DESIGN CHATTER
Branding Science: Making Information Visual
Sep 11, 2024
At the intersection of graphic design and science, branding arrives to play a critical role in communicating complex, abstract and very, very important ideas. For designers, this offers an exciting challenge: how to represent scientific concepts through logos and visual identities. Historically, science relied on symbols of authority (like a wax seal) to lend credibility, like the seal of the University of Heidelberg example in the full article. In an intriguing contrast, modern science institutions often use minimalist,
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A Font For Every Emotion
Sep 06, 2024
Type designer Jessica Walsh’s new venture, Type of Feeling, is set to transform the way we think about typography by linking fonts directly to emotions. Yea, you read that right. Whether we like it or not, forms already evoke certain feelings: hard lines can prompt stress or aggression, and curves usually make you think of softer emotions, like calmness or nostalgia. This new approach could significantly impact design by emphasizing the emotional resonance of typefaces, moving beyond aesthetics to add emotionality as a purposeful design trait.
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Nike’s DNA
Sep 04, 2024
Nike’s influence on design is taking center stage with the first-ever public reveal of its Department of Nike Archives (DNA), showcased in the new exhibition “Nike: Form Follows Motion” on display at the Vitra Design Museum (in Germany, unfortunately for us U.S. residents). This first of its kind exhibit provides a never-before-seen peek into Nike’s legacy of design, highlighting the brand’s pivotal role in shaping modern sportswear and culture. Spanning decades of innovation, from the original sketch of the iconic “Swoosh”
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2024’s Boldest Web Trends
Aug 30, 2024
Online website builder Wix is checking in with some of the boldest web design trends that seem to have staying power eight months in to 2024. While AI is the buzzword you can’t get away from these days, the trends that are other cutting edge are pushing back on AI art hard, with emphasis on the human touch: script fonts, halftone color fills, handmade illustrations, and textures you can almost feel, for example. Playfulness and sustainability are taking a more prominent role,
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Jolene, Please Don’t Take My Pan
Aug 28, 2024
Stop the presses, y’all: Dolly Parton has collaborated with Lodge cast iron in designing a limited edition collection of cast iron cookware based on her most timeless and familiar tunes from over the years. There is a guitar pan. There is a “9 to 5” clock pan. And there is a Jolene pan, complete with the phrase “Jolene, please don’t take my pan”. The best part is that the country music icon collaborated on these designs with Lodge instead of a more expensive cast iron manufacturer (we’re looking at you,
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First “Hope”, Now “Forward”
Aug 23, 2024
Renowned artist and designer Shepard Fairey, known for his iconic “Hope” design from Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, has unveiled a new design supporting Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential bid. The poster, featuring the bold slogan “Forward,” was created to be distributed for free and without financial gain to Fairey. It serves as a powerful symbol of grassroots activism, and Fairey hopes it will urge the nation to embrace a future of equality, environmental stewardship,
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