Can't believe I have only just discovered Mondo http://www.mondotees.com/

They have a fab archive of alternative film posters for one off screenings and film festivals. They also have a shop!  We should definitely see films offering two or three alternative designs for their posters as a normal part of their promotions. It is ages since any film posters have caught my attention the last two that spring to mind are 28 days later and I Am Legend, the latter mainly because of the stunning type setting of the title. Below are some of my favourites from the Mondo archive.

The empire strikes back
King kong
Haloween
Monster inc
The mist
Ferris buellers day off
Let me in


   




 

I long to visit Japan..but their earthquakes and the subsequent tsunami's caused by them makes it a little off-putting.... This is why I was so impressed when I came across the 'life spheres' that have been invented, literally in the wake of the Japanese tsunami.

After the twin towers terrorist attack (911) in New York, I had expected to see similar innovation born out of tragedy.

But it was only recently I came across the 'rescue reel' invented by Kevin Stone who, like most of us, was haunted by the people jumping out of the twin towers.

He set about designing a escape harness based on a fishing reel that would lower people steadily from skyscraper heights on a secure length of cord.

Please see link below for video on brightcove.com of the design.

http://bcove.me/m6snl7ia

Review: Latitude Festival 2011

Some of the good stuff:

KT Tunstall - First set we saw - KT's attitude, songs and performance rocked.

Wanda Jackson -   (Country rocka 1950's)  Certainly hit the high notes, a little bit scary and a little bit mental but in a good way and certainly lifted everyone's spirits!

Paloma Faith - Paloma partied! her set was brilliant Paloma, her singers and band were having fun and it showed. What a voice - thanks Paloma - loved her outfit too, retro purple knee high boots with a Victorian style tiara with a Native Indian flavour.























Adam Ant & The Good, The Mad And The Lovely Posse - All of us 30-40 something gals were immediately transported back to the 80's when we had big hair, checked shirts, pearls, brooches, drain pipe jeans and white boots. Watching Top of the Pops and having fantasies about Adam Ant's Highwayman and Prince Charming wooing us!

Adam Ant kept the boys happy too with a mix of all his lesser well known songs. For all his dark days  he looks like he has been in a time capsule
by looking sexy as! He owned the stage with his dancing and gyrating. Not only that, his voice was strong, dark and rock filled -  I'm in love with Adam Ant again! He should have closed the main stage instead of
Paolo what-a-let-down Nutini.

Seann Walsh (Comic) - Funny, twisted a little bit angry at life? He made
me laugh laugh laugh.

Dylan Moran (Comic) - I love him, want to adopt him, take him home and let him live under my stairs - think he would be happy there as it is a little bit dark!

Allevate (Dance) - Beautiful moves

Flawless (Dance) - Runners up in Britain's Got Talent - these talented dancers risked a very slippery dance surface to make adult's jealous and the kids want dance lessons!

Anna Freeman (Poetry) - Popped my head into the tent and ended up staying.

Black Roses - The Killing of Sophie Lancaster - Told through a series of poems about the murder of Sophie (17) while she was trying to protect her 21 year old boyfriend from a gang of brain-dead, bored and bigoted hoodies. Every Secondary School child should see this. And the story of Sophie will stay with you whether you want it to or not.

Caribbean Jerk - Curried goat, saltfish and dumping to die for - yum!

Recycle beer cups - Thanks Latitude.

Village Bar - With table tennis and a DJ who played ridiculously good tunes to make you smile.




Things we missed but wish we'd seen:

Dionne Bromfield - can't believe we missed her,   Sorry Dionne - I'm going to blame the rain and the kids.

Laura Mugridge (Comic) - and her show 'Running on Air' performed in a VW Campervan.

Electric Hotel - (Dance/Art) see-through walls of this hotel invite you, at night, to spy on the occupants and listen in with headphones.




Things we saw but wished we'd missed:

Paolo Nutini - Good soulful voice, but lacklustre stage presence and I could not hear a bloody word he mumbled inbetween songs. Ok to listen to on I-Tunes but would be gutted if I had paid to see only him live.

Omid Djalili - Failed to tickle anyone's funny bone which was a shame as he has been good on TV and an impressive character actor, maybe the rain washed away his mojo?

Mexican Wraps - tasteless with horrible processed chicken - yuk!



If I was the Boss of Latitude - wish list:

A Retro Arcade - The Nintendo DS tent was fab but a retro arcade with Space Invaders, Atari and Pac-man along side Nintendo would be cool.

Hammocks - lots of them - cat naps are divine.

Art Gallery and life drawing classes, to capture the essence of the festival.

Roller Boot Outdoor Disco.

Trampolining, bungy jump, high wire.



Top Tips for a festival goer:

Be like my husband and wear a wetsuit (great idea for a stall) in the rain it will keep you bone dry and look a lot cooler than wearing a plastic bin bag. Not so cool, mind you, if you need the loo, however flaps could be added!

