The magnet samples

I had them laser cut yesterday.

Pretty neat!

The most sincere form of flattery...

Natural history museum borrowed my extinct species holding up a sign idea.

Meeting with Luca

I met with a fashion designer who does not like 'Hello Kitty' for it's vector art 'too clean' look, after talking about the kind of visuals he finds favourable It made me think of making this meme:

For anyone who does not know what this means.

Final crit for hidden treasures

I presented my work for about 5 minutes, Phil asked a few questions about who I spoke to regarding putting them up and then I pretty much got silence from the rest of the students...
When I think a work is really good I give feedback so that I feel like I contribute to the work - it's a way to curve my jealousy.

Does it mean they all hate it?

Behold - my vision

Here are some photos I am about to show at the final crit for this project.

After last time where I showed physical piece of work, I hope these visualisation going to be enough.

Yesterday I enquired about health and safety issues and the practicality of putting the letters up in the University. The person I spoke to said that this project is possible to carry out, and she initiated the procedure is to allow me to do so.

 the letters near the library

 the letters in the street

Working out the kinks

I spent today researching the best way to sample the letters from Johnston's blackboards.

After spending Friday copying the letterforms directly from the blackboards so I have the entire lowercase alphabet, I first adjusted the letters so that there are no extremely thin bars. I'm doing this because after using the CNC machine to print out the word blackboard last week the letter 'k' broke in half.

After making some amendments to the letters I spoke to Catherine Dixon who pointed out that due to the process I used (i.e. using the pen tool and making paths in Illustrator)  the letters appear clunky and  have sharp points in places where a smooth line should be.

She recommended that I consult Johnston's book 'writing & eliminating, & lettering' in which he provides examples of how to appropriately draw letters. In this way any changes i make to the letters can be true to Johnston's teaching.

 a sample from Johnston's book

Printing little blackboards

At the end of the day I have the word Carved out of MDF. The letters are not very big, they are probably similar size to the original letters drawn out on Johnston's blackboard.
But, they will serve as a mockup for my design of blackboards shaped like the letters Edward Johnston drew in his classes.
Tomorrow, I plan to paint them in blackboard paint and prepare them for the midpoint crit.

Earlier today I met with Sarah from the university museum and collection for feedback and further background information for my project.

A page from the background info about the context of my blackboard photographs

Where national feelings end up in the UK

Creating an impression of my idea

My plan is to take the letterforms from Edward Johnston's blackboards and turn them into letter shaped blackboards that will promote the collection and subsequently the photographs themselves.

Today was spent preparing impressions of how that will appear in situ.

Edward Johnston's blackboard photographs

I was very happy when I was assigned this item for my first brief for unit 7 'use'. According to the brief we are each assigned a design related object from our university's archived collection. We are expected to produce a promotional piece for both the object and the collection. My assigned item is a set of photographs of Edward Johnstone’s teaching blackboards (c.1920s).

For those who don't know, Johnston used to teach calligraphy at the Central school (now CSM) and was, amongst other things, responsible for this rather well known design.

the box and photographs

  

some of the blackboard photographs

and some photos from the archive

   

And now, I have a presentable set of business cards.

Here they are:

my business cards!

on film

back printed

making sure the registration checks out

And the pile of duds (sadly about 65% of the lot)
better luck next time!!!

Worker missing (builders' glove)

Business card saga continues

I am having a decidedly crap day.

Besides missing my stop and then making another mistake on the way to Byam Shaw which cost me 45min this morning, it turned out my stencil was of a poor quality.

short exposure time meant that lots of scrapes and gashes were picked up by the emulsion 

I did get to print (a positive in my gloomy day)

black came out poor

white came out only a little better

as if to taunt me - the newsprint i used for cleaning came out rather nicely

Preparing to screen print my cards

After a few failed attempts to digitally print my card I am now planning to screen print them on cardboard myself.