29/03/2010

Introducing...

The new improved excess memory. God, this gave me some trouble but, finally, the site is stable (unless you know otherwise). I'll be adding a few pages, tarting up the image posts etc. and generally trying to keep on top of everything. I also have a couple of ideas for new sites, specifically one which focus’ on typography. This is a work in progress.

On the health front, my thyroid is still over active. I say still, but this is now a permanent thing. I'm off to the Doc's again tomorrow to check out my levels. Hopefully he won’t send me back to work; I've got too much to do here ;-)

26/03/2010

Spring clean

Just been going through my hard drive, spring cleaning I guess, and came across this image. It's a piece that I did for my wife back in 2006. She was at collage at the time on a beauty therapy course. The hair department (or what ever it was called) was next door and Helen had heard that they were having an offer in the salon. It was something to do with using the students as guinea pigs, or something. They wanted posters to put around the collage to attract trade and Helen mentioned that I dabbled in graphic design to the head of the department who said o.k. So this was the result. Unfortunately I had to use the salons logo which wasn't the best design in the world, but you work with what you have.


Why they couldn't get their art department to come up with something is beyond me. They did like this though and it was up all over campus for a couple of weeks.

See it full size here.

24/03/2010

Today's lesson is screen printing practical

And this is what I do if I get the time (although with not so many people around and with not such fancy equipment).


How to Screenprint from Print Club London on Vimeo.

21/03/2010

Matt Pyke, genius

I want to be this guy when I grow up.


D&AD Presidents Lecture / Matt Pyke from Universal Everything on Vimeo.

This was from an address to design students at the Art and Design Academy at the Liverpool John Moore's University last August. I discovered this on the D&AD (Design and Art Direction)  blog.

Matt Pyke is Universal Everything.

If only I were twenty five years younger. Does anyone have a Delorian?


19/03/2010

Out with the old

Those of you that visit here from time to time will notice that a bit of tiding up has been going on.

The blog was getting a little cluttered looking. Over time I've changed the blog mast head...



But these were always too 'busy'. So now my motto os 'keep it simple'. Some times less really is more, eh?

I'm also going to be adding a couple more pages to the blog. The first is an easy place to shop for some new T's that I'm developing. There might be other pages too. Just got to figure out what to put on them.

16/03/2010

Can somebody call a doctor?

Yesterday I was diagnosed as having an over active thyroid.

For the last six weeks or so I've felt pretty awful. Tired, constantly hungry, my heart tried it's best to leap from my chest and probably the worst symptom of all was the constant shaking of my body. I even found my cognitive functions failing me at times. You’re probably asking why did I leave it six weeks before seeking medical advice.

The answer to that is fear.

I've never felt so unwell in my any of my forty five years. The possibility of something really serious crossed my mind every time I picked up a glass and tried to stop my hand from shaking. But a week ago I bit the bullet and saw the Dr. He initially diagnosed over production of adrenalin due to stress but the result of my first blood test (I've had more blood tests than I am comfortable with and there will no doubt be more to come) showed that my thyroid gland was up the creek.

I'm on Beta Blockers to stop the shakes and something else to help reduce my thyroid hormone levels. I'm also signed off from work for at least two weeks.

That's the best bit of news I've had for ages.

09/03/2010

Happy Birthday to...

Finished this invitation for my other half’s aunt Dorothy. She's 80 hence the date on the Champaign cork.


04/03/2010

You bought what!?

 while ago I designed some t-shirts and posted them on Zazzle in an effort  to make some cash. I spent many hours slaving over a hot Photoshop putting together these characters which, in my humble opinion, are the dog’s bol**cks...


So why the hell is it that this simple design that took me all of ten minutes to complete is my best seller?


I just don't get it.