Too much in your face packaging?

I have just started a short two week project for graphics on Packaging design for a luxury box of chocolates. Hmm maybe not the best choice seen as I have to do the branding, box design, and identity. I've chosen to celebrate 200 years since Charles Dicken's birth.

During my research I came across this http://www.a2591.com/2011/03/more-minimalist-effect-in-maximalist.html 

Its a project that strips back well known packaging down completely until there is only a basic trace of the brand. It's still recognizable due to the shape, the colour scheme, and the logo, its just alot more basic. Since the revolution of computers changing design, it has seems to have led to a maximalist market with more, and more design being almost crammed onto a small packaging, especially in products aimed at children. Now when we walk into a supermarket we're bombarded with lots and lots of design, its almost too overwhelming. It reminds of going back to Victorian shops, where there were printers available but the only design for a product was the name and perhaps a certain type face to match. Now I think people/customers are so overwhelmed that  minimalism may come back into trend, I don't quite understand it. Especially when a opaque label is placed on a glass, and on the label is a picture of the product even though the product is right before our eyes! To me it seems the companies feel the need to repeat the image to take up more space on the product, and the fact they can print the product on the product.

Dun dun duhhhhhh

Another post! I know the title of my last post was its been awhile, but its been three months. I've been rather busy, and I'm going to get busier soon!!!!!!!
Here a couple of postcards I made some of my friends, they aren't fantastic but its something I'm rather proud of and spent quite awhile making just to put a smile onto their faces, whilst they are doing all their revision.
They even have classification information on the back! Points if you can translate the latin names of the first one!

Read on if you want a pointless ranting session 

I wish more people would do blogs!!! Then everyone could share so much more, but you wouldn't expect a daily status etc. just something their proud of! Writing, poetry, drawing, their favorite things, books, trips around the world, photography, a photo a day, how far they are do achieving their lifetime goal, how they would make living on the moon the best place to be. Perhaps I should do these things too! 

Its been awhile!

I'm back at college so I've been really busy!! (Yeh I knpw it takes two minutes of my life .. a little more than that to post so I really should of made time but I have been really busy)
Since my last post I have started a full time art course, so hopefully you'll be able to see progress and a change of taste. This blog is really something that I can look back on to see how I change overtime! Also I now have a Harry Potter fanfiction- which is now 12 chapters long! I shall try not ramble on about that as much I want to!
Anyway here are some doodle drawings that I did during my break in a coffee shop.

Inspiration again :D

BY http://www.ilovedoodle.com
An adorable use of a t-shirt.... I sorta wish they did one for bigs kids too !

Product design - Harc Lee

Hello there. Today I was wondering round the interent looking for product designers and I came across Harc Lee on industrialdesignserved. Then I could follow them on behance!!
http://www.behance.net/HarcLee/frame  

DEWS is the toothbrush. It doesn't need a holder, so simple yet so so brilliant. Yay free standing toothbrush.

and this is pocket light also one of Harc Lee's project. I just think its great to be able to have a little torch you can put inside your purse or wallet !!1

Inspiration Lane

Rewind to Wednesday!!!!
I went to the open day at Uwic (Cardiff University) and I came back very inspired!!
I looked at some of the exhibitions going on,being product design which was fanatasitc, it was really intersting to see some of the design the final years have been working on, and to see little "fake models"(made of foam and spray painted).
BUT the thing that really blew me away was the contempoary textiles exhibt. It was mostly about patterns of the material, and I  thought that textiles was just sewing.There were some absolutely stunning pieces of work, most being printed illustrations and occassional painted piece.
So today I walk into peacocks and fall in love with several skirts costing £15-£16 ... making me gasp and choke. So after hunting around in several material shops for some pretty floral print I gave up. BUT then I looked around some charity shops and my mum found some curtains. So my idea is to make a-line skirt out of them.
So THEN (wow long story) I searched for dressmaking, which led me to threadbanger.com - home decal, and diy fashion, and renew your clothes. So I now have a skirt on the go!!!! Then I looked at home decal and came across.......
This was just so cute I just couldn't not post it!!!
Milbo studios do a range of paper products, there are really cute and really adorable!!! They can be bought as PDFs from the site and downloaded and pritned and then made!!!!Find them at  http://mibostudio.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-02-10T12%3A04%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=10 -- their blog
http://www.mibostudio.co.uk/ - Actual webiste

Alex Queral

I came across these portraits as I was stunned, because of the overall brilliance. So I thought I start posting some of the work that inspire me. Today is Alex Queral, he carves the portraits out of old phonebooks.