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BOOST YOUR

ISSUE

2 24

MaRch 2014
Digital edition
Produced in
The UK

FREELANCE
CAREER
Why getting an agent
could supercharge your
design practice

v i d eo
p re v i e w

Expert branding
insights fromour
ImpactConference
speakers

Typography
in branding

Erik Spiekermann
reveals how type can
define a brands identity

also Featuring...
Pro workflow techniques Design a premium comic collection Behind the scenes on a stunning Toshiba ad Toby & Pete
Add vibrant graphics to a live-streamed broadcast Our critique of the Oscars 2014 branding Design trends And more...

WEL CO M E

MARCH 2014

editors letter
As the inimitable Erik Spiekermann explains in this months
Special Report, a brands choice of typography speaks
volumes. In a saturated marketplace, a distinctive tone of voice
can really cut through the noise and a recognisable typeface is
a surefire way to achieve consistent branding across all media.
We have branding on the brain this month, in the build-up to our
Impact Conference in London on 6 March. You can read more in
our event preview on page 18, including video chats with six of the
expert speakers wed love to see you there.
Back on the typography theme, many of you will have spotted
Jonathan Hoefler and Tobias Frere-Jones public legal spat in
mid-January a sign that even an agency with a towering global
reputation like H&FJ can rip at the seams. With this in mind, in
theInsight section weve asked Adrian Shaughnessy to give his
takeon what happens whencreative partnerships go sour.
You may also have spotted that the Projects section has got a
little fatter this month. Interspersed with the ever-insightful project
diaries, youll now find pro workflow advice to help make your
day-to-day tasks easier plus our take on the latest hardware,
software and creative tech that your studio needs to know about.
Hope you find them useful, and we welcome your feedback.

keep in
touch with

twitter.com/
computerarts

facebook.com/
computerarts

Nick Carson
Editor

nick.carson@futurenet.com

featuring

Erik
Spiekermann

Renowned type designer


Erik is also creative director
at Edenspiekermann. In
ourSpecial Report (page
46), he takes a look at
howa custom typeface
cantranform a brands
presence and identity.
www.edenspiekermann.com

Keith Rondinelli

The multi-talented Keith


co-founded design studio
Woodhouse with Rebecca
Pritchard in 2006, and has
also turned his hand to
musicproduction and film
directing. He createdthis
issues cover art using Erik
Spiekermanns Fira typeface.
www.woodhousecreative.com

Louise Sloper

Head of design at BETC


London, Typographic Circle
committee member and
D&AD 2014 juror Louise
shares her thoughts on why
designers need to be wary
ofpigeonholing themselves
into a particular style in
work and in life (page 28).
www.betc.co.uk

Angelo stitz

Angelo specialises in drawing


and developing custom
typefaces, designing books,
logos and wordmarks in
a style he describes as
reduced and user-oriented.
We found out the inspiration
behind his numeral-based
wrapping paper on page 98.
www.metatype.de

computerarts .creativ ebloq.com


-4-

Shauna Lynn
Panczyszyn

Shauna is agraphic designer,


hand-letterer and illustrator
with a penchant for digital
chalk drawings. In this issues
Industry Issues (page 68),
she talks about the effect
that getting an agent has
hadon her freelance career.
www.shaunaparmesan.com

M EET T H E T E AM

MARCH 2014

Meet the team


Future Publishing Ltd, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW
Phone 01225 442 244 Fax 01225 732 275
Email hello@computerarts.co.uk
Web computerarts.creativebloq.com

Editorial

Nick Carson Editor


nick.carson@futurenet.com
Julia Sagar Deputy editor
julia.sagar@futurenet.com
Jo Gulliver Art editor
jo.gulliver@futurenet.com
Rich Carter Designer
richard.carter@futurenet.com
Ruth Hamilton
Production assistant
ruth.hamilton@futurenet.com
Jim McCauley & kerrie hughes
creative bloq channel editors
jim.mccauley@futurenet.com
kerrie.hughes@futurenet.com

Contributors

Zaneta Antosik, Michael Burns, Joshua


Checkley, Rob Flowers, FranklinTill,
DanielGray, Jayde Perkin, Graham
Robson, Adrian Shaughnessy, Jeremy
Shaw, ErikSpiekermann, Anne
Wollenberg, Woodhouse Creative.

Advertising
0207 042 4122

Charlie Said Ad sales director


charlie.said@futurenet.com
JAS RAI Ad sales manager
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SUZANNE SMITH Account manager
suzanne.smith@futurenet.com
victoria sanders Senior sales exec
victoria.sanders@futurenet.com

Next issue on sale

7 March 2014

Nick Carson

editor
Aided by some new orange trainers, Nicks halfmarathon training kicked into gear this month. Hes
very pleased to have recruited another male to the
team, and hopes the girls will stop bullying him now.

Marketing

Philippa Newman
Group marketing manager
philippa.newman@futurenet.com
SAMantha BOOK Marketing manager
samantha.book@futurenet.com

Julia Sagar

Alexandra Geary Marketing executive


alexandra.geary@futurenet.com

Deputy editor
Julia spent a fortnight hiking in the Himalayas, thus
cementing her ambition to take on a job with roaming
somewhere in the title. Since her return, shes been
gearing up for the next CA Collection Annual.

Print & Production

Mark Constance Production manager


Viv Turner Production co-ordinator
Nola Cokely Ad production manager

Circulation

JAMES RYAN Direct marketing executive


james.ryan@futurenet.com
Daniel Foley Trade marketing manager
daniel.foley@futurenet.com

Jo Gulliver

Art editor
Despite her birthday taking place quite a few weeks
ago now, Jos been celebrating ever since. On the
actual day, she bought a bike and cycled into a post.
Shes also been imparting design wisdom onto Rich.

Richard Jefferies
International account manager
richard.jefferies@futurenet.com

Licensing

Regina Erak Licensing director


regina.erak@futurenet.com

Future publishing LTD

Declan Gough Head of Creative and Design


Nial Ferguson Managing director,
Technology, Film and Games
DAN OLIVER Editor-in-chief
Steve Gotobed Group art director
Robin Abbott Creative director
Jim Douglas Editorial director

Ruth Hamilton

Production assistant
Ruth took a trip up North, and watched the new
Hobbit film at Manchesters IMAX (she did not care
forthe spider scene). The highlight of her month was
an incredible brownie gifted to CA by Studio Dumbar.

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Rich Carter
Designer
This month we welcomed Rich to the Computer Arts
team, and hes been busy learning the ropes from
Jo.We know hes committed because he has to cycle
down (and back up) a massive hill to get into the office.

A member of the Audit


Bureau of Circulations

14,675

Print + digital (Jan-Dec 2012)

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-6-

MARCH 2014

ISSUE 2 24
M A RCH 20 14

10

Culture

Trends: Coralie Gourguechons DIY speaker takes


the mystery out of electronics, while Hisham Akira
Bharoochas Puma trainers have a rainforest vibe

14 
People: We chat with Brian Bowman, whose
career has taken a winding route to his new job at
Spontaneous, and nose around Minimalists studio

Showcase


16

P
 laces: Our Places maps illustrator finally gets the
chanceto show off his own hometown of Sydney

18

Events: A special preview of CAs upcoming Impact


Conference, complete with speaker video interviews

Our selection of the worlds


best new graphic design,
illustration and motion
graphics work 32

Insight

24 
When designers fall out: As H&FJs battle
rages on, Adrian Shaughnessy reflects on what
happens when creative partnerships go sour
28

A question of style: Louise Sloper on why


having a unique style is all well and good, but not at
theexpense of staying receptive to new ideas

30

Minimalism as visual clutter: With ever


more minimalist film posters clogging the design blogs,
Craig Ward explains why the trend is missing the point

82

Masks and selections: Luke ONeill shares his


best-practice advice for non-destructive techniques

88

T
 ouch Type Tool: CAs own Jo Gulliver reveals
how Illustrator CC helps you edit text on the fly

94

web graphics: Combine Kuler with Illustrator to


create pixel-perfect, scalable web graphics with Matt
Hamms pro workflow advice

96

workflow

Project diaries

We follow top creatives as they art direct a comic collection, explore fantasy
worlds for a tablet spot and create an interactive festival experience 75

need to know
Do you need a mac pro? What Apples shiny
new flagship machine can really do for your studio

comp utera rts .c reative bloq.com


-8-

C O N TE N TS

MARCH 2014

VIDEO PREVIEW:
IMPACT CONFERENCE
With CAs first ever industry conference
fast approaching, we caught up with six
ofthe speakers to talk branding
20

Tescos Sunita Yeomans on FMGC branding

How AKQA built its relationship with Nike

S tu di o li fe

Toby & pete

The Sydney-based retouching duo discuss how a collaborative


approach helped catapult their studio onto the world stage 58

Subscribe TO
COMPUTER ARTS
UK readers: Save up to 38% 23
US readers: Save up to 40% 67
More: computerarts.creativebloq.com

S P ECIAL R EP OR T

TYPE IS BRAND

Logos and colour palettes help build a brand,


but as Erik Spiekermann argues, nothing
communicates like custom type 46

INDU S TRY I S S UES

GET AN AGENT

From dealing with admin while you sleep


toopening up your audience, why its worth
finding the right representation
68

comp utera rts .c reat ive bloq.com


-9-

try our
award-winning
iPad edition
for free!
page 45

CULTUR E Tren d s

T r e nds CULTURE
To make Coralie Gourguechons
speaker work, the owner curves
asection of the design into a cone
shape, linking the circuit

WE LOVE...

homemade
Electronics
French product designer
Coralie Gourguechons
simplified speaker takes the
mystery outofelectronics
echnology is a fundamental part
of our lives, from the smart
phones in our pockets to our
computers at home and work. Every
daywe use these gadgets and gizmos,
butwe are removed from their inner
workings by their sleek metal cases.
However, as people become more
interested in how things are made,
designers are creating simple kits
thatdemystify electronic workings.
French product designer Coralie
Gourguechons Planche Anatomique
deHaut-Parleur is a DIY paper speaker.
A design is painted in conductive ink and
glue to not only visually represent the
speakers components, but physically act
as a circuit board. When the speaker is
popped out and constructed into a cone,
the sound is amplified. When flattened,
thespeaker is turned off.

Each month, our Trends section is curated


by experienced creative consultancy
FranklinTill (www.franklintill.com).

CULTUR E T rend s

March 2014

D E S I G N ED FOR LI FE

Brazilian style
Hisham Akira Bharoocha updates Pumas
classic trainer with a fresh rainforest vibe
hen artist, illustrator and
sneaker fiend Hisham Akira
Bharoocha was asked to design
anew line of trainers for Puma, he
jumped at the chance. All the more so
asthe person asking was musician and
model Solange the newly appointed
creative consultant for Puma.
Ive been friends with Solange for
many years and this was the first time
we were able to collaborate on a design
project, Bharoocha says. She just called
me up one day and asked me if I wanted
to be involved. Of course I said yes.
Bharoocha was given a colour palette,
a particular trainer to work on and a
theme the sights and sounds of Brazil
and left to let his imagination run free.
The creative team at Puma truly trusted
the designers visions, he comments,
which always feels great.
Despite being a newbie tothe world
of footwear design, Bharoocha says
his biggest challenge was narrowing

product:

down fabric options: It was amazing


experimenting with the materials and
how they would look when presented
indifferent combinations.
The designs draw on elements of the
rainforest and ocean, channelled through
his collaborators own celebrated sense
of style. An inspiration was Solanges
amazing colour sense, which you can
seein her fabulous outfits, he smiles.

The Girls of Blaze


DiscCollection
by Hisham Akira Bharoocha
forPuma
www.bit.ly/HishamForPuma

COST:

$150

Stay one
step ahead
with our
barometer
of visual cool

CUTTING EDGE

Designers are
collaborating with
scientists to create
unique printable
inksgrown from
living bacteria.

S TILL FRESH

Tropical flowers
reworked in
synthetic brights on
dark backgrounds
create a psychedelic
floral aesthetic.

comput era rts .creati ve bloq.co m


- 12 -

M ainstream

Photographic
images capture
the moment
pigment and
paintissmashed
and exploded.

Illustration: Joshua Checkley


www.joshuacheckley.co.uk

TRENDING

CULTUR E PEO PL E

MARCH 2014

M y st y le I S ...

Big glasses and


bleached hair

Graphic designer Denise


Lai is known for her
streetwear-inspired style,
bubbly personality and
renowned style blog
www.deniselai.com
Mona Mara
necklace
Ive never seen
anything as cool as this,
and its so appropriate
asIlove doing the Okay
sign. Iwish it was moulded
from my real hand.

Illustration : Jayde Perkin, www.jaydeperkin.com

Nike Air
Max 1
As a former
sneakerhead, the latest
glow-in-the-dark Nike Air
Max range got me excited.
Ilove the unexpected
patterns that appear.
Cline
handbag
This is one of
the most expensive items
Iown. Its an investment
piece it will last forever
and isnt confined to any
trends (snakeprint is a
neutral now, duh). I rarely
dare use it.

Brian Bowman has


joined Spontaneous
with the simple aim
of doing exceptional
work for every project

beginning to end, the next its title design


or creating visual effects for a specific
shotsequence. Part of the excitement is
not knowing whats next. Were currently
working on a commercial campaign for
amajor brand alongside custom animation
for a soon-to-be-released feature film. Ilike
that variety.

N E W VE NTURE S

climbing
Spontaneously
Brian Bowman is taking on a new role as
creative director at Spontaneous, bringing
with him skills gleaned from a unique career
rom livestock feed
supplementassistant to
architect to filmmaker, Brian
Bowmans career hasnt taken the most
conventional route. As he embarks on
hislatest challenge creative director at
NYC-based design studio Spontaneous
we find out what attracted him to the
role, and how his unusual career history
makes him the best man for the job.

Tell us a bit about your career before


youjoined Spontaneous...
After high school, I was a feed supplement
assistant, testing food sources for various
livestock. After all, cows dont take too
kindly to gummy vitamins. I mean theyll
eat them, but their complex quadratic
stomachs dont like them at all. The past
seven years Ive been a creative director.
How did you get the job?
It was love at first sight. Spontaneous was
looking for a creative director who could
work across multiple platforms and I was
looking for a company that had the talent
and resources to respond to challenges
wherever and however they presented
themselves. After a breakfast or two and
asmall dowry from me, I was hired.
What does your new role entail?
We get involved in every part of the
creative process. One day we are
conceptualising an entire project from
computerarts.creativeb loq.com
- 14 -

What are your aims for Spontaneous?


I want us to create exceptional work,
no matter what it is or who its for. The
maximal desire of design is to conceptually
drive a process, while conversely the
minimal is to simply make it better. Design
can engage at any level during the process
of creation. I enjoy that aspect very much.
Your career has spanned a range
of disciplines from architecture to
filmmaking. What attracted you to this
new position, and what do you think your
past occupations bring to the role?
Spontaneous has a wonderful and diverse
team of artists. The collaboration in the
creative process means everything to me.
Architecture, believe it or not, is also very
collaborative. It takes teams of contractors,
engineers and interior designers to make a
building a reality. I realised that filmmaking
shares many of the same processes and
it felt familiar to me. Ultimately, an idea is
realised by the work of many people; each
contributing to make it better. That kind of
synergy propels me.
What have your career highlights
beenso far?
I would have to say the highlights
have been the artists that Ive had
the opportunity to work with and the
challenges put before us. Something
special happens when people are
personally invested and stay true
totheirvision.
What advice would you give to someone
looking to winacreative director role?
Im not sure if you win the role as muchas
you earn it. Every experience, whether you
think its good or bad, moves you down
the road. Patience and courage are always
helpful. So is a periscope to seeyour way
around problems.
www.spon.com

4
2

1
3

M Y D ESI G N SPA CE IS...

Anything but
minimalist

With its sexy chairs, astroturf carpet and sombreros, the dcor in Seoul-based
boutiquestudio Minimalists workspace is nothing like its namesake
hanks to Psy, Gangnam has risen
to a dubious fame in the past year.
However, the Seoul district isnt
only responsible for producing nimblelimbed pop stars: since May last year,
Gangnam has also been home to
boutiquedesign studio Minimalist.
The dcor is the work of founder
and creative director Wochan Lee, who
transformed the residential space singlehandedly. And theres not awhite wall or
Eames chair in sight: the studio sports black
walls and an astroturf carpet. A red leather
bar stool (1) sits next to the desk. On the
shelves two sombreros are perched (2).
Although the darkness helps Lee focus,
having painted the walls he was worried
the decoration was too solemn which
is where the astroturf came in. Though

it doesnt actually photosynthesise, it is


visuallyenvironmentally friendly, he says.
Lees most prized possessions his
camera equipment are hidden in an
unassuming case next to the bookshelf (3) .
This aint a007briefcase, but guess what,
its even more powerful than that, jokes Lee.
Itsalways ready to transform the studio
intoaphotography studio.

You dont feel


likeyoure working
when youre sitting
on this sexy stool

This kind of adaptability is key, especially


given the constant stream of deadlines Lees
been juggling since the studios launch the
aforementioned sombreros are a reminder
of his almost-forgotten holiday dreams.
In the meantime, hes kitted out the studio
with some creature comforts. Theres a
sofa-bed complete with pyjamas Lee is no
stranger to the all-nighter and aportable
gas stove (4) for snacks. Design is energyconsuming as well as time-consuming, says
Lee. Instant noodles, ramen, stew... you
name it, I cook it.
As for that bar stool, Lee has an
explanation that sits somewhere between
bonkers and genius. Too much comfort
can often lead you into a sweet slumber, he
explains. You dont feel like youre working
when youre sitting on this sexy stool.

com puterarts.creativeb loq.com


- 15 -

When he launched
Minimalist, creative
director Wochan
Lee transformed a
residential flat into
hisquirky studio

CULTUR E PL A C E S

March 2014

C R E AT I V E quarters

Sydney, Australia
Daniel Gray, the illustrator behind our Places maps,
get his chance to share his own favourite hangouts
andhaunts in his hometown of Sydney

King Street

Newtown
Also known as Eat Street, this is
the main thoroughfare in Newtown. Thai
restaurants, cocktail bars, health food
shops, vintage clothes, artists, students
and the gay community all converge in this
area. Theres always somewhere great to
eat, drink and be merry.

