one and experimenting with it.

Bond Unbound.

Bond Unbound: A2 Poster Competition. Winning entry.

One of my second year projects was to create motion pieces using material from the film Octopussy [1983] to deconstruct the stereotypes of the James Bond franchise resulting in a collective film piece and showing. A competition was held to design a typographic poster to advertise this event. I designed this poster after being hit by a wave of creativity when drunk after returning from a night out. I wanted to work with a geometric typeface that represented the initial simplicity of the James Bond franchise yet use that typeface in a way that resembles the unbinding of the franchise to reveal its unseen schematics. I put the type together with the thought process of the geometric circles representing links in a chain that have been burst open revealing the overlooked undertones of the franchise. Although content with the outcome, I certainly was surprised to design the winning entry, It's safe to say I got some interesting glares from the other participants in the room when it was announced.

POP SHOP: Keith Haring

POP LIFE: Art In A Material World. Great exhibition. If you're going to the TATE Modern anytime soon then it's worth the money [I didn't pay myself as an unwilling companion lent me his TATE Membership card]. It features great artists such as Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, and my personal favourite Keith Haring. Haring's vibrancy rattles off the walls of his 'Pop Shop', which has been recreated in the TATE Modern since the SoHo, New York Pop Shop closed in 2005. You can here the bass thumping through the door as you approach the shop and as you enter you're whacked with a wall of noise, lights and Haring memorabilia. It's awesome. Check it out! I bought a badge for 63p [the one two images up].

http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/poplife/

Richard Wright's alright.

Tate Britain > Turner Prize '09 > Richard Wright. I voted for Richard Wright when I saw the Turner Prize earlier this week. I must say the vote was largely swayed by viewing two of his previous exhibition catalogues where the work within far exceeds the work on show. His awareness of space and composition is great and can only be truly appreciated in the flesh as a photographic image does not capture the entire canvas, as it were. I'm going to buy one of the catalogues because most of the work inside is very inspiring.

http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/turnerprize/turnerprize2009/prize/default.shtm

Ambigrams, salute.

Oh, how i'm amused by the art of the ambigram. Although brought to the spotlight by Dan Brown [the commercial menace] the illuminati ambigram above ,designed by typographer John Langdon, is nothing short of beautiful. Here are some more ambigrams to get you turning your laptop upside down. [I will not be held responsible for any damages if you happen to have butter fingers...]