Saturday 19 December 2009

Snow Branding in London

With most of Europe covered with a seasonal layer of snow, here is Snow Branding.
Imagined by the UK agency Curb for the Extreme Sports Channel, over 2 000 logotypes were stamped across London. Great viability and buzz, zero environmental impact.

Sunday 13 December 2009

Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year

Co2penhagen - here and now

Our Co2penhagen poster campaign in anticipation of the arrival of the worlds heads of state for the final session of the UN climate summit in Denmark.

Saturday 12 December 2009

Packaging Design lecture at l'Ecole de Design Nantes Atlantique

On Wednesday 16 December I will be giving a lecture on Packaging Design - What is packaging design? what is the role of the packaging designer? at the Ecole de Design Nantes Atlantique.
Amongst the diverse issues covered will be eco-conception, sustainability and the social, environmental and political role of packaging.

Tuesday 8 December 2009

co2penhagen climate change posters

Our UN Copenhagen Climate Change Conference poster designs.

Sunday 6 December 2009

11 November stamp design winner


Remembrance Day 'Poppy' stamp by Hat-Trick Design, London.
A design award winner. Hat-Trick also designed the Evolution stamps in the next post below.

Postage stamp design, graphics and national identity


Postage stamp design is a pertinent macro measurement of a nations commitment to graphic design and to the image is presents to the outside world. British Royal Mail Post Office stamps have always communicated important national issues with intelligent concepts, powerful graphics and they are a vehicle for the promotion of Britain's designers.
A few recent collections include the interlocking 'Evolution' stamps, the brilliant 'Fruit & Veg' designs complete with stickers to personalise the faces of your stamps and create your own Fruit & Veg characters and the beautifully illustrated 'Beijing - London Olympics', the contemporary architectural and Rock and Roll collections.
Having once been commissioned to design a set of 'Landscapes at Risk' stamps, I know how demanding and exigent the Post Office is in its design selection process. Hence the outstanding designs that find themselves on the UK mail.

Postage stamp design in France


The contrast with the attention paid to postage stamp design in France is startling. These stamps may appear to date from the 50's but are all current stamps from the 2009 collection on the La Poste web site.
Not only is there a total lack of concept, design and national identity but the quality of illustration is alarming.
As one of France's leading independent designers, Alain Le Quernac, says, 'To get an idea about what is going on in graphics in France, just go into any post office and check out the stamps. No graphic or intellectual line, just a jumble of formats and techniques that betrays a policy of one-offs and compromise'.

Tuesday 1 December 2009

Vingt ans - ça se fête!




















My vingt logotype to celebrate 20 years in France. Santé!

mariaduffinteriordesign.com graphics and web


Launch of the 3rd generation web site for mariaduffinteriordesign.com with our new monochrome design palette and identity.

Great British Rock - Great British Stamps











Hard to beat British Post Office stamps when it come to design and creativity. The Rolling Stones and David Bowie record covers will be launched in 2010 commemorating great British rock.
LP's designed by Robert Brownjohn and Main Artery. Stamps by Studio Dempsey. Note the die-cutting.
The stacks of Beatles LP's, die-cut around the superimposed piles, are from 2007.

Fazillac Noix walnut oil launched

Our Fazillac Noix branding and packaging has now been rolled out to a collection of 100% cold pressed virgin walnut oils.
Tall glass 75cl and 1l bottles emphasise the rich colour and reinforce the impact of the brand and labelling.

Leland & Marian's Santa Barbara house




























Our friends Leland and Marian, neighbours of ours in the Sud Ouest, have just completed a contemporary house in Santa Barbara, California. Commisioned by them and designed by Steven Ehrlich Architecture, it is a stunning study in light and space, with magnificent Pacific Ocean views.