written September 8th, 2009 ·
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Ikea Ikea Ikea. Yesterday, my mom brought my attention to the chatter that is going on about Ikea’s typeface change, from Futura to Verdana. She heard about it on NPR. Honestly, I just received the new catalog last week and I flipped through it so fast that I didn’t notice the change. But when I went back and looked at it, I did notice the change, and it stood out so very blatantly.
Futura is one of the most beautiful typefaces ever created and so visually pleasing because of its geometry and symmetry. Ikea has built its identity around this typeface, which reflects the kind of design sensibilities Ikea has in its modern, sleek and simple products. At first glance the catalog set in Verdana looks cheap and totally ordinary. Futura has the ability to stand alone (see first image below) on the page, beautifully, without any frills. A page with text set in Verdana just doesn’t do it for me. The only thing that saves the layouts from completely bombing is that Ikea has good graphic designers. If you are good enough you can typeset any ol’ font.
Take a look. The images are every other old design, new design. The first image is from an old catalog.
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Posted in Typography
written September 3rd, 2009 ·
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I have been bitching a lot lately about bad typography, and I mean baaaaaad typography, so I decided to share a few layouts that make my heart sing. Well, they definitely make my heart pitter patter a little faster. I don’t think I will write individual commentary, instead I will just say up front that I like these layouts for how they treat the page, how they respect the text and are creative with the placement without killing a good idea. I really like when a designer creates a relationship between the heading and the body text and when they incorporate the photographs so that they don’t have that slapped on or “oops I almost forgot these” look. It’s all about respect for the content! Enjoy:)
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Posted in Graphic Design, Typography
written September 2nd, 2009 ·
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Today I rode my bike to Mitte and left flyers that I designed for my jewelry collection at shops in the area. I asked really nicely and told them I made my own jewelry and it was no problem mostly! I left 80 in total. At one shop the girl was really interested and asked what I am making and I showed her the images on my flyer and also the earrings I had on! She was really into them and asked if I would want to sell them at her shop. She would have to clear it with her boss, but that should be no problem, they are always looking for jewelry! This might be my big break!
It was fun walking around Hackescher Markt again. I used to work in that area and I would walk around there a a lot on my breaks seeing what was new in the shops and collecting postcards and free magazines. I came home with tons of stuff today! I left 80 flyers, but I brought back a pile of postcards for earrings, gallery guides, shopping guides, Vice Magazine, Electronic Beats Magazine, Grafik and Style and the Family Tunes. Fun fun! I love getting that boost of energy from having new magazines around. My new issue of IdN magazine just arrived too! I have lots to read and to inspire me now:)
Posted in Life in Berlin
written September 2nd, 2009 ·
1 comment
I discovered one of the best, no I have to say the best cookie recipes ever ever ever! I made these World Peace Cookies from the baking book a good friend gave to me after I moved to Berlin. It’s called Baking From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan. The magic about these cookies is, as she writes in their description, the grainy chocolatey-ness and salty taste! They were super easy, fun and fast to make. Writing about them makes me want to make them again, but then I think about all the food (and desserts!) I ate this past weekend at multiple dinner parties! Maybe I should work out a bit more this week and then make these as a reward:)
Posted in Food
written September 2nd, 2009 ·
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This past Saturday night I was in a museum. Oh yes I was. I was even there in the evening and until 11:30 pm! It was the long night of the museums here in Berlin and my friend and I wanted to go and participate in some drawing workshops that were going on. I think my expectations were pretty high after reading all of the descriptions in the event’s schedule, so I was sadly a bit disappointed. I was really siked about the drawing with experimental materials, which turned out to be drawing with ink! I actually had so many of my own ideas for drawing workshops afterward that I probably should get involved for the next time!
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Posted in Art, Life in Berlin
written September 1st, 2009 ·
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I sold my earrings at the Mauerpark market again on Sunday! It was a very cool day in Berlin and I think there was a good crowd there, but unfortunately not many sales. I sold half the amount as last time (the first time I sold my things at a market in Berlin). This time I mixed my products, instead of separating each style of earrings onto separate boards, I mixed it up and also had prices above each pair. So perhaps this was a mistake? Or perhaps it was just this time, this crowd turn out that wasn’t in the buying mood. One girl, as German, bought a pair of my paper/plastic creations and she said she really wanted to buy something special and extraordinary because she already has a huge earring collection, so that was a great compliment!!! I will be researching this coming Saturday and visiting other markets that I can potentially sell at.
Oh and something pretty funny happened actually. This guy is walking by and he stops at our table and leans over and picks up my cell phone, which had been lying a foot away from me. He takes it and examines it and completely seriously asks me if it is for sale!!! And I was just so stunned, I stammered I’m selling earrings! haha. Oh man. And then he was a bit embarrassed and gave it back. He was probably scouting the whole market only for cell phones! I didn’t initially say anything because the first time I sold at the market, this happened twice to Nina and I. But on those occasions the people were obviously joking! This guy was dead serious until he realized I was selling something far from cell phones!
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Posted in Life in Berlin, My Jewelry
written September 1st, 2009 ·
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Some nice Etsy sellers made treasuries of sellers who haven’t had a sale yet and I was included! Check them out. read more…
Posted in My Jewelry