Baby wipes - need I say more.

Toilets - hold your breathe and just deal with it!

If taking teenagers, camp away from them to avoid pungent smoke smells and puke then you can party in peace.

Hats and socks to keep you warm at night, what you wear in between is up to you.

Peace and Love

More Latitude pics at paxdesignstudio - flickr







 

Self-initiated project:
Glastobury's annual T-shirt design competition 2011
 

- prize was two tickets to the festival. I am looking forward to seeing the winning design - lucky gits!

I've already got some ideas for Glastonbury 2013, the festival is taking a break in 2012 - the Olympics needs all the porta-loo's!




















tag:glastonbury 2011 /t-shirt design 2011 /glastonbury competition 2011

Brillant! - just caught the new VW Passat advert - made me laugh out loud - the simple idea's are always the best.

A pint-sized Darth Vader uses the Force when he discovers his dad's got a new 2012 Passat in the driveway.

And the last laugh is that the Dad thinks he's tricked the kid when in fact the kid's got hold of his jedi powers!!

The music works beautifully :)









http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0


tag: darth vader, vw passat, mini darth vader, star wars advert, vw advert, passat 2012

Is it a cheese or a font?

Love this online game, catch out all those font snobs!

http://www.cheeseorfont.mogrify.org

tag: fonts,typeface,graphic design, omline design game.

Disturbing image but eyecatching - kept it because feel it would be good inspiration for a future project.

Image from www.fabriclondon.com/label/fabric/51/

 

I attended the last day of the exhibition at Somerset House. The place was buzzing but not too packed to impact on a chance to really get close to the works and have a bit of space to take in the gorgeous art of Gruau.

First class exhibition, I would heartily recommend searching out his work which can easily be viewed in your local card shop - WH Smith are stocking greeting cards with nice varied set of his art.

My only criticism of the exhibition was that the organiser obviously under-estimated the keenness of the public to purchase posters of Rene's work as they had run out - someone missed a trick there!

Spent five hours queuing at the RCA Secret Exhibiton 2010 with a collection of interesting and lovely Brits - a daughter queueing on behalf of her parents and taking numerous calls from them keen to enquire her queue position!; a women doing the same for her husband, a young couple working in the media with son, A doctor and his toddler son, a property developer and an older dad with a love of portraits and cigars.

If there were any visitors/tourists in the queue it's nice to think they would have been left with a positive view of the quirks, cultures and characters that make up us Brits and will have seen we, for the most part, gel because we are all so different and because we do have a magic ingredient which cannot be found anywhere else in the world - fairplay, grit and a love of orderly queuing.

I eventually got to the front of the queue and managed to purchase two of my favorite cards.

I visited the late night showing on the Thursday night with my family and thought the standard of the postcards was excellent. To keep the concept fresh however I think the RCA could perhaps shake it up a little - maybe offering limited prints online after the event has closed for the year. They are also missing a trick by not arranging food and drink for sale for the queuing public! - some coffee, tea or maybe even mulled wine would go down a treat.

A selection of of my favorite postcards:







 

Canvas's on display at M&S cafe in Staines, I just had to snap these,
straight away they made me feel nostalgic for labels from my childhood, especially the blackcurrant jam.

Even though they were designed back in 50,60,70's and 80's to me the typography looks fresh against the flat colour.

The blue canvas is my favourite.

tag:typography, M&S, design, labels, packaging

Looking forward to visiting the Rene Gruau Exhibiton at Somerset House.

The work to me, has an Art Nouveau feel, showing a love of a woman's style, inner beauty; grace and femininity. Many people compare Rene to Henri de Toulouse-

Lautrec (french artist and print maker).

I love lovefilm - mainly because I no longer receive rental overdue bills that I would have to hide from my other half...
...and because the geek in me (graphic design and geek are definitely first cousins) can trawl their lists of cult classics.


Here's an ad they sent this week...I'm in! (scared already but in nonetheless).

You must watch this, as our friends across the pond would say....

"THIS IS AWESOME!"

youtube :     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vJxC2BAMHU

 Based in Manchester this company sells reusable water bottles
and their retailers agree to supply water top-ups for owners of the bottles.

While lost in New York's Soho / Tribeca district, in November last year, we stumbled across a small shop; surrounded by scaffold and dust from the building work blighting the road and neighbouring buildings.

Stepping inside, Alphaville was a delight, a retro haven of posters, toys and novelties.

The two guy's that run the shop are very engaging and helpful.

I purchased a print of a vintage New York poster and a Star Wars album sticker featuring Princess Leia.

So, if you are ever in the Alphaville neighbourhood please don't pass it by...

http://www.alphaville.com/

Also has a page on google maps.


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Cracking Antiques - BBC 2 Weds 8:30pm

Love this program but wish they hadn't aired it as now it means all the fab retro items are going to double in price!

A recent find: