HOWLER Online Magazine

art • design • lifeJune 2011 issue

02 Howler June 2011

contents

editorial03 a few words

art05 we love illustration

016 conquer we must

design010 copying the cat

013 7 steps to a super graphic design portfolio

018 thoughts in the dark

023 handmade jewellery

024 designing the difference

life06 cedric sarret

08 inspiration

014 pyjamas the new work attire

020 other worlds

time capsule026 introduction

028 it’s about time

030 time shows us many things

033 patterns and textures

035 a snapshot of a mum of 3 boys

037 got milk?

038 the fracture zone

041 the struggles with motivation

Howler June 2011 03

Welcome to Howler, an online magazine for artists, designers and the creative minded that has been produced and compiled by a dedicated team of seven graphic design students that are in their last year of study at Charles sturt University.Howler explores personal expression and artistic exploration in the areas of art, design and life. Howler will immerse you in stories about artists and creative souls. it is hoped that you will gain inspiration from our contributor’s stories concerning individual artistic and creative pursuits. also this issue our contributors capture a moment in their lives and translate this through design in our time capsule task. Producing Howler has given us an insight into the enormous job of bringing a magazine concept to life through writing, designing and promoting the magazine to a wider audience.

lynne Mcgrathemily Williams

alice HillBelinda Mcgregor

erin Hardmansteven Bollinger

Cristian sciuto

editorial

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ILLUSTRATION

Joannah Moon is an up and coming illUstratOr however illustration was not Joannah’s first career choice. since attending the University of arts london, Joannah has realised that illustration is her passion and newfound dream.

Joannah finds inspiration from childrens books espically “Charlie and lola” by laren Child as the illustrations are playful and captivating which is Joannah’s style.

after University Joannah wishes not only to become a children’s book illustrator but also wishes to work for a firm that designs, illustrates and creates window displays in High street stores such as selfridges, london or other quirky stores that will allow her to incorporate her own quirky style.

to see more of Joannah’s work visit joannah250.blogspot.com

WE

06 Howler June 2011

life

Cedric Sarret'I believe the arts in general are not very well supported by the government and authorities and it leaves it up to the individuals to make that happen'

Hi Cedirc, firstly could you please just tell us about yourself?Well i come from Paris and when i came to australia ten years ago it was kind of a blank page, i had been making electronic music and djing if france, and that what i did here to begin with. then it kind of spread out and i created a record label which i had for 5 years promoting french music, whether it was hip hop, dub,

reggae etc. i also did a bit of radio and more djing around town at parties and events, and thats when i came across Cafe lounge, i fell in love with the place and i more or less took it over. i sort of incorporated this music world into the place.

What was Lounge like before you took over and put your spin on things?

Well it was very bohemian place with

lots of creative people around and it was a very welcoming environment for those people to sit down around the table, listen to music and have good conversation. thats what appealed to me and that’s what i’ve tried to maintain aswell.

How long have you been holding exhibitions at cafe lounge?Well now its more regularly, there has been exhibitions all along the way more or less. then about 3 years ago we started making it a regular event and nowadays its a monthly occurance, basically there is lots of talent in sydney and australia in

Howler June 2011 07

general. and all those creative people pass through the door with their world an universe, the intention is to lend the walls to their art.

Do you have a favourite exhibition?

Yes there has been a few, a friend of mine Josh Heath did an amazing photographic exhibition at the time, he is a very talented photographer and he did a series on Mexico. He always goes for the awkward character, but the way he constructs his images is amazing. there was a joint exhibition 5 architects had and they decided to transform the space with installation, this is one behind me. it is called ’through the frame’, they came to the lounge and added to it. lots of people leave there mark here as i keep some of the artworks, some of them are given to me and others i buy for the lounge collection. its great to have those pictures living with us on the walls and it gives another mark to the place and i guess it lives in our mind.

The live music, was that arrangement up around the same time that the exhibitions started?it was more recent, just because of the fact the laws have changed recently. around 2.5 years ago i came across a small bar legislation which didn’t allow live music in small spaces like this one, suddenly live music became possible, there was scattered music events here before but since that legislation dissolved there has been more music events.

Where do you get your motivation?

Music has always been a big drive for me and i trust music to take me to the right places with like minded people and i guess thats a big motivation for me. Music is vibration, people vibrate and if you vibrate a good frequency together it makes you happy. Music

shows me the direction and there is so much to do and there is so many talented people around, the more the better.

Is there anything exciting planned for the near future for Lounge?

