Discovered P.R Brown of Bau-Da Design today reading the notorious Revolver magazine; by reading an article on Marilyn Manson’s Antichrist superstar album cover designs. Brown used to do jazz album covers before Mr. Manson hired him. And now, his list of clients include Disturbed, Billy Corgan, Godsmack, etc. I sense that he likes to portray a certain evil using disfigured human faces. Perhaps its sort of like a suggestion of brutality or the edgy violent and evil that could be found in some heavy metal music. See:
This is a clean one but check out Billy’s left hand.Looks like he burned himself or something?
But theres really nothing interesting to admire here but merely done for consumer satisfaction in my opinion. I find it not so ‘metal’ nowadays to put a really brutal evil face on an album cover with brutal bloody knife edge type for the album title. Or perhaps even hire Todd McFarlane for an album cover.
I wonder if Evil Ernie, the face for Iron Maiden for the past 20 years + will help a 15 year old mummy’s boy enjoy Iron Maiden’s music in the year 2020? Die-hards will disagree with me but who likes and cares about Iron Maiden when you can listen to Mariah Carey all day long.
I realized that its taking me really long to finish my Jan Tschichold book. Probably its just that greedy feeling trying so hard to memorize all the details in that book. Stuff like which year he started teaching at the academy, his typography manifesto, his association with Piet Zwart, bla bla bla.
So to gratify my loss, I started reading another book instead. It’s not that this book has a lesser weight in the reading or that I’m not being particularly absorbant in everything I read but well, I need to make full use of my time anyways.
On a lighter note, do you guys actually have a hard time finish reading a book? Any book really. I find it absolutely hard to do so. I usually finish reading a book in a few weeks. My girlfriend can do it in a few days.
Here you go; Idea magazine, for March 2007, volume 55, issue 2, no. 321. The green sticker is actually the price tag. Features the Works of Jan Tschichold from 1902 - 1974. With essays by Christopter Burke (who also authored Active Literature, another Tschichold book focusing on earlier works), Robin Kinross, John D. Berry, Jean-François Porchez on a little bit of insights on Sabon Next, etc. It also features his Penguin years, which is pretty insightful and serves as a good addition to geeks who dig the Penguin design history (read Penguin by Design by Phil Baines for more insights).
With the power of the internet, driven by users, anybody, including your next door IT consultant, gets the advantage of self-promotion (thats what I call it here); where he wants it to be, how he wants it to look like, who he wants to impress (I’m pretty sure its some girl), etc. This of course applies if you are the kind of dude who’s really into Friendster, Facebook or Myspace. But my point here is that everybody now has a very accessible tool in hand.
Alike individuals; companies, professionals, bands share the same venue and motives. How about designers then?
Youtube can make Psycho Bob (do check it out!) an overnight celebrity. Myspace can help Maria Digby’s version of Umbrella be played on air. I won’t be suprised if one day, some designer gets famous via Devaintart. Or perhaps through Gfxartist. These do-it-yourself platforms are evolving into something which we can’t just simply ignore for that fact.
Its just that now, they are only equipped with a gallery to exhibit their works. Some lack the value of real world work. Some lack the advantage of having feedback from clients. Most are generated out of the artists or designers personal taste. Something they do past 7pm. Or perhaps as a hobby. Something that can be categorized under “self-expression’. Eventhough some among them stand as professional work but the categorization of the works under a virtual artistic community generalizes these beautiful works under what is called indie design.
If anybody can start up a blog now. It won’t be long until anybody can design anything. They might not even need the professional tools that designers have.
The whole DIY culture might just creep into the design world very soon. But in fact, it already has. Just google “indie design“.
But the thoughts I have:
Does the advantage of the diversity in designing without the attachment of being in a large industrialized business effect the way you design?
It’s a tough question yes. An example will be something like if someone with an account on Gfxartist gets a client and recycles a specific design he did before from one of his works for the client. Then what if the indie designer made it big into the mainstream scene? Will they be like Radiohead? Bringing the ‘alternative’ or ‘non-mainstream’ stuff into the commercial world? Then if the indie designer has a proper avenue with a proper business plan, commercial value attached to it, will he or she still be labeled as an indie designer then?
Do you have more ‘freedom’ then? Can you be more creative or crazy over a layout or an identity?
Then, how about royalty then?
Or is there such thing in the indie design world as royalty? Can someone sue another for publicly using a certain design almost similar to the one he/she did before on his/her/ Gfxartist account?
Okay, then what is the market value for all these indie designers? Imagine a scenario where a client pops into one of those online virtual artistic community sites and likes the work of Rockheadman07. I wonder will he be hired to do the job. It gets really dangereous when the client starts comparing works, maybe Cuteangel69 has a better touch.
