Dublin #Pride2016 in Pictures!

What a great day in Dublin on Saturday 25th June. The streets were alive with colour and good vibes. I was lucky enough to be involved in designing the float for the Gay Switchboard Ireland. And with a merry band of helpers we got the duck (thanks ot Viking Splash Tours) covered in a sea of balloons & banners!
The streets were lined with well wishers form across the country & even Mr. Larkin got into a few pics! Great to see such positivity in the in city! See can you spot yourself in the crowds!

Design Graduate Show @DublinDesign Kildare Street

It’s that time of year and all the Graduate Design shows are on. The new kid on the block is Dublin Institute of Design at 45 Kildare Street, who are having their show tomorrow 1st June 4-7pm entitled Black Frame.

The show features design work from BA Hons Degree students of Graphic Design & Interiors Design as well as Diploma students from Graphic Design, Interior’s Design, Fashion & Web courses.

This year the Institute have had a number of high profile successes with International winning design competitions and an awarded ISTD typographic project. “The students have created incredible design solutions to self-directed projects ranging from getting to know our beautiful city better, sharing knowledge within our community to innovative typeface design. It truly is an eclectic mix of emerging new talent” says Danielle Townsend – Programme Coordinator for the BA(Hons) Graphic Design at the Institute.

If you think you might like to experience some design and enjoy a free wine reception, why not come along!

Show opens: 1st June 4pm -7pm (wine reception)

Normal hours: Mon-Fri 10-4pm throughout June.

(Graduate Show Design by Peter Mullen - Final Year Graduate Graphic Design)

Creative Confidence from @IDEO (Tom & David Kelley) #OneBookPerMonth

Isbn 978-0-00813938-4

While many of you I know are avid readers sometimes with work commitments I can go several weeks without the company of a good book. While not a fan of the NY resolution, and since reading about Mark zuckerbergs resolution last year - to read a book every two weeks- I have decided to join re ranks in the hope that the commitment will ensure I carve out time in my day for my favorite pastime. Reading! 

I am however being less ambitious and am looking to read a new book per month and am very happy to take suggestions, chat about the book without starting a book club (which has never had much appeal to me).  

So my kick off for the year was the best seller Creative Confidence by the founders of IDEO Tom and David Kelley. 

I have long since known of the work they have done with the d.school and their innovation workshops. However I had yet to read any of their books.  

The book takes you on a journey to explain, develop, challenge and ultimately aims that you engage in all/any persuits with creative confidence. This is delivered through a series of brief case studies from their clients that read more like annecdotes.  

While having a good grasp of design thinking through teaching and practice, I found some of the tools on the book made me think about iterating my approach. I think that a book that makes you reevaluate or improve is a must-read for all professionals. Not just designers. Some of the points are of course preaching to the choir !! but the audience for the book is, in my opinion Non-designers. That being said, an interesting read that has sparked lots of ideas for my growing list of personal projects! 

Please feel free to comment or suggest a book for Feb.  

Dublin Canvas project accepted into the @100Archive!

We are delighted to have another branding project accepted in the 100Archive. This time a Street Art piece for Dublin City Council and Dublin Canvas.

Brief

To brighten up Dublin City, by creating a unique artwork for a chosen traffic light box. The area for the box must play an integral part in the design.

Solution

The quote is taken from our most infamous author James Joyce, who wrote about Dublin’s Quays frequently. This quote is fitting in that it aims to inspire people to overcome their own personal ‘errors’ to discover their strengths and is intended to be inspirational. The typeface has been created specifically for the project and is a nod to a modern Ireland made up of makers and creatives who are passionate about our city. It mimics the pop-out toys of yester-year that many of us grew up with and the palette is fresh and exciting to mirror the vibrancy of what is in my opinion the best city in the world! (not biased at all lol)

Check out this project and others accepted into the 100 Archive here: 

http://www.100archive.com/project/errors-are-for-discovery-street-art

HPI Branding Accepted into the @100Archive

We are delighted to have another branding project accepted in the 100Archive. This one is for the Home Performance Index or (HPI).

The Brief

The Home Performance Index or HPI is Ireland first national certification system for quality and sustainable residential developments. This new brand will assess building and award excellence based on a variety of sustainable categories, namely  cost, well being and impact on the planet.

Solution

As this brand is to be consumer facing it was important to develop a visual identity system that would resonate with consumers and stand for quality. A marque was created highlighting the three pillars of the rating tool. The use of sans serif typography aims to keep the branding simple and iconography assists in the explanation for the various ratings through a series of marketing literature. There are Certified, Silver & Gold awards achievable within the tool and the palette chosen reflects these levels. 

