itype
Actually I only type on a Mac these days! In the days of glossy screens and brushed aluminium perfection, how lovely it is to see something mechanical. These old typewriters bring back a few memories for me (yes I’m showing my age). I can remember as a very young kid trying to move my parents’ typewriter – pretty much all the working parts were metal so it was heavy. But the brilliant thing was when you hit that key you could see the mechanical arm raise and press the letterform against the ink reel, then print it on the paper – and who can forget the sound of the roller or the sound of the keys pummeling the paper once you got into a sentence! But make a mistake – mmm that’s a bummer – until Tippex that is! Anyway you can buy these on Fab.com… nothing like a bit of nostalgia!
Your Friday philosophy…
Posted by Alexandra
And so we have reached my final day with Quirk & Hyll… and as I look around the office with people hard at work, and the two dogs sleeping peacefully on the floor, I know I’m going to miss this place.
From rapping (ahem) down the motorway every morning to sitting at my desk scribbling away on my next brief, I have enjoyed every minute.
I made a speech this morning about my reflections and I was just thinking, maybe I should transcribe it down here so that you can all be enlightened – but then I realised that I used it to sweep up brownie crumbs off the table.
And seeing me hunting in the bin is definitely not the final image I want to leave with everyone here.
But on a more serious note, I will say this- it’s easy to forget the effort that goes in to make the world the place we’re used to. Walk down the street today and look around- make the effort to notice the little details behind the posters, campaigns, shop fronts, that you see every day… the ads that make you laugh when you turn on the TV when you get back from work… all these little things that brighten up our day, which we take for granted.
It’s easy to assume that all this just takes care of itself, that all these glossy creative offices just magic up the stuff that fills our world with colour.
But it’s not like that, the thing I’ve realised is that everything is built on people. Everything we see around us is built on ideas which come from normal people, like you and me. The whole world of commerce and retail that we see as one shiny institution relies on the work of the people behind the scenes; they’re the ones who place one metaphorical brick on top of another to create it.
So think about it, next time you’re out. Be grateful for the Quirks & Hylls that make your world what it is.
And on a lighter note, I redesigned their logo:
What’s caught our eye?
1. The Model Agency – all those tempers in one room make addictive viewing (plus they’ve got a lovely Bichon like us!)
2. Beautiful food photography from ex-graphic designer Katie Quinn Davies, 90’s TV presenter Amanda de Cadenet, the notorious David LaChapelle, and an old favourite. We also love the humour (and patience!) in Matt Stuart’s photography.
3. Music from some old favourites: Cardigans, Foo Fighters, Alterbridge, Anthony Hamilton and Diana Krall
4. The quirky stationery and home stuff over at Our Shop
5. Our eagerly awaited weekly Graze boxes (but we’re talking flapjacks, not seeds. It’s not January any more).
6. Boys’ toys like DW drums and B&W headphones
7. Dream treehouses and being nosy on Hooked On Houses
8. The lovely illustrations of SuperMundane, and Olivier Kugler plus typography at Friends of Type.
Miniature iceworld
The cold weather brings up some great photo opportunities – and the fact that our offices are on a farm means there’s lot’s of visual interest too! What with machinery, animals and bits and bobs… So I couldn’t resist getting a few snaps of what the cold weather has to show us. OK they’re only iPhone snaps, but amazing stuff.
Totem?
Really – you can buy one? If you’re not sure what this is, watch Inception – great film. Full on, a little hard to follow and definitely not one to see if it’s a nice relaxing film you’re after!
Envy
Was in Portobello Road, love this moment – the two guitarists on the right where amazing flamenco players – the girl was really very good and the guy too. They knocked out some great rhythms too, syncopated and perfectly in time as well as brilliant playing. Then these two buskers come along with his giant pink cardboard flying ‘v’ guitar, casio keyboard and Bonne Maman (what) plastic bag? They just stood there mouths open for 5 minutes. Fair play, after shaking their heads they threw a pound coin in their bag as a tip, funny!
The Weather?
