Future Brands Competition

Students in Level 3 were asked to complete the "Future Brands" competition as part off their first task. They were given 1 week. The brief asks students to consider how brands may shape and re-invent themselves for the year 2020.

Here are some of the proposed solutions.

Matt Savage

Eleanour Hammond-Warren

Sophia Copley

Arun Golia

Brianna Wozny

Zoe Lines

Ravi Gopar and Kamran Khanalvi

Also look at the animation at: www.kamran-khanalvi.co.uk/fta.html

Jack Larner

David Rudge

Font Conference

This little movie was sent to me by a friend. I thought it was an interesting if not 'nerdy' piece that may get thinking about typographic personalities in a different way. Type can be fun!

Blurb

Make your own books with Blurb. It's really easy. My former colleague and friend at Ravensbourne, Finola Gaynor, put me onto to the site, it is so easy to use you just drag and drop your photos. Select your layouts and bang in the text. Upload it to the server and then order as many copies as you like.

The software is free to download. Once you have uploaded your book you can order as many copies as you want. Prices begin as little as £6.95 for a 40 page soft cover. You can also design in a variety of sizes, in both hardcover with dust jacket and soft cover.

Check out the website: http://www.blurb.com

I have uploaded a book of my friends Dermot and Anne's kids – Grace, Seamus and Kate.

The other site to have a look at is Lulu.com/uk. They perform a smilar function, but you can also do black and white perfectly bound books with just text from as little as £3.80

Ireland 2008

By by Andy Ellison

Book Preview

Plus+ Design Festival

The Plus+ Design Festival begins on 5th and ends on 8th November. It has a selection of exhibitions and lectures a workshop and even a walking tour.
Tickets for the full event are £40 (£25 with your NUS card) One day tickets are £15 (£10 with your NUS card)

Famous designers speaking include:
Jonathan Barnbrook,
Studio Output,
Airside,
and Designers Republic.

Well worth a look.

For full listings visit the website: http://www.youplusus.net/plus_international_design_expo_home.html

Graphics Social

There is a Graphic Design Social Gathering for all levels.
For details see image below:

The Liverpool Design Symposium

Nike Own The Sky by Universal Everything

Liverpool is hosting its first Design Symposium on Thursday 23rd October at St. Georges Hall. The event begins at 1:00pm, with the last speakers beginning at 7:00pm. D&AD are participating in the event and doing a student awards talk, showcasing some winning work.

Tephra Font by Dalton Maag

For the typographic nuts among you, Bruno Maag of 

Dalton Maag will be speaking in the afternoon.

Matt Pike of Universal Everything will be headling the show.

For more information checkout the website http://www.liverpooldesignsymposium.com/

The first posting

This blog will feature information from, to and about Graphic Desgn at Nottingham Trent University. Hopefully it will be a forum for people to share work, talk about design and designers and generally inspire each other.
To kick off here are details about the latest competition briefs.

D&AD (Designers and Art Directors)
A selection of projects covering mainly advertising based briefs, but also including typography and packaging. Available from 15 Oct.
http://www.dandad.org/

ISTD (International Society of Typographic Designers)
The student assessment scheme projects look more into the typographic approach to design. The briefs are varied, but have very specific submission requirements.
Available to download at:
http://www.istd.org.uk/flash_content/index.htm

Mpa Roses
The Roses is a competition for those colleges north of the M25, so no Saint Martins type here!
Usually very open briefs sometimes only a sentence long, the prize is a placement with the agency who wrote the brief. Check them out at:
http://www.thedrum.co.uk/events/55-mpa-roses-student-creativity-awards-2009/categories/
RSA (Royal Society of Arts) Design Directions Projects
For those of you with a more ethical 'bent'. The RSA tackle major issues such as sustainability and recylcling. Projects are very intellectual and challenging.
Take a look at:
http://www.rsadesigndirections.org/
Finally YCN