Designer as obsessive horder of stuff

Sooner or later designers like to talk about their stuff. I don't mean their portfolios, but all the stuff they collect to inspire their design. It is a terrible affliction that we all share and it sometimes helps to discuss the various ways that the stuff is dealt with.

Here is just one of many bookshelves brimming with my stuff:

I also have a large flat file of my stuff and a large file cabinet. Some of my stuff sits around for years without even being noticed, but that doesn't stop me from picking up that great scrape of wall paper on the sidewalk, or beautifully illustrated postcard in an antique store. I have decided that it all mingles in my psyche somewhere to find it's way into my work which justifies the continuation of this activity.

Recently I started to go through an overflowing pile of paper samples, ribbon, corrugated cardboard, and scrapes I intended to get rid of. Here is my pile:

Like most collectors I couldn't bring myself to throw it out, so I started putting  these scrapes together to make cards. I make one card every day. When I get enough cards, I might sell them and donate the money to a worthy environmental group. I like the idea of moving some of my stuff out into the world and helping the environment. It is good for my karma.

Of course A few things make their way back into my folder for safe keeping, because after all I have to keep some of my stuff.

Here are a few of my new creations:

Let me know what you think? Until next time...keep collecting - that way I won't see it!

Contemplating The Universe

I was visiting some of my favorite design blogs today and came across this really wonderful little short created using clips from the Cassini Solstice Mission to Saturn.  You can read more at this link and view the video. Any time I see images from space, I am overwhelmed by how little we know about EVERYTHING. ( A thumbs up to Mike Wasilewski for noting the same site.)


If you want more info on the universe, Smithsonian has done some wonderful articles with stunning photos to boot. You can pour through their archives.


Anyway, take a look:


http://www.fastcodesign.com/1664011/filmmaker-captures-raw-beauty-of-nasas-mission-to-saturn

One, Two, Three with Ant and Bee

I haven't spoken much about books so far, so I would like to present One, Two, Three with Ant and Bee by Angela Banner. If you are a young-ish person, you probably didn't grow up with this book. I am not sure many old-ish people did either. I loved this small counting book as a young child. The story was rather odd about an ant that is injured and nursed back to health by his close friend Bee. Similar to the Dressed Cat postcards, I was fascinated by the illustrations in this book. The simple, graphic style of drawing and the pattern of objects has stayed in my imagination over the years.


Oddly enough I was thinking about Ant and Bee about a year ago while developing one of my own books, when my mother came to visit and pulled my old battered copy out of her bag. "Look what I found in the closet". This was eerie. 


My younger sister did a good job of adding her own illustrative adornments to the book which is missing its cover and a few key pages, but I have since purchased a bright new, (and more expensive) copy. The book is sadly out of print.


Here are a few illustrations: