I wanted to vary the studios I chose, so there was a variety throughout the 3 publications and showed different disciplines of Graphic Design.
From looking through the designers that had previously spoke at the events I chose the following to look at:
- Johnathan Barnbrook
- Anthony Burrill
- MadeThought
- Magpie Studio
- Andy Altmann - Why Not Associates
- Unit Editions
From this list of designers I am going to choose the three that I will base the whole project from.
Research into each designer / studio:
Johnathan Barnbrook
Jonathan Barnbrook is one of the UK’s most active graphic designers. Pioneering the notion of graphic design with a social conscience, Barnbrook makes strong statements about corporate culture, consumerism, war and international politics. Working in both commercial and non-commercial spheres, Barnbrook combines originality, wit, political savvy and bitter irony in equal measures.
Founding his studio in 1990 and Virus Foundry in 1997, Barnbrook is perhaps best known for his provocatively named fonts, such as Mason (originally released as Manson), Exocet, Bastard, Prozac, Nixon and Drone. The controversy surrounding this work stems from its subversive nature and strong social commentary. Barnbrook multi layers meaning and style – working with language and letterforms in an ingenious way. He uses advertising to reveal anti-corporate messages and exhibitions to promote non-commercial work. With an international presence and local impact, Barnbrook’s work is definitely of the times.
Since graduating in graphic design from Saint Martin’s School of Art and the Royal College of Art in London, Barnbrook has developed a multifaceted practice which includes graphic design, typeface design and motion graphics. He has worked with clients as diverse as Damien Hirst and anti-corporate collective Adbusters.
Anthony Burrill
Anthony Burrill is an independent designer and illustrator who works in print, moving image and interactive, web based projects. While studying at the Royal College of Art he created his now trademark technique for direct communication and an uncomplicated style which stems from his appreciation for simplicity.
Anthony is involved in numerous collaborations, and has designed campaigns for London Underground, Playstation, Nike, BUPA and the cult Hans Brinker Budget Hotel brand. He has also produced web-based projects for bands such as Kraftwerk and Air, murals for Bloomberg and recently designed the identity for KesselsKramer's inaugural London base – KK Outlet.
MadeThought
Founded in 2000 by Ben Parker and Paul Austin, MadeThought is a multi-disciplinary design consultancy that has amassed a diverse and impressive client list, within brand identity, art-direction, packaging, print and interactive design.
MadeThought is known for a deliberate and crafted aesthetic, and believes in the strength and purity of rigorous graphic application. With an eclectic range of projects and commissions, their clients have included Adidas, Stella McCartney, Candy & Candy, MTV, Reiss and Nokia.
Magpie Studio
The three founding partners on their first three years as a studio, letter by letter.
Magpie was founded in 2008 by David Azurdia, Ben Christie and Jamie Ellul with a clear intention of producing beautifully crafted, ideas-driven design.
The three directors met whilst studying at Somerset College of Arts in the late 90s. After graduating, they migrated to London and spent 10 years honing their skills, independently, at some of London’s top branding agencies, in both a full time and freelance capacity.
The studio has now grown to seven full time staff and a host of collaborators, working in a diverse range of media with a diverse range of clients including BAFTA, The British Heart Foundation, Channel 4, D&AD, Houses of Parliament, Land Securities, Robert Horne Paper, Royal Mail and University of the Arts.
Andy Altmann
Andy Altmann graduated in graphic design from the Royal College of Art in 1987 and almost immediately formed the multi-disciplinary design group Why Not Associates with fellow graduates David Ellis and Howard Greenhalgh. Over the years, the group has gained an international reputation based on its creative and experimental approach.
Why Not Associates has worked on projects ranging from exhibition design to postage stamps via advertising, publishing, television titles, commercials and corporate identity. Its clients include the Royal Academy of Arts, Malcolm McLaren, Royal Mail, Nike, Paul Smith, Virgin records and Channel 4. A 1998 book by Booth-Clibborn Editions documented the first ten years of their work and a second, published in 2004 by Thames and Hudson, covered another five years. The group still strives to push the boundaries of graphic design and recent projects collaborating with artist Gordon Young have moved them into the world of public art.
This talk will focus on one of these such projects; the much-celebrated Comedy Carpet in Blackpool. The piece is a celebration of comedy on an extraordinary scale. Referring to the work of more than 1,000 comedians and comedy writers, the carpet gives visual form to jokes, songs and catchphrases dating from the early days of variety to the present. Sited in front of Blackpool Tower, the 2,200m² work of art contains over 160,000 granite letters embedded into concrete, pushing the boundaries of public art and typography to their limits.
Unit Editions
Unit Editions is a progressive publishing venture producing high-quality, affordable books on graphic design and visual culture.
Founded by Tony Brook (founder and Creative Director of acclaimed London design studio, Spin) and Adrian Shaughnessy (graphic designer, writer, publisher and consultant), Unit Editions brings the notion of the book as a highly designed artefact with rich visual and textual content to an international audience of design professionals, design students and followers of visual culture.
Unit Editions combines impeccable design and production standards with insightful texts and informative commentaries on a wide range of subjects. Their first publication Studio Culture: The Secret Life of the Graphic Design Studio provided a unique glimpse into the inner workings of 28 leading graphic design studios. In a series of penetrating interviews, the mechanics of building and maintaining a vibrant studio culture are laid bare with disarming frankness.
Other releases have been more biopic in their nature, with past titles celebrating the work of Wim Crouwel, Herb Lubalin, Ken Garland, alongside lesser known names like Jurriaan Schrofer and that of the Polish graphic arts scene.
Away from publishing, both Brook and Shaughnessy are renowned figures in their own right. Alongside Patricia Finegan, Tony Brook has built one of the UK's most iconic modern studios in Spin; producing award-winning work for Five, D&AD, The Whitchapel Gallery and the ICA. Adrian Shaughnessy was Creative Director of Intro for 15 years; the legendary design studio he co-founded in 1989. His book How to Be a Graphic Designer, Without Losing Your Soul has sold over 80,000 copies. He writes regularly for Eye, Creative Review and is a contributing writer to Design Observer.
Unit Editions produces books for designers by designers.
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