Second food post today...

I spent about 3 hours today attempting to make vegan ricotta and sun-dried tomato tortellini with vegan pesto.

The ricotta worked a treat (honest)—it was mainly made from tofu with some basil, lemon and nutritional yeast, and is based on a recipe by Isa Moskowitz.

It was my first attempt at making pasta from scratch and it very nearly worked. In fact, I would go as far as saying it did work, except I didn't have one of those pasta manganel things so the past was a bit thick and in places was more like dough balls than pasta.


I am now feeling very satisfied, if a little sick...

Mark Bittman

I found this really interesting TED talk by Mark Bittman about whats wrong with what we eat. Have a watch:



Told you meat was bad...

Chartered Institute of Marketing

The LCA prospectus Merlin and I have done has been shortlisted for a CIM Marketing Excellence Award. That's pretty big time.

Graduation

Last week I was honoured to graduate in the first graduation ceremony that Leeds College of Art have organised independently from the University.

I was also honoured to design all the venue dressing and printed material.



Here I am holding the ceremonial staff, trying my best not to do Gandalf impressions ("You shall not pass!"), standing with Chloe and Rose from the LCA marketing team in front of one one of the banners Merlin and I designed.

Far From Home?

Me, Tom Bing and Sally McGee have put together an exhibition for The Manuel Bravo Project called Far From Home? in The Light Leeds. It was hard work but we got there eventually—I think were all pleased with the outcome. Below is the poster and some initial photos that Tom took today.







PS farfromhome.org.uk coming soon!

For Print Only

A little late I know... but design blog/website For Print Only were kind enough to feature mine and Merlin's LCA prospectus design. Check it out here (its prob a few posts down by now).

Out with the old, in with the new.

It's been a while since I last posted. Apologies to any avid fans out there...

This post marks a pivotal time in my life. It marks the point where I completed the transition from design student to designer—although it doesn't feel any different, I'm still learning new things on every job that I do (something I think, and hope, will continue for a long time to come).

I graduated from Leeds College of Art in June, and was lucky enough to get a First (I say 'lucky' because I don't believe that the marking system truly represents a persons ability as a designer, ie you can be a first-rate designer and get a Third, or a third rate designer and get a First). I then moved in with Merlin Mason and Cat Wickes, two other designers, one of which I'm romantically involved with (I'll leave it up to you to guess which one)—we have a nice big studio room in our house, which is awesome.

Since then I have have managed to get my stumpy Manx hands on quite a lot of interesting (and by-and-large 'bill paying') design work. Although admittedly a lot of it has come from the same client — I should take this opportunity to say thanks to Leeds College of Art for keeping me from starving.

I started by designing and art-directing the Leeds College of Art prospectus with Merlin Mason, which was really great—my biggest job to date, and I have just finished designing an English text book for Tibetan refugees in India for TCV. I have also done a couple of jobs for the south Asian arts organisation, Kala Sangam—a book documenting their Kala Pal project, and their autumn programme. At the same as this I was designing a booklet (showing off student awards) that folded out into an A1 wallplanner for Leeds College of Art. I am currently working with photographer Tom Bing and the Manuel Bravo Project on an campaign and exhibition in The Light (a shopping centre/cinema/other stuff in the center of Leeds) called Far From Home? that deals with the issues surrounding asylum seekers. I am also working with Merlin Mason to design my own graduation ceremony (banners, invites, certificate holders, programme, etc).

That's about it. I will try and keep my blog fairly up-to-date from now on...