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29.03.09
What made you want to be a graphic designer?
I recently did a seminar with two colleagues at a very well known college. The seminar, if I’m honest wasn’t that well attended, which could well have been a reflection on the three of us and our chosen topic, designing for charities. Not a subject that seems to be front of mind of the average graphic design student.
The gap between setting up and anyone arriving (and perhaps the rather low turnout) seemed to set off a conversation about what exactly was front of mind of the students (and what had brought them to art college in the first place).
What gradually dawned on the group of us was that we didn’t really know what propelled teenagers into thinking they should be graphic designers any more. Reasons to go into design are many and varied, but certainly graphic designers, for years, have often cited everyday graphics that somehow reached out to them as teenagers as the reason why they first picked up a rotring pen, or more recently a mouse. But do we really think that staring at Facebook, designing their own My Space page or customising a blog template is now really driving them to graphic design?
British designer Mark Farrow talks of his epiphany coming when he pulled a Peter Saville sleeve out of a rack, and the influence of the 12 inch artwork and three decades of album covers seemed to be a critical driver for many designers now in their thirties and older. For many, all those Hipgnosis covers seemed to be their entrance into commercial art, in some shape or form. 
When compiling a poster a decade ago on the life of a graphic designer, I jokingly threw ‘all the reasons why’ in as typographic ‘roots’ (eg ‘everyone at school said you were dead good at painting’, or ‘you always loved Tony Hart when you were a kid’, ‘you didn’t want to starve in a garret’ or ‘you can’t remember but it seemed like a good idea at the time’). These weren’t all MY reasons, just the clichéd stuff that I’d heard people say, or I imagined they’d said. (For those reading this outside Britain, the recently deceased Tony Hart was the first ‘artist on the telly’ in the UK so possibly did propel thousands into art, at least).
The recent folding of design company The Designer’s Republic and the wake-like comments on the Creative Review blog hammered home the point that for a new generation studying in the nineties, their music industry work and club flyers had again pulled many into the business.
But now that record sleeves have gone, CD’s are slowly dying as a medium and albums are represented as 50 pixel square images on download sites or iPod screens, graphic design’s traditional flag-bearer, the killer app that drew in thousands, is going. Paradoxically though, it’s never been easier to do it. You can study graphic design GCSE (ie at 15/16), do design A-level, yet surely a whole generation isn’t being drawn to a profession based on their stumbling attempts at Powerpoint? (that’s a program destined to put people off design, not turn them on).
The rise of ‘everyday’ graphics at school and home is giving rise to a new phenomenon (in Britain at least) where students are skipping Art Foundation courses and trying to get to design college direct. I’m hearing of kids arriving at open days at school with their parents (sometimes the ‘Dad’ is armed with a clipboard I hear. Cue mortified teenager).
In a way, this ‘direct entry’ route is understandable. If Tarquin really wants to do graphics at seventeen and a half, well why bother messing about doing all types of art (ie on a Foundation course) when he could start learning to be the next Herb Lubalin rightaway (actually Tarquin Lubalin’s got quite a ring to it, when you think about it). The trouble seems to be, that it’s on Foundation where a lot of very good, art-based minds get intrigued by solving other people’s problems, and usually the canny teacher can spot this and direct them accordingly. I quizzed about a dozen students just last week on a college visit, and probably half of them admitted that there was a critical teacher (often on Foundation) who steered them in a graphic direction.
I’ve also been putting out feelers with other tutors and colleges on this question and the results are illuminating. Just from one college, student responses can vary hugely.
‘My answer is simple... because of my Mums tattoos’ said Mark Simmonds, from LCC. From the same college Lucy Brown quoted Hyde at me. Whilst Hyde was talking about poetry, she felt the process was similar: ‘It means abandoning being a poet, abandoning your careerism, abandoning even the idea of writing any poetry, really abandoning, giving up as hopeless - abandoning the possibility of really expressing yourself to the nations of the world. Abandoning the idea of being a prophet with honour and dignity, and abandoning the glory of poetry and just settling down in the muck of your own mind... You really have to make a resolution just to write for yourself... in the sense of not writing to impress yourself, but just writing what yourself is saying.’
Phew, from ‘my mum’s tattoos’ to ‘the muck of your own mind’, from one college alone.
Other student responses are equally revealing: as suspected, some of these ‘digital natives’ are propelled into design from their adventures online. ‘I got into graphic design because of Neopets when I was about 14’ reveals Lincoln student Kimberley Chan. ‘You used to be able to edit your profile page with HTML an add background images and each pet was given their own blank HTML for you to use, which got me into web design. Then I decided I liked it a lot and wanted to do it all the time’.
Some actually want to change the world: ‘Most of the visual ephemera that surrounds us is actually pretty rubbish. That leaves us, the viewer, being surrounded by messy graphics that don’t really achieve what they were designed for. I guess I always felt that I wanted to change that to some degree. I used to see things a lot and think 'I could do that' or 'Why didn't they do it like this...', so here I am’.
(Alec Farmer, Glasgow School of Art).
As predicted, a critical experience either on placement or Foundation can make or break the career decision. ‘My friend got sent to a graphic design agency. She hated it and in telling me all the ‘bad’ things, I decided they all sounded quite good. The other positive was that it provided me with an opportunity to leave school early, which was my ultimate aim at that point’. (Ella Dalby, Glasgow School of Art).
But the most revealing responses have come from the course tutors themselves. The fact that the subject has boomed in popularity has caused issues for some. ‘The problem is that as courses get bigger and bigger, we get more folk that are there just because it was the path of least resistance rather than actually choosing a subject they want to study, or for that matter want to follow into employment’ says Barrie Tullett from Lincoln School of Art and Design. ‘Some students are still inspired by the nature of the subject, they have come through Foundation courses and were introduced to, and inspired by working with texts, or saw a book and knew that was what they wanted to do. Some of them thought it was a niche subject and would therefore be quite a rare bird if they studied it (they found out how wrong they were on day one at Uni).’
David Smart, from the University of Plymouth, revealed that ‘when students come for interview to join the programme, one question we ask is: ‘Who is your favourite designer?’ It is astonishing how many candidates cannot answer. Now that Graphic Design is taught at schools, I suspect that students ‘fall in love’ with The Subject just as much as (if not more than) individual heroes. They have an awareness of brand, product, pack, information, virtual etc that I certainly, personally never had. I suspect that for many now, the subject may be sexier than the designers who practice within it?’
Neil McGuire, tutor at Glasgow School of Art, feel that as Tibor Kalman’s work got him through college, his best students eventually find and follow new heroes - ‘looking to the likes of Troika, or possibly Eatock, operating from a base which allows them to make forays into the world of technology, product, art, event, installation design without being fussed about whether a label can easily be stuck on it. I think we’re guilty in art school of ‘silo-isation’.
Also at Glasgow, Steve Rigley reveals ‘I am always surprised at how little the average applicant actually knows about the industry. An alarming number think that they are coming into advertising. Most cite the usual suspects at interview: Escher, Warhol and Salvadore Dali! There is a residual Carson influence too which is really surprising’.
And art itself seeps through again at the RCA, as course leader Jeff Willis admits: ‘The best designers from here think they can change the world with through graphic design. They do of course, (especially in this department) get distracted by ‘art’.’
But perhaps I should end with a quote that illustrates how someone’s life is genuinely changing through graphic design: here’s Rhiannon Jones from Lincoln talking about her route into the subject.