Pork Roll
2 Marrickville
236a Illawarra Rd

This little hole-in-the-wall sells what


many consider the best Vietnamese rolls
(bnh m) in town. Theyre delicious, cheap
and on a Saturday morning, the queue can
go down the street. Never mind, you wont
wait long just go easy on the chilli.

Park
3 Sydney
Sydney Park Rd, St Peters

www.bit.ly/SydneyPark
This is an inner-city oasis, full of gardens,
hills and pathways. My husband and I love
to come here with our Vietnamese rolls
and watch everyone have picnics, walk
their dogs or exercise. On a good day,
youcan smell fresh popcorn in the air
fromthe popcorn factory nearby.

Small Club
4 Goodgod
55 Liverpool St, Chinatown

www.goodgodgoodgod.com
Over in Chinatown is this matryoshka doll
of clubs. Dont be fooled by the name,
it packs a punch. In the front is The Dip
canteen famous for its excellent hot dogs.
When youre ready for a shimmy, head to
the back of the club for the Danceteria.

Kinokuniya
5 Books
500 George St

www.kinokuniya.com.au
Right in the middle of the CBD, this
bookshop has terrific art, design and
architecture sections, as well as lots of
anime and graphic novels. They also have
acaf and an art gallery. If Ive got some
time to kill, I always head here.

3
2

D
 aniel Gray is an Australian illustrator based between London and Sydney. He has worked with clients
including Graniph, Microsoft and The British Council. www.danielgray.com

comput era rts .creat ive bloq.co m


- 16 -

CULTUR E E VENT S

MARCH 2014

KEY INFO
Location
London Film Museum
WhEN
6 March 2014
client-side speakers
Coca-Cola, Carlsberg,
Tesco, Barclays, Rapha,
Cineworld Group
agency-side speakers
Taxi Studio, AKQA,
The Future Laboratory,
Michael Wolff, johnson
banks, Brand Union
BOOK your place NOW
www.impactconf.com

E v e nt p r evi e w: Impa ct C on feren ce

packed with
branding insight

With ComputerArts first ever industry conference fast approaching,


editorNickCarson explains whats in store in March
hen this issue hits UK
newsstands, Computer Arts
very own Impact Conference
will be just four weeks away. A one-day
event dedicated to the craft of branding
in all its forms, Impact will explore how
to achieve excellence, consistency and
as the name implies, genuine impact.
Taking place on 6 March 2014 at
the London Film Museum, the event is
curated and introduced by independent
design writer and consultant Lynda
Relph-Knight, the former editor of Design
Week. Besides branding, of course, the
key theme that will tie it all together
is theimportance of collaboration in
achieving world-class results. Speakers
will also explore how to build strong,
valuable and fruitful relationships with
both clients and fellowdesigners alike.
Impact contains a mixture of keynote
talks and more focused sessions

exploring the unique challenges,


opportunities and rewards that can be
found in particular branding sectors, such
as FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods),
sports, charities, financial services, luxury,
drinks,retail and more.
The first session is titled Consuming
Interest, in which a panel including CocaColas vice-president of global design
James Sommerville, design writer John
Simmons and Tescos head of creative
Sunita Yeomans will debate the unique
challenges facing the FMCG sector
from price wars to all-important shelf
standout. In our first video preview (see
page 20), Yeomans introduces some of
the topics that shell be exploring.
Design also plays a crucial role in
the world of sport, and the Going the
Distance session will span everything
from the hugely competitive world
of global brands to the design-savvy

niche independent market, with a panel


featuring AKQAs James Hilton who
discusses how his agency developed its
relationship with Nike in our second video
preview and James Fairbank from indie
cycle brand Rapha.
Meanwhile, Design for Good will tackle
the charity sector well-known as a
magnet for great design, but nonetheless
under pressure from squeezing budgets
that mean increasingly creative solutions
are needed. Michael Johnson, founder of
johnson banks, will set the world to rights
with representatives from the British

Heart Foundation and ThinkPublic.

Renowned for its sense of fun, the


drinks industry can really benefit from
astrong and lively relationship between
designer and client. In the Toasting
Success session, Taxi Studios Spencer
Buck and his long-term collaborator
Jessica Felby at Carlsberg will explain

comput erarts .cr eat ive bloq .co m


- 18 -

E V E nT S CULTURE

MARCH 2014

johnson banks is
renowned for its
branding work in the
cultural and non-profit
sectors. Founder
Michael Johnson
willbesharing his
experience at Impact

BRAND IMPACT AWARDS:


SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED
AKQAs Nike+ Kinect app brings a virtual personal trainer to your pocket: co-founder and chief
creative officer James Hilton will be discussing sports branding at the Impact Conference

Taxi Studios Spencer Buck and Jessica Felby at Carlsberg have a strong collaborative relationship,
and enjoy a bit of creative one-upmanship they will be discussing drinks branding at Impact

what works best for them and we chat


to them both about mutual respect and
creative one-upmanship in our third and
fourth video previews.
In the Shop Talk session, a panel
comprising Dilys Maltby, co-founder
of Circus, Dalziel & Pows Ross Phillips
and Peter Williams at Cineworld Group
will explore how design can help lift
the recession-hit high street out of the
doldrums, and attempt to compete with

Some parts of
the industry can
definitely be riskier
than others
GARY ASPDEN, BRAND CONSULTANT, ADIDAS

the ever-increasing dominance of online


retailers. Maltby gives a taster of what
toexpect in our fifth video preview.
And thats not all. Branding guru
Michael Wolff will also consider how the
art of branding can rebuild trust in the
financial world, drawing on his extensive
experience with the Russian banking
sector; The Future Laboratorys Tom
Savigar will give his take on trends in the
luxury market; and Decides Dee Cooper
will discuss the importance of customer
engagement in an increasingly connected
world, as she explains in a bit more detail
in our sixth and final video preview. It will
be an inspiring, insightful event that gets
to the heart of how to create branding
with genuine impact, in any sector.
D
 ont miss out. To book your place,
visit the Impactwebsite:
www.impactconf.com
comput erarts .cr eat ive bloq .co m
- 19 -

The official shortlist for our Brand


Impact Awards is out now, and the
winners will be announced on 6 March
After a long but productive day sifting through
hundreds of world-class entries, we can now reveal
the 50 shortlisted projects for the inaugural Brand
Impact Awards, from 34 different agencies.
Our hardworking expert panel included top
creative directors from Wolff Olins and D&AD,
client-side commissioners from brands as diverse
as Carlsberg, Mars, Tesco and HSBC, and leading
branding consultants who have worked with the
likes of Adidas, Virgin and Selfridges.
Entries were split into two streams branding
programmes and branded campaigns and
judged by market sector. These included culture,
education, entertainment, FMCG, not-for-profit,
sports and more with special awards to recognise
creative collaboration and social impact, as well as
the obligatory Best of Show inboth streams.
Its about putting the work into the context
of which sector its coming from. Some parts of
the industry can definitely be riskier than others,
observes Adidas brand consultant Gary Aspden,
one of the branded campaigns judges. Were
putting the focus on whats impactful and really
cuts through, rather than on something thats
aesthetically pleasing, but isnt actually doing
anything to move peoples perception of a brand.
Some of the winning projects are beautifully
executed, across many touchpoints, adds Sunita
Yeomans, head of creative for Tesco and one of the
branding programmes judges. Thats what we were
looking for: its not only about applying a great idea
to one part of a brand.
The final results will be revealed in a glittering
ceremony on 6 March 2014 (tables are available
to book at www.brandimpactawards.com), straight
after the Impact Conference. Winners will be
showcased in issue 225 of Computer Arts.
C
 heck out the official Brand Impact shortlist at:
www.bit.ly/BrandImpactShortlist

CULTUR E E VENT S

MARCH 2014

impact conference

VIDEO PREVIEW
Six speakers reveal some of the fascinating topics that theyll be
exploring in more depth atImpact: www.bit.ly/ImpactPreview

Bonus
content!
Get EVEN MORE EXCLUSIVE
video AND IMAGERY in
ouriPad edition
see p45

Speakers
J ames Sommerville
Coca-Cola
J ames Hilton
AKQA

p re v i e w o n e
S U N ITA YEO MAN S

Part of a panel discussing FMCG branding at Impact,


Tescos head of creative considers how design can
help supermarkets cut through the noise.

p re v i e w t w o
JAM E S H I LTO N

The founder and chief creative officer at AKQA


recalls how a serendipitous initial meeting with Nike
developed into a strong and fruitful relationship.

 pencer Buck
S
Taxi Studio
Jessica Felby
Carlsberg
 ichael Johnson
M
johnson banks
 lenn Tutssel
G
Brand Union
 ichael Wolff
M
Michael Wolff & Company
 live Grinyer
C
Barclays

p re v i e w t h ree
S PEN C ER B U C K

Taxi Studios co-founder discusses the value of


designer-client collaboration, and particularly his
strong relationship with Carlsbergs Jessica Felby.

p re v i e w f o ur
J E S S I CA FELBY

Drinks branding is on the menu for Carlsbergs head


of design, not to mention her creative one-upmanship
with long-term collaborator Spencer Buck.

 om Savigar
T
The Future Laboratory
 unita Yeomans
S
Tesco
 ee Cooper
D
Decide
 ilys Maltby
D
Circus
 ouise Kyme
L
British Heart Foundation
J ames Fairbank
Rapha

p re v i e w f i v e
D I LYS MALTBY

With Selfridges, John Lewis and Londons Covent


Garden amongst her client list, the co-founder of
Circus delves into the world of retail branding.

p re v i e w s i x
D EE COOPER

Having consulted on projects for Virgin and London


2012 Olympics, Decides creative director explores
the future of customer engagement with brands.

Book your place now at www.impactconf.com


comput erarts .cr eat ive bloq .co m
- 20 -

 eter Williams
P
Cineworld
 oss Phillips
R
Dalziel and Pow
 eborah Szebeko
D
thinkpublic

IS COMING TO NEW YORK!

20 June 2014,
New World Stages
Brendan Dawes, Jenn Lukas, Ethan Marcotte,
Karen McGrane and more to be announced

REGISTER NOW AT

www.generateconf.com

CULTUR E E V E N TS

March 2014

W h at s on

dates for your diary


Hold on to your hats: were kicking off March with our very own Impact Conference,
followedbythe stellar Offset, Cheltenham Design Festival and much, much more

Talking digital

3 Mar 2014
D&AD, Britannia House, 68-80
Hanbury Street, London, UK
www.bit.ly/talkingdigital
Bo Hellberg executive creative
director at Tribal DDB Paris, and
previously creative director at
digital agencies likeLost Boys and
Ogilvy leads this D&AD session
on digital environments in design,
and how to work with an audience
thats no longer made up of
consumers, but users.

Impact Conference

6 Mar 2014
London Film Museum,
RiversideBuilding, County
Hall,London, UK
www.impactconf.com
Impact marks a milestone in
Computer Arts history our firstever industry conference. Well be
celebrating excellence in branding
and looking at how to achieve it,
with speakers including Michael
Wolff and Michael Johnson. The
Brand Impact Awards ceremony
will take place afterwards. For
more info, flick back to our event
preview on page 18.

OFFSET

21-23 Mar 2014


Bord Gis Energy Theatre,
Docklands, Dublin 2, Ireland
www.iloveoffset.com
Jessica Walsh, Tom Hingston,
Genevive Gauckler, ilovedust

andMother London are among the


24 speakers lined up to present,
impress and inspire at Offset,
Dublins annual three-dayer at the
end of March. Milton Glaser will
also be appearing in anexclusively
filmed interview with Steven Heller.
Its shaping up to be a corker.

Future Everything

27 Mar-1 Apr 2014


Manchester Town Hall,
AlbertSquare, Manchester,
Lancashire, UK
futureeverything.org/festival
Now in its 19th year, Manchesters
two-day Future Everything event
brings together representatives
from the worlds of design,
urbanism, art, business and
academia to explore the theme
ofTools for Unknown Futures.
Theaim is to debate how tools can
be used as a path to social change.

Advertising Week europe

31 Mar-4 Apr 2014


BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly,
London, UK
www.advertisingweek.eu
Only in its second year in Europe,
Advertising Week is, as you may
imagine, a celebration of all things
advertising. However, with 14,000
guests and over 150 events, its
by no means a baby of the event
scene. Plan ahead and work to a
strict schedule to make the most of
the mammoth programme on offer.

Dejando Huella

Fuse

Cheltenham Design Festival

design Lecture series:


Ken Garland

3-5 April 2014


Alameda theatre, Calle 16 de
Septiembre, Quertaro, Mexico
www.dejandohuella.mx
Marta Cerda and Serial Cuts
Sergio Harbor are among 11
creatives set to share their stories
of success, failure, heartbreak and
glory at this years Dejando Huella
graphic design congress in Mexico.

4-5 April 2014


Across Cheltenham, UK
cheltenhamdesignfestival.com
The team behind the Cheltenham
Design Festival is busy finalising
a top speaker line-up of design
luminaries for the event this year.

computerarts.creativeb loq.com
- 22 -

7-9 April 2014


Radisson Blu Aqua, Chicago, USA
www.iirusa.com/fuse
The 18th annual Fuse conference
promises provocative discussions
on graphic design, brand strategy
and more. This year, the three-day
event celebrates brands built
through a collaborative approach.

18 April 2014
Seattle Public Library, 1000
Fourth Avenue, Seattle, USA
www.bit.ly/SPL_KenGarland
Catch British graphic designer
KenGarland speaking as part
ofthe Design Lecture Series.

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really hardworking miners for good stuff.
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march 2014

Strong opinion and


analysis from across the
global design industry
THIS MONTH
Adrian Shaughnessy
Graphic designer and writer
www.uniteditions.com

Louise Sloper
Head of design, BETC London
www.betc.co.uk

Craig Ward
Designer and art director
www.wordsarepictures.co.uk

regular WRITERS
LIZA ENEBEIS
creative Director
studio dumbar

laura
jordan-bambach
president, d&ad

HOSS GIFFORD
digital strategist
and animator

dawn hancock
founder,
firebelly design

craig ward
designer and
artdirector

louise sloper
head of design,
betc london

When
designers
fall out
As H&FJ hits the headlines in a big
way, Adrian Shaughnessy shares
histhoughts on why some creative
partnerships are doomed to fail

Adrian Sh aug hne ss y Insight

march 2014

about the writer


Adrian Shaughnessy is a graphic
designer and writer.In 1989 he
co-founded design company Intro.
Today he runs ShaughnessyWorks
andis also founding partner of
UnitEditions, producing books
ondesign and visual culture.
www.uniteditions.com

s a designer and former studio owner Ive


made many bad decisions over the years.
One of my better ones, however, was to set
up my studio in partnership with a non-designer.
Ididnt realise it was a good idea at the time. The
benefits only became clear later when I discovered
the many advantages of going into business with
afinancially savvy partner rather than another
designer with a similar outlook and skills to my own.
Today, when students and young designers ask me
foradvice about starting a studio I always tell them
toinclude at least one non-designer.
Partnership with a non-designer worked well for
me, but its no guarantee of a dispute-free working
relationship, as illustrated by the recent legal
wrangling between type designer Tobias Frere-Jones
and his business associate Jonathan Hoefler. Widely
acknowledged as the pre-eminent digital type foundry
of the 21st century, Hoefler & Frere-Jones is a hugely
successful company with numerous wealthy corporate
clients and thousands of admirers among designers
and type nuts. But as the old music business adage
goes, where theres a hit theres a writ.
It seems that the pair have fallen out over a
disagreement concerning ownership of the company.
The Quartz website gives this account of the quarrel:
The suit portrays Frere-Jones as the firms design
genius, and Hoefler as the business and marketing
man. In public, the pair have generally been regarded
as equals. But the contract that made it so, according
to the lawsuit, was never actually written down and
signed.Frere-Jones claims he had an oral contract
with Hoefler that entitles him to half the company.
Theres no need to dwell here on the rights and
wrongs of this case only the two participants know
what really happened to cause one to sue the other.
But what we can say is that disputes in creative
enterprises always seem especially disheartening.
Perhaps, as creative people, we feel we should
beabove toxic business squabbles and grubby legal
battles. When you read that the brothers Ray and
DaveDavies of The Kinks loathe the sight of each
other, its depressing to think of all that wonderful
music underpinned by hate. How can this be?
In design there are many celebrated examples of
partnerships going down the S-bend. But its not often
you get to hear the reasons why. One exception to this
is the case of Wally Olins and Michael Wolff. In a
highly entertaining talk at Designyatra 2009 (available
on YouTube) the founders of branding agency Wolff
Olins (Wolff, a designer; Olins, a non-designer) give a

frank account of their famous partnership, which


wasformed in 1963 and came to an end in 1983
whenWolff was dumped out ofthe company.
The combative and articulate Olins gives a
good-natured (if somewhat acid-flavoured) account
ofwhat drove him mad about Wolff. According to
Olins, Wolff lacked self-discipline and had a total
disregard for time and money. Olins was also
infuriated by hispartners creative capriciousness
andcites an example of a client presentation where
Wolff suddenly announced the work he was showing
was wrong and the client wasnt allowed to have it.
AsWolff describes in an interview with the designer
Mike Dempsey on his blog Graphic Journey, he was
eventually ousted from Wolff Olins in a welldocumented boardroom coup.
Both those men are intelligent and sophisticated
people. But like sugar lumps in hot tea, partnerships

Partnerships are like tiny infants


if theyre to survive they have to be
cosseted, protected and nurtured

can dissolve in an instant when financial reality meets


creative passion, and its usually the money that wins.
Unfortunately, the creative ego can be as destructive
as the financial motive. And while there are some
wonderful and enduring creative partnerships
studios run by designers that have stayed together
overmany decades there are others that have failed
to survive the first quarrel.
In truth, there is no foolproof system to avoid
disputes among partners. Partnerships are like
tinyinfants if theyre to survive they have to
beconstantly cosseted, protected and nurtured.
Takeyour eye off any aspect of a partnership for a
millisecond and you could be following Frere-Jones
and Hoefler into the law courts.
Got your own tale of a creative partnership gone sour?
Share it with @ComputerArts using #DesignMatters

com puterarts.creativeb loq.com


- 25 -

Insight D ESI G N M AT TER S

MARCH 2014

design partnerships can be


tricky to manage. Whats
the secret to success?
Six creatives share their views

Rob March
Creative Director, Beard
www.wearebeard.com
We once formed a collaboration
with a marketing and PR company.
We did aload of design work for
them, for which we were told we
would receive reciprocal work.
Suffice to say this didnt happen.
When confronted, theconversation
didnt go well. In hindsight, we got
into bed too soon, and didnt have
any kind of written arrangement in
place if things went wrong. But you
live and learn. Werestill happy to
work with other businesses were
just a bit more savvy as a result.

