Visual Culture

Portfolio Center recently spoke with design master Stef Geissbuhler about his career, process, and the future of design. To read the interview in full, you know the deal.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your enormous design career?

“I learned that I don’t know anything; I thought I knew, but actually I don’t. Everything is a new thing. I like the idea that I am constantly learning new things through projects and clients–everything that comes at me is something I don’t know, and then I have to immerse myself.”

photo by Chryseis Golden

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Sol Sender, reflects back and sheds lilght into the conception and birth of the Obama ’08 logo, including the strategy behind it, developmental concepts and finalist that were presented to the Obama camp. It’s over 13 minutes long, but well worth the time for anyone interested in the process of developing identites and and innovative brands.

The Los Angeles Earthquake: Get Ready project met with great success. In all there were over 5.4 million participants prepared to drop, cover, and hold on during this unprecedented effort. The Get Ready Rally was organized by Designmatters at Art Center along with government, private and public sector agencies to inspire Southern Californians to get ready for “The Big One.”

Designmatters co-founder Mariana Amatullo shared her unique perspective of this ambitious 3 year project and gave valuable insight into some of the challenging, yet inspiring experiences she gained in the process.

VC: Tell us a little about the energy at the L.A. Earthquake: Get Ready Rally.

MA: We designed “The Get Ready Rally“ as a high octane and immersive multimedia environment that was visually stunning and conveyed upbeat energy. Choosing a public space that could support our intent for a very impactful experience was key. Again, thanks to our partnerships with the City of Los Angeles (more…)

Design can be a powerful tool to inspire change, promote thought and raise awareness. We recently had the pleasure of speaking with acclaimed graphic designer and typographer Marian Bantjes. The recent AGI inductee provides insight into her recent poster series “Design Ignites Change” and gives with a glimpse of what is to come in 2009.

VC: What sparked “this change” you speak of 5 years ago to do more personal inspired work?

MB: I was just worn out by the daily grind of working in the regular model of graphic design, doing merely good work, running a studio etc. I was sick to death of it and wanted out. I desperately wanted to do something that was more connected to me, more artistic and personal. (more…)

We recently had the pleasure of chatting with Envirosax co-founder Mark David-Tooze. If you’re not familiar with their hip, eco-friendly bags, prepare to be informed. In addition, he gave us the inside scoop on their new line of bags called “Botanica” that will be available just in time for the holidays.

Brief History:

Belinda and Mark met in Tokyo, Japan in 1990 and were married in Cornwall, England in 1993, before settling in Australia. They now have three children, James 9, Luci 4 and Grace 3 and live in Currumbin Valley in South East Queensland. The idea for making eco-friendly bags came from a discussion had over a glass of wine in October 2004 after returning from a shopping trip. Belinda decided that the polypropylene green bags on offer at most supermarkets were dull and unfashionable and saw the need for a more fun, fashionable item that everybody would like to be seen with and at the same time still spread the message of reusable bags over cheap throwaway plastic bags.

VC: Your bags have a sustainable sensibility when it comes
to material, usage of water based inks, fair trade production. What are some of the challenges that you face to stay eco-friendly, while maintaining a healthy business?

E: The success and sales of our polyester graphics bags, even though they are made of a crude oil product have allowed us to expand our business very quickly and allowed us to experiment with a range of natural fibers like bamboo viscose, linen and hemp. We made a decision very early on to never go down the polypropylene path even though this would have been very profitable for us. We see the stronger more durable polyester envirosax bags as the new generation of reusable shopping bags. The whole point of a reusable bag is REUSE, so why make it out of a material that decays in the UV rays of the Sun has inferior tensile strength properties and rips easily as do the cheap polypropylene bags. (more…)

Visual Culture presents a conversation with esteemed graphic designer Hans Ulrich Allemann. On the eve of his retirement, the renowned designer and educator discusses key elements of his distinguished career and sheds light on the the matter of the newly redesigned FISM identity.

VC: When were you asked to design the FISM logo?
HA: The process began in 1989; The Franklin Institute had been a client of Allemann Almquist & Jones for 5 years. In the early years we helped them implement a new logotype, designed by Kramer Miller Lomden Glassman. We developed an application system for the new identity and we redesigned all of their communications and marketing materials.

VC: Why did The Franklin Institute Science Museum want a redesign of their identity in 1989?
HA: They were rebuilding the institution – adding a new addition – which was named “The Future Center.” (more…)