Nick – He’s never happy….

Nick has finally reached his goal to have 3 monitors on his desk – and guess what – he now wants this….

Nick wants to upgrade his desk again

JULY UPDATE – Well he’s nearly there….

Nick's 4 Monitors

Amazon – I love you!

Yet again, while the dread of Christmas shopping hangs over most people, I have to confess I smile inside, smug in the knowledge that all my shopping will be done without stepping foot in a single shop.

As possibly, the only woman alive to actively hate shopping, the vast choice, the online suggestions, free delivery, basket total (which eliminates any overspending) and lack of sore feet just make me look forward to Christmas a whole lot more.

So while I’m sat a home, toasty warm in front of the fire with a mug of hot chocolate (with marshmallows and squirty cream) in one hand and the ipad in the other, perusing for the ideal gift, I will spare a thought for all of you out there with cold noses and aching feet.

5000 year old type

I’ve just spent 2 weeks in Egypt on holiday, relaxing, enjoying the sunshine (more accurately, sat in the shade trying not to get burnt) and trying to forget about computers and design. But, there is no escape.

One of the most fantastic experiences ever was a trip to Cairo, into the ancient world of the pharaohs and deep into the tunnels of the Pyramids. Seeing huge statues carved in marble, thousands of years old, the hieroglyphics carved so neatly and exactly as if carved by modern machines was amazing. Hieroglyphics took modern man decades to decipher before many of the ancient pharaohs secrets could be revealed. Now, tourists like me can buy, pretty much any naff ornament especially guilt, plastic gem encrusted, Tutankhamen mummy heads, with their name etched on in hieroglyphs.  

How mundane and ordinary is ABC compared to:

So where next, china?

From Apple ][ to a 27″ iMac

This week I took delivery of my new 27″ iMac and boy am I absolutly chuffed with it!

I know as a web designer I am supposed to think that the PC is the bee all and end all – but from a very early age (see pic) I was an Apple convert.

[ – 1979″]

Me and my first Apple

Mat Lam and Spot UV – It’s the future!

Just the thought of a design project for your own agency is enough to send dread to the heart of most designers… and I’m no different.

However, designing the next generation of design101 business cards has been both a pleasure and a blast. The concept was simple; we wanted each card to reflect the skills and personality of the team member and also to inform people about design101 and what we do.

Each card was produced with a matt laminate to ensure a high quality feel and the unique design element for each person’s card had a spot UV applied. This added extra emphasis and depth and has resulted in a tactile and irresistibly ‘touchy feely’ set of cards.

design101 Business Cards

Want to see the cards up close and in their full shiny glory?
Then drop us an email to anna@design101.co.uk!

Google – the dogs dangly bits

Google has become a household name and has earned its place to become an invaluable tool in current times. The Google brand identity is instantly recognisable and has been a major part of establishing the global Google phenomenon.

Part of the unique nature of Google has been born from the use of personalising the search engine home page to pay respect and homage to key events in history as well as adding humour and interest to holidays and other notable dates.

The use of ‘themed’ Google logos has gained a large fan base and the next versions are always eagerly awaited. Logos are developed for many notable dates, anniversaries and birthdays across the world.

Google Holiday Logos

Some of my personal favourites are shown Here. To see all the Google Holiday Logos click here.

Simply Swoosh…

There must be very few people who do not recognize the Nike logo.

The company takes its name from the Greek goddess of victory, Nike. The popular Swoosh logo is a graphic design created by Carolyn Davidson in 1971 for just $35. The logo represents the wing of the Greek Goddess.

Nike Logos - Past and Present

The Nike logo is a classic case of a company gradually simplifying its corporate identity as its frame increases. The company’s first logo appeared in 1971, when the word Nike,  ran over the tick, several updates over the years has resulted in the complete removal of the Nike name as the “swoosh” alone has become iconic enough to be instantly recognisable.