Karl Maier
co-founder, Craig & Karl
www.craigandkarl.com

Our biggest disagreement was


clearly about whose name got to go
first when we set up Craig & Karl.
Actually no, I lie. It was always
going to be Craig & Karl because we
didnt want to get confused with
atechno producer. Sadly we dont
really disagree on anything much
ofnote. Good partnerships are
amatter of trust and compromise,
but compatibility above all else.
Putting 3,500 miles between
youmay also help.

computerarts.creativeb loq.com
- 26 -

Mario Hugo
Co-founder,
Hugo & Marie
www.hugoandmarie.com
A good partnership feels
natural even compromise
should prove totally organic.
Argue, be passionate about the
work. Be honest and open with
your ideas and feelings. The
relationship wont work if one
party is too passive. You need to
encourage discussion evenif each
may find they have separate roles.

DESIG N M AT T E R S Insight

MARCH 2014

Jacob Kent-Ledger
Managing director,
kentledger
www.kentledger.com
A few years ago, a friend and I joined
forces for a creative mobile app concept,
but the idea fell apart before launch
because we had arguments over the
ownershipof the idea. Because it was a
small idea and we wanted to get it off the
ground, we hadnt done any paperwork.
Somy advice is go with your creative
ideaor project, but remember the
paperwork and legal side.

Yuko Shimizu
Illustrator
www.yukoart.com

I usually dont like to overstep


the boundaries, but when
something definitely isnt
working out with a client project,
and I can explain why, Iwrite an
email to them. Firstly, I explain
that I dont, by any means, want
to offend, and they can ignore
meif they disagree. Then
Iofferwhat I think would be
abetter option. Usually, the
clientagrees andweget a much
better resultintheend.

Your views
Comment on Facebook,
ortweet @ComputerArts
with your thoughts using
#DesignMatters

@EchoicAudio
When the sum ofthe
parts is bigger than the
individuals. Also when
both parties have
creative passion towards
acommon goal.

nan na Hvass
Co-founder, Hvass&Hannibal
www.hvasshannibal.dk
Weve never had an extremely serious
disagreement where weve thrown things
at each other or havent spoken for weeks,
but of course smaller disagreements
happen once in a while and they should,
as we are two different people. Sometimes
we dont agree on which direction to take
an idea, and mostly the best solution is to
find a third direction, because its much
easier to complete a project if we both feel
strongly for the concept. One secret to a
successful partnership is to give each other
space and positive feedback.

@karlssonwilker
We made it a custom to
go out for a night at the
beginning of each year,
where we ask each other
if we want to do this one
more year.

com puterarts.creativeb loq.com


- 27 -

@steviec123
By not competing with
each other but learning
and collaborating youll
find creative success.

Scott Birnie
Trust, delivering what
you said you would, and
honesty (no bullshitting).
Also, personality, humour
and professionality.

I n s i g h t L o u i se Sl o per

March 2014

About the writer


Louise Sloper is head of
design at BETC London,
lastyear picking up awards
including a Campaign
Outdoor Hall of Fame,
anEpica and an ADC. She
isaD&AD 2014 juror and
acommittee member of
theTypographic Circle.
www.betc.co.uk

A question of style
Everyone has their favourite styles, but good designers need
flexibility and an open mind: Louise Sloper on why it might be
time to throw out your skinny trousers and thick-rimmed glasses

ast week I sat down next to a well-dressed


man on the tube. He was reading a book.
Nothing really different to normal. I was
bored, so glanced over at the page he was on. What
Ididnt expect was to see a big, bold letter g set
unmistakably in Gill Sans he was reading a beautiful
collectors journal of typography. Original edition. A
book that would not be out of place in my own library.
I looked a little closer at the man reading this thing
of beauty. Thick, angular glasses check. Expensive,
kooky, tailored jacket check. Slim trousers. Hair and
stubble carefully groomed. All in black. Check, check,
check. Sitting beside me was the perfectly put-together
stereotype of a graphic designer.
Feeling inquisitive, I asked him about the book.
What took me by surprise was that instead of the
expected excitement at someone sharing their love of
typography, I was met with a quizzical look up-anddown, followed by a dismissive grunt which implied,
You wouldnt be interested. Granted, that day I was
not sporting the female equivalent of the designers
wardrobe. In fact, I was wearing my usual attire, a
colourful mishmash of styles that changes every day.
Iguess I didnt fit the bill.
When I arrived at my desk, this encounter got me
thinking. As a profession we tend to live and breathe
design. Not just in dressing the part, but also in
howwe decorate our homes, in the carefully chosen
artwork adorning our walls and the music we listen
to.Each and everything is considered, and so it should

be to an extent. Our profession is (luckily) in our


livesand hearts 24 hours a day.
But pigeonholing ourselves in to one style (and
consequently being dismissive of other styles that
donot fit this category) is potentially damaging.
Theres nothing wrong with loving modernist forms
orneon madness or classical elegance. But remember
not to love one form to the distraction of the others.
Good graphic design is not just about looking the part
or forcing your personal style on a project, however
fashionable it may be.
Ultimately, we are employed to solve problems
forother people. Design dresses a subject, a brand,
aproduct. And that design should fit that subject
matter, brand or product perfectly. It comes in all
forms, not just the one of the moment. As designers,
we should ooze passion and exuberance and curiosity,
whilst, of course, maintaining a degree of structure.
Its a new year. Lets make sure we have fun in
design, especially after a hard few years. Be inclusive
rather than selective. Reference a variety of styles,
cultures, age groups and fashions. Experiment and
take chances. Keep our work as inspiring as it can be,
and not define ourselves and our work by a narrow set
of rules. We are, after all, the people who are lucky
enough to make a living from creating, inspiring,
anddoing what we love.
Do you agree, or is it important to have your own unique
style? Tweet @ComputerArts using #DesignMatters

computerarts.creativeb loq.com
- 28 -

I n s i g h t C r a i g wa rd

Mar ch 2014

About the writer


Craig Ward is a British-born
designer and art director
currently based in New
York. The 2008 ADC
Young Gun is celebrated
mainlyfor his pioneering
typographic works, and
healso contributes to
various industry journals.
www.wordsarepictures.co.uk

Minimalism as visual clutter


As even more designers hop on the bandwagon,
CraigWardgetsgrumpy over the pointless trend
forminimalistreworkings ofmovieposters

t started off so well. These things often


do.Ithink were all in agreement that the
majority of film posters one sees around are,
lets be honest, dross. Some riff on the well-trodden
formula of a piece of slick, extruded 3D typography
(extra points if it glows, is made of metal, or both)
ordistressed, faux-letterpress type over (choose
one):image of face in shadow, two people standing
back-to-back, guy looking moodily back over his
shoulder. You know the ones.
My favourite is when they add a shadow to the
distressed type, like its been printed on something
transparent and floating above the image very nice.
Tagline. Production logos. Small print. Sold.
And then someone on the interweb Id be hard
pushed to say who hit upon the idea of reworking
afilm poster in a minimalist style. A worthy reaction
to what a once-beautiful medium had become.
What if we didnt have to see BRAD PITT in 140pt
type, flanked by an ensemble cast list of dozens? What
if we didnt show the film companys logo? And the
production company. And the sound guys. And the
Sundance Laurels and awards wreaths. And the names
of the writers, technicians, and editors. What if bear
with me here what if we didnt even need to show
who was in the film, just a jaunty, Saul Bass-style
silhouette of some iconic moment? Wouldnt that be
abeautiful poster?
The answer is yes. Yes, it would make for a very
beautiful poster. For one film. What it wouldnt make

is a nice poster for every single film. And book cover.


Ever. The internet and design community at large is
sogood at taking a nice idea and running with it until
youre absolutely sick of the sight of it. If I see one more
collection of minimalist Harry Potter covers I swear
Iwill break something.
My own personal taste preferences and limited
patience for the industry at large aside, my argument
is that the people who engage in this pastime are really
missing the point. You cant honestly imagine that the
designer responsible for those terrible posters actually
wants to put all that crap on their poster, can you?
That they were thinking, This poster is almost
perfect, it just needs one more logo?
By and large, the industry players mandate that Mr
Pitts name be front and centre, at a certain percentage
of the poster width. And yes, with a photo. And if you
think the production company is paying for a poster
without their logo displayed proudly on it then please
think again.
All of those elements are, sadly, there for a reason,
designed by committee. And to pretend that youre
abetter designer than someone else just because
youcan circumnavigate that whole process from
thecomfort of your laptop, is as good as saying that
youd be a better driver if there were fewer corners
andno other cars on the road.
What pointless trends wind you up? Share your pet
peeveswith @ComputerArts using #DesignMatters

computerarts.creativeb loq.com
- 30 -

Computer Arts selects the hottest


newdesign, illustration and motion
work from the global design scene

PROJECT
REVIEW

Branding in motion
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rebrand
Unveiled 17 December 2013 (rollout ongoing)
by 180LA
www.180la.com

When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and


Sciences tasked 180LA with devising a new brand
identity system, the agency identified a simple but
effective solution: move the light source, which
previously came from behind the logo, and use
aspotlight to create a triangular shape.
We simply changed the relationship and
positioning between the spotlight and the Oscar
statuette, says Richard Harrington, 180LAs head
of design, who led the project. By lifting the
spotlight upwards and shining it down onto
thestatuette, an A shape appears.
As a result, the marque now resembles the
letterA rather than O. The result is a neat
transformation intoarepresentation of the full
Academy brand, incontrast to the previous logo,
which placed thefocus on the Oscars ceremony.
Our task was to represent the different parts
ofthe Academy with a consistent and unifying look,
and this felt like a very natural solution, explains
Harrington. During the first briefings, I saw there
was a spotlight behind the Oscar statuette and
Ihad what was almost a gut reaction.
As he points out, the Academy has been
verymuch overshadowed by the yearly awards
ceremony, which is just one element of the brand
asa whole. There are many facets that arent
currently showcased or celebrated to their fullest
potential, he explains.

The new design achieves a much broader focus.


Italso provides a visual constant that stands to work
well across all entities of the Academy, which include
alibrary, archive and a forthcoming museum, set to
open in 2017. The core marque will also lend itself
well to interpretation by others, both internally and
externally, which is being actively encouraged.
Creatives including artists, designers, writers and
filmmakers are being commissioned to interpret the
Ashape, which will be present in all areas of the
brands communication.
Type treatments as demonstrated through
prototype magazine covers and posters have
largelybeen inspired by the Academys archive.
Welooked through loads of pages and folders of
oldtype and came across all these unique, interesting
type treatments and combinations, says Harrington.
Its quite loose at the moment. Well be trying different
things out over the next six months.
Harrington is originally from Britain and moved
tothe US to set up the 180LA design team four years
ago, after a four-year stint in the agencys Amsterdam
office a background that he believes informed his
approach to the project. I think being British allowed
me to bring a slightly unconventional approach to a
traditional branding assignment, he says.
We never intended this to be a traditional piece of
identity design, he adds. Its more of a mentality and
creative direction we want the Academy to adopt.

S ho w c a s e

March 2014

As the new Academy and Oscars logos show, the letter A is both effective
and subtle as a unifying element. The Academy wanted a system that
would keep them relevant, present and true to what the brand stands for,
explains 180LAs head of design, Richard Harrington.
The cover of the new brand book is an effective iteration of the new
marque. The project was about encouraging an approach that will
enable the Academy to tap into its own pool of creative resources.
As well as introducing a logo for the whole organisation for the very first
time, the rebrand explores the Academys philosophy and approach to its
driving force: imagination.
Prototype covers for the Academys magazine explore the A motif, part
ofan ongoing process of experimenting with different type treatments. Its
a glimpse of the potential for creative interpretations of the new marque.
Richard Harrington enjoyed immersing himself in the Academys history
during many hours spent in the archive. It was lovely to sit down there
and meet people who are so passionate about their work, he says.

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Th e very b e s t ne w de si g n

March 2014

the rest of the


industry says
Armin Vit

UnderConsideration
underconsideration.com

Establishing a clear logo, one that


doesnt just try to ride the coat-tails
of the Oscars but integrates the
renowned event with the Academy,
is a welcome step. In application
theA-interpretation device seen
inthe magazine prototypes looks
likeit could be plenty of fun.
Everything is elegant and without
anyunnecessary decoration.

Becky Barker
Landor
www.landor.com

Whilst Im not a huge fan of some


of the letterforms supporting this
identity, the strong lines, flat colour
and use of space give it an assertive
and modern quality. The idea is
clear, which will allow the marque
to become a platform for artist
expression and interpretation.

Chris Moody
Wolff Olins
www.wolffolins.com

For me its a winner. Simple, elegant


and a little understated. Taking a
familiar (but awkward) icon and giving
it greater presence and usability
as a tool for communications is a
smart move. However, just like the
film industry as a whole, its future
success will be judged on how well
ittranslates into a digital world.
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S ho w c a s e

March 2014

Suspended light
Misty Traffic Lights
by Lucas Zimmermann
www.behance.net/lucasz2005

Visual communication student


Lucas Zimmermann was driving
past some traffic lights one foggy
December evening near Weimar,
Germany, when he noticed the
atmosphere created by the light
hitting the water droplets in the
air.I just had to stop and take
pictures of it, he recalls.
Using shutter speeds between
8and 30 seconds, Zimmermann
adjusted the temperature and
brightness settings to achieve
images as close to the original
sight aspossible. Incoming cars
were abig pain, he laughs. And
Iwas surprised to see the green
lights came out very blue.

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Th e very b e s t ne w de si g n

March 2014

READ me
Handmade Book cover
by Louise Hamer
www.louisehamer.co.uk

In response to a student brief,


recent Shillington graduate Louise
Hamer designed an engaging
handmade book cover for the
Lewis Carroll classic, Alices
Adventures in Wonderland.
Shestacked layers of card to
build a 3D design with a feeling
ofdepth: I wanted to create
asense of curiosity and make
people feel like they were being
pulled into the rabbit hole, just
likeAlice, Hamer explains.
Accuracy and precision was
key. Making mockups during the
process really helped with creating
the final pieces, she adds.

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S ho w c a s e

March 2014

Lets get physical


Digital Natives
AmsterdamIdentity
by Soon
www.coming-soon.be

When Digital Natives Amsterdam


needed a new identity, it called on
Belgium-based identity specialist
Soon to create asystem based
onthe infinity symbol. So far, so
straightforward, but the project
took an unusually practical turn.
Soon hand-painted hundreds
oftriangles to form a giant,
apaptable version of the logo.
The project is typical of the
kindof work Soon likes best. It is
nice when we finish a design to be
able to walk in, see it and touch it,
sayscreative director Jim Van
Raemdonck. We dont like to work
constantly behind the computer,
but combine modern techniques
with handcrafting.

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Th e very b e s t ne w de si g n

March 2014

A splash of Port
Port Vintage typeface
by Onrepeat
www.onrepeat.net

When reinventing his Port


typeface, type designer Joo
Oliveira of Onrepeat studio had
aspecific client in mind. My main
focus was always the editorial
world, especially in areas such
asfashion and luxury, he says.
For Port Vintage, Oliveira
adapted the blueprint for Port,
making it softer by changing the
transitions between the stems and
serifs, converting the unbracketed
serifs into serifs with deep brackets
and adding terminals to the
swashes. It feels less funky than
the original version and more
elegant and curvy, Oliveira says.

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S ho w c a s e

March 2014

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Th e very b e s t ne w de si g n

March 2014

Creature comforts
studio Identity
by Creature Seattle
www.welcometocreature.com

Back in 2002, creative agency Creature launched with


arather unusual philosophy: We expect to be a slightly
different company tomorrow than we are today. Assuch,
come 2014, Creature found that its identity no longer
fitted the company it had become.
While the rest of the world wants to get rid of
problems,Creature wants to collect them and shape
theminto beautiful creative solutions, explains creative
director Clara Mulligan, who worked on the refresh project
alongside chief creative officerJim Haven. This approach
isreflected inCreatures new identity, which draws on the
visual language of the hospitality world, but includes
purposeful glitches and smeared typography.

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Th e very b e s t ne w de si g n

March 2014

MOTION
HIGHLIGHT

On the ball
Animated magazine cover
by Ral Gonzlez
www.behance.net/rulascalaca

In the run up to the 2014 World Cup, travel magazine


Bleu & Blanc created a special issue entitled Brasil
tiene el baln (Brazil has the ball), celebrating this
years host country. To design illustrations and
amotion piece for the digital edition it turned to
designer and motion graphics specialist Ral
Gonzlez. I wanted something fun, full of colours
andlotsofmovement, he says of his approach.
The brief was to capture the best of Brazil, from
Oscar Niemeyers architecture in Brasilia to the
contemporary art galleries in Belo Horizonte, as
wellas giving readers an insight into the preparations
going on for the World Cup. The biggest challenge
was to reflect all that in just 30 seconds, says
Gonzlez. Well, 31 actually.

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S ho w c a s e

March 2014

FEATURED
SHOWREEL

I only have eyes for you


Personal showreel
by Tom Darracott
www.tomdarracott.com

In a motion design scene swimming with accomplished


showreels, how do you make yours stand apart from
the crowd? In the case of designer and art director
Tom Darracott, it was all about the right music.
For his latest showreel, he shunned the typical
electronic beats for something more unexpected
IOnly Have Eyes for You, byThe Flamingos.
Itsatrack Ive always loved. It has that strange,
other-worldly, timeless feel about it, he explains.
The song provides the perfect foil to Darracotts
slick design work for cultural and fashion clients,
andhas the added bonus of containing a hidden
message for its viewers: Its another way of saying
Ionly have eyes for my clients, Darracott jokes.
Itis,ofcourse, tongue-in-cheek, but I like that
elementofhumour toit.

computerarts.creativeb loq.com
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T h e Awa rd - winning

tailored for tablet.