How about style?
My guess is that indie designers might not have a fixed style throughout. But a safe bet would be all the heavily photoshoped images, layouts and logos will remain. Sad. But that doesn’t mean that there are some good stuff out there.
Design education?
I doubt if there will ever be an art or design school for indies. Its against the whole DIY culture. Then, they will have to find out about Alexi Brodovitch by themselves. Wait. My previous design school didn’t thought me that.
Will there ever be a concept in indie design then?
I’ve seen corporate people with good ideas. Sat down and spoke to salesmans who have creative strategies and ways to sell a product. I won’t be suprised if these guys can come up with good stuff.
To those who want to go indie designing, I recommend you this:
I started off at Figtree as an intern. Seems like most designers go through that in their early days. The first project I worked on was a logo for a magazine; which took me about 5 working days to complete. Moving on, I worked on the Kancil Awards website, some more identities and a magazine.
Since then, the company grew a little and now, we are in need of an extra designer to help. Boss’s expectations are highlighted here. But lets bring to light some issues from a possible colleagues point of view:
(Since Design studios have really innovative ways to promote/hire/head-hunt for a designer, let me give you the really boring FAQs but real stuff that happens around)
Where do we usually eat for lunch?
Around our office block, there are many restaurants. Indian, Chinese, Malay food. With about RM7 a day, it should be enough.
What time do you go to work?
Before the cleaning lady comes in, just in case she accidentally throws away any important notes.
Where do you park your car?
You can park at the parking lot in Block B, costs RM8 a day or at an open space car park outside for RM5 a day. Alternatively, park at the nearby housing area but beware of MPPJ folks.
What kind of projects that I might be handling?
That’s a tough one. I’ve worked on human size buntings that look really shocking with pockets on the chest area and wedding cards for clients overseas. Even did some DVD editing before and also entertaining Stefan Sagmeister while he climbed up Batu Caves. You’ll get even more fun as really interesting jobs are coming in as you read this post.
Seriously, what kind of designer will fit the job?
I’m not sure really. It will be good to have a designer with a strong sense of design writing of course. A designer who can provide a twist or a boast to a boring brief is indeed nice. A designer who dare take on magazine design the way it is not suppose to be will be sweet. A designer who keeps everything strictly grid is also freaking cool. But it will be awesome too if some junkie comes in and contributes to our 400+GB MP3 collection and has updated news about Why Not Associates too..
Are you serious people?
No.
What do you talk about during work, lunchtime, after work, etc?
Anything and everything possible. But boyfriends and girlfriends, marriage, boy and girl relationships, dating, etc. usually become the main topics.
Are you professional at your working ethics?
We try to do our best.
What to expect other then the mentioned?
A nice working environment.
Helpful printers, paper suppliers to deal with.
Corporative, nice, helpful, lovely, kind, gentle hearted, warm, funny, happy, cheerful, straight, responsible, thoughtful, etc. colleagues to work with.
Common folks, designers are humans. We are not scary people. Do send your CV if you’re looking for a job!
By the way, my new IMAC just arrived yesterday. Check out what actually came with it:
Just came back from the Kancil Awards 2007 & the MMVB (Malaysia’s Most Valuable Brands) appreciation dinner. It was held in Aliyaa at Damansara. We were served with authentic Sri Lankan Tapas.
Among those attended are people who have contributed much to the growth of the advertising industry. People who are CEO’s, Managers and Directors of all the huge multi-national advertising agencies you heard of. And of course, me, the little designer with less than two years working experience who happens to be working for the 4As. Surrounded by all these people really shows you how little you have actually achieved. These are people who have successfully staged world class events, inspired many, and contributed much to the wealth of the industry.
Speaking and hearing from these people truly inspires and educates. They do have a lot to share and tell about. By just spending a few minutes with Micheal Johnson, he will be willing to share with you about his working days with Wally Olins and also give you an envelope full of his aerogram designs. Sitting down with John Walters, I was actually told how editorials are compiled and edited for the Eye magazine.
All these people are those who have had years of experience, been through the dealings of various parties, faced rejection in work life, fell down and stood up again and work really hard to make it to where they are today.
As the year comes to an end, I want to include this post as an inspiration to others including myself.
It is essential for a designer to stop looking at design monographs, online portfolios and learn from the gurus. Speak to them, write to them* or ring them up**. Be nice and don’t try to hard to impress or be a groupie. You got to have a little guts which always works for me.
* I do write to some designers sometimes.
** I used to call Kay up last time to ask him about typography and fonts when I was a student.
@ FiFFteen in Goa, 2006 
