Not your average Volvo

I haven't posted anything automotive for a while… and this beauty from Sweden caught my eye. This is the new Caresto Speedster… a mid-engined hot-rod style car powered by a Volvo V8. Built to integrate the styling of a traditional Hot Rod with the handling of a sports car, the designer and builder is Leif Tufvesson terms it a "Sports Rod". Although it's unlike any Volvo I've ever seen before, it somehow retains a little Volvoness… maybe it's that shade of blue.

This got me thinking… what I'd really love to see is a mainstream manufacturer take some of these styling cues and make a single seat, ultra lightweight, low emission, fuel thrifty, environmentally friendly, stylish, sporty car. After all… when you're driving, the vast majority of cars you see only have a single occupant.

There's lots more about the Caresto Speedster on (in english) on German site Babez.de

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Beautiful Vintage Pacakging from Schweppes

I love these mixer bottles from Schweppes… Developed for sale in bars pubs and restaurants rather than through retail. The simple use of vintage advertising imagery really gets over the history and credentials of the brand – and gives them real standout. Great work by Australian packaging design agency Di Donato. 

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Design heroes: Dick Bruna

You probably already know the work of dutch graphic designer Dick Bruna. His classic, beautifully simple illustrations for children of Miffy and friends are classics… right up their with Dr Suess and Eric Carle in my humble opinion. What you may not be aware of is his other work as an illustrator and designer of book covers – maybe the best known being the Maigret covers. There's an excellent collection of this work on butdoesitfloat. Excellent stuff.

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Free font of the week - Nevis

Nevis is a classy, classic geometric sans Serif font, reminiscent both of London Underground's original Johnston. It's available for free from Ten by Twenty, who have some excellent free (and cheap… sorry… not cheap, inexpensive!) stuff – fonts, wordpress themes, icons, that sort of thing – on their site. Ten by Twenty is the work of Bournemouth based designer Ed Merritt. Nice work Ed.

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Learning to harness the power of constraints

When producing creative work today we have the technology to create virtually whatever we want. In any colour, any size, using any picture we take a fancy to, (or have the budget for). For instance, how many fonts have you got available on your computer right now?

With so many choices available, there is the opportunity to procrastinate more than ever, you often get stuck in process, running through endless combinations, and not getting anywhere. That's if you even get started.

I read a great book a while ago called the Houdini Solution by Ernie Schenk that expounded the theory  that the tighter the brief, and the deadline, the more creative you have to be. It's an interesting twist on the received wisdom that what you need as a designer is creative freedom, and plenty of it.

It certainly worked for Harry Pearce who has created a wonderful new book called Conundrums. This collection of elegant typographic puzzles constrained by three simple (self imposed) rules: one box, two colours, a single typeface. As he says “Sometimes the more cornered you are the more fun you have.” It reminds me of other great design classics like A Smile in the Mind: Witty Thinking in Graphic Design and The Art of Looking Sideways, as well as a charming little book called Words Fail Me, by Theresa Monachino. 

So, next time you get a tight brief, a small budget, have to work to rigourous corporate guidelines, celebrate… you may have just got the opportunity to do some of your most creative work. And if the brief is too loose… why not set yourself some arbitrary ones. And if you do… stick to them!

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Lesson for 2010 – Find your niche!

Cheeming Boey has.

It's not something that you would have thought of immediately – that's what makes it niche.

Boey draws on Styrofoam coffee cups. Mainly with a black sharpie marker. You know the kind of thing you chuck away without even thinking about it. And he makes them into something exquisite and beautiful. Why he started drawing on cups I don't know, but he's made an artform out of them. He's cups are unique, and he sells them from his beautifully simple website. Check it out, and while your there visit the journal. Or just go straight to flickr and check out his sets. Have a browse and you'll even discover what happens to Styrofoam when you take it 10,000 feet under the ocean. You can buy some cups on Etsy (Well you will be able to when Boey gets back from his 'adventures'. 

So, in 2010, why not do what Boey has done? No, don't go out and start drawing on cups. Find your own thing. It might be something you create and sell, or what you write about on your blog. Whatever you do, find your niche make it yours… and excel at it. There's never been a better time to do it. 

Oh, and Happy New Year. I'm back.

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Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas dear readers,

Since starting this blog at the end of October, it's been a blast. 67 post, and a handful of subscribers, and some great feedback.

My plan for 2010 is to post more content, but a little less often. That way the commentary will be more considered, the insights a little sharper.

I must just give kudos to Posterous… if you've wanted to start a blog, but been put off because you worried about the technicalities, give Posterous a go. It's as simple as sending an email.

I'm not going to do a Top 10, (Maybe next year!) but here are my 3 most popular posts of 2009 (to date)! Check 'em out if you've missed anything.

No.3 What Matters Now – with Free PDF download

No.2 Festive Font of the Week – Aeronaut

No.1 Creating a memorable brand with creative juxtaposition (Caroline's Effluent Services)

Enjoy the festivities, see you at the other end.

Peace, love, and all that.

cj

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