Tiny Living Spaces

This morning I stumbled upon 'the college dorm of the future' on Fast Company blog Co.EXIST. If you're like me and teach Visual Communication Design, these tiny wooden houses are an interesting talking/study point for students to explore. They're also interesting simply in terms of their design. Visit this link to read more about them. The elevation and floor plan views are also shown over at the blog, which would be quite handy for Unit 3 if you're a teacher of the subject.

While I'm not entirely sure that I'd like to live in them, I do think they're interesting from a design solution perspective, (they're cheap, sustainable and space efficient). One thing is for certain though, I'd much rather live in a tiny Swedish wooden box, rather than one of these tiny living spaces in Japan... Here are two images below, but make sure you check out the link for more info.

In terms of the way humans live in different spaces, also check out Kevin McCloud's 'Slumming It' I watched it on a flight back from Jakarta a few years ago and its really interesting viewing. "After 10 years celebrating homes in Britain, Kevin (host of Grand Designs) now experiences life in India's largest slum - Mumbai's Dharavi, made famous by the film Slumdog Millionaire, where disease is rife, water is contaminated and sanitation is basic. With one million people crammed into one square mile (2.6 square kilometres), Dharavi is one of Asia's biggest slums and one of the most densely populated places on the planet."

Dharavi slum in Mumbai, India. Photo courtesy of Swiss Dots Ltd. From The City Fix - Q&A with Gary Hustwit: Designing Cities

The future of design education

Issue #296 of Desktop Mag has hit the shelves. This issue looks at design education in Australia: both currently and where its headed to in the future. Its well worth a read, particularly if you're a current student looking to study an area of design at uni. Also, if you're someone like me who has already been through a uni design degree, you'll no doubt read and nod your head along the way... Design education in Australia needs to catch up with professional practice in the design industry.

This is an illustration I made of the cover design of the current issue.

Mag Covers I Like

Yesterday I bought a new set of Schminke half pan watercolours. I've always used tubes of colour, but wanted a set of half pans to be able to do some quick, immediate work without the fuss of the usual initial setup, with tubed colour. I love magazines and decided to use my new set of colours to start a new series of illustrations: redrawing the covers of some of my favourite mags. I've used some really loose linework and brushwork to achieve a cool aesthetic. Here's the first illo below, and there will be more to come!

Lunch at Coral Lee

Today I had lunch with Coral Lee. "Who's Coral Lee? Is it your grandma?" I hear you ask... Well, to be honest, I have no idea who Coral Lee is, but its the name of pretty funky little cafe in the sleepy alpine town of Bright in North East Victoria. And while Coral Lee isn't my grandma, I certainly felt like I was dining at my grandma's place. The little cafe is decked out with retro kitchenware, wallpaper taken straight from the 50's (I think), and some very chilled vinyl tunes. Yep, that's right, real vinyl records. Oh, and there's also some really cool vintage advertising (think old Women's Weekly style stuff) framed on the walls to polish off the aesthetic. The cafe is a little like stepping inside an issue of Frankie mag, only better, because its real.

If you haven't seen your gran' for while, stop by Coral Lee for some homestyle charm... Only the coffee at Coral Lee's place is way better than a cup of International Roast from your nan, and the mint salad is truly delicious. It's dressed with a super-secret dressing recipe made at the cafe. People go to Coral Lee just to buy a jar. While I'm no cravat-wearing restaurant critic, I know a good salad, and their salad is bliss. After each spoonful, I'm sure it was giving my digestive system a lovely warm nanna hug.

Anyway, I've adopted Coral Lee as my surrogate nan. I have no idea who she is, but I'll make sure I visit again soon... I promise nan.

Here are the details: Coral Lee - food made by hand 8 Barnard St Bright 3741 Ph: 03 5755 5113

Soaring and Flying

At last I think I'm over the creative block that has been plaguing me for what has felt like AGES. I'm about five 'spreads' away from finishing off the illustrations to complete a picture book project. Here's one of four illustrations I made today, on my day off from my day job.