Design won't save the world

This is so true - how many top level designers think that by making one logo or creating a mug with Bob Geldofs face on it they are saving the world. I really can't stand those designer mugs where they donate 5p out of every £5 to a charity of their choice! Please!! I SO agree with this guy who wrote this article below

STOP SAVING THE WORLD …Unless you actually are. Designers have identified that their skills can help people beyond the mass markets of the first world, but we’re far from making a big impact on our own. The truth is, some designers like talking about making a difference more than they like actually doing it. Raising awareness is only a small first step towards fixing one of the world’s many problems. If you really want to make a difference, think about volunteering at a soup kitchen…or moving to India.
Ramsey Ford is an industrial designer who recently took on this challenge by moving to India and starting the non-profit Design Impact. "Last year, I attended the ‘Design for a Better World’ conference at RISD. What struck me most about the conference was that the common thread was not design, but entrepreneurship. The mantra for the weekend seemed to be, 'shut up and do it'." Ramsey plans to make a real difference by gaining empathy for India’s true design needs. Admittedly, this is pretty bold, but what have you done lately to design a better future?

Design is like marmite!

It is so easy to get offended when people say they don't like your work, or it could be improved. This is very hard to take as a designer. What we have to realise is that all design is subjective, even if there is something which you think is the worst most boring design in the world-someone out there will like it or find it inspirational. later in life if you are proposing your work to a boardroom-half may love it and half may hate it-just like marmite!!! Even when designing for someone, if they dont likt it it does not necessarily make it a bad design. With many designs you either love it or hate it (though there are the fwe in between which you may be impartial about!) I realised this when a friend asked a few of us about her work, there were completely mixed opinions-not helpful for her. But helpful for me to comment about on my blog :D



love it? hate it?

love it? hate it?

love it? hate it?

love it? hate it?

PETRONAS Twin Towers

Here is what the arcitect said about the towers - 'I tried to express what I thought were the essences of Malaysia, its richness in culture and its extraordinary vision for the future. The building is rooted in tradition and about Malaysia's aspiration and ambition.' And in my opinion for modern architecture this is an incredible structural design!!

Designers can really count

I found a brilliant article written by Roger Coleman from the Royal College of Art about design and older people. He looks at a wide selection of products from the toothpaste tube, pedal bins, razors, the twingo, hair dryers, handles, knobs, toilets, taps to name but a few! And it made me realise as I read his brilliant article how diverse a designers brief can actually be and how vital that we understand the consumers we are designing for. This article mainly focuses on practical design and one of the aspects I found so interesting was that in developing a product with a target audience of an "older" person the design also had more general appeal. Let me quote you one example from his article.
A Wilkinson sword razor designed to help men not cut themselves whilst shaving. This would be great for older men with poorer eye sight, men with tremors and people more unstable on their feet but what actually happened was that this also appealed to younger men. What about when they have a hangover, are late for work or generally in a rush to get out in the evening and don't want to go there covered in bits of tissue like my grandad used to when I was a little girl! So a product which had been developed for an entirely older market had a universal appeal.
And Coleman goes onto make the point that designers have a very real contribution to make- they can be a bit of an engineer and a technologist but in a more fun way. You can read the article here http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=uv1BEgOz5pgC&oi=fnd&pg=PA74&dq=%22Coleman%22+%22Improving+the+quality+of+life+for+older+people+by+design%22+&ots=XMSNiA7mA1&sig=44IbKd49G76_pOwLTTB8s9S8tCw#v=onepage&q=%22Coleman%22%20%22Improving%20the%20quality%20of%20life%20for%20older%20people%20by%20design%22&f=false Its great!!

Gothic Architecture

I think this building in Italy is absoultely incredible-to me that shows true talent and design.

I have discovered in researching many styles of architecture that the gothic period is one that I personally find appealing. One really interesting Gothic building is Washingtons National Cathedral which was designed in 1890 by Frederick Brodley who was and English Anglican church architect. The cathedral took over 80 years to build and has a likeness of Darth Vader as one of the building’s many carved grotesques.

Most expensive paintings ever! Are they worth it?

The whole subject of paintings and art and what appeals to different people fascinates me including the astonomical sums of money they pay! So here are just four of my opinions on famous art!
This painting cost 78 million - out of these four paintings I like it and maybe its just that I don't have 78 million to hand!



137.5 million - oh please! Even if I had all the money in the world I would not stoop this low!









95.2 million would be better spent on shoes in my opinion!

OK.. at the moment this is one of the world's most expensive paintings! But please 140 million - maybe can someone tell me what it is!!