Experience additional multimedia content
in our fully interactive iPad edition
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Computer Arts readers know design matters. Thats why weve completely
reinvented our digital edition as a fully interactive iPad experience with
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such as image galleries and bonus videos, which bring the
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Try it for free today with


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http://goo.gl/sMcPj (UK) or http://goo.gl/aib83 (US)

Digital replicas also available on Google Play, Nook and Zinio

brand
Type is

T ypogr a p hy i n b r a ndi ng

S p e c i a l Re p o r t

A striking logo and distinctive colour palette might contribute


to a brands personality, butErik Spiekermann argues that
nothing communicates quite likeacustom typeface

E r i k S p i e k e r m a n n Current creative director and managing


partner at Edenspiekermann, Erik is an art historian, printer, type designer,
information architect and author. Hehas picked up numerous prestigous awards
during his career, including the Honorary Royal Designerfor Industry Britain,
TDC Medal andthe National German Lifetime Achievement Award.
www.edenspiekermann.com

Sp eci al R e p o r T

March 2014

ithout language there is nothing. Communication is


language and type is its visible form. One of mankinds
greatest achievements. It wasnt until the invention
ofwriting that action and thought were separated
readingslows down reaction. Hearing means believing,
without facts, without proof. It is only when we read
aboutsomething that we can form an opinion and
expressobjection.
The magic world of hearing is at odds with the
neutral world of the eye. As Marshall McLuhan wrote
inhisbook, The Medium is the Massage: Until writing
was invented, man lived in acoustic space: boundless,
directionless, horizonless,
in the dark of the mind,
inthe world of emotion,
byprimordial intuition, by
terror. Speech is a social
chart of this bog.
Censoring literature
or worse still burning
books destroys one of the
foundations of our
civilisation. Writing means
keeping a presence. Today
we read more than ever,
regardless of what many
false prophets of progress
through electronic media
say. While homemade cat videos might top the charts
onYouTube, most of the internet consistsoftext.
Corporations and brands speak to their customers,
employees, the press. Tothe public, in public. They do so
mainly in writing, regardless of the medium. Even a TV
spot cannot exist without showing the brand name or
theclaim: both are writing.
In other words, most ofwhat we know about a
brand or a product is what weve read about it. If these
messages have not been designed to communicate with
thetarget audience, if they dont agree with the brands

essence (or, worse, if the brand doesnt have an essence


inthe firstplace) and if they ignore the specifics of each
medium, money and effort are wasted by the sender, while
taking precious time away from the recipients.

Building an identity
It is thus not surprising that the communication industry
spends billions designing these messages in order for them
to reach their audiences, from packaging to annual reports,
from TV spots to banner ads. Every brand strives to shape
its communication in order for it to be memorable,
authentic, believable, andattributable. The identity
ofthemessage hasto be
inline with the identity
ofthesender.
These days, even
anaccountant knows that
abrand needs a logo, like a
badge on the corporate cap.
A logo alone, however,
doesnt make a brand.
Howa brand speaks, how
itpresents itself, cannot
beleft to the unpredictable
mood of the marketplace or
some design trend. It hasto
fit the content, the times,
the medium.
Some brands have managed to achieve uniqueness
by owning a colour. While seemingly unsubtle and even
annoying at first, the colour magenta is now equated with
T-Mobile in its markets in Europe and the US. Turquoise
stands for either Tiffanys the jeweller or Bianchi, the
bicycle makers. Those can coexist under one colour
because they have no overlap. Red is Vodafone, Manchester
United (as well as Bayern Munich and dozens of other
football clubs), Audi or once upon a time Marlboro.
British brands tend to favour British racing green
and othersubtle tones, andeven non-smokers know that

Som e b r and s ac hi e v e
uniqu eness by owning
ac olour ... If t his
isjoin ed by a uniqu e
typ ef ac e, a br and s
iden tity be c om es m uc h
easier to ex p ress
andm ain t ain

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T ypogr a p hy i n b r a ndi ng

March 2014

Bosch Sans &


Serif for Bosch
I worked with type designer Christian Schwartz to develop Bosch Sans
and Serif as part of a new creative direction for the brand. People tend
to prefer serif typefaces for long text, while technical information and
advertising headlines from a high-tech company like Bosch are
expected to be more modern looking, whichfor most still implies
acontemporary sans serif.
Bosch Serif and Sans share similar metrics, but one was not simply
generated from the other. Christians version of Scheltersche Grotesk,
released as FF Bau, informed the new typeface, as did Akzidenz
Grotesk, previously the Bosch houseface. Bosch Serif renders a sharp
and precise version of the traditional model and replaces Baskerville
as the second corporate typeface.

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Sp eci al R e p o r T

March 2014

purple stands for SilkCut. BMW needs two colours:


whiteand blue, a combination itshares with Ford,
VW,GMand many other brands. Theresimply arent
enoughdistinguishable colours around for all the
brandsinthe world.

Matters of familiarity
If a distinctive colour is joined by a unique typeface,
however, a brands identity becomes much easier to express
and maintain. We know Facebook not only by its (boring
and predictable) blue, but also by its typeface. Its called
Klavika and was designed by Eric Olson. It takes its place
slightly to the left of
Helvetica. Itis a little
different from other
typefaces and that small
falone is enough to
recognise the brand by. It
does, of course, help when a
logo is seen by billions of
people every day, but at the
beginning even Facebook
was an unknown name.
That combination of blue
and a slightly odd letter
helped build the brand.
Every country
hasthose combinations:
whatwould British motorways be without itscombination
of blue signs with the Transport typeface on them? It
always takes me a while to get used to green signs in
Switzerland or France because my local German Autobahn
alsosports blue. And the DIN typeface on our signs has
also become the standard typographic expression of
engineering neutrality and solidconstruction.
Approaching a newsstand, we recognise our
favourite newspaper well before weve read the masthead.
In fact, we do not read mastheads, we recognise them. As
we do the faces of our friends, regardless of changes in

haircuts or glasses. If the Gaurdian appeared thus one day,


I bet most readers would not notice, as long as that word
was set in the right typeface (designed exclusively for the
relaunch by Christian Schwartz and Paul Barnes, but now
commercially available) and printed dark blue. Type is more
than an alphanumeric message, it is an image, a code.
If you take a train in Germany, you quickly learn
that regional trains areredwith white stripes while the
national (and faster) trains are white with a red stripe.
What the public calls white here is actually a very light grey,
but in contrast to another colour it appears lighter than it
really is. What they see may not bewhat they get, but
nobody goes around with
aPantone chart, except the
worst design nerds.
The Deutsche Bahns
printed matter echoes that
colour combination. Every
timetable, leaflet and web
page shows ared stripe, a
white background and the
occasional light grey area,
signalling its pedigree. But
what no lay person knows
(but would recognise if
toldabout it), is the fact that
every word, every headline,
every number is set in one
member ofthe large family of typefaces that were designed
for that particular corporation.

w e do no t r e ad
m ast heads , we
rec og nisethem . If th e
Gaur dian ap p ear ed
thus on e day, I bet m ost
readers would no t
notic e, as long a s IT wa s
th e r ig ht t ypef ac e

Variety and Legibility


DB Type was introduced in 2008 and gradually replaced
thedozens of faces used until then. A timetable, the menu
inthe dining car, the headline in an ad, aposter on the
station wall, the house magazine and the annual report
could not all be set in the identical typeface. Just like the
Guardian needs dozens of weights and versions for its
columns, headlines, subheads, intros, bylines, small ads

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T ypogr a p hy i n b r a ndi ng

March 2014

Firefox FiraSans Regular & Italic


aAbBcCdDeEfFgGhHiIjJkKlLmMnN
oOpPqQrRsStTuUvVwWxXyYzZ*
{&}
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
[$1234567890+1234567890%]
(.,;:=#/|!?@'-)

aAbBcCdDeEfFgGhHiIjJkKlLmMnN
oOpPqQrRsStTuUvVwWxXyYzZ*
{&}
[$1234567890+1234567890%]
(.,;:=#/|!?@-)

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Fira
for Firefox
Fira was originally called Moz and designed for
Telefonica in Spain for a project it was doing
withthe Mozilla Foundation in 2012. One year
later, Mozilla started work on its own operating
system, and we were asked to expand the face
into aproper family, renaming it Fira, after the
new Firefox browser.
The type was designed mostly to be seen
onsmall screens. Type designer Ralph Du Carrois
and myself based Fira on the Mozilla Foundations
own house face, FF Meta. We made it wider
thus a little more legible on the smaller screens
and with less noise in the details.
High resolution screens allow for subtle
grades, so Fira has four weights, from Light to
Bold. Even lighter and bolder weights may follow,
all with Italics. Coders use monospaced fonts and
they get Fira Mono, Regular and Bold. Fira is
available under an Open Source license.

Sp eci al R e p o r T

March 2014

S te p- by-step: Designing a Ho use fa ce

DBType for Deutsche Bahn


As DB expanded into new markets, Erik Spiekermann teamed up with Christian
Schwartzto develop a system of faces that would bring coherence to the brands
visualcommunication. Here, Spiekermann walks through their process
1. With DB, the briefing for the corporate
design was pretty much given by the house
colours with their distinction of regional red
and white express trains. The first manual
forthe corporate literature still showed
Helvetica as the corporate face.

2. For a 2005 campaign introducing a


controversial new price structure, normal
Helvetica was deemed too boring. The
agency suggested a wide weight of it (below
left), while we proposed a new face that we
had been working on. Luckily, the client didnt
pick our design, so we continued to develop
that proposal into what is now FF Unit (below
right). But that gave rise to the brief for an
exclusive typeface which would be used for
the plethora of printed matter that an
international brand like DB needs.

3. My first sketches were based on the idea


ofacompany with a strong engineering
background, all constructed and teutoniclooking. That concept quickly proved too
limiting, and my next sketches (below) show
aslightly more relaxed approach to the
letterforms. As the advertising people had
the most urgent demands, I dealt with the
heavy headline weight first. We actually
generated a whole family of these geometric
sans faces and even showed them to the
client, but we werent convinced ourselves
that this typeface would be appropriate for
the demands of a growing brand, so we
started over.

4. Christian Schwartz and myself decided to


develop a comprehensive system of related
faces that would be able to cover all of
Deutsche Bahns needs, from a traditional
serif for magazines, reports and other reading
matter, to a contemporary sans which could
cover advertising headlines as well as critical
information on timetables. I sketched some
Antiqua letters based on my memory of
Sabon, a typeface DB had been using for
itsannual reports.

5. Christian turned up with a serif face that


hehad drawn for a newspaper in the US
butwhich had never been used. We took
thatas the model for our family, drawing
thesans after the serif and bringing some
ofthe characteristics across, like the cupped
serif on the top left.

6. DB Sans has a headline version, a text version


and two narrower versions and there is a
normal serif as well as a slightly heavier one,
almost a slab, for less-than-delicate printing
on office printers. We also made an office
version of the sans which runs to the same
widths as Arial, so it could be replaced by
thatsystem font in case the user failed to
install the proper DB Sans Office. This was
something that convinced the IT people
whoconsidered anything not supplied by
Microsoft to be a virus.
12

DB Sans stands for Sans Serif typefaces.


Condensed are the narrower cuts,
while Compressed explains itself.

14

DB Head is the version


for big headlines
and short messages.
From designing to hard work

DB Serif for continuous copy.


DB News for newspapers & magazines.

The Antiqua typefaces


are DBSerif &
DB News.

DB Sans for short copy.

DB Head for headlines & advertising copy.


DB Sans Condensed for legible small print.
DB Sans Compressed for saving space.

aAbBeEgGiI
aAbBeEgGiI
aAbBeEgGiI
aAbBeEgGiI
aAbBeEgGiI
aAbBeEgGiI

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T ypog r a p hy i n b r a ndi ng

March 2014

7. Digital production meant that we could


makethe computer do some of the work,
likeinterpolating weights and adding accents.
The different versions can be mixed together
to express a wide range of communication,
with lots of alternates allowing designers
tomake wordmarks and other logo-like
applications within the system.

8. DBType was introduced without making any


changes to the corporate design standards
that existed. The new faces were simply
exchanged for the existing Helveticas and
other typefaces that had been sneaking in
over time.

and information graphics, therange of communication


published by alarge business like the German railways
required more than aRegular weight and itsItalic.
We expect long text tobe set in a typeface as
weknow it from books ormagazines, while advertising
headlines need to be simple and bold. Vital information
like train times need to be legible under adverse conditions
(outside in bad weather, bad lighting, orifyoure in a hurry),
so numbers and letters need to be very clear and not prone
to be confused with each other. Try reading Helvetica in
small sizes or on a smartphone for that matter and you
may miss your train. It does make adifference whether a
train leaves from platform 3 or 8, at 22:00 or at 23:00, on Sa
or on Su. 1, l and I are also frequent victims of confusion,
as anybody who has tried to enter a password that sports
those characters will know.
We may not have to spell out every letter in the
Guardians masthead because we recognise rather than
read it, but mixing up vital information can have
consequences that might even make information design
play an important role, for once. When Deutsche Bahn
expanded its reach beyond running trains and became
theworlds fourth-largest logistics company with business
units across the globe (amongst them, the Arriva bus
franchise in London), it realised that itwasnt one target
group it was trying to reach. Now, its audience was
essentially everybody, everywhere.
It had to speak with one voice to be seen asone
brand. And the typographic expression ofthat voice was
tobe afamily of some 30 typefaces, from a serif for long
text to a compressed sans for lots of information in a small
space. These typefaces are not only available forexternal
communications but are alsoinstalled on every computer
across the company, albeit as a reduced set, as necessary for
internal communication.
As the company expands across the globe, DB Type
is now also available forthe Cyrillic and Greek alphabets.
Type has thus become the common denominator, joined by
red, grey and white to shape a brand environment that

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Sp eci al R e p o r T

March 2014

can incorporate every medium and every purpose


withoutlosing face, so to speak.

A unique approach
An exclusive typographic system of this complexity used
tobe the exception. While it was possible, financially and
technically, to design and produce a typeface exclusively
forthe use of one company, it was not really feasible.
Once,however, the samepersonal computer that was used
to design typefaces and produce fonts was also used as the
main communication tool inside companies, it became
easier to convince marketing and technical people alike
that fonts were meant for
more than the occasional
campaign headline, and
easier to implement than
new versions ofWindows.
But even as late as
the 90s, marketing folk
didnt understand that
anexclusive typeface not
only created anexclusive
look for their brand, but
alsosaved money in its
implementation, compared
to having to license
whatever new stuff the
advertising agency would
suggest from season to season.
When Christian Schwartz and I were asked to
design a house typeface for Bosch in 2004, the initiative
didnt stem from its desire to communicate with one voice,
but actually from the procurement people who were fed up
having to spend lots of money as soon as they had to license
their existing fonts for yet another market or language
system. Baskerville and Akzidenz Grotesk were its existing
faces, as the communication people at Bosch already
understood that just a few weights of a sans were not
enough to cover the width and breadth of the brand which

supplies anything from drill bits and spark plugs to


packaging plants and turnkey power stations. But those
faces were not available in compatible versions for all the
necessary platforms, there werent enough weights and
versions, and what was available didnt really fit together.
Over time, a well-meant concept had become a legacy,
expensive and impractical.
The new family of faces for Bosch comprises a
sansas well as a serif version, each with sufficient weights
toserve all purposes, internally and externally. Bosch
Sansis also available for non-Latin writing systems.
Thefontsare supplied free of charge to printers, agencies
andother services.
Theinvestment in the
house faces has already paid
off in terms of money saved
on licenses and logistics,
not to mention improved
internal communications
andbrand recognition.

Th e hou se f ac es hav e
p aid of f in te r ms
of m oney sav ed on
lic en sesand log i st ic s ,
no t to m en tion
im p r ovedinte r nal
c om m unic ation s and
br and r ec og nit ion

Saving face

Not every company gives


away its fonts for free. The
bean counters at Daimler
Benz wanted to get some of
the money back they had
paid to Kurt Weidemann
for the work on his trilogy of faces forthem. Only a few
months after Corporate A (for Antiqua), S (for Sans) and
E(for Egyptienne) had been released, they made a deal
witha distributor to release the fonts commercially.
While Daimler Benz was the first brand to
commission such an extensive family of typefaces back
in1990, it squandered its advantage by enabling every
backstreet garage toappear at least typographically like
theinventor of the automobile. When apremium brand
such as Leica uses Corporate S as its house face, I am not
quite sure whether its agency knew it was the Daimler

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T ypogr a p hy i n b r a ndi ng

March 2014

ITC Officina
for The Economist
I redesigned The Economist newspaper with Ben Acornley from MetaDesign
London, bringing in type designer Ole Schfer in Berlin to help me with
theredesign of the Economist text face. It was felt that readers found thetext
too dense and offputting, so before we started work on the new layout, we
redesigned the text face (two weights plus italics only), making itsimpler and
less dense. While actually set smaller than before, more leading and open
tracking make it more pleasant to read.
Information graphics are set in ITC Officina Sans. As the heavy weights
were considered too goofy, we made a special display version for the cover,
now available as ITC Officina Display.