Always unreliable and the subject of many a conversation – yes, the good ol British weather. The last two weeks has been somewhat testing as we had a fantastic series of shoots on locations in and around the Peak District. Ready to go, we bombed up there fully laden with cameras, lenses and product. We arrived to blistering sun and see the most stunning panorama – pure Britain, gorgeous.
We were very excited at the potential of what we could capture.
Next day up at the crack of dawn and well, it’s grey and dull as dishwater in fact you can’t even see the hills. The problem is you can check every website that forecasts the weather, but to be honest they are always random!
Still we got loads done after chatting to a local hill walker in the pub who just happened to know the area like the back of his hand. We discovered the most amazing locations off the normal tourist track, he was a real find – thanks Chris! Reccy done!
Over the next two weeks we visited the peaks several times and captured some stunning images, a total of 1500 miles driving plus many miles of walking on the glorious hills.
As for the British weather – some things will never change!
3Dtastic?
What is it with 3D? I checked out 3D TV at a Sony stand in Westfield. OK it’s alright but really who wants to wear those glasses plus it always cuts off at the edge of the screen anyway – it’s a fail from me. All that technology, HD, 1080p etc yet a couple of quids worth of plastic 3D glasses between your eyes and your grand or so spanking new 3D telly to get the full effect (average at that)… no not there. Cinema 3D has a novelty value and I can see some merit in that. I wait to see the real thing and me thinks it wont be on a flat screen but that’s just my view.
Passport photo
So there’s a buzz in Berkhamstead apparently Jamie Oliver was shooting an ad in the village (where I live). I just need to pop into the bank to pick up some cash for a largish purchase. Anyway I had to take in some ID to get the cash. I’m first in the queue and I’m called over. So I explain I’ve come to pick up the cash…’can I have your ID please’ she says, so I hand over my passport.
As she opens it a passport photo falls out, she looks suspiciously at her colleague and says er what’s this – I explain it’s for my new driving license that was in the same folder in my bag… she asks more questions and she is now holding up the passport in front of my face checking back and forth several times. She turns to her colleague and says ‘it doesn’t look like him’, (at this point I’m thinking she thinks I tried to stick a new photo over the one in the passport to fake it, Jason Bourne style). She says to her colleague ‘he looks a bit like Jamie Oliver’? I laugh, sorry Jamie Oliver? (snigger) no it’s just when the photo in my passport was taken I had more hair and it was raining etc……….15 minutes and many security checks later I left with my money.
As I walk back I stumble on the shoot – they are shooting a Jamie O Sainsburys commercial get this, in Waitrose car-park?
Sit!
Here boy… nice Hyena! I’ve seen these pics of Nigerian gang members before, but they still take me aback – especially the shot with the little girl (yes that’s a Hyena she’s cuddling!). Unbelievable.
Viral campaign
Whilst researching viral’s for a new video we are working on, I came across this… The video shows a covert operation where a graffiti artist manages to tag air force one!. After spreading across the internet and receiving a lot of attention on American tv and news stations, It turned out the video was a hoax created by fashion brand Ecko. To achieve this they had to hire a jet and paint it to look like the US presidents plane. Impressive!
Spekky
So many years of staring lovingly at a screen has finally taken it’s toll (or am I just getting older?!) The eye test was interesting – a bit like subtle torture – who likes having a jet of air blown into their eye? Anyway by the end my eyes were streaming and red… mmm focus!
Went to Kings Road to get fitted and the amazing array of designs was incredible. It’s fashion – designer black, Wally Ollins style, Elton style, Dame Edna… what to go for? I hate too much choice, same with menus – I become blind. Ironic really!
Late train
I quite like the challenge of having had a few beers in town getting back home on the train. In all my 25 years in the creative business I have always managed to avoid the hateful train having negotiated high value parking in the best bits of London, IT’S WORTH IT! But I have to admit in having a strange ‘like’ for the late train back to home. It’s an odd blend of pasties, tired people, theatre goers, concerts types, drunks and tourists getting the train back. The platforms are quiet, the train a sort of mobile ‘casualty’ unit with various self-inflicted ailments from a good night. It’s people watching heaven – but it’s all a blur!
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