Toko

There's a lot of hype about TOKO. You either love or hate their design. I think they are addressing a market in graphic design that most other Sydney studios have overlooked. Some rule it out as being too Scandinavian in design, whilst somewhat true I don't think this is the whole truth. Toko's always brings an experimental quality to their work, no matter how corporate the project may be. Their use of colour is flawless and their choice of typefaces are unconventional but somehow always the most fitting. There is clear direction, a welcomed lack of repetition and a considered approach that doesn't equate to stark design.

Images via Toko.

Info Graphics

"Tracking nearly anything you do is alarming and humbling. The aggregates of our actions are lost on us: we can watch hundreds of hours of television and write it off as a small time commitment. How much is too much? It’s hard to make pretty charts without learning something and thinking about what they should look like." - Tom MacWright.

I have been recently introduced to the world of info graphics and been completely taken aback by how beautiful they can be. It seems like the most perfect solution for my simultaneous urge to be extremely neurotic and organised and my relentless love for well designed things... except I am not sure I have the stamina for it now after a university tutor introduced me to Feltron by Nicholas Felton. He makes exquisite graphs, tables and charts... yup, exquisite. So intricate, considered and innovative is is display statistics, it blows my mind.

If you go to his website you can view his really strange/interesting 'Personal Annual Reports' that he records, collates and designs himself...about himself. From the number of times he interacted with a particular person that year, where he ate most often, his emotional states, number of photos he took in China... etc. He collates the information by recording it down himself, or by leaving cards with people he interacts with during the day which has details on where they can leave something about their impression of Felton online. Felton then goes on to read through all this data and deduce it into these reports. Really crazy. He also has these annuals printed at a letterpress with embossing and the lot, and people pay $$$ for them. I love the work, but I'm not sure how I feel about about having someone else's personal statistics on my wall embossed.

Felton has also co-created the website DAYTUM which allows you to follow your own habits, ways you spend your time etc. I haven't signed up but it seems intriguing to follow how I use my time.. or don't use my time. I was just glimpsing the first page and a user on DAYTUM had a recently added statistic to his/her category of 'how my time is spent in exile'.Wow. I just looked again and someone updated the particular way they ate Nandos, it was chicken breast in a Pita or something similar wowowow.

Oh and to top it all off he works on the design team at Facebook. Good work Zuckerberg - this guy is amazing...possibly insane, but amazing.

Here are some examples of his work. I'm sorry I couldn't upload the images bigger, you'll just have to visit Feltron instead (edit: click on the images - then they enlarge..duh!). Below; 293 is the number of Stella Artois he enjoyed socially during 2009.

Images via Feltron and Andrew Kuo for the NY Times Magazine.

Ex-Libris

I have to design an 'ex-libri' for university, which basically translates to 'from the library of' and it is a sort of sticker you put it in your books to denote that they are yours. Ex-libris are historically quite grim and morbid*...with a sort of elegance. I absolutely love them, and I have known to be a little bit morbid in my design before.  I actually am more excited about designing this then my personal identity (business card etc).

* Some are really erotic...in a really disturbing way, not too crazy about these.

 The one above is definitely my favourite, I just love that for some reason a fin is sticking out of her torso.

All images via Pinterest

Film Posters

I've seen some really beautiful film posters as of late and I thought I'd just share some with you!

One could assume that I'm just a sucker for a cool photograph with beautiful white type on top - but there are  few here that break the mold!

I'm not used to waking up boiling hot on New Year's Day with everyone talking about going to the beach.  It is currently 5 degrees here, eep.

E' Funzione

Such amazing denim in the middle with the dots, does anyone know where they are from? I think possibly Acne..which I wouldn't be surprised as I love Acne. I almost bought another pair of Odessa Kex Jeans in Paris just because I love them so much and am scared they will break because I wear them too too much! Hands-down best purchase of my materialistic life - Acne should be paying me for this plug!

I keep thinking about wanting a tattoo, it is in the back of my mind but I still have not come across anything I like enough to put on my body permanetly. I used to want a small one behind my ear, then one on my shoulder/shoulder blade, now I kind of like this more discrete one on the underside of the arm. Just have to find a design I like/means enough to me!

Images via honestly...wtf, theyallhateus and convoy

Are you better than him, or just different?

Underwater photography

Salt desert of Iran

Coloured soap

A camera and a type-writer

Images via but does it float...