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Sp eci al R e p o r T

March 2014

Benz typeface and triedto jump onto that bandwagon,


orwhether it was simply unaware of that heritage and just
used it because it seemed suitable. Naming the face for the
original client might have prevented that.
Deutsche Bahn had a better idea: it made every
supplier pay for the fonts. They get it from a distributor
who makes sure every buyer signs the agreement of
exclusivity, before shipping the latest version. The client
doesnt have to deal with the logistics of shipping or
versionmaintenance (fonts
are software and can be
updated, expanded or
improved) and has already
had more than its original
investment back. Suppliers
who have paid a market
price forthe privilege
ofworking forDB are
alsolesslikely touse
thefonts for other
purposesorclients.
Corporate fonts
likeother fonts
arenotrestricted to
alphanumeric glyphs.
Theycan incorporate
logos,special characters, pictograms, bullets,
icons.Fontsare easier to distribute and use than other
formats. IT people used to be afraid of anything but
systemfonts and considered anything from the outside
asdangerous as a virus. Now that OpenType has become
the standard font format, albeit in different flavours, and
can be used across platforms, those arguments count for
even less than they did back in the 90s. Fonts dont care
whether they run on a Mac or a PC, they can be distributed

and installed easily, and the files are much smaller than
even the smallest images.
As brands communicate across media they need
tomake sure that their online presence doesnt deviate
from the standards used for print. While colour has been
free on screens for a long time, type used to be expensive
ordifficult to get. Today, however, there is no excuse not
touse proper typefaces on the web, in apps and even for
that little screen on your microwave oven.

Typographic choices
We have never had better
typographic choices, with
more typefaces being added
into the mix every day
bygreat type designers
from all over the world.
Andif you havent got
thebudget, the expertise
orthe guts to design an
exclusive typeface for your
clients, you can easily find
the right face for the job
and make it your own by
using it properly. A good
compromise would be
tolicense an existing face and have it renamed for the
particular job or the client. Most foundries do that for
asmallfee. This way you can make sure that other
suppliers or the people in-house have no more excuses
notto use theproper face.
A brand that doesnt pull out all the typographic
stops will not communicate properly. Only those that
doknow how to speak to their audiences will survive.
Typeis visible language.

F on ts don t c ar e
wh et h er th ey r un on
a Mac or a PC, they
c an be dist r ibute d and
inst all ed ea sily and
t hef iles ar e m uc h
s m all er than even
s m allim ag es

Design and music: still a match made in heaven? In next issues Special Report, Adrian Shaughnessy explores how designers
longstanding love affair with the music industry hasevolved to cater to an increasingly demanding market and presents his
selectionofinspiring examples from around the world.

computerart s.creativebloq.co m
- 56 -

impact.

Introducing the

Impact Conference
A one day event on how to achieve
excellence and consistency in
branding across all formats and
market sectors.

Exclusive insights from client-side


commissioners at the worlds
biggest brands, including:
Jessica Felby
Head of Design for
Carlsberg Group
James Sommerville
VP Global Design at
The Coca-Cola Company
Sunita Yeomans
Head of Creative at Tesco
Joe Ferry
Head of Global Design
at Mars

06 March 2014
LONDON FILM MUSEUM
SE1 7BP
www.impactconf.com
@Impact_conf

With thanks to our partner

Presented by

At A gl ance: Toby & Pete


D a t e f o u n d e d : 2010
N u m b e r o f s t a f f : Three, plus freelancers
 L o c a t i o n : Sydney, Australia
 D i s c i p l i n e s : Print, motion and interactive
FEATURE D PRO J ECT s : Flume Infinity, Steve Back, Daily Juice
UR L : www.tobyandpete.com

Defying definition
Toby Pike and Pete Stopniak excel in print, but last year a
custom light installation catapulted their studio onto the world
stage. They tell us why canny collaboration is the way forward
Words: Julia Sagar
Photography: Jeremy Shaw
www.jeremyshaw.com.au

Stu d i o L i f e

March 2014

Toby Pike and Pete Stopniak in their


third studio space an old warehouse
built circa 1926, complete with dog,
two-tonne cranes and concrete floors

n the evening of Saturday 13 April 2013, a young


Australian musician stepped up to the stage in front
of a sell-out crowd in Dubbo, New South Wales.
Drenching the 18,000 revellers in cascading layers of
cooing synths, chopped-up vocals and electro beats, he
bobbed and weaved over his laptop as a pulsing light show
whipped the crowd into a rave-fuelled frenzy. From their
homes, thousands more Australians joined in as a huge,
hexagonal light installation made its debut to the world.
The musician was Harley Streten, better known
as breakthrough electro artist Flume Sydneys latest
superstar producer and the show-stopping visuals came
courtesy of Toby & Pete, an eclectic design duo rooted
in print craft. I think we were more nervous than Flume,
laughs studio co-founder Toby Pike. Wed rehearsed the
show dozens of times, but a massive crowd of eager fans
definitely makes you question every technical connection
several times over.
Its been a whirlwind 18 months for the Sydneybased studio. Flume didnt have a platinum album when
his record label, Future Classic, first contacted the team,
looking for a unique visual icon to represent the producer
on stage. Toby & Pete, meanwhile then, more famous for
the studios innovative photo-illustration and CGI work
had never built an interactive light installation. But that
didnt stop them.
As the hype around Flume exploded, the
designcrew kept their heads down, drawing on the
DJs kaleidoscopic album artwork to create an infinity

prism a six-sided device embedded with LED lights and


mirrors,connecting directly to Flumes live set. With the
help of an extended team, Toby & Pete alsocreated over
two hours of mesmerising multi-screen visuals for the
producer to control during his set.
It was three months of doubt and fear, confirms
fellow studio founder Pete Stopniak. From a technical
standpoint, Lukasz [Karluk], the interactive programmer
we work with, is no stranger to generative animation. 3D
forprint is fairly close to motion work and Angus [Forbes],
our director has been shooting live action for years.
We were, however, building custom LED panels
out of glorified fairy lights to be displayed in front of
thousands, and then loaded onto a truck and carted
aroundthe country. Stopniak continues: Everything
was ok until we started meeting with the tour production
people. Hundreds of random tour disaster stories of tried
and tested equipment failing for no apparent reason didnt
helpus at all, he laughs.
Fortunately, the debut show went off without hitch.
Since then, the infinity prism has toured with Flume through
his sold-out Australian tour, across the UK and Europe,
and around the US, picking up best live act in the 2013
InTheMix awards and propelling Toby & Pete firmly onto
the world stage. The attention weve received has been
phenomenal, says Stopniak. Wed struggled with breaking
out of the purely print studio category, but now Ithink
people realise were much more than that.
In fact, the studio has always been more than that.
Toby & Pete is bigger than the name implies, with a third
designer Lachie McDonald permanently on the books,
and a large team of freelancers (currently between eight
and 10) who share the huge warehouse space on Cleveland
Street, in Sydneys Surry Hills. Between them, they make
up a unique, ever-changing collective of talent and

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- 60 -

One of a pair of
images, Rub Me
isanexploration
intophotographic
typography. Selfinitiated work is an
important aspect
ofstudio life

T oby & P e t e

March 2014

Project focus
Flume infinit y
prism and visuals
The studios biggest project
spans live action, motion
graphics, CGI, generative
animation and more
Toby & Petes ongoing work with
Australian electro artist Flume is a
celebration in creative collaboration,
demonstrating exactly what can be
achieved when talented craftspeople
pool their skills together.
Consisting of a custom LED
installation including bespoke
hardware and software and just
undertwo hours of motion content, all
seamlessly integrated and controlled
through Flumes performance laptop,
the infinity prism and accompanying
visuals were a first for the studio and
required additional expertise to bring
themto life. It was challenging across
every field, admits Pike. Individually,
each element going into the project
was fairly straightforward, but the sheer
multitude of parts and the fact they
all had to interact with one another
was at times overwhelming.
Electronics developer Nick Clarke
created the prisms control box, while
Toby & Petes interactive developer
Lukasz Karluk designed the prism
software, and tour manager Lynden
Gare handled everything from lighting
design to shipping the prism around
the world. But the whole team played
apart in producing the project.
We were given so much freedom
that everyone had a section they could
express themselves in, says Stopniak.
The first show had 18,000 people
anda live national broadcast. No biggie!
The best bit? Seeing people losing their
minds atthe premiere. Its been great.

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- 61 -

Stu d i o L i f e

March 2014

The creatives in Toby & Petes shared studio


space sit in one, long desk arrangement.
Theres always someone doing something
cool, says Stopniak

have adiverse span of work and awards to prove it.


Cadbury, the New York Lottery, MasterCard, Greenpeace,
Rolling Stone magazine and Sony are just some of the bigname clients that have come calling in the three years that
have passed since Toby& Pete launched.
Stopniak and Pike first met a decade ago at
Sydney-based retouching studio Electric Art. Having
suspected that some form of digital imaging was the
way to go, Stopniak who had been playing a lot of games
and was beginning to experiment in 3D studied visual
communication: photography and digital imaging at the
University of Western Sydney. In 2004 he was offered a
job at EA, after covering for a friend who had taken time
off. Toby did a degree in digital media and joined me at
Electric Art a few months later, Stopniak recalls.
Six years passed before the designers started Toby
& Pete. During that time Stopniak honed his 3D and CGI
skills, while Pike accepted an art director job at Saatchi
& Saatchi. It would be another two years before the pair
reconvened on the freelance circuit, but by the time they
did their first job a set of three landscapes with 3D
type for The Age newspaper in Melbourne a creative
partnership had become inevitable.

3D and retouching are now combined by default,


so it was kind of understood that wed be collaborating
on most projects, explains Pike. The plan was to share
a space for six months and, if things continued on an
upward trend, wed set up a company. Two months later,
we were sitting down with lawyers and accountants signing
contracts. Toby & Pete was born.

modern surre alism


Both Stopniak and Pike are highly skilled retouchers in
theirown right. Their photographic-illustration work is
exquisite, screaming attention to craft and commanding
more than a handful of industry awards in recent years.
Earth Hour, for instance a stunning print campaign
showing moths flocking to a lit lamp to highlight the global
event picked up a bronze award for digital manipulation
and silver for photography from the Australasian Writers
and Art Directors Association during the studios early
days. And after just 12 months in business, Toby & Pete
wasnamed at the forefront of the Australian retouching
field byCapture magazine.
When asked, Stopniak defines the studios
aestheticas some kind of modern surrealism.

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- 62 -

Dont leave the lights


on is the message
behind Earth Hour.
The piece won Toby
& Pete two awards

T oby & P e t e

March 2014

Project focus
Daily Juice
Toby & Pete specialises in CGI,
but sometimes theres just no
substitute for model-making
One of the biggest misconceptions around
Toby & Petes stunning artwork for The Daily
Juice Company is that it was created in CGI.
Infact, the piece represents a painstaking
combination of model-making, photography
and the teams trademark hyperreal
photo-illustration skills. The brief was to
useCGI, says Pike, but we didnt think it
was right for the natural and appetising
feelyou want a food product to have.
Tasked to build a fantastical juicing
machine, the pair took inspiration from
cartoonist Rube Goldberg and projects like
theCoca-Cola Happiness Factory to create
asurreal world, dense with fun and action.
After constructing catapults, water mills and
more, the studio worked with photographer
and long-standing collaborator Andreas
Smetana who shot orange splashes and
captured the landscape before combining
thedifferent elements in Photoshop.
Planning was really intense, says Pike.
There were so many elements we ran the risk
of not shooting enough, or shooting things in
the wrong way. Thepost work was incredibly
complex and tedious. It was like making dozens
of images stitched together to create the one
image. He smiles: We wanted people to
discover lots of scenarios buried within it.

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- 63 -

Stu d i o L i f e

March 2014

The warehouse boasts a mezzanine, where


studio members can take time out. We have
some props left over, like the Wookie suit from
the Parklife job, and lots of bikes, says Pike

Heexplains: We started our professional careers trying


to make everything as real as possible, but now were trying
to getinto a space somewhere between real and graphic.
Weoften try to use implausible shapes assembled photorealistically, whether by photography, retouching or CGI.
But it isnt just the level of craft that characterises
Stopniak and Pikes work: innovative concepts streak
throughout their diverse portfolio, and theres more than
a touch of typographic genius in some of their projects.
Take their logo for creative director Steve Back. Briefed,
simply, to make the clients name fun and playful, the pair
transformed the type into a huge inflatable castle, weaving
vibrant, oversized 3D lettering into an alluring vision of softplay mastery. It looks good enough to bounce on indeed,
the project quickly caught the attention of the design media
and preschool children alike.
So how did a partnership thats so good at print end
up working across film, interactive, live visuals and more?
The evolution, Stopniak reflects, was part restlessness,
part accident: We knew from the get-go we didnt want
to be retouchers forever. Motion was a logical step, but we
actually got asked to pitch on an installation before our first
motion job. I still think the installation job came to us by
accident, he confesses, because there was no mention of
such work on our website at the time, but were glad they
did we got to know Lukasz in the process of putting the
pitch together for that.
And therein lies the crux: central to the studios
ethos is a huge emphasis on collaboration. From the

moment Stopniak and Pike began sharing a space with


fellow freelancers, they saw an exciting opportunity to
pooltheir skills and break new creative ground.
We formed the wider collective with the view
thatagood creative can work with a good craftsman to
create amazing work. Thats our reasoning for branching
out into so many different mediums, Pike explains.

Bet ter together


Its interesting, he continues. We know some people
whoare a little wary of the whole Jack-of-all-trades thing,
but generally we find our clients really respond to that, as
we can offer a better, more complete solution. They can
come for the print but stay for the interactive.
These days, all new projects start with Stopniak
andPike. The pair tried bringing everyone onboard
early on, but it became tricky to manage so now the
co-founders work out a rough creative direction before
a new project begins. Stopniak tends to take the lead on
the 3D and CGI work, while Pike gravitates towards the
photographic side of things.
On most projects we start off at opposite ends
creatively and end up streaming down to a place were

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- 64 -

T oby & P e t e

March 2014

Project focus
Steve Back
Good enough to jump on: Toby & Petes nostalgia-inducing inflatable
typetreatmentcould, Stopniak reckons, work in real-life
Before finding fame with Flume, Stopniak and
Pike were busy making a name for themselves
with their eye-catching type treatments. One of
the best-known is a playful logo for Australian
creative director Steve Back.
Steve wanted something personal for his folio,
Stopniak begins. We wanted to make the bouncy
castle plausible, so there was a lot of sketching to
figure out how all the letters could co-exist in space
without crashing into one another.
Stopniak modelled the piece in Modo and
rendered it in Maya with Mental Ray, before

adding wrinkles and seams and pulling ittogether


in Photoshop. His favourite part? Definitely the
gorilla. Steve was affectionately known as The
Silverback at Saatchi and Saatchi. We put it in after
the initial sketches were approved and it stayed.
Aside from generating industry attention,the
piece also resulted in unexpected feedback: A few
months later we got an email from a K-5 Fine Arts
Academy in San Diego, says Stopniak. The art
teachers first grade kids haddrawn their own
jumping castles using the Steve Back piece as
inspiration. We were blown away by the results.

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- 65 -

Stu d i o L i f e

March 2014

A host of bars, cafs and restaurants have


popped up on Cleveland Street since Toby
&Pete set up shop. Minus the occasional car
break-in or local eccentrics screaming at traffic,
its generally a pretty cool spot, says Pike

both happy with, says Stopniak. If the job calls for skills
beyond our own, then we call the experts.
The beauty of their setup is that feedback is always
on hand. The creatives sit in one, long desk arrangement,
and while freelancers rent their desks and are free to
work on their own projects, the environment facilitates
a constant, invaluable feedback loop, with designers
swapping input and opinion whether theyre directly
involved in a project or not.
Its a fun place to work, Stopniak adds. Theres
always music playing and someone doing something cool.
It can be hard to concentrate at times, but you also get that
life-saving feedback when you hit a wall. Theres generally
one or two people who come and go each month as well,
which keeps it interesting. He laughs: Were down the
block from the local pub so were always hanging out there
together perhaps a little too much at times. Long hours in
the studio can bring on the cabin fever.
McDonald, Toby & Petes third full-time designer,
joined the team 18 months ago: Lachie rang up from
Melbourne one day looking for work experience, but we
thought he sounded weird on the phone, Stopniak recalls.
We told him to send us some work anyway. As soon as we
saw his book, we told him to pack his bags and head up to
Sydney. There was photography, 3D, painting, sculptures in
Blu-Tac and a general sense of good fun. Hes doing some
amazing work in 3D, but he really is capable of anything.
Currently, there are no plans to bring in any other
designers full-time. As Stopniak points out, with the studios

portfolio continuing to broaden into the field of doing


everything, its tough to predict which skills the team might
need long-term. More importantly, Toby & Petes blend of
collaboration works.
Right now, the team is busy putting together two
more clips for Flumes next show: Were always planning
on evolving it, so as long as hes touring well keep adding to
it, says Stopniak. The pair are also working on a book cover
and a project for a US-based lottery, via their US agent
Levine/Leavitt, and are considering whether to do another
exhibition. (I want to get this down on record, he laughs,
so now were really committed.)
If there is a plan, moving forward, its to stay
relevant, skilled-up and surrounded by good people.
Exactly where that will take Toby & Pete is anyones guess,
but one things for sure: the studio is likely to continue to
evade convention for quite some time to come.
If you look throughout history, there have always
been characters that defy definition, Stopniak asserts.
Starting with Leonardo Da Vinci, for example, or Eames,
Rennie Mackintosh, Raymond Loewy and William Morris
such prolific output across so many different disciplines.
Wed like to be even 1 per cent of what theyve been.

