As a designer I think it’s normal to have a brain filled with ideas with potential, i’d like to thank the course in helping conceptualize these ideas & make us consider the details in making them a reality.
Having spent the past 2 years at working at a college, working in the graphic design department really doesn’t relate much to personal practice. My urge to set all these ideas in motion is higher than ever, so I think that the course actually gave me the initial thought that the ideas are to be put to work, so a big thanku to Falmouth Flex!
I think I self discovered a thinking method in branching out existing ideas that might not seem to relate at first and tying them together. I started off the list of 10 by doubting a lil’ if I am cheating in doing so…BUT not knowing what sorts of development to expect in the following weeks made me feel that repeating certain things that have been done before might not be a bad idea.
Another doubt I had is that : Am I doing this because I am running out of ideas? But I got over it by assuring myself that i’m doing this because I don’t think I am done with these ideas, and that thinking of a graphic design/creative career in phases/ experiences I am going through at this age, I do want to ultimately let go of what I have now in order to have the capacity to not dwell on the old concepts to free space for new ones. So here goes :
1: Hong Kong Handout
A lot of the other ideas are a branch of this, so im gonna spend more time on this one
This is a module 2 project I am trying to launch. Based on the thought that Hong Kong citizens need more design awareness in order for the industry to thrive. The Hong Kong Handout is to be a free bi-monthly booklet made free to the public, with every issue based on a specific topic of : Design, culture or profession. If more of us could come to a better understanding of what other’s jobs are like and what their missions are like, only then would the HK public lay down negative stereotypes towards certain professions, eg : design = arts and craft, social work = rely on wellfare.
I would consider Issue 1 is to be abour HK mascots, I need to re-arrange things and have it translated into Chinese. While issue 2 im thinking on talking about social workers for I have 2 interviews done and have learnt a lot about their work and heard stories that are worth a read. Other topics in mind include : Musicians, Minorities (HK has a big middle eastern population and many Philipinos work here), Education, Fashion etc.
2: Online Highlights of HK Handout
This home website for HK Handout to have featured articles that are a quick read, to mainly act as an attraction to have people pick up a copy of the HK Handout.
3: HK Handout Collection
Im thinking for every 10 issues of the Handout, a collective hardcover book could be printed as a collection of all the juicy content OR even seperate a bunch of these topics in to 3 categories/ volumes such as : Professionals, Design, Culture.
4: The Hong Kong “Hand”
I think the sock puppet interviews I did last month was a lot of fun to watch, and that in order to publish this content and have the world understand Hong Kong better, these re-enactment of interviews in English is a great way to go.
5: Handout Archives
Since my interviews are all voice recorded, there is no harm in uploading em to a Youtube channel?
6: Help Cards
In an interview with a social worker who focuses on domestic violence and women rights, I asked Heidi that about her years of experience and what to do when they witness potential family matters that deserve attention during her off time, and she told me that she keeps cards with contacts or even words of advice with her, in tricky situations she could slip these cards to who ever is in need. As a graphic designer I am really interested in designing these cards for certain NGOs or social work organizations.
7: Online Hong Kong Mascot Archive
There are mascots that became a collective memory to HK people that might have once appeared in some ad or commercial, and that the company that used the character might have been long gone. It’s never too late to start documenting them to inspire the generations to come.
8: Graphic Design Workshop for Business Owners
I think this could become important for business owners in Hong Kong to learn about design thinking and how that extra perspective could add so much spark to a business. An effort to lift the status of Hong Kong designers.
9: Sneaker Graveyard
I am a sneaker head, and I would used to do sketches of my worn sneakers before they’re going into the bin ; certified death.
There are sneaker models that do not see the day when they get a retro, and I think about them sometimes…My idea of a sneaker graveyard is to have a set format for the “last shot” of your beloved pair and a 300 word story to go along with it, all in memory of that sneaker that served yall so well during it’s life time.
10: UM99 (HK glued together)
A bunch of friends and I are starting live shows and DJ sessions online, eventually we want this to become an online mart where local brands and artisans could sell there goods. The promotion comes from our live streams consisting of : Concerts, live interviews, broadcasting events such as Chinese Shuttlecock competition, poker match for charity etc.
Week 10 Design Authors
Ive never talked to Adonian Chan but he’s an active member of the HK band scene is actually a distant friend of mine. This book is REALLY sought after by designers in HK and I yet to lay my hands on a copy.
A point to reflect on though is that I think it is important to document old Hong Kong as it is fading in front of our eyes, YET HK’s graphic design scene is continuely spinning in circles around the topics of the old, and the main development directed by the government regarding creativity is defined by technological advances. It’s all good but then I think it’s time for us in HK to broaden the topic in to modern aspects of our lives.
Adonian Chan ＋Ire Tsui
Published in 2012 by Joint Publishing with Adonian Chan (graphic designer) credited as it’s major contributor, this book documents the Chinese typeface : Bei Yi, which saw it’s many application on old billboards, advertisements and packaging in Hong Kong from the 1940s-70s.
In the book are interviews of an old designer responsible for much Bei Yi application on the side of trucks advertisements named Yeung Gai and Adonian Chan himself, who spent time 1st gathering Bei Yi letters from different sources and re-drew them with computer software.
Jens MĂĽller
The name appeared a lot when I was sorting out design books at my job at the college, and I am so very ashamed of not knowing this name by heart earlier for I refereced from his beautiful books A LOT! Check out Vista’s site also, really cool lookin’!
Born in Koblenz, Germany in 1982 and studied communication design at the University of DĂĽsseldorf.
Jens MĂĽllers works – including special stamps for Deutsche Post – have received numerous national and international awards. In addition to his work as a designer, he researches the history of graphic design and is the author of much respected textbooks, including “Lufthansa & Graphic Design” (Lars MĂĽller, 2012), “Logo Modernism” (Taschen, 2015), or most recently the two-volume work “The History of Graphic Design ”, which traces the development of design history in a worldwide context on almost 1000 pages.
Creative Director of Vista Design Studio
ANDY WAS HERE
ANDY was here 🤓 