‘When I was 13 I was diagnosed with Dyslexia, which was a bit of a relief really – ‘good I’m not thick - just a bit slow!’ I threw myself into Art & Design - something I was good at, something I could push and challenge myself with, without getting a headache! It just seemed an obvious choice when it came to college choices… then came Graphic Design oooo now it was like having Art & Design as the wrapping paper and Graphic Design as the present underneath. It was an amazing feeling to actually be good at something - at no point did it feel like ‘work’, it was just fun. The feeling of making my dad proud as he’s watched me grow as a designer makes me really happy and it’s the best decision I’ve made!’
Can you sum all this up? Well, with difficulty, but perhaps whilst the era of the ‘hero’ designer may be over, it seems the era of the ‘hero subject’ may just be beginning. From the niche subject that just a select few took, it’s now the domain of many, and perhaps the ‘easy option’ (at college at least). How Graphic Design copes with being quite so popular, and quite so generic, will be fascinating to watch.
By Michael Johnson, and many appreciated contributors, to many to mention.
If you have a particular view about why you came into graphic design, please email info at johnson banks dot co dot uk and we will post a follow-up piece with the most illuminating suggestions.
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24.03.09
How not to launch a new logo
A spate of recent travelling has meant major over-exposure to all the competing brands at train stations and airports. If you travel a lot with your ‘brand eyes’ open it's astonishing how many corporates are vying for your attention, all on backlit lightboxes, all living in some odd, credit-crunch-denial state where everything still gets claimed on air miles, banks are still open and life is ‘about all those little luxuries’ (or something like that). So why, within all this visual cacophony Euronews have chosen to tell us about, er, their new logo, I have no idea. But if you turn a corner in one British Airport (I forget which, sorry), you’re greeted by these ads. 
Obviously, launching new identities is tricky at the best of times. So why Euronews have chosen to do it in such an anodyne way is beyond me. Just when you think it’s over, you’re met by this in the lift. 
Er, thank you.
Having got out of the lift (luckily) I can still tell you nothing about Euronews, why they have a white circle as a symbol, or indeed why they are ‘pure’. I do know that this is one of the least persuasive ad campaigns I've seen for quite some time. If you want an entertaining journey through reader’s comments, Brand New reviewed the new logo last year. By Michael Johnson
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21.03.09
Sold
Thursday’s Design Auction at St Brides seemed to go pretty well. At least £5,000 was raised from about 85 lots for Lincoln’s degree show students, which will be split down the middle with the St Bride’s printing library itself, so all good news on the financial front.
Highlights of the evening? Probably watching Messrs Barnbrook and Pearson bidding against one another for a half page advert in Eye magazine (which eventually went for over £200, but that’s still a bargain). Perhaps there were some signs of the credit crunch as most lots settled for £50 or less (unlike last year when several poster lots regularly got into the hundreds), but with the rise in competition for design auctions themselves, perhaps a lower figure was to be expected. 
The creative group EATeacake sparked a bidding war between two clients, not perhaps for their goody bag of treats (shown above) but their offer of free creative serves on a project brief, to the highest bidder. Johnson banks managed to bid successfully for a few things ourselves: this lovely reprint of Bruce Rogers’ 1949 Centaur Types, and a signed Laurence Weiner poster. 
Highlight of our evening was probably managing to sneakily bid from the back for this lovely little Adana tabletop printing press. How nice is that? 
We’ll be taking orders for invitation cards just as soon as we’ve worked out how to use it. Roll on next year.
Johnson banks’ creative director Michael Johnson at the podium, guest auctioneer for the evening. Image by Julian Anderson, and there are more images on the Eye magazine blog, here.
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19.03.09
Laundry reveals a lot
I’ve been going to Japan once or twice a year for four or five years now. Inevitably, some of those things that once seemed truly bonkers are beginning to seem almost everyday now. But even I was fairly stunned by this tiny example of Japanese fastidiousness this week. After a 12 hour flight punctuated by very little sleep, faintly smelly, yet ‘trying to do Japan just with hand luggage’ (mistake), I had to bundle all the clothes I was wearing into a laundry bag as soon as I checked in. The beautifully wrapped parcel of clothes shown above greeted me the next day, sitting in a rather nice basket. 