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- 66 -

From the furry suit to


the print and video
media, Toby & Pete
designed the entire
campaign for 2012s
Parklife festival

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g e t a n a g e nt

March 2014

Sign and
deliver

From bringing in big-name clients to taking care of admin


headaches and championing your rights,agent representation
could supercharge your design practice

Words:
Anne Wollenberg
Illustration:
Graham Robson
www.grahamrobson.com

hen illustrator and graphic designer Eirian


Chapman joined Australian agency The Jacky
Winter Group, it gave her a foot into doors that
were previously firmly closed. Thevolume of illustration
work that Ido has doubled, says Chapman, who quit a
full-time job in corporate design in 2009 to pursue
acareer in freelance illustration.
Her recent work includes a series of illustrations for
the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, commissioned by
M&C Saatchi. I dont know how I would have landed that
project without my agents help and guidance from flying
me to Sydney for meetings with M&C Saatchi to helping
with the nitty gritty, she explains.
Advertising agencies often wont work with
illustrators who dont have an agent, adds Mathieu Julien
of Paris-based illustration collective Les JeanClode, which
is signed to Pocko in London, French agency Lezilus and

Eirian
Chapman
Ill u s t r a t o r
and designer
Melbourne illustrator and graphic
designer Eirian is represented by
TheJacky Winter Group. She works
for clients in advertising, editorial,
digital and retail.
www.eirianchapman.com

Joris
Op r i n s
Job, Joris
&Marieke
Joris met Job Roggeveen and
Marieke Blaauw at the Design
Academy Eindhoven. Signed to Jelly
London, they work across animation,
character design and illustration.
www.jobjorisenmarieke.nl

Jakata-based Verve Reps. Even if youre finding jobs


byyourself, having an agent abroad helps withgetting
commissions from clients you cant reach. Were able to
work for the UK market because Pocko supports us there.
Similarly, Utrecht-based studio collective Job, Joris
&Marieke was well-known in the Netherlands when it
signed up with Jelly London, but had no idea how to
goabout getting jobs abroad. Weve worked on projects
we could never have landed without them, says producer
Joris Oprins. Theyre always promoting clients, on and
offline, and webenefit from that. We recently made a
short film called#Mute, and Jelly really helped with
promoting itinternationally.
Arranging commissions is only part of what agents
do. I get to spend more time drawing and less time
looking, billing and quoting for work, says Melbournebased illustrator and designer Guy Shield, who, like

S h a u n a Ly n n
Panczyszyn
H a n d l e tt e r e r
& i ll u s t r a t o r
Based in Orlando, Florida, Shauna is
a graphic designer, hand-letterer and
illustrator with a penchant for digital
chalk drawings. She is represented by
Illustration Ltd.
www.shaunaparmesan.com

computerarts .creativebloq.com
- 69 -

Jeremy
Wortsman
The Jacky
Winter Group
As head of Australian creative
agencyTheJacky Winter Group,
Jeremys role includes directing
bricks-and-mortar gallery space
Lamington Drive.
www.jackywinter.com

industry issues

March 2014

Deciphering contracts
Victoria Pearce, senior agent at Illustration Ltd,
explains how to ensure your contracts sound
1 How much commission will the agent get?
Agencies are free to set their own commission rates, so check what
isbeing proposed before signing any contract. As a broad rule of
thumb, 25 to 35 per cent agency commission is industry standard.
Whatever the calculation, however, the contract should specify the
structure clearly.
2 Break down promotional costs
Advertising, marketing and promotional costsshould be specified and
clear up-front. Someagents will ask you to pay aportion usually in
the region of 25 per cent to cover certain costs. Larger agencies
may operate an efficient, collective promotional spend, and charge
ashared nominal annual cost when you haveestablished a workflow.
On the other hand, smaller agencies might be more limited and
require promotional costs from you, but the types of promotion
theydo might be more tailored to your style and market.
3 Specify territorial agreements
Your contract should clearly outline the territories in which your
agent will represent you. For example: worldwide, UK and USA,
UKand Europe, or any other combination ofcountries and regions
where the agent might have satellite offices or sister agencies. Your
contract can also exclude territories where youare represented by
another agent.
4 Retain copyright
Under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act1988, the creator
should always retain ownership ofthe original artwork, unless
achange is agreed in writing between the agent and client,
andwithyour prior agreement. The client is normally granted a
licence to reproduce the artwork solely for the purposes negotiated
and detailed on the order confirmation. Pay very close attention to
this part of your contract dont blindly sign away your copyright
toyour client, or to your agent for that matter.
5 Acknowledge houseclients
A good agent will appreciate that you have invested time, effort
andmoney in developing a number ofyour own clients. These are
deemed house clients, and youll be able to supply a list of them.
When you work for house clients, you wont have to pay your agent
commission. Or, the agent might offer to run these clients for you
through the agency, for a reduced commission, and absolve you of
theresponsibility of paperwork, chasing money and so.
6 Breaking up is nevereasy...
...But having the terms clearly laid out will help to make the process
aspain-free as possible. Aswith amarriage, you might not wish to
think about splitting up before your honeymoon, but should things
not work out for either party, itll help enormously to have already
agreed the terms. These should cover the notice period required for
either party to say goodbye and how theprocess is managed.
7 pick up the freelance handbook
For more tips on how to get the most from your agent plus all the
advice you need to be your own boss dont miss TheFreelance
Handbook, updated for 2014 and on sale now (www.bit.ly/1jiDMnX).

Chapman, is represented by Jacky Winter. They also


manage the legal side of thingswith licensing, which is
awhole extra headache Idont have.
Sean Freeman, a designer and illustrator working in
East London, says its a relief not to worry about chasing
payments. He is represented by three agents, including
Levine/Leavitt in New York and Los Angeles. Agents are
there to negotiate, which is probably their best feature,
hereasons. They discuss money, usage and timings, and
theyll have your back if you run into problems.
For example, agents can intervene if clients try to
exceed the scope of a project. They can also be helpful
ifyoure working across a significant time difference.
Some of our creatives have big US client bases,
says Chris Page, founder and director of Jelly London.
Any comments, changes or commercial variations tend
tohappen in the evenings. Im available at these times,
sothey can focus on the creative aspect of the job by
day,and leave me to sort out their admin at night.
Australian typographer and illustrator Gemma
OBrien has been with Jacky Winter for just over a year.
Her first agency commission was a typographic Christmas
illustration for Australian grocery chain Woolworths. The
scale and usage were extensive and it helped to have the
agency manage quoting for the job, she says. Plus they
provide an extra level of motivation, she adds: Working
freelance can get lonely. Having the team on hand to offer
projects and advice gives me extra drive.
Jacky Winter maintains a gallery space, Lamington
Drive, and has created its own social network. We have
lots of opportunities for physical gatherings were like
abig family and that can be a pretty nice thing, says the
agencys director Jeremy Wortsman.
Wortsman recommends checking out an agencys
blog, philosophy and social media presence to get a feel
for its tone and marketing strategies. Look at its other
artists is there a sympathetic aesthetic? If you specialise
in a certain medium or approach, is there another artist
youll be competing with?

computerarts .creativebloq.com
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g e t a n a g e nt

March 2014

When it comes to making your approach, its vital


toshow respect for the agents time. Find and read their
submission guidelines and keep to them. It still shocks
me to see how some people submit their work, Wortsman
says. Your approach should represent you at your
absolute best. If its a one-line email as part of a blast to
10other agencies, its probably going straight to the bin.
However, dont give up if your first approach isnt
successful. Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn, a hand-letterer and
illustrator located in Orlando, Florida, was in contact with
international agent Illustration Ltd for several months
before a cover for Jacksonville Magazine finally clinched
thedeal inMay 2013.

Keeping up with contracts


Joining an agency will involve signing a legally binding
agreement, so dont rush into anything. Agents can
operate in different ways, so your written not verbal
contract should clearly define your business
relationship, advises Matthew Shearer, membership
managerat the Association of Illustrators, who checks
contracts for members.
This should include commission on any achieved
fees, what territories they represent you in, whether you
can keep your existing clients, how they will promote you,
how you will be expected to contribute to that financially
and what happens if either party wishes to end the
relationship, he continues.
While the contract may start with a trial period,
youwill be legally committed once you sign. Be clear
about what the agent is charging commission for.
Otherwise, something might be implied in the contract,
says Simon Portman, managing associate at leading
intellectual property practice Marks & Clerk Solicitors.
This might cover creative disciplines, geographical
territories and services provided by the agent, such as
promotion. If youre signing up with multiple agents, you
need to check theres no overlap givecopies of previous
agreements to anyone checking the newest one.

Q&A: Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn


The Florida-based illustrator and hand-letterer
explains how she snagged herself a top agency
Illustration Ltd and whats happened since
Why was signing up with Illustration Ltd theright decision for you?
Having an agent was something I really wanted, so I could focus on
what Ido best and know that the agency would be there to navigate
the rest of what goes along with being freelance such as dealing
withcontracts and pricing. I had been in contact with Illustration Ltd
forawhile, but it wasntuntil I did a chalk art piece for Jacksonville
Magazine that they said: Thats it, thats what were looking for, took
me on and marketed meas a chalk artist.
How has your career improved as a result?
In the last six months with Illustration Ltd, Ivehad the opportunity to
work on projects allover the world from here in the USA to London
and most recently South Korea. It has really opened up my work to a
new set of eyes and opportunities that I wouldnt have had previously,
including the chance to create abook cover for Scholastic and a
full-page illustration for craft magazine Mollie Makes.
How can you get the most out of your relationship with your agent?
Dont be afraid to ask questions. If youre confused about something
and need clarification, the agents can help get you that. Ive also found
that just really being myself helps with communication. I write to my
agents in the same way that I talk. Remember that your agents are nice
people and they are there to help you be the best you can be. Ifyoure
excited about a project, theyll be excited about it.

computerarts .creativebloq.com
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OC Weekly image
oneofthe commissions
Panczyszyn has won since
joining Illustration Ltd

industry issues

March 2014

Dont assume the contract isnt negotiable, adds


Portman. Nobody is going to take it personally if you try
to get the terms changed. However, it really is vital to get
contracts checked: Getting someone to give it a onceover could save you a lot of money in the long run.
The contract should specify exactly what youre
paying commission on. Another sticking point is a tricky
piece of law called the Commercial Agents (Council
Directive) Regulations 1993. If you terminate an
agreement for any reason other than the agent being in
breach [of it], theyre entitled to compensation, Portman
explains. The regulations dont always apply, but if they do,
you cant contract out of them so your contract needs to
define and limit this liability.
Portman says you should also pay attention to when
the agent expects to be paid. If they collect the money and
pass on your share, check proper accounting procedures
are in place.

Decisions, decisions
When it comes to picking the right agency for
you,Portman advises asking around for word-of-mouth
recommendations before making any decisions. Consider
size too, as alarge agency may have greater resources
oraccess to bigger clients, while you might get more
individual attention, and even more opportunities, from
aboutique agency. This very much depends on the
agency,which is why its so important to ask around
abouttheir reputation.
A good agent will act as a bridge between you and
the client, says Mathieu Julien of Les JeanClode. They

shouldnt beacreative filter, deciding


when thework is good enough to
send totheclient they should let
the projecthappen and reappear if
theres an issue.
For Oprins, the most
important part of the agent-artist
relationship is an awareness and
understanding of each others goals.
The agent needs to know what kind
of projects youre looking for and you
need to understand whats important
to them, he says.
After all, representation is a relationship just
likeany other. Its verymuch a two-way street, not a
tickettoautomatic and regular work, says Wortsman.
Herecommends regularly emailing new personal pieces
and fodder for social media updates and letting your
agents know when work is slow.
There are traits that put some people above
therest, and in most cases its not about your work, he
says. Its really simple stuff like being easy to work with,
promptly returning any phone calls and emails, and being
available to work.
Just dont depend solely on your agent to get
projects, advises illustrator and character designer
Muxxi,from Guatemala City, who is signed to Illustration
Ltd. A good agent can put your work in front of thousands
ofclients, but the tricky part isstill getting attention from
thoseclients. Youalways need to keep working and giving
ityour absolute best.

computerarts .creativebloq.com
- 72 -

There are traits


that put some people
above the rest, and
in most cases its not
about your work
Jeremy Wortsman

I NT R O P RO J E C TS

MARCH 2014

Computer Arts goes behind


the scenes with world-leading
designers as they reveal their
working processes

20-PAGE
EXTENDED SECTION!
Now with pro workflow
advice, plus the latest
creative tech

zero collected
edition: unity
and discord

How helloMuller blended fluoro shades,


ripped pages and print glitches to create
aspecial comic collection 76

TOMORROWWORLD TV:
PSYCHEDELICPARTICLE PARTY

ENDLESS PERFORMANCE:
Brave new worlds

Toronto-based agency Jam3 reveals the


secrets behind its ambitious live-streaming,
90
interactive concert experience

How illustrator Chris Martin created


85
astrange land for a Toshiba spot

WORKFLOW
TIPS

SELECTIONS AND MASKS

SCALABLE web graphics

THE TOUCH type tool

Luke ONeills non-destructive


techniques for cutting out complex
82
images in Photoshop

Matt Hamms advice for creating


pixel-perfect web graphics with a
88
harmonious colour palette

Jo Gulliver reveals the easy way


tomanipulate live text on the fly
94
inIllustrator CC

com puterarts.creativeb loq.com


- 75 -

PROJECTS

March 2014

Zero collected edition:


Unity and discord
Designer helloMuller experimented with ripped pages, fluoro
paperand deliberate print errors to create a raw, dissonant
aestheticfor a special collected edition of spy comic Zero

PROJECT FACTFILE
Brief
Already responsible for the covers
and brand design direction of Zero,
amonthly spy comic from writer
AlesKot, helloMuller was tasked with
creating acohesive design for a special
collected edition of the first five issues.
Clients
Ales Kot
www.aleskot.tumblr.com
Image Comics
www.imagecomics.com
Studio
helloMuller
www.hellomuller.com
Project Duration
Ongoing
Collected edition lIve date
February 2014

 om Muller in his studio, where


T
he creates the design concepts
for each issue of Zero, aspy
comic from writer AlesKot

The Design Brief


Tom Muller

Tom Muller
Designer, HelloMuller
Designer and art director Tom
runs his own studio, helloMuller,
in London. He designs comics,
culture, entertainment and
technology, and has done so for the
likes of Image Comics, Wired, DC
Comics, Universal Studios, Zonza,
Paramount Pictures and Samsung.

Zero is published by Image Comics and written by Ales


Kot, who created and owns the series. I started working
on Zero around March last year, after Ales had got in
touch to ask if I was interested in working with him on
the series and creating the covers.
I thought it was the perfect opportunity to combine
our talents. The brief was fairly straightforward: to
create a comic with covers like nothing else on the
shelves. As the series has progressed, my work has
expanded to not only designing the covers, but all
interior pages that arent comic story synopsis and
character bio pages, prose text, chapter titles, and so on.
What intrigued me most about Ales proposition on
Zero was that I was given the opportunity to create full
publication designs on an ongoing basis. Rather than
com putera rts.creat iveb loq.com
- 76 -

just supplying a logo, Id be helping to shape the look


andfeel of the series, with the freedom to experiment
and push the boundaries of cover design in comics.
One thing that sets Zero apart from other ongoing
series is that each issue is drawn by a different artist. As
such there was a need to have the covers as a constant;
tying the series together. Even though each cover
is designed differently, the visual discord and a few
constant elements link the books together. Aside from
myself and Ales, the only regular collaborators on the
series are Jordie Bellaire, the colourist, and Clayton
Cowles, who letters the books.
The Zero series was initially scheduled for May 2013,
but we pushed it back to September, giving Ales time to
flesh out the story and lock down artists. The first issue
finally launched in the third week of September 2013.
The collected edition encompasses the first five issues,
and went on sale in February 2014.

Diar Y 1 : he llo m ulle r

March 2014

Project at a glance
Tom Muller gives a step-by-step guide to how the Zero covers typically take shape

1 Finding themes

2 A typographic take

3 Keeping consistent

4 Font options

5 End titles

6 A quick turnaround

7 Doing the series justice

8 Collection teaser

9 Off to print

A unique aspect of Zero is that each single issue


features a different artist, as well as focusing on
different themes and locations (for example: Gaza
Strip, Dublin, Shanghai, Rio). As such, we decided
from the start to create a unique cover-to-cover
design for each issue.

The choice of ITC Machine Medium as the font


fortheZero logo is deliberate. It references action
andspy movies and its distinctive machine-like
design allows it to be interpreted graphically for
eachissue without losing its character, thus
maintaining brand uniformity on the covers.

Usually when a comic series is collected in a


paperback edition, the cover of the first issue gets
re-appropriated or a new image is created. However,
since Zeros individual covers are so distinct, I felt
that a single or pre-existing image wouldnt do the
series justice.

Initially, the Zero covers were purely typographic


andwerent going to feature artwork, aiming to
create comics that looked like nothing else on
theshelves. After we reviewed initial designs, we
decided to incorporate artwork to complement the
graphics and make the overall cover image stronger.

The design doesnt stop at the front cover. The back


covers are a continuation of the issues look and
designed to act as the end titles of an episode. All
interior and back matter pages are also consistent
with the issues theme the idea being that the whole
issue works together as a coherent whole.

I made a mockup to illustrate the collage of the


collection cover that references a wall of torn
propaganda posters constructed from layering
fragments of the first five covers. Once Ales had
agreed on the concept, the mockup was used to
advertise the book.

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For each cover, the artist creates a black and


whitekey art illustration, which will be incorporated
intothe cover design. While many issues feature
multiple covers and printings, the overall design stays
consistent, incorporating the various art styles and
creating a recognisable look per issue.

Comics are pre-ordered by stores three months


inadvance of the publication date, so initial cover
designs have a very short turnaround. Between the
initial solicitation and publication of the full comic,
the cover design is refined while the other elements
for the issue are created.

With the collection teaser out there, the publication


design was further developed. This involved refining
and rebuilding the main collage visual, expanding it
tocreate a wraparound image for the cover whilst
creating the type design treatment, before all
print-ready files were sent to the publisher.

PROJECTS

March 2014

Work in progress

The collection cover at initial sketch stage

The Zero team is located all over the world. Ales


and Clayton, who letters the books, are in New York,
colourist Jordie is in Ireland, Im in London, and Image
Comics is in California. Then we have the artists, who
are spread internationally.
Ales wanted each issue as a stand-alone story
within the wider narrative, with each set in a different
location and point in time of the lead character Edward
Zeros life. So the theme of each issue already informs
the direction the design will take. The difference
in narrative and artist for each issue gave me the
opportunity to experiment and play with different
approaches. I started with concept sketches, even just
thumbnail-sized to gauge proportions, then designed
thework in the CS6 suite. I used Illustrator and
Photoshop for the type design and image creation.
For the collected edition, the main challenge was to
create a design that distilled the first five issues. I wanted
to show that the book was made from the single issues,
and hint at the multi-layered, fragmented storyline
that runs through them. We agreed on the torn collage
concept to represent that idea.
Initially I wanted to tear up the actual comic covers
but since I had to create the design before issue 5 was
printed, I created multiple prints of the individual covers
and used those to assemble the cover. To form the end
product I experimented with printing on fluoro papers,
scanning and assembling printed elements, including
deliberate print errors in the design to add an extra layer
of tactility to the book, in keeping with the off-kilter
theme ofthe series.
I used InDesign to assemble it all and output it
forprint as prepress PDFs. All of those files were then
uploaded to the Image Comics FTP for final proofing
and assembly before going to print.

