Webstock Mini

Coming up on in Wellington (NZ), Webstock Mini

Featuring:

* Michael Koziarski workshopping on Ruby on Rails

* Leigh Blackall taking us on a tour of Second Life
"Come into Second Life and tour educational facilities and chat with educationalists using Second Life in their work. Then come back into your first life and discuss any thoughts ideas from the tour."

* Robert O'Callahan showing us new features in Firefox 3

Are you a typeface slut?

Michael Bierut at Design Observer writes about Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Typeface and reasons for choosing a particular font for a particular job.

It's an interesting article, worth a look if you are into typography — and who isn't?

A Good Idea!

Here's a really good idea. I read about it in the Springwise Trends newsletter, but it's happening in good old Godzone.



Hirethings. You can hire goods, articles or services from here, or list stuff you want to make available. Excellent.

2 useful design resources

Creative Guy today has links to two useful articles for (especially) print designers.

1. At Real World Illustrator— about the importance of resolution in Illustrator. When using vector based programmes like Illustrator and FreeHand, resolution isn't always an issue, but if you are using some of the effects available in these programmes, for example, drop shadow, the programme rasterizes the image in order to create that effect. If you haven't set an adequate resolution (apparently the default in Illustrator is 72dpi) then the result can be bitmappy and fuzzy. The article outlines ways to set resolution in Illustrator, depending on effects and output required. I for one have bookmarked it.

2. At CreativePro.com there is a brief article about the importance of paper grain, implications, especially for folding, and how to use this knowledge to improve your design.

No relation

Cool name, but. . .
Check out their programme here:
www.deluxe.co.nz

I took it

Web design survey at A List Apart.

Bizarre airline food

On a Good Friday flight from Wellington to Auckland, we were served "Easter Bunny Donuts"!

But never fear, animal lovers — most were unharmed in the eating process (give or take the odd ear or tail).

Drooger!

Was looking forward to attending the "Designers Speak" session at the New Dowse next Wednesday. It is organised by the Designers' Institute of New Zealand and will be feature Dutch designer Dutch designer Gert Jan Leusink talking about the "Inspiration behind Droog Design and its international success."

It's a great opportunity, particularly as most of the DINZ events are held in Auckland. DINZ events in Wellington are few and far between. But unfortunately, I have a prior engagement so will miss it. I'm going to see the Droog exhibition at the Dowse tomorrow, though. So that's some compensation.

PS. I think the new Dowse colours & graphic image are v cool.

It worked for me

Sign outside Caffiend in Petone today. It's nearly as good as Eva Dixon's "All you can eat for as much as it costs."



& cool outfit inside.

Back in the real world

Back from an arduous time in the Deep South.

Saved by the Vodem. It is great to be online anywhere you like and makes it easy to keep in touch with clients while on the road.

Contrary to popular belief, the weather was great down there, except for a torrential downpour on the last day. It's a beautiful part of the country though, and it was great to go out to Oreti Beach again, and to Riverton (even in the wet).