Check out this project and others accepted into the 100 Archive here: 

http://www.100archive.com/project/home-performance-index-hpi-branding

6 Years in Business!! Ode to a #startup!

It is actually incredible to think that 6 years ago I humbly began my design practice (in what was the worst crisis the Irish economy had ever found itself in! At the time I rallied to get clients and do good design work. It was extremely tough and fraught with self-doubt and of course the obligatory mistakes, that surely would make me stronger one day! 

What a stormy year to start though, 2009 was grim! Budgets were pulled for most design activities and many companies just evaporated into thin air. A friend of mine recently told me about an interview with Will Smith, about his incredible work ethic (you can watch it here). He basically speaks about how hard he has worked for everything he has. "When the other guy was having fun, he was working". He talks about how his strong work ethic has made him the success he is today.

I'm not saying I'm Will Smith lol!  far from it in terms of the success that guy has had, but I think I absolutely share his grit & determination and his irrepressible work ethic! What else could have got me through those first tentative years! 

So what advice might I give to a startup... DO IT!! Life is full of uncertainties anyway, and if you are passionate and have self-belief you will succeed. Visualise the road to success and you will get there.

Hooray! its @DesignWeek_ie 2nd-8th Nov 2015! #Design2015

Each year people ask me for recommendations for what to go and see during Design Week, so I've decided to dedicate this blog to just that. Of course these are just my personal favorites and by no means all that is on offer for this glorious week celebrating all things design!!! So check out the full listing at www.designweek.ie

Friday 30th October

Fresh Talent

If you missed it in Dublin Castle you might take a trip to Kilkenny to see the Fresh Talent delight!

Monday 2nd November

Exhibition of projects: DIT Students Designing With Communitie.

Showcase of collaborative projects between DIT design students and community groups/ not-for-profit organizations.

Tuesday 3rd November

Launch

The launch takes place in the Huge Lane and opens proceedings along with celebrating the success of the Pivot programme #MakeShapeChange which I was involved with earlier in the year. 

Wednesday 4th November

RIPE: ICAD Upstarts Exhibition

The its time to check out this years batch of Upstarts! Always a great event to go to.

Thursday 5th November

Modern Practice Event: The Stone Twins.

Time to check out the super work of these guys, booking is essential!

Friday 6th November

Design for Social Innovation Symposium

FOR THE WEEKEND...

Saturday 7th November

Create Simple Gadgets with Arduino & Raspberry Pi. These guys @FabLab are fantastic makers, a real treat!!

New Voices #exhibition opeing tonight @CFCP @DublinDesign @CultureNight

Come tonight to the opening of the New Voices exhibition in partnership with Dublin Institute of Design, 45 Kildare Street. The college plays host to 12 new artists and their imaginative collection.

This is the 3rd in the Series from the Centre for Creative Practices and having seen the theme I was delighted to be able to (obviously with the permission of our very generous Director)  open our doors at DID to this exhibition.

The artists are as follows:

Amanda Jane Graham - “ Warriors one in Three”
Chelsea Canavan - “Interactions with Technology” 
Dr. Katherine Nolan – “For Fight the Rising”
Leanne McLaughlin - “We are all blown-in”
Sarah Bracken – “Letterbox Dublin” 
Kasia Zimnoch and Pawel Kleszczewski - “Painting Atoms”
Michael Geddis - “Between Arts and Science”
Dr. Katherine Nolan – “Empathy with the Flesh”
Diarmuid Corkery - “Going Solo”
Justyna Gruszczyk - “A Special Olfactory Composition” 
Vukasin Nedeljkovic - “Asylum Archive” 

Performances by:
Dorone Paris - “For Utopia”
La Cosa Preciosa & Rachel Ni Chuinn – “Mean Time”
Dr. Katherine Nolan – “Today’s Public Secret Is That Everyone Is Anxious” (includes nudity)

The exhibition runs from tonight 10th-22nd

10th: 6-9pm wine reception & performances
18th: Culture night 5-11pm
Normal Opening Hours : Mon-Fri 10-4pm

Nearly time for @EPfestival & @GlobalGreen

Well its that time of year again, the best festival of the (ahem) Summer! And down at @GlobalGreen you'll see lovely signage and flags designed by yours truly, animating a part of the #GlobalGreen @EPfestival 2015.

Nostalgic moment alert..Heres some footage from the behind the scenes fun and games from last year. And of course the building onsite which was great fun in the Irish Summer!