Ripped-up prints of individual issue covers were combined

As the design progressed, a handmade, photocopied aesthetic became more prominent

initial
cover ideas
The concepts that
got discarded
asthe collected
edition cover
developed

Before we settled
on incorporating
artwork taken from
the issue covers,
we were planning
to use abstract,
typography-based
cover designs
for the collected
series, focused on
the Zero logo.

The cover
treatment of
issue two was too
flat, so I updated
the logo, giving
it a solid shadow
and increasing
saturation to make
it much punchier
when set next to
the other covers.

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- 78 -

Initial design
concepts were
very unstructured,
deliberately setting
wide gaps in the
text and relying
on gradients.
However, it lacked
focus, and wasnt
that legible from
adistance.

Diar Y 1 : he llo m ulle r

March 2014

Creating a cover
Tom Muller on how he created the raw
lookof the collected edition cover
Step 1
With the proof of the concept mockup as a guide,
Icreated the collection cover by mounting the torn cover
prints on foam board, making sure the fragments spelled
out Zero, and that the key elements of each single issue
were shown in the final assembled cover piece.
Step 2
After scanning the back and front cover images at
400dpi, I edited them in Photoshop to create the
wraparound design. I started laying out the cover
elements, using a title lockup that I had previously
designed to keep the visual language and messaging
consistent and recognisable.

Step 1

Step 3
The collection also needed new title and chapter pages.
Torn covers were mounted on coloured papers and
scanned as text, resulting in a uniform, rough, photocopied
look that degrades further as you read the book. This
balance of handmade assets and digital manipulation
became the aesthetic running through the collection.
Step 4
I laid out the cover content, including the book title, press
quotes and synopsis in a separate document and printed
that out on bright orange paper. This was subsequently
scanned and edited to make sure everything was legible,
but keeping that subtle print effect that slightly degrades
the type, adding to the overall look of the cover.

Step 2

Step 4
Step 3

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PROJECTS

M AR CH 2014

Conclusion
The Zero series was announced in June 2013 and the
first issue launched on the third week of September 2013.
This was followed by the first collection (issues one to
five) on 19 February 2014.
I think the collection design is another step up on the
Zero ladder. The beauty of this project is that we can
reinvent the comic every single issue, and in the process
refine the there is no formula formula. My main goal
for the collected edition was to capture the idea that the
book is made from the pieces of the single stories, within
astriking design, and I think we achieved that.
The way the series, and each issue, is created is
deadlines permitting a very open, collaborative process
that allows for creative experimentation. The intent
has always been to make a statement with this and
were doing just that. And if I wanted to do anything
differently, theres always the next issue of Zero.
Image Comics offers massive support in terms of
marketing, sales and production. The team will comb
through the final design deliverables, assist with
production cost estimates and make sure the books get
printed and shipped. Theyre great champions of creatorowned comics and a good partner to have in your corner.
Ales Kot said every single person involved in this
project was a great artist, adding: I hired everyone
tocollaborate in an open space, putting our creativity
and our will together to reach a new destination in
contemporary fiction. We succeeded.
Zero has been incredibly well received by press and
readers alike, with the cover designs helping to create
a buzz and awareness in a marketplace and industry
where design and designers are largely invisible.
Personally, its very gratifying to make a dent in the
perception of comics and how theyre designed.

PROJECT
SOUNDTRACK
Tom Muller shares the
tracks that were on
repeat in his studio while
working on Zero

Bold colours were intended to allow for stronger graphics and, most
importantly, stand out on the bookshelves in stores

The printed and bound collection of Zero


Volume 1: An Emergency

The final wraparound cover of the collection, incorporating deliberate print errors to add an extra tactile element


Demdike Stare: Test
Pressings 001-004
Ive had these EPs from the
Manchester-based duo on
loop many times while working
on Zero. The broken, haunted
industrial soundscape is perfect
to submerge yourself in the
world of Zero.


Machinedrum:
Vapor City
A fantastic album mixing
upbeat rhythm with desolate,
ambient soundscapes that
could be froma film soundtrack.
Theresavariety of more
pop-oriented tracks and
darkerclub-style sounds.

com putera rts.creat iveb loq.com


- 80 -

Slugabed:
DO U C ME THO / U RIGHT
This two-track single from
Slugabed includes some trapbaselines to keep the adrenaline
flowing. These tracks are my
party music for when Ineed
abit of a break from the usual
droning soundscapes.

ANNUAL 2014
SEE COMPUTERARTS
.CREATIVEBLOQ.COM
FOR DETAILS

OO
S
ING
M
CO

PROJECTS

March 2014

P HO T O S HOP BE S T P R A C T ICE

GET MORE FROM MASKS


ANDSELECTIONS
Whether youre a junior designer or a creative director, at some point
youll need to cut out selections in Photoshop. Graphic designer
Luke ONeill shares his tips for taking your skills to the next level

The brief
Luke ONeill

luke oneill
Art Editor
T3 magazine
Currently art editor at T3 magazine,
graphic designer and illustrator
Luke launched and designed the
original Computer Arts Collection
series. His illustration work can
alsobe found gracing the covers
ofour Presents series.
www.lukeoneill.co.uk

I n this example from T3,


the background graphics
were added in post using
various different masking
techniques

PHOTOGRAPHY: Richard Grassie, www.richardgrassie.com

Creating selections and masks in


Photoshop is a fundamental part of
any professional creative workflow.
Whether youre a junior designer,
illustrator, animator, or even a
creative director, at some point you
will have to create a mask and cut
something out in Photoshop even
if its only because youre working
late and the repro department has
allgone home.
There are many varied ways
tocreate selections in Photoshop,
ranging from the quick and easy
techniques that were all familiar
with such as using the the Magic
Wand tool to cut out objects from
ahigh-contrast, flat background,
orswitching to the Pen tool for
greater accuracy through to more
precise, time-consuming techniques
that take a while to master.
In this workflow guide Ill walk
through some more advanced, nondestructive ways of creating masks.

computerarts.creativeb loq.com
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Workflow: Se l e c t ions & M a s k s

March 2014

1 Non-destructive layer mask tricks

2 Working with clipping masks

3 Easy type masking

4 Using channels for areas of detail

5 Using adjustment layers

6 Brushing in detail

7 Highlighting detail with the Burn tool

8 Inverting the image

9 Alpha channels in InDesign layouts

Add a layer mask to any Photoshop layer, and


clickon the white linked thumbnail to edit it. For
fineadjustments, a white or black brush adds or
removes areas (toggle using Shift+X), or use the
Magic Wand for large areas. Shift+click on the
maskbackground to toggle effects on and off.

Channels are particularly useful for working


withhighlevels of detail like hair or bike spokes,
asseenhere. Open the Channels panel, pick
thechannel with the highest level of contrast
andduplicate it by dragging itto the Create
NewChannel icon.

The Burn tool is useful for picking out details.


Selectit, making sure that Shadows is selected
inthedrop-down menu. Brush over the areas
youwantto pick out, adjusting the exposure as
yougo. Ifyou want to preview the mask overlaid
onthe original image, hit the tilde (~) key.

Clipping masks are another invaluable nondestructive technique. Set up a document with
asolid background, add a new layer with ashape
init, and paste in a new, detailed layer above it. In
theLayers panel, select Create Clipping Mask to
mask out areas based on the layer below.

With only the duplicated channel selected,


gotoImage>Adjustments>Levels and increase
thelevels to punch up the black and white.
Becareful not to go too far and create jagged
edges.You can also experiment with the curves
toaachieve a similar result.

Once youve filled in all the areas of the mask,


hitCmd/Ctrl+I to invert the image. Alpha
channelswork in much the same way as layer
masksso, here, the black area will be masked
off.Inthis case, its the background that we want
toremove from the model and the bicycle.

com puterarts.creativeb loq.com


- 83 -

Clipping masks can also be used in conjunction


withtype. Paste in a texture layer above your
word,and go to Create Clipping Path. You can
resizeand rotate the top image within the bounds
ofthe clipping path, and the type layerwill also
remain editable.

As with layer masks, you can use Photoshops


Brushtool to add or subtract detail to the
mask.When doing this, work carefully around
thechannel, brushing on black and white to
createyour mask. This is where a Wacom tablet
really comes into its own.

This is where alpha channels really come into


theirown. When placing an image in InDesign,
selectShowImport Options and chose the alpha
channel from the image menu. The image will be
imported with the alpha channel applied, so
youcanrun it over the top of text and images.

awards
2014

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Game Changer of the Year

Grassroots event of the Year

Best New Web Technology

Entrepreneur of the Year

Open Source Project of the Year

Emerging Talent of the Year

App of the Year

Young Developer of the Year

Best Online Portfolio

Young Designer of the Year

Side Project of the Year

New Agency of the Year

Demo of the Year

Developer of the Year

Best collaborative project

Designer of the Year

Redesign of the Year

Outstanding contribution

Podcast of the Year

Team of the Year

Conference Talk of the Year

Agency of the Year

www.thenetawards.com

Diar Y 2 : C HRI S M ART I N

March 2014

Endless Performance:
BRave new worlds
Illustrator Chris Martin created strange worlds and
thecuriouscharacters that inhabit them to help Psyop
deliveramagical spot for Toshibas latest tablet

PROJECT FACTFILE
Brief
When Psyop was asked to explore
the features of Toshibas new tablet in
a spot entited Endless Performance,
it turned to illustrator Chris Martin
to design a range of different worlds
andthe characters that inhabit them.
Clients
Psyop
www.psyop.tv
Toshiba Europe
www.toshiba.eu
Creative
Chris Martin
www.mrchrismartin.co.uk
Agency
McCann Enterprise
www.mccannenterprise.com
Project duration
Two days
Live date
December 2013

Chris Martin
Illustrator
Chris is a D&AD award-winning
illustrator, concept artist and
character designer hailing
from North London. His clients
include the Guardian, Nokia,
Umbro, Nike, Dazed & Confused,
Nexus Productions, Love, RSPB,
Orange and Ray-Ban.
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- 85 -

PROJECTS

March 2014

The Design Brief


Chris Martin

Pysop was asked by Toshiba


Europe to visually represent the
four main areas of tablet use (film
and music, productivity, gaming,
and connectivity) for a new ad. The
agency wanted tocreate a unique
cast of characters, objects and
environments to best characterise
these elements within a story.
Id worked with Fletcher Moules
(one of the Psyop directors on
this project) when he was in the
UK at another production studio.
Hethought my illustration and
design style would fit the concept
for Endless Performance perfectly,
andso I joined the team.
My brief was to design several
different worlds that the viewer
would zoom through, as well as
the fun, crazy characters that exist
within them. Psyop wanted a level
of sophistication, and an approach
that was obviously vibrant and
inventive, but not veering over into
being overly cartoony. The team had
an idea of what each world was to
look like andit was up to me to bring
these ideas to life.
We started out with characters
and smaller elements, then moved
on to the massive illustrations of
the worlds. Because I was working
remotely from London I mainly
communicated with Psyop in the
USover email. At times it felt like
the night shift in my studio.

STAGE ONE I started by sketching out lots of different ideas for


characters, in line with Psyops initial concept for the spot.

sTAGE TWO I was basically thinking out loud on paper some


ofthe designs at this stage were too strange, and got discarded.

STAGE FIVE These went to Psyop to add the fractal zoom some objects needed to be repositioned to allow this to work effectively.

PROJECT
evolution
Chris martin reveals how
he created and populated
Toshibas tablet world

The initial concept

Psyop nailed down the look and


feel for the spot before we started
work on the characters and the
environments. The outline involved
the viewer whizzing through each
main area of tablet use, taking in all
the sights through the use of fractal
zoom and the camera moving past
images in a 3D space.

Ideas and Sketches

The team at Psyop worked with


McCann Enterprise to determine
what would best represent the key
functions of the tablet within each
theme, then Istarted working up
thumbnail sketches, just thinking
out loud on paper. I designed a lot
some was too much on the weird
side, and not all of it was used.

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Developing characters

After creating the thumbnails


for thecharacters and episodic
moments, I sent everything to Fletch
and Kylie at Psyop so they could sort
out what worked best in the worlds
they were creating. In the meantime
I took my small sketches, enlarged
them in Photoshop and then worked
over them on the Wacom 5 Tablet.

Diar Y 2 : C HRI S M ART I N

March 2014

How I work
Chris Martin explains
how his piles of initial
sketches turned into
afinal product

sTAGE tHREE I took my sketches, enlarged them in Photoshop


andthen began to work over them on the Wacom 5 Tablet.

STAGE FOUR Next, I started work on the worlds in Photoshop.


These illustrations had to be around 6,000 pixels across.

STAGE SIX After compositing, the material was colour-graded and music added, to give the final spot.

building worlds

Next came the main illustrations.


Once the thumbnails had been
signed off, I start creating the worlds
in Photoshop. They all had to be
extremely big (6,000 pixels across),
and they also had to support layered
elements. As soon as each one was
completed, it was delivered to Psyop
for the painters to work their magic.

Building on the designs

Once they had the illustrations,


Psyop added a fractal zoom, which
is when the camera moves through
a3D space past the illustrations while
their proportions scale up. However,
because anything near the edge of
frame was throwing off this camera
move, we had to reposition a lot of
the elements nearer the centre.

Getting animated

Next, Psyop added 3D cameras


andbuilt scenes for the 3D animators
while the 2D animators and designers
were feeding their material into
theNuke software for compositing.
There is a lot to see in the spot, and
the directors needed to be sure to
strike the balance between content
and viewing speed.

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I always approach any job by


first working it out on paper.
Mymethods and workflow
change depending on what sort
of job Im doing, but everything
starts on paper first. Ill have
an idea, or have discussed an
idea over email, and then Ill
start by sketching on paper or
doing thumbnails to figure what
is best to use. When something
gets approval, Ill take it into
Photoshop and enlarge the
image. Then, using my Wacom
5tablet, Ill work over the pencil
sketches and add definition.
For Endless Performance,
I sent my sketches over to the
Psyop directors, Kylie Matulick
and Fletcher Moules. Only one
or two ideas made the final
cut in the first round. But in my
experience, having your first
designs accepted is never the
case. Theres a lot more tweaking
and changing that goes on.
During the visual development
of an animation, directors will
constantly get new ideas and
change their minds. Its actually
what I like most about my job
developing ideas and drawings
into something even better.

Time to Deliver

After compositing, the material


wascolour-graded and music added.
In the final spot, the camera moves
forward through the characters
and detailed environments as
they dissolve and reveal all four
intertwining themes. I just find
it amazing that my concept art
actuallybecame the final image.

PROJECTS

MARCH 2014

W OR K FL O W BEST- PRACTICE

create pixel-perfect
web graphics
Web designer and illustrator Matt Hamm reveals how to combine Kuler with
Illustrator to create harmonious web graphics that scale crisply every time

Kuler is a great tool for creating and browsing harmonious colour palettes, ideal for vector work

the brief
Matt Hamm

Nailing the colour palette in your design or illustration


is naturally a key part of any project. A crisp vector
graphic, properly prepared for the screen and coupled
with a carefully considered colour palette, canreally
make your website sing.
With the introduction of HiDPI screens for tablets
and notebooks, its increasingly important to provide
graphics that scale smoothly but still provide filesizes
suitable for low bandwidths.
Icons saved as double-size bitmaps to serve
high-density screens are not always the best option.

Opting for vector graphics from the outset gives you


a more flexible set of assets that can be scaled quickly,
andexported as SVG files or PNG fallbacks.
In this guide, Ill explain how to create scalable,
web-ready graphics with harmonious colour schemes.
I wont literally show you how to recreate the graphics
here think of this as a best-practice checklist rather
than a conventional walkthrough.
Along the way, Ill be using Adobes Kuler iPhone app
in a slick colour workflow, and Illustrator to create crisp,
pixel-perfect graphics. The two applications make a
great combination, and using your mobile as part of your
workflow can break you free from your desk, too, which
almost certainly helps creativity.

computerarts.creativeb loq.com
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Matt Hamm
creative director,
supereight studio
Co-founder of Guildford-based
web design studio Supereight,
Mattis passionate about all fields
of design from typography to user
experience. He specialises in logos
and icons, and has been designing
websites since 1998.
www.matthamm.com

WORKFL OW : w e b g r a p h i c s

MARCH 2014

1 Ditch the defaults

2 U se the Kuler app

3 Saving palettes

4 Create square graphics

5 Pixel Preview

6 Trouble-free pixels

7Snap happy

8Group alignment

9A nd finally

Whatever you do, never use those default colours


inthe Illustrator Swatches panel. Thanks to Kuler,
Adobes colour-scheme generator (kuler.adobe.com),
gorgeous colour palettes are only a few clicks away.
You can sign up for a Kuler account at the address
above, or just log in with your Adobe ID.

To ensure your Illustrator artwork appears pixelsharp on the web, it really helps to create perfectly
square artboards that way, the exact centre of the
artboard will always fall at the corner of a pixel, and
not in the middle of one. Of course, this wont always
be possible, but is always worth bearing in mind.

Open up the View menu, and make surethat


PixelPreview is ticked. As youll notice, theoption
further down the menu will then automatically
change from Snapto Grid to Snap to Pixel for
pin-point accuracy. This setting can betoggled,
depending on the view.

Download the free Kuler iOS app from the App


Store (currently not available for Android). Log in
andcapture colour inspiration from anywhere with
your iPhone or iPad camera. The app provides live
colour palettes from anything you point the camera
at, with often unexpected and inspiring results.

Ensure Color Mode is set to RGB, and Raster Effects


to Screen (72ppi). If you set Preview Mode to Pixel,
when you zoom into the artwork you see pixels
rather than smooth vector shapes. Checking Align
New Objects to Pixel Grid can cause display issues,
but you can turn it off in the Transform panel.