Then when I looked closer, I noticed three little parcels taped onto the larger one. 
The top one was fairly self explanatory, a spare fiver left the pocket of my (now carefully washed and ironed) jeans. Fair enough, and probably not worth stealing given the punitive exchange rate, but still very honest all the same. But what were the red and green items? Well, bizarrely, the red package was a red paper serviette that had found it’s way into another pocket. (Precious item, you see). 
The green one? 
Ah yes, the Londis grocery bag that I had hastily stuffed my laundry into (naturally). Funnier still was the tickbock/checklist on the outer pack that gently informed me that yes my old, cheap and rather knackered but flight-friendly trousers were (tick) slightly ripped and (tick) slightly discoloured. Amazing. 
It’s true that some aspects of Japan still keep changing, such as the seemingly insatiable appetite for new flavours of ‘Pocky’ (a sort of chocolate on a stick biscuit, if you’re wondering). Yes, that’s right, Kiwi fruit flavour, and I hear the Mango was quite something. 
And ‘Men’s’ Pocky is apparently pretty popular (but I wonder if Men now feel obliged to eat that only and leave those marbled ones to the girls?) 
Some things, happily, don't change. It’s still a nation obsessed with baseball… 
…you’ll still see the weirdest architecture when you least expect it… 
…and Tokyo bay still looks awesome early in the morning. 
There’s still no room for gai-jin knees on the Airport bus... 
...and there are still great examples of mangled English (should that be jinglish?) to be found all around you. I didn’t end up ordering this particular delicacy, it’s true. 
And this screen kept me alert for quite some time. 
(Please inform the driver when you see a suspicious thing AND a suspicious person). Both together you see – one or the other doesn’t constitute anything out of the ordinary. But Akasaka still looks great at night… 
And that tube map is still a sight to behold. 
By Michael Johnson
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14.03.09
The (2009) Design Auction
Fresh from their success with their auction last year, Lincoln School of Art & Design’s Graphic design course has changed tack slightly this year.
To quote their website blurb, ‘we have decided to run the event with the St Bride Printing Library who relies upon donations to carry out its work and keep its doors open. They provide lectures, performances, lessons and activities for all ages and interests and keep the St Bride Printing Library open free of charge. We have decided to donate half of the proceeds of the auction to St Bride and to help us raise as much, if not more than last year.’ A good idea, and if you visit the site here you’ll see eighty or so donated pieces from all types of designers and design companies. Last year we managed to outbid several keen tutors to snap up this wonderful ‘Napoli’ poster by ex-Pentagram partner, John McConnell (and he’s donated another copy this year). 
Just a quick peek at this year’s website reveals a few gems waiting to be ‘gavelled’ (is that the right word?). How about a chocolate letterpress christmas card from The Chase? Tasty. 
Or an original enamel pub sign from The Partners’ D&AD winning set from many years ago? 
This is one of a set of posters from Paul Belford/This is real art. 
And how about these original rubber stamps plus proof from one of David Pearson’s book projects? Very nice. 
In case you’re wondering, we’ve donated one of our typographic Japanese ‘T’ cups. Only about six of those in the country, so start checking your piggy banks.
And johnson banks’ creative director, Michael Johnson will be chief gaveller (auctioneer) for the evening. Should be good. The event itself is this Thursday, at 5.00pm.
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11.03.09
Sustainable cities for Cabe
Johnson banks has just finished a project in the UK for Cabe (The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment). The project concerns ‘Sustainable cities’ and is a publication and event aimed at encouraging planners, councils and architects to hard-wire sustainable thinking into their city planning. We’ve produced a series of graphic illustrations to link together the various aspects of the initiative: our favourites are posted here. 
Here’s some of Cabe’s own words on the subject: ‘Making towns and cities low carbon is not impossibly complicated – but it does mean seeing the bigger picture to make the right decision. Biomass boilers or combined heat and power? How do you balance high density living with more green, natural space? How do you work out energy demand and supply over the next 20 years? 