This year come see the bespoke laser cut signage which ave been developed especially for Cloghjordan, and 120 Flags all begin laser cut and hoisted high around the venue! The typeface for the 'Come to Cloghjordan' 8ft sign is a bespoke creation especially for @cultivate_ie based on the beloved Futura face. The design attempts to communicate the ability & drive to MAKE and CRAFT things. While the snap-out toy format nods to playfulness of the festival that brings out the child in all of us.

A second sign for the Heritage Council was created and the guys @HeritageHubIRE decorated each letter. 

And finally 120 flags of all different colours were laser cut to bring a splash of colour overhead!

I'll get some pics uploaded as soon as I can and hope to see ya all there! But for now heres the videos from last years festival.

Taking Time Out, Ode to the #self-employed

As a self-employed designer it can be hard to switch off. But this is a fundamental part of the thinking designers process. Having new experiences and taking time out are all a vital part of building and maintaining creativity. So why don't we do it more often? 

Just as we were told there would be a paperless office we have been told there is a border free office, separate from the rigid structure of nine to five or indeed location (why aren't we working from that hammock in San Sebastian). But why is it that the self-employed feel like taking time off is a guilty pleasure when we work harder and longer hours?* (*probably).

Well lets say budget doesn't come into it, there is always, for me, the nagging feeling that I will miss out on a great project or let down a client. I have been self-employed for over 5 years now and I have begin to think of holidays and preparing for time away from the studio in a new way. Firstly I tell everyone!! All my clients get a heads up a month of some before I am due to go. That way they are well prepared for any deadlines that need to hurry up. I have found in doing this all are more than understanding of the need for a break. We are all human - but for some reason the self-employed feel the need to be super-human and always available! (agin merely my experience)

While this accommodates the current clients it does not cater for the new projects that I previously mentioned. These are the what ifs, maybes,... but how could you rationally pre-empt the unexpected! What I have found is that would don't miss what you never had!

So self-employed folk, raise a pina colada to yourself. Take that break!! Recharge, revive and enjoy. After all there have to be some perks for working for yourself!

The Artists' Panel Branding for @DubCityCouncil

Check out the latest branding work completed for Oonagh Young @DesignHQ.

One of the core functions of the Artists' Panel is to provide funding for visual arts projects. They needed a strong brand to represent their activities and one that could be applied throughout their various literature (application forms & terms of service etc) 

The solution was to use the characters 'A' and 'P' and to interconnect them to show the unity between what they do and the connection to the artist. The strong mono-line using rounded terminals is offset against the beautiful sans serif underneath. A paperclip was also made for the brand collateral.  

The rest of the project can be seen here!

Rave Posters for This is England #TIE90

Couldn't resist this one when I saw the competition. Had to go with the day-glow memories of my mis-spent 90's youth! Who didn't have a plastic soother and a neon poster of some 'futuristic' plane on their wall. And the type - oh dear cluncky, cluncky, cluncky! Thats how I remember it!

Get your enter in here, and it might feature in the show! 
 

#VoteYes #MarRef Make Ireland fair today!

Have your say today. Make Ireland a fair country for everyone!!

Thanks @DamnFinePrint for the super Yes campaign support. Don't forget to checkout Smithfield to see all their prints of the LOVE donated by designers of Ireland. 

Volunteer to teach business in Uganda in association with #CEDF

Business Lecturers required to deliver a Student Enterprise & Innovation Program this Summer to train over 60 Business secondary School Teachers and 200 Secondary Sch. Students in Uganda.

This program has been running in Uganda since 2012 and the Strategic Plan was Launched last week by the First Lady of Uganda (photo above).

Graduate #GraphicDesign show @ColDhulaigh on Monday

Just a short entry to show some of the amazing work produced by my lovely students at Colaiste Dhulaigh who exhibited on Monday night! They finished the year with Fetac L5 Graphic Design & Image Processing. Well done to all.

A list of courses in college can be seen here.

End of Year #StudentExhibition @ColDhulaigh 20th April

My wonderfully creative Graphic Design students are having an exhibition of their years work in Colaiste Dhulaigh, Coolock Campus on 20th April from 7.30. There will be wine and nibbles and the Photography Students will be exhibiting their work too.

The students have completed 2 Level 5 Fetac Modules (Graphic Design & Image Processing) in just 18 short weeks! Also on display are the Level 5 & 6 Photography students work.

Come join in the fun and talk to the students. Open invitation to all. More information about the course available on the night or by clicking here

*** The poster design & website branding for the event was completed by 2 students on the course: Alessandra Ravida & Hubert Bzymek ***