In amongst recent events, maybe for good reason, I missed that a new First Things First manifesto was launched in May. A more radical and critical version, and one that certainly gets my signature. This time around, as well as signing your support, you can help to rewrite the manifesto itself by submitting your opinions.Continue reading “First Things First: 2020”
Author Archives: Nigel Ball
Virtually speaking
I recently wrote an article for Eye magazine’s blog about the wealth of online talks and interviews that have sprung up as a result of Covid-19 and lockdown. These have been a godsend to my students, and I’m sure a great many more. I go on to write about my hope that such initiatives continueContinue reading “Virtually speaking”
Mainstream discussions on graphic design
Mainstream media doesn’t often do graphic design, and when it does it rarely does it seriously. Preference is more often given over to art, architecture, interior design, photography and fashion. On the odd occasion when an appropriately critical article does appear, (one that does not claim that the journalist’s 6 year old daughter could haveContinue reading “Mainstream discussions on graphic design”
ACDHE review—The graphic design process
I recently wrote a review of the 2019 Bloomsbury title: The Graphic Design Process: How to be Successful in Design School by Anitra Nottingham and Jeremy Stout, for the journal Art, Communication & Design in Higher Education. The book explores the design process through varying approaches to graphic design education—from brief to crit to exploratoryContinue reading “ACDHE review—The graphic design process”
Newsprint isn’t dead, yet
Just before lockdown I had several conversations with colleagues and students about whether newspapers would survive Covid-19. At the prospect of newsagents and train stations closing for months on end, and assuming these are the prime retailers for newspapers outside of people having them delivered, I predicted the situation could be devastating for printed journalism.Continue reading “Newsprint isn’t dead, yet”
Constitutionals
Since I wrote Graphic commons: Government sanctioned dérives, I have started to upload photos taken on my daily #coronawalks to a dedicated Instagram feed called Constitutionals. It features much more of a variety of observations than just the graphic or typographic, as written about here, and is more typical of my usual Instagram feed. Depending onContinue reading “Constitutionals”
Graphic commons: Government sanctioned dérives
Making the most of the ‘sanctioned’ time I am allowed out to exercise during the UK government’s coronavirus pandemic ‘lockdown’, I have been drifting through my neighbourhood on a daily basis for the last week. Despite the awkwardness of swapping sides of the road every time I see someone coming in my direction, this hasContinue reading “Graphic commons: Government sanctioned dérives”
Insidiousness
In response to the worldwide epidemic of COVID-19 there is an inevitability to the words …And Wash Your Hands, replacing …And Carry On, as the coda to Keep Calm and Carry On posters. Given that news of the spread of the virus has the ability to produce widespread panic, any populist measures to get health messages across toContinue reading “Insidiousness”
A question of signs
A couple of weeks ago I took the above picture at Felixstowe docks, finding it interesting to see a group of signs in what appeared to be a holding pen, waiting to be distributed as need-be around the busy port. After editing the image to post to Flickr at the weekend, I wondered what theContinue reading “A question of signs”
The times they are a-changin’
I recently wrote here about frustrations I was having with how my iPhone displayed album sleeves on its Music app. Since then I’ve been somewhat forced to sign-up to Apple Music to get over this, (and other), issues with the app. In doing so it feels like I have made a major shift in someContinue reading “The times they are a-changin’”
Nigel Ball 