Friday 28 November 2008

Friday afternoon, time to concentrate...

No, I don't think so, but when Monday morning rolls around you may want one of these pencils.

You probably don't need me to explain, but if the pencil is pre-chewed it should deter you from doing so, and therefore focus your concentration, In theory.

They are designed by Concentrate, who create products which aim to improve children's concentration at school and ultimately improve their work, as we all work better when we concentrate.

More here.

Happy weekend everyone!

Let it 2B

Just stumbled across this great idea, drumming pencils, simple, clever and oh so annoying to those sitting nearby. Design by Moko Sellars, available to buy from Suck UK

Wednesday 26 November 2008

Keep it simple, stupid!

I love this, I must keep it in mind when I'm working, I'm such a flowery, verbose person at times, it's good to remember to keep things simple and human. Happy Wednesday everyone.

Roller Cowboy

I'm wearing my cowboy boots today and happened to come across this image, which I could really do with this week, it's a bit manic, pitches galore at work, but all very exciting.

Tuesday 25 November 2008

Malcolm Gladwell author of The Tipping Point, Blink and most recently Outliers: The Story of Success, gave a talk last night at The Lyceum Theatre, home of The Lion King. Despite an incredible mane of hair, think Sideshow Bob, he was there as himself on TLK's night off to talk about, as it transpired, plane crashes. We weren't expecting this. He is well known for insightful ideas, observations, provocative thoughts and a love of physchological tests that translate the human factor into real life stories and in this case catastrophes.

He spoke of there being typically 7 very ordinary, almost banal events that occur in quick succession which accumulate into a disaster. Gladwell is a wonderful, engaging orator, with a compelling vocal range which had the whole audience in pin-drop silence or laughter at just the right moments; we were buoyed along from comical national traits to sad tales of crashes, unnecessary accidents and shown worrying similarities in each case. In short, Gladwell is a great observer, much like a stand-up comic, but more worryingly somehow, because it's real and at the expense of people's lives.

On a lighter note, or atleast I hope, I've started reading Outliers and hope it will also give insightful examples of events which shape success, in much the same way it can shape disaster.
I'll let you now how it goes, perhaps the first Digit Book Club book, any takers?

He was also on Radio4 last night I'm told.

Wednesday 19 November 2008

Tim Walker photo shoot

What do you get when you cross Tim Burton, Tim Walker and Roald Dahl?
A brilliantly surreal photo shoot for Vogue.

I caught the Tim Walker exhibition at the Design Museum a few months ago, it was lovely, fairytale with a streak of the sinister, I love it, it reminds me of Labyrinth.

More photos from this shoot here.
Tim Walker's portfolio here.

Monday 17 November 2008

Friday 14 November 2008

Head in the clouds

I've just completed a two day After Effects course and am now eager to animate EVERYTHING!
After Effects is brilliant, it tramples all over Flash, it's a brilliantly complex yet intuitive program that I can't wait to get my teeth in to. 

However, rather than animating I'll be moving house this weekend, so limited blogging ahead, I'll be a little all over the shop for a few days so here are some head in the clouds imagery to reflect my state of mind. Back soon.

Images via my ffffound

Someone stole my idea...

I was on a bendy bus today and it was as entertaining as ever, I hope Borris doesn't really ban them, although as a cyclist I can see their menace, however I enjoy watching people being disorientated on the sliding platforms of the 'bend'. Schadenfreude aside, I always feel like I'm inside an accordion and apparently I'm not the only one... 

Advertisement for Camden Irish Music Festival, image via estupipedia

Monday 10 November 2008

Wildlife is disappearing


Clever advert from WWF, I find it strange that they are using other companies to advertise themselves but it is highly effective. More ads here.

Star trek comes to Digit

The Friday feeling struck us last week as I realised a few of us had inadvertently come to work in Star Trek garb. I printed off a few badges and hey presto, geek fancy dress, my dad would be proud though.

Friday 7 November 2008

It's maths time

This satisfies the maths geek and the designer in me. As my wonderful maths teacher used to say 'algebra is beautiful' and so is this idea. Personally I would have made 6 o' clock the square root of 36.

Found via estupipedia.

Eat dessert in the desert

I have always confused dessert with desert, and I have had enough, so I decided to teach myself a way of remembering. Thought I'd share.

Dessert is sugary sweet (double s)
Desert is solitude (single s)

I feel better, I don't know about you, perhaps no-one else makes this mistake...

Mirror, mirror on the wall


Clever idea, well executed, you know you want to pose in profile fashion in front of it...
You can buy them here, prices start from £17.95

Scrabbulous!

I have just ffffound this and am in utter awe of it's simplicity and beautiful execution.
Stephen Reed Design for Bloomsbury offices. My only gripe is that the seats don't fit 7 cushions.

Wednesday 5 November 2008

I think I'm in love...

Her name is Mami.
Seen here, created by Hetty Rose, all hand crafted to order in kimono silks and leather.

44th president


Nice illustration by www.patrickmoberg.com I wish Obama's hair was white too like the other little chaps, effective illustration though.

Tuesday 4 November 2008

GOBAMA!

Singing Sock Puppets

Matthew Irvine Brown spoke at This is Playful last Friday and I wanted to share his playful genius. Matthew’s talk was pure playfulness and it such a relief as I was beginning to worry about the day’s events. Although best known for his work at Last FM, he concentrated his talk on his sideline personal projects: Trumpet Hero, Breath Control Car and Singing Sock Puppets.

Check out his site for these playful projects and more but I found his singing sock puppets the most captivating, I would like one, very much please.

"This is a singing sock puppet. There's a sensor inside that knows how wide his mouth is open, so he can sing up and down a scale. Open his mouth a little, he sings a low note; open wider, he sings a higher note; even wider, he screams at the top of his voice. And so on."

www.irvinebrown.com/

That was Playful

I went along to Conway Hall to step outside of my comfort zone and learn a little about gaming; I’m a huge fan of playful design so I was open to new experiences.

The event was organised by Pixel Lab and compèred by their very own Toby Barnes, it would be a day of 20minute talks and lots of tea breaks. It was a varied day, with lots of super intelligent people, some of which were very charming and funny, some less so, but a playful attitude was in abundance, whether you were tech savvy or not, it was an inspiring day.

Highlights included making a Guitar Hero guitar into a real acoustic one, singing sock puppets, free jelly beans and a man with a gigantic head who managed to obstruct my view with such efficiency during one talk I estimated him to have achieved approximately 80 square feet of visual obstruction. Impressive.

Image credit: Tom T Pictured is Roo Reynolds hacking his Guitar