HELLO

For a glimpse into my personal work as a student. Head on over to hello mark hall. Become a fan on facebook for regular updates. Cost effective freelance design work, specialising in typography is available, and soon posters, prints, and postcards for sale. See you soon.

ALPHABET SOUP

Great little interview from Myfonts with the 'seasoned scriptmeister', Michael Doret. He talks about influences, experience working with Ed Benguiat, and his working process. If you're not familiar with his work, Metroscript would be a good place to start. Read the interview here.

FONTS IN USE

Fonts In Use is an independent project from Sam Berlow, Stephen Coles, and Nick Sherman; all fairly respectable names in the world of fonts. Their new website showcases pieces of design, identifies the typefaces, and has a little critique of the work. I love the idea, and their mission statement excites me.
"This blog is a prologue of more to come. Behind the scenes, we’re building a searchable, sharable archive of typographic design, all indexed by typeface, industry, and medium."
Go have a look.

THE LEAGUE OF MOVABLE TYPE

I don't know how I've only just come across this. I was searching for some nice alternatives to Din and Univers, and discovered The League of Movable Type. Now, I'm all for paying for my typefaces, but I would also never turn down anything free. Here is an excellent collection well-made, open-source, and @font-face ready typefaces. My hat goes off to them.

REFRESHING

Anyone else getting fed up with the amound of, simplY, horrible website around? Poorly designed, poorly made, buggy, useless, and confusing. I don't like the way anyone can download a hot copy of dreamweaver - and then assume they're a webdesigner. It's amazing that we live in a world where more or less anyone with access to a computer can have their own little piece of the web - but please leave the design to people who know what they're doing.

Was just having my usual look through H&FJ's website, and found this masterpiece. I've been on there for ten minutes now, and haven't even begun to read any of the content, it's that visually pleasing. I'm not even going to tell you what it's about - just go look.

This has to be one of the nicest websites I've ever had the pleasure to browse.
"a typographic tour-de-force in Knockout (and a little Archer) that really repays scrolling in all directions" - Jonathan Hoefler

LIFE ON MARS

Google Earth is so 2004. Have a gander at Mars instead.

CARGO

Recently I've been tinkering about with a new portfolio, and it's just gone live. If you're interested, go have a looksee. If not, why not go to Awkward Family Photos instead? 

LEARN SOMETHING EVERY DAY

A neat little site put together with cargocollective from Young studio. Random facts and interesting figures from things obscure as chicken depression to the more astute as the 169,518,829,100,544,000,000,000,000,000 ways to play the first ten moves in chess. Fascinating. All, of course, with a quirky little doodled illustration.

Learn something new. Then buy the t-shirt!

TWEET

You can now follow us on twitter.
If you're in to that sort of thing.

WOW, A POST

Hi, sorry for the lack of posts recently.

A lot of things have been changing over the past few months.

Anyway, check out this site, you can download blank photoshop docs of famous trainers, the files are fully editable layers so you can design your own versions of lets say a pair of nike air max '87. Cool eh?

Official Classics Vector Pack

I found this little nugget earlier on behance.

Basically they are selling off a shed load of retro vector packs. I realise for some this will take away the fun of actually creating the vector and for others will take away the monotony of creating yet another vector. either way they are nice, varied... and detailed.

here is the link for the behance portfolio

here is the link to their website where you can download a sample vector pack. Including this retro ghetto blaster. (although i was suprised at the low quality of the text on their website when they specialise in vector art but hey!)

READ BETWEEN THE LEADING

An interesting alternative to the usual blog here.

I stumbled across a typography podcast which you can subscribe to by two design students Aaron Heth and Matt McInerney. The podcast feature some well known guests, such as Antonio Carusone, creator of the grid system website. Posted earlier in the year.

Check out the podcasts here

THE NOTHING OFFICE

An office made entirely of cardboard! Using "a 'no screw, no glue' technique". Nice workspace. Prefer a bit more clutter myself. Linky McLink. Nice website too.

SORRY

Apologies for the lack of stuff recently. We've been keeping our heads down for a bit. Here's something to take your mind of the pain caused by the lack of jam.

Excellent idea for a interface, unfolding a bit like one of those jacob's ladder things. Some nice work in there too. We salute you, Section Seven.

SELLING COLOURS

I recently noticed we've been linked on some french website (here), another link on there lead me to another design blog, and a post on there lead me to the portfolio of Adhemas Batista. Awesome little flash website similar to indexhibit layout (which I myself use), with a vast list of clients, numerous awards, photos of his workplace, and sketchs and screenshots of his work in progress. Some impressive bits of stuff. Here's a few of my faves.

Go have a look.

TYPENUTS

Basically, a wordpress powered site, collecting free desktop wallpapers. There's even some for all of you iphoners. I've just bagged me a couple. You can either enter your own work for people to enjoy. Go get yours.

MAX KERNING

A funny website using a fictional chatacter 'Max Kerning' to promote suitcase fusion 2

Max it up

LOVELY PACKAGE

I've never really done much packaging work... I like the idea of it; moving away from 2d print, edging closer to the world of 3d product design (which is where I'd like to be - eventually)...
I've bought DVDs in the past - just because I liked the cover. Whenever I buy wine, it's usually the label that draws me in. And if I ever saw any of these - I'd want to buy them, before I even knew/cared what was in them!









It's good to know that some lovely people have set up a lovely packaging design blog. Lot's of decent examples, laid on a nice clean site. Bookmark it.

design of the week

Recently our company unsubscribed from istock, so myself and mark created our own accounts and decided to add any pieces that we've taken istock images from to the designer spotlight. As it earns you more credits.

I added a piece just to gain extra credits and somehow managed to be featured in design of the week. The fanboy comments are quite amusing.

here and click on design of the week (for one week only)

LONDON GRAPHIC CENTRE

Another online shop post! This time, a bit more functional.

http://www.londongraphics.co.uk/

I'm often looking for these kinds of sites... most tend to specialise in one thing or another. These guys have it all!

pens, rules, spray paint, screen printing stuff, lamps, colour guides, books, EVERYTHING!