gordonated

Seen: A few things to experience for July.

First of all, it would be Underware’s new Liza. Its awesome.

Just have a look at the awesome alternate figures below.

PDF downloads, tryouts available here.

Frankly, if I get it, I’m not sure what I will use if for but I’ve always look forward to a quirky typeface build with serious sensibilities and expansions. No doubt the Underware type-treatment is pretty obvious though.  But yes, I love the typefaces Underware create. They rock.

Secondly, I want to watch this movie:
Milton Glaser: To Inform & Delights

I found an interesting post-screening Q&A session on youtube.

Thirdly, Seymour Chwast’s new book. Like most designers who read Design Observer, I was delighted by the comments made on this post on Seymour. Notice Paula Scher’s comments insisting that the book is a good read. Well, I would believe so because he has been working non-stop since the 50’s I believe. Now, that’s really something to be attentive to really. First few pages of the book can be seen on Amazon.

Yes, Milton and Seymour may be old school but the likes of them keeps me wonder and prepared to embrace the future. Like I always say, I do not plan to be a graphic designer forever, I do not plan to retire as well. And I certainly always find these folks refreshingly dedicated to their work regardless of time and changes.

I guess that’s all for now. Am busy working with Kyoorius Designyatra stuff starting today.

Posted in Design |

Work: Attempts on the wall

It’s really hard to get this up. This is attempt number two. I will attempt a new version every single month.

Posted in Tabloids |

Tabloids: Showmanship

The thing I hate most when working on guitar playing is showmanship. I absolutely hate working on it. However I have to.

Comments from my last gig with my band is that I was pretty still like a rock. So, upon pulling votes, finally, we all needed to work on our showmanship.

I can’t be like Pete Townshend really.

Or do Slash’s ultimate body-bend.

I think I’m the John Mayer showmanship kind…

Obviously, I can’t do Jimi Hendrix kind.

I wish I could do Steve Vai type. He’s the coolest.

Derek Trucks kind is my kind too.

So, what to do now?

Find out tomorrow night @ Capsquare KL, my band’s set is 11pm.

Hope I don’t screw up.

*Pictures are taken off the net and used for illustrative purposes.

Posted in Life, Music, Musicians, People |

Work: AFAA website

Have been procrastinating to put this up for a long time:

I never wanted to work with websites when I graduated. I thought that they were pretty troublesome as I don‘t really understand the art of programming. Javascript, Php and CSS codings—I always believed should be left in the hands of Web Programmers working closely with graphic designers, who eventually should be the stylist. Thing is, I never had the chance to design whatever I want on a page and let a web programmer execute it for me.

So for the past few years, I have learned a little bit about the tools used to get a long the way. How to find them and manipulate them. Up to today, I still find programming and designing websites tough. Most of the codes I use on websites are either downloaded and taken from pro-programmers from other plugins. And Google happens to be my best companion and teacher.

Anyways, here’s some snapshots from the Afaa website:

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Design, Work |

Tabloids: On random buying habits on badly desired items

I was just looking at my Washburn Idol W166V the other day. The best guitar I’ve bought in my 12 years of playing guitar. Previous owner owned it for 6 months, abandoned it for a Gibson Les Paul Standard. Pimped it with Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro II pickups and with a tone controller instead of the flimsy VCC controls. Today, the owner is in touch with me, in case I decide to sell the guitar back to him.

It feels really good to know that the guitar I have carries so much value in it. Washburn Idols have been long favourites for the good folks at Guitarist magazine and have been getting good reviews across guitar discussion boards worldwide. That purchase changed my buying habits on things I would really like to own as I have been always a mainstream buyer; things I buy must be from a commercially known supplier, and brand-spanking-new.

Firstly, most of the time I consume products from a designers point of view. Which can be a disease at times. It makes you spend on things you think are worth your taste and not your real requirements or needs. Causing probably a sense of regret rather than fulfilled desire. Oh yes, the logos. The beautiful logos and the nice typography has almost 75% effect on my buying behavior.

I also demand good service. But sometimes, I compromise if I want the item badly.

Yes, I have some achievements. But, I have even more disappointments.

However over the years, I learned that with proper attention and watchfulness, you might be able to get somethings that are worth your money and effort. That’s if you look hard enough.

Believe me, sometimes, more value can be found in second hand items that newer ones. I’ve learned that sourcing these items can be a really fun thing. Be it on E-bay or even local forums. Not every brand new guitar will sound good.

After all these years of buying vintage books at a junkyard sales to driving 30 kilometers to do a C.O.D for an VOX V810 Valve-Tone, I still find it hard to stop eying and buying these items which I like.

And my final point is, if you really want it badly, the condition of the material usually doesn’t really matter as much as the value of thing. And, mainstream markets are boring.

Posted in Life, Tabloids |

Fav: Gill Sans

I love Gill Sans.

Probably an extension of my favor for British Design. Have combined it with Times New Roman, Sabon, Galliard and other old style typefaces. Possibly sometime ago, I stunningly tried to combine it with ITC Avant Grade; yes, I failed of course. You will need to be a pro typographer to do it.

And like many others, I do think its overused. Easily available on any computer running on either Windows or Mac platform, accessibility to the typeface further results in even more usage and some bad public examples. Some inappropriate usage as text, boring usage on ad’s and sometimes an eyesore on billboards.

I like it on book covers. I like it in large sizes on a small confined grid on a canvas. I like it as headlines, subtitles and quotes. I like it in capitals. I think if evenly spaced, it can be elegant and beautiful. And I love the black sheep of the family; the italic ‘p.’ I love the lowercase ‘g’ and think that ‘a’ is annoyingly addictive to look at. But all said in this paragraph, only if set in the hands of someone who appreciates it and has a good eye for it.

Other humanist sans typefaces like Agenda or FF Milo might have better consistency and beauty and more weights but I guess I’m sticking with the fact that Gill Sans has more authenticity. It would have been so much more exclusive if it hadn’t been overused widely.

My thoughts on Gill Sans extends beyond the sophistication of the typeface alone. I have an admiration for the complicated life of its creator, Eric Gill. Having to have read An essay on Typography and halfway through reading his biography, my admiration for the man simply developed a little further. Though I might not take his spiritual theologies as good advise sometimes. And of course the sexuality stuff he keeps mentioning about and repeatably shown in some of his work. Probably after completely reading his biography, I might change my mind on this.

Fontshop.com has some alternatives to Gill Sans, of which it will be a crazy idea to use with. Eric Gill is also featured in this months Creative Characters newsletter from Myfonts.

Someday, I will challenge myself to the ultimate task of using Gill Sans next to Stone Sans. Might never succeed.

I know, sometimes I overly mention about Gill Sans.

Posted in Designers, People, Typography |

Seen: Letterpress Poster Printing

Letterpress Poster Printing from Joshua Gerken on Vimeo.

Quite an interesting scene. I wish Figtree owns one of these things… (Just finished trimming some 100 posters and 200 cards so am kind of in an ‘envy this’ mode)

Posted in Design, Typography |