Sustainable Ctities aims to help towns and cities avoid the risk of unintended consequences. Going low carbon is not just about the quality of our homes – it is about how we live our lives. The household fuel bill savings from well insulated homes could, after all, be spent on more plasma screens and flights. 
As our towns and cities tackle climate change they need to become better places to live and work. It is possible to undermine the quality of a place at the same time as cutting emissions, and make it less sustainable. Investing in electric vehicles will cut carbon emissions, for instance, but contribute nothing to better traffic management, more walking and cycling, and more beautiful streets and open spaces.’ 
Johnson banks also designed Cabe’s logo and identity system back in 2005. 
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08.03.09
The art of lost sculptures
Visitors to The Art of Lost Words exhibition at the German Gym in St Pancras will perhaps have wondered where the real, three dimensional, perspex and thread version of our piece, Habroneme, was? Well, apologies to those expecting to see the ‘real’ thing but on Friday morning it somehow became detached from its fixings and fell to the ground, smashing itself irrevocably in the process. Ooops. 
For the show itself we’re exhibiting a large photographic print of the piece, and after some discussion, we’re going to build another copy. In the meantime, the exhibition website has examples of all the pieces, such as this nice bit of work by NB:Studio (based on the word ‘embrangle’ and using some classic Donald Rumsfeld). 
The work itself is all for sale, and proceeds go to The National Literacy Trust. The second version of Habroneme will also be for sale, albeit at a rather high price (seeing as we’ve had to make it twice). 
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04.03.09
Habroneme: having the appearance of very fine threads
This is a sneak preview of a piece we’ve just finished for an exhibition that opens in London on Friday. The theme of the exhibition is ‘The Art of Lost Words’, and about forty designers and illustrators have each chosen an endangered or forgotten word from a supplied list and interpreted them in their own way.
We chose the word Habroneme, which means ‘having the appearance of very fine threads’, and chose to construct the letterforms out of one thread of clear plastic fibre. 
The photographed piece itself is about 2 metres tall, and is of an open, slotted perspex box throughout which the thread has been carefully strung, constructing the nine letters of the word. 
Here are some detailed images. 
Other people taking part are the likes of the Why Nots, Spin, and Marian Bantjes, and all the pieces will be on sale online after the exhibition has closed, from the 6th March. All proceeds will go to The National Literacy Trust, and you’ll find more information here. 
The exhibition runs from the 6th to the 9th of March at The German Gym, which is on Pancras Road, London NW1 2TB, opposite St Pancras International Station, 10am to 6pm daily. Our thanks to our collaborators on this project, master modelmaker Wesley West, and photographer and lighting king, Leon Steele. 
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03.03.09
Logos and, er, Christmas cards
One of the ironies of life in design consultancy is that the projects that can take months, sometimes years and push the boundaries of brand identity can remain resolutely ignored by design juries. Meanwhile the small, tiny, ‘quick-idea’ mailers can be the things that actually scoop the bits of wood and metal.
This was exactly what happened this evening at London’s Design Week Awards: our carefully crafted logo for Mouse (Microsoft’s Digital Advertising Awards) was shortlisted... 
...whilst our recycled tree Christmas cards took the prize in, er, Direct Mail. Odd. But what the heck, mustn’t grumble. Save the planet and all that. 
Our congratulations go to all the winners, too numerous to mention, and the best of show, the Peezy urine sampler (true). The full shortlist is here.
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02.03.09
Freehand not-quite-so-anonymous
When writing this piece a week or so ago on the slowly dying software program, Freehand, we suspected it would be controversial. But we hadn’t expected quite such an outpouring of opinion about our old, nearly obsolete friend. It’s worth following this link to read the comments on the Creative Review blog, which flip-flop between adoration for the program and barely concealed disgust (‘Freehand is evil… you know it is’ being a good example).
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