COMING SOON … MORE …

PHLEGM

I’ve been neglecting some links I must have come across ages ago and then promptly forgot about – I’m paying for it with this one. How am I going to get ahold of those back issues?

It’s Phlegm. Go there now. It has content. Lovely lovely content.

123KLAN

If you’ve clicked the uppermost design site link on the right you’ll find a rather sober Scien & Klor most times known as 123Klan doing their thing. The new site is a bit more corporate friendly but I’m just glad they kept the good stuff from before. They couldn’t let that flash go to waste after all. Click here and play a while. I find it hypnotic and inspirational so there!

Also they are having a design competition so have a look around their own site before submitting your own T-shirt designs to the 123Klan vs La Fraise category on La Fraise itself. That’s a pretty big prize. Read the rules. Best of luck. Let me know how you get on!

UNNATURAL CAUSES

Unnatural Causes (1967) is the third book in the Dalgleish series by PD James. It’s also the clunkiest I’ve read so far. In fact I’ve read it twice but it took me a little to remember the set-up – too late I was wasting my time again! A writer of crime fiction is murdered with his hands cut off, his body washed ashore in a small dinghy. This time the who-done-it, how and why totally overwhelms the characters who are not fleshed out very well at all. The only saving grace in the whole book is that we meet Dalgliesh’s Aunt Jane. That’s about it. Apart from being part of a series I normally enjoy there is very little to recommend this outing. The plot is unfathomably silly, the action-packed denouement ridiculous and the final confession bizarre and unconvincing.

I have to say here, just in case you’ve not stopped reading already, that the next book in the series is a return to form and at least the first outstanding novel in this particular series. That’ll be next, but really — cheated out of a book review, on this site! Oh well, you’ll have to make do with my third attempt at a revised cover for this series. I have to admit though that for once the cover on the edition I own is pretty damn good and I wouldn’t for a minute claim that mine is better. But here it is anyway:

DESIGNFLASH: If you’re after some freebie fonts (and judging by some of the typography on the Zuda entries you are) here’s a resource I stumbled across just the other day – FREE fonts anyone? Of course you could still raid the freebies on Blambot, but Jeesh, you should have all those already. If not go there now with your head hung in shame. And this article on the grammar of lettering by Nate Piekos is critical. You can’t go wrong with that advice. PS: Sean Kleefeld linked to this already yesterday, but I write these in advance you know. Great minds and all that. Next week we’ll be turning up wearing the same dress!

STUFF AND NONSENSE

Firstly this! What does it mean? You’ll have to wait, but not long.

Secondly. Good advice never changes. Listen-up ladies, this is for you … I think. Another gem, this time from one of those shameless true life romance comics that dominated the fifties along with crime and horror. Although reading some of them I’m more shocked by the content of these true life romances than I am by the horror and the crime! I’ll find one in particular I have in mind and show you later. Meantime take heed of the following:

That’s right. ‘Cause your a real lame-brain now, right? Now you’re asking “where can I find more gems of wisdom like this one?” I’ll tell ya sister, if yer’d only quit gabbing. Right here. I’ll pepper these throughout the following month. Collect the set why don’cha? Here’s part two already:

That’s the first thing I think of when I spy a dame – yeah, her ‘carriage’ – woot woot!

And don’t worry I’m not about to turn this site into a freak show of crappy adverts but hey I’ve gotta start somewhere and I’ve been neglecting the design side of the blog. The picture links to the site that discusses the image in more depth – or not. It is rather an old pic, so I’ll do my best to come up with more up-to-date stuff in future! Despite the obvious, I’m not sure if I’m more disturbed by the suspicion that the model has been photoshopped to look pregnant! Either way I’m left asking myself “is this for real?”

Luckily perhaps I can't think of a caption!

A MIND TO DESIGN

My latest attempt at re-interpreting the book jacket design so that it reflects accurately (or more accurately at least) the story inside. These images will link to much larger versions on my portfolio site shortly – I’ve only one pair of hands! In making this one though  I had a look back at the last one and gave it a tweak as that wrap-around wasn’t quite strong enough and didn’t do the job.

I don’t always know how many of you need this explaining but just in case. I’m not playing illustrator here, these images have been shamelessly googled to demonstrate that I know how to put images and ideas together to achieve a meaningful and finished piece of commercial work. I’m still working on the portfolio site and trying to beat up my inner critic … die you bastard, die!

GETTING OLD?

A detachable air-cooled pouch is just what I wanted for Christmas but didn’t get. I’m going to mail the coupon now! Gee I hope they’ve not sold out!

COVER HER FACE … AGAIN!

As well as reading fiction I can’t help myself but be taken up with a keen interest in the covers. Part illustration, part graphic design, I’ve always been of a mind to examine the cover more closely than perhaps the great majority of the regular readers. Design is still my day job (hopefully) and I imagine that the author and the jacket designer have as little common ground as I do with most of my customers. They want one thing and I want another. I sometimes think to myself that quite possibly the illustrators never actually read the book and that the authors are most often presented with a cold choice of options – near enough a fait accompli. That’s why I sometimes get the urge to try and have a go myself, like a paperback vigilante, especially when I’ve enjoyed a book and felt the jacket left a little something to desire. Commonly, it’s simple accuracy in relation to the facts of the story. I’m sure you must’ve seen it yourself.

Above is my effort! More to come no doubt. And perhaps a website to go with it!

UPDATE: Alright! Keen-eyed readers will see that this is not the original, but sometimes the first go needs a bit of tweaking, especially after you’ve done two or three!