Check Align to Pixel Grid in the Transform panel


toensure that your artwork can be nudged in
preciseincrements. To save time when lining
upanystray objects, simply click Select>Object>
Not Aligned to Pixel Grid, and then edit those
objects asa group.

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Save any of your colour palettes on your iPhone or


iPad, and they appear in the Kuler panel in Illustrator.
You can sync, search and add colour palettes from
Kuler directly into your swatches. Using the web
interface you can browse the most popular or most
used colour themes and mark your favourites.

With the Artboard tool selected, click the Reference


Point icon (the grid of squares). Select the top-left
square, and the artboard will always resize from the
top-left corner and stop the pixels shifting. Double
check the X and Y values have no decimal places
values of 0.5px can cause artwork to miss the grid.

By default, Illustrator aligns the path of any stroke


with an odd width (1px, 3px, 5px etc) on a sub-pixel
level. If you change the alignment to outside, inside
or centre in the Stroke panel, the shape will try to
compensate, but bear in mind that if youre using
SVG format, it will only support centre alignment.

PROJECTS

MARCH 2014

TomorrowWorld TV:
Psychedelic particle party
Toronto-based Jam3 provided a live-streamed, interactive concert experience for
electronicamusic festival TomorrowWorld, bringing the event to fans at home

PROJECT FACTFILE
Brief
Toronto-based Jam3 brought the
three-day TomorrowWorld music
festival to interactive life and into
the reach of millions of viewers
worldwide, by deploying skills in
interactive design, motion graphics
and particle physics to create a
stimulating visualisation of the event.
Client
Google
www.google.com
studio
Jam3
www.jam3.com
Project duration
Six weeks
Live date
September 2013

The Design Brief


Pablo Vio

The brief for this project was to create a stimulating


visualisation of the TomorrowWorld event, while
showcasing the diversity of options available on the
Moto X. The aim was to bring the music festival direct
to millions of users at home, in a live stream experience
encompassing three themes: madness, unity and love.
The pitch process was surprisingly simple. Google
called us, we gave them a range of case studies as well
as creative thought starters, and they fell in love with
our particle engine prototypes. We had a vision of what
computerarts.creativeb loq.com
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could be done with the Google technology and our


style, design and technical capabilities were perfect
forwhat Google was looking to do.
We wanted the experience to link the user from their
own home to the music festival using a fun, interactive
video player. Viewers would be able to connect to the live
feed through their phones, using it as a remote control
tocustomise particles, physics and colours.
The concepts were inspired by the TomorrowWorld
brand, taking the form of a crazy, happy planet.
Daily themes including madness, love and unity
would playa big part in developing the elements.
We were askedto create a different particle engine

Di a r Y 3: J A M 3

MARCH 2014

Pablo Vio
Partner and creative
director, Jam3
Pablos visionary approach has been key
toJam3s multiple award-winning projects,
including the interactive documentary Bear 71,
the Cannes Lions Gold Cyber Lion, FWA Site
of the Year, One Show Interactives Gold Pencil,
and Communication Arts awards.

Mike Dobell
Executive producer, Jam3
Michael arrived at Jam3 with immediate
impact just over a year ago, producing
award-winning work for both Skittles and
Norwegian Cruise Lines. He currently
oversees all production for the companys
agency and direct-to-brand clients and leads
US new business strategy and development.

for each theme, as well as five headlining versions


for dayandnight. The brief required us to create
something fresh and fluid throughout the whole eight
hours of performance on each day of the festival, while
maintaining a powerful sense of being alive and unique.

WORK IN PROGRESs

Different particle engines were created for each daily theme, as well as headlining versions for day and night

An early prototype of the desktop interface, incorporating


footage from the Belgian TomorrowLand event

KEEPING
theFOCUS
Jam3s Executive
producer Michael
Dobell explains how
the team established
anefficient workflow

Users were able to customise particles,


physicsand colours within the engine

We had to launch phase one (Countdown)


only two weeks into the project, at the same
time as ramping up to the actual event and
developing phase three (the Gallery) so
there was not a lot of breathing room. We
put the designers and developers into a
single area, with a closed door, which kept
them within shouting distance and removed
other studio distractions. An unexpected
side benefit was developers and designers
encountering each others prototypes and
designs, causing many fruitful brainstorms.

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- 93 -

The project had a comparatively short duration


of onlysix weeks. That encompassed three phases:
countdown, live event and post event, the last of which
is ongoing. Our strategy was to build a code-based tool
to enable ourcreatives to design within a code-based
environment and publish in real time.
We had a team of 10, comprising five developers, two
producers and three creatives. While we would usually
start with design and then move on to development, on
this occasion both had to begin at the same time. Our
modellers used 3ds Max and Maya to generate models
and texture them. Our built-in proprietary tool allowed
artists to skin and modify models in the context of the
website. Changes to materials and physics were done via
our collaborative WYSIWYG tool written in JavaScript.
One creative challenge was managing the style of
design between three very different brands each brand
has their own design aesthetic and we had to strike a
balance between all three. Another challenge was the
amount of themes we needed to create. We wanted 30
to 40 different themes that could be played eight hours
aday. There was constant tweaking of the theme colours
and structures the engine required us to import
different models, and we were constantly readjusting so
that the poly count was low enough for the models to be
efficient and to maximise performance.
Models, textures and physics presets were combined
thematically in our real-time engine to create dozens

PROJECTS

MARCH 2014

Tomasz Dysinski
Senior Developer, Jam3
Tomasz is a visual artist, animator,
developer and technologist. A creative
coding master, he created an in-browser
tool to customise and live preview a
WebGL playground where creatives are
able to upload models, configure physics
and layer effects to save JSON data
useddirectly in production.

The final branded result, which connected users to the music festival using an interactive video player

of interactive themes. We went over the themes


thatemerged, optimising them, making creative
adjustments and cutting them down to our final
30themes. Every member of the team had access to
ashared asset Dropbox and everybody was working on
the same theme database. Our database had full revision
history so there was no real harm in experimenting.
Another challenge was adapting to the fluctuating
concert schedule throughout the weekend. Using
GoogleCalendar, spreadsheets and other Google apps,
we built a schedule manager that enabled us to keep
upwith the broadcast editorial schedule, to ensure
thatthe website and broadcast were always in sync.

Models, textures and physics presets were combined thematically


inareal-time engine to create interactive themes

Conclusion
The client was pleased and we were extremely satisfied
with our work, so all round it was a pretty awesome job.
We exceeded all expectations, especially considering the
short timeline for the project.
The themes and designs we created were so unique
that it really kept the experience fresh and interesting.
The tool we built for the project enabled changes
to occur throughout, so the experience would feel
completely different every half hour.

Lessons
learned
Senior developer Tomasz
Dysinski shares what he
took from the project

Users could customise their festival


experience by using their mobile
phone asa remote control

Think on an
abstractlevel
When dealing with dynamic visualisation,
dont waste time designing in Photoshop,
as compositions might not translate to a
code environment. Think on an abstract
level and develop tools which allow
designers to design within code.

Changes to the materials and physics could be made via Jam3s


collaborative tool

Mix creative
andfront end
Include the artists early, and build
tools that put as little space between
creative and front end as possible.
Artists seeing their work in context
enables them to catch mistakes early
on, at the design stage.

computerarts.creativeb loq.com
- 94 -

Get cosy with


otherteams
When working to short deadlines
with a large team, close proximity
seating is the most efficient way
to dothings. Our designers and
developers were collaborating on
thisproject on a daily basis.

PROJECTS

March 2014

Il l u s t r at or c c t o ol t ip s

make the most of


theTouch type tool

Jo Gulliver
Art editor,
Computer Arts
Jo is Computer Arts art editor.
When shes not designing the print
and (award-winning) digital editions
of the mag, she spends her time
tracking down and commissioning
work from top illustrators and art
directing photoshoots with the
biggest names in design.

Computer Arts very own Jo Gulliver reveals how to


edit and manipulate livetexton the fly, using Illustrator
CCs new Touch Type tool

1 First, find it

2 Moving and rotating

3 Scaling

4 Quick character changes

5 Selecting characters

6 On a path

Roughly style up some text in Illustrator CC.


Openthe Touch Type tool, in the Tools panel
underthe Type tool or via the Character panel
(Window>Type). With the tool selected, click on
acharacter in your text frame and a bounding
boxwill appear around that character. All of
thecornerswillhave a handle and there is an
additional handle above the box, each of which
hasadifferent function for editing the character.

The Touch Type tool doesnt enable you to make


changes to multiple letters in one go, but thats
notaproblem as you can easily use the Eyedropper
tool to duplicate styles. Alternatively, you can cut
andpaste letters and the applied formatting will
remain then, because the text is live you can
simplychange the character. Another option is
tocreate a character style that you can then
applytoindividual characters.

The bottom left handle is the move function.


Youcanalso move the character by clicking inside
the bounding box. The characters new position
willbeshown in blue with the original visible
behind.Centrally above the bounding box is the
rotate handle. Hover over this and a rotation icon
willappear. Click-and-drag to rotate the character.
Remember, as you move one character it will affect
the position of the next.

You will find at times certain characters can be


difficult to select with the Touch Type tool
especially when you have characters stacked or
amixture of different sized characters. A really
simple way around this is to change the size of
yourtext frame so youre focusing just on the
characters you need to work on at any one time.
Alternatively, adding a soft-return might create
thespace you need.
computerarts.creativeb loq.com
- 94 -

The top-left handle controls the proportional


scalingof your character. After youve dragged
thehandle and scaled your character, have alook
inthe Character panel. The percentage increase
ordecrease will be shown in the vertical and
horizontal scale fields of the panel, and will be
displayed by yourcursor. The final two handles
control the vertical (top left) and horizontal
(bottomright) scaling.

Finally, you can use the Touch Type tool with type
ona path. Draw a path with the Pen tool and add
your text to it using the Type on a Path tool found
under the Type tool in the Tools panel. To refine
thelook of the type, open the type on the Path
Options panel found under Type>Type on a
Path>Type on a Path Options. Here you will find
anumber of different effects options and
positionsfor aligning your text.

NEXT MONTH

better
selfpromo
for less
SPECIAL REPORT

Adrian Shaughnessy explores designers


long-standinglove affairwith the music industry
BR AND IMPACT AWARDS

We reveal the inspiring winners of our branding


awards inaspecial extended supplement
Plus: inspiring work, current issues and expert
analysis from the global design scene

ON SALE 7 MAR
com puterarts.creativeb loq.com
- 95 -

N e ed t o k n ow

need to know

march 2014

Do you really
need a Mac Pro?
Kicking off a new series on key hardware, software and other tech
for creative professionals, we explorewhether Apples recently
released flagship machine is worth its eye-watering price tag
s 2013 drew to a close, our
sistertitle MacFormat got a
much-anticipated delivery: that
brooding Vader-like cylinder that piqued
the worlds interest back in October. The
Mac Pro is unquestionably a beautiful
machine, but the blow to the wallet
would make any creative professional
think twice. So putting the alluring black
shell to one side for a moment, the
question is: does your studio really
needthat much horsepower?
Put simply, if you dont work in 4K
video or high-end 3D, youll struggle
to make it break a sweat. Within that
diminutive cylinder you get a multi-core
processor and dual graphics cards as
standard, neatly arranged around a
central core that sucks out heat with
the utmost efficiency. The good news
for those of you who maintain compact,
minimalist studios is that all this comes
in a 25x17cm package, which operates
almost silently.

To make the most of all that, you need


software that knows exactly what to do.
Unsurprisingly, Apples own Final Cut Pro
X is neatly set-up to take full advantage.
By drawing heavily on both graphics cards
with comparatively light processor use,
it enables you to comfortably edit and
apply effects to multiple 4K resolution
videos simultaneously, in real-time,
without stuttering. The question is, how
often do you need to flex that kind of
creative muscle?
If youre a Creative Cloud user, the bad
news is Premiere (currently) relies much
more on processor power than Final Cut,
so you wont notice anywhere near the
same level of difference compared to the
previous iteration of the Mac Pro, when
working on a super-demanding task like
this. Dont get us wrong with up to 12
cores, that processor is still immensely
powerful. Butwhen youre forking out
that much cash, you deserve to see a
game-changing difference.

computerarts.creativeb loq.com
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Mac Pro

march 2014

In a twist of genius,
the Mac Pros superfast components are
arranged in a circle
around a central
cooling chamber.
Despite resembling a
jet engine, it operates
almost silently

Your perfect
Mac Pro
If youve made up your mind and
haveyour credit card primed and
ready, heres how to assemble the
idealmachine for your needs

Besides 4K, the other likely reason


to consider an upgrade is if your studio
produces a lot of demanding 3D
rendering and animation. The bad news
is theres currently no software support
for harnessing both graphics cards
simultaneously in OSX although you
could always run Windows on your Mac
Pro using Boot Camp. Of course, the
likes of Autodesk and Maxon are likely to
respond quickly to set the record straight.
Theres no doubt that the Mac Pro
can muster plenty of power out of the
box, but should you feel the need to
upgrade its RAM, at present youre
restricted to a maximum of 64GB by the
number of slots despite the fact that
its predecessor supported up to 128GB.
Restricted, that is, until 32GB RAM sticks
are available, which is surely only a matter
of time. So for creative tasks that lean
heavily on the dual graphics cards, youre
laughing its only extremely RAM-heavy
processes such as working with gigantic,

multi-layered Photoshop files that could


outflank this beast of a machine. You
would have to be an extremely high-end
Photoshop user, of course.
Another big plus-point of the new
Mac Pro is its blisteringly quick internal
SSD drive, which again youre most likely
to notice when rendering huge 3D files
or editing 4K video. Bear in mind that it
only currently supports two particular
4K displays to their maximum potential,
however MacFormats extensive testing
found that others work only at 30Hz,
rather than the optimum 60Hz. These
areteething problems that, once again, are
likely to be fixed at a software level before
long, but if youre stumping up that much
cash its all worth taking into account.
So, does your studio need the new
Mac Pro? The simple answer is: when this
amount of money is involved, you need to
consider the actual difference it will make
to your day-to-day workflow. As weve
set out here, 4K editing and high-end
3Dare likely to be the main power-drains
on your current machine if youre even
considering investing in one. Complex
Photoshop work might be just as quick
on a top-spec old Mac Pro, given the
RAM limitations. As is often the case with
next-gen hardware, software developers
still need to catch up to avoid all those
superpowers going to waste.
Next month: We put the new MakerBot
Mini through its paces and ask whether
itll finally put 3D printing within the reach
of even the smallest design studio

You have two off-the-shelf versions of the Mac


Pro to choose from: the (ahem) basic 2,499
($2,999) model, and the more mid-range 3,299
($3,999) model. But thats only the beginning.
Picking a processor is probably the trickiest bit.
There are quad-core, six-core, eight-core and even
12-core options to choose from, but bear in mind
that this will only benefit you for complex tasks
that the software can split across multiple cores.
Otherwise, it might actually be slower if it can only
use one of them at a time.
Our friends at MacFormat argue that six-core is a
happy middle-ground for a modest 400 upgrade
fee whereas eight-core will set you back 1,200
($1,500) and for 12-core you can double that.
You have three choices of graphics card and the
nature of your work should help you choose. Highspec 3D effects and rendering will benefit from the
mid-range D500 (6GB of VRAM) or top-end D700
(12GB), and its a better-value upgrade than the
CPU in terms of the actual difference it makes.
In terms of RAM and flash storage capacity,
the mid-range models 16GB should handle most
creative tasks with ease, but 4K video-editing and
very complex Photoshop work will definitely benefit
from more. Buying RAM from Apple is notoriously
pricey, though, so if youre comfortable installing it
yourself its a cheaper option.
The same is true of the SSD capacity: the 256GB
starting point is very low for the kind of high-end,
filesize-heavy work were discussing here, so shop
around for Mac Pro-compatible third-party options,
or just make use of one of the six Thunderbolt ports
to hook up an external drive instead.
If you have more money than sense, or just a
morbid curiosity, the top-spec Mac Pro with 12-core
processor, 64GB RAM, 1TB flash storage, dual
D700 graphic cards and a 4K display (lets assume
you have a keyboard and mouse) will set you back a
stomach-churning 11k ($13k).

com puterarts.creativeb loq.com


- 97 -

CR E AT I V E I N S P I R AT I ONS

MARCH 2014

Angelo Stitz

This graphic designer came up with an ingenious


way to reinvent the Advent calendar
hen asked by a friend to help
create an Advent calendar,
designer Angelo Stitz came
upwith a plan to streamline concept,
bytransforming numerals into graphic
patterns to be printed onto wrapping
paper for each days gift.

What inspired this project?


The main idea came from a colleague,
who asked me to draw some figures for
her Advent calendar. We thought, why
not use numerals themselves to design
wrapping paper foryour Advent calendar
gifts? Thisway you dont need tiny boxes.
How did you develop the designs?
All the numerals were specially drawn
forthe paper, so that they are each shown
off to their best advantage in the specific
pattern. The idea was to create a journey
through different typographic ages like
classicism or baroque. I got inspiration
from old specimen textbooks for pen
and brush lettering like The Speedball
Textbooks, and books like Meisterbuch
der Schrift by Jan Tschichold.
What was the most challenging aspect?
I spent a lot of time designing the patterns
for eight and 18. During the process I
noticed that figures with closed shapes
usually dont fit very well in patterns.
Open shapes are easier because the
shape interacts more with its surrounding
white space. The design doesnt depend
on legibility, but more on a harmonic
interplay of patterns. The main object
wasto create an ornamental pattern,
separate from the actual number.
Which is your favourite design?
The arrangement of numerals poses
different challenges to usual typeface
design. For example, the figure 1 in
number 14 has the same edge-gated
shape as the diagonal corner of the
4. Thats the reason why the design
for number 14 is one of my favourites,
because the numerals meld together
perfectly to form a pattern. You dont
realise the number immediately, only
atsecond appearance. And I love the
23,just because I like fat type which
usesdeep black printing ink.
Angelo Stitz, graphic designer

Based in Germany, Angelo specialises in drawing and developing custom typefaces, designing books, logos and wordmarks.
He has worked for FontFont and Gestalten Verlag, among others. www.metatype.de
computerarts.creativeb loq.com
- 98 -

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