itsdesignrelated » Editorial

Jake & Dinos Chapman’s £5 notes for AnOther Magazine

courtney — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:17:14 +0000

AnOther Magazine’s new Decade In Style issue is available one week before general release exclusively at Liberty of London from today. The Decade In Style issue features four different covers; Katie Holmes in Alaia, Kate Moss in John Galliano, Natalie Portman in Lanvin and Vanessa Paradis in Chanel, in a celebration of fashion over the last ten years.

To celebrate our instore event with Liberty reprobate YBAs Jake & Dinos Chapman have illustrated five £5 notes to be won by Liberty customers. Each person buying a magazine from Liberty will be entered into a draw, with a chance of winning one prized banknote from these iconic artists.

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Another one bites the dust, Portfolio magazine goes under

courtney — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:37:03 +0000

One of Conde Nast Publications, Portfolio magazine, goes under. Portfolio folds after 2 years in publication as a business, lifestyle magazine. Majority of the time, we hear that just the print side of magazines goes under, but for this magazine both print and their online site will be closed. Their editor in chief, Joanne Lipman, announced this last Friday. This is a sure sign of rough waters of the economy. Developing Portfolio wasn’t always smooth sailing, as any start up magazine a lot of money went into printing costs, marketing, editorial costs. What more can we expect from an a dying industry? We’ve seen so many Conde magazines come and go such as House & Garden and Jane, Cargo, and my two absolute favorites Vitals and Domino. Will all magazines have to turn to the alternative…and produce everything online? Will there be atleast one successful print magazine that survives? If so which magazine has the resources? We’ll have to wait and see.

My absolute favorite magazine, Vitals. It had such great art direction and excellent typography treatment.

Jake & Dinos Chapman’s £5 notes for AnOther Magazine AnOther Magazine’s new Decade In Style issue is available one...

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In the Pressroom Interview: Chicken Low Art, High Calorie Book by Siaron Hughes

courtney — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:57:10 +0000

We recently stumbled on a graphic designer who published a book on the varied and visual qualities of fast food signage, and the people involved. The book named Chicken: Low Art, High Calorie is unique in its own kind. We honestly thought it was humorous and kitchy. Would only a graphic designer find these chicken icons and symbols slightly hilarious? We hope not! The author, Siaron Hughes from the UK, gives us a closer look and answers a couple of questions on our minds!

Tell us what youre all about and this book of yours.
Initially I studied Fashion design and Promotion, where I began to realize my interest moreso in Graphic design. I recently went back to college and studied an MA in Graphics at London College of Communication. This course definitely had a huge impact on the idea for the chicken book. We were encouraged to develop our visual vocabulary, and to work creatively with reference to a wider cultural context. I started documenting and evaluating visual and verbal communication of messages, languages and identities in a wider environment, and then applied those findings to project work.

So whats the just…you’ve compiled a book of London’s Chicken Icons? Why?
During my studies on the MA, we were asked to question the ‘rhetoric of design, by investigating concepts of irony or candour. It was at that point that I started to look around where I live in East London and document the array of colourful Fried Chicken and fast food shops. Also during that time a flyer was slipped through my letterbox with huge words ordering me to ‘Dunk my Dipper’ which I found highly suggestive and amusing….and the rest is history!

Why would you think people find that interesting?
I think what’s nice about the book is that the subject matter seems to catch peoples’ attention. Everyone I’ve spoken to has said what a great idea it is, and something that has also caught their attention and entertained them over the years. It’s ubiquitous and therefore part of our everyday lives, something we can all relate to and have an opinion on. And now finally someone puts it all into book format! It offers is an insight into this industry. I tracked down the various people responsible for the graphics, menus, neon-light signage and branding, and have talked to them about their lives/thoughts.

Do you find it unique that you find these icons around that was designed by an untrained eye? Do you think it give it character?
The graphics are perfect, they convey the hectic nature of the business, fast visuals for fast food!

What does it say about the people who choose these eateries?
I’m not really in a position to make a social comment on the people who choose to buy food from these places really…. I don’t think it says anything really.

If you were to redo the icons, what would you like to see improved?
To be honest, nothing. Why make them tasteful and designed? We inherited ‘fast food’ from the US, so it makes sense that most of these establishments mimick America and KFC.

Chicken: Low Art, High Calorie, is published by Mark Batty Publishers (£14.95)

Many thanks to Siaron and her publishers for taking the time to interview with us!

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