Yes, i was speaking to nick la rosa who organises the sin-e night on tuesdays and its going to be the 200th sin-e coming up in two months and on a weekend soon there will be 16 bands playing here for a festival. there is an exhibitions coming up, a girl called named angie goto will be exhibiting again soon, she exhibited here about 18 months ago. she creates really quirky characters that are very cute and interesting, she has a beautiful universe that i am very happy to welcome here. its always building up along the weeks. djs who play here are collabrating together and are creating a wonderful eP. thats also what i’m looking for, not only people bring something to the lounger but also those creative people meet together and then it takes off outside of the lounge to different directions. i like to call this place an organism, its breathes in and out. so people come and meet and when they are out that spirit lives on which is very exciting.

Any final words?

as i said, i’m looking forward to more of that, well maybe i call place it on a more political stand. i believe the arts in general are not very well supported by the government and authorities and it leaves it up to the individuals to make that happen. i think its important for the small entities to promote and support the artists, especially emerging artists. the system isn’t doing it so someone has to do it, a few people out there are doing it and i think the more the better.

"I think its important for the small entities to promote and support the artists"Cedric Sarret

Thanks for your time Cedric

thankyou Cristian.

Visit cafelounge.com.au to see who’s exhibiting or playing in the future.

Cedric sitting in lounge’s latest installation

08 Howler June 2011

Inspiration is a common practice that is needed to aid and enthuse creative artists. Inspiration refers to an unconscious burst of creativity in a number of artistic fields such as literary, music and painting.

literally, the word means to be “breathed upon”. it takes origin from both Hellenism and Hebraism.

all artists at some time or other feel a creative block. finding something to break us free from these obstacles can be challenging and discouraging, but it can be done. sometimes introducing new stimulation to the situation is enough to get you on a roll that may take you down a new creative path.

all artists at some time or other feel a creative block. finding something to

life

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break us free from these obstacles can be challenging and discouraging, but it can be done. sometimes introducing new stimulation to the situation is enough to get you on a roll that may take you down a new creative path. inspiration can come in many shapes and forms. Whether it be found or realised, in nature, manmade, incomplete or visualised. the hardest task is actually finding it. But one must

ask; what exactly does inspiration do for a creative individual?

the answer is everything. Without inspiration, there would be almost no means of creative expression. there would be no basis or starting point for some of the most amazing designs that have ever been created.

However, inspiration if often the hardest

task when it comes to creativity. Often inspiration is overlooked or ignored. We draw inspiration from something but often don’t realise it until sometime after the work has been created.

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010 Howler June 2011

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With being short on time it can be difficult to create something new on demand. Is copying for the sake of inspiration a dishonest practice or is it the only way to remain innovative?

it seems more often than not with a demand for new ideas, for fresh concepts that my ideas bank is running low on funds. some days i will have those creative jolts where everything seems new and fresh again and i see the world with a new perspective and it inspires me to do something i’ve never done before or haven’t seen others do.

But when my creative brain is stretched to its limit and believe me there can be a limit, what do i do when i reach the point of creative block?... i become

intellectual property can be enforced. i personally don’t feel enhancing an original idea should carry the same stigma because like fashion, we continue to reuse and recycle and the same goes with creative ideas.

the internet is a scatter of creations with old and new, re-used, trashed and improved. it makes our job of copying for the sake of inspiration much easier and with new and growing technologies we are able to copy other ideas with speed.

like superhuman powers, we need to take care to not overuse them as we can cause potential damage to our own reputation.

something like the copycat. Kind of like the fictional character of the Marvel Comics universe. a mutant who can duplicate another being, replicate superhuman powers and abilities.

i frown upon copying the exact and calling it your own, but there are times when taking a number of elements - a bit here and there, can result in something that appears new. i often do feel like i’m an ideas editor...copying other ideas and refining them or trying them for myself and combining other pieces from another source with it to make something new.

there is that stigma that being a copycat is a terrible thing, i believe to take ownership of something that you have not created is wrong and it is understandable why the laws of

copying the cat

design

012 Howler June 201102 Howler June 2011


Steps to a Super Graphic Design Portfolio7

1. Choosing a Portfolio Case

Choosing a case for your work should be the first step of creating your graphic design portfolio. the style of the case and the size of the case will play a role in what will be inside. You don’t need to have the most expensive portfolio in the world, but it should be nice, new and look professional. don’t show up with your parents beat up portfolio case that’s been sitting in the attic for 10 years!Be sure to also take into account the size of the pages to see if it will be a good size to display the work you have. for example, if you do a lot of poster designs you may want a larger case so you can print your designs at a larger size.

2. Consistency

like your paper usage, the work and placement of your work should be consistent as well. if you center all your designs on each page make sure they are center everywhere. try to keep spacing even around the sides as well. showing errors in consistency your portfolio will reflect what your design work could be like.

3. Including the Right Designs

You should spend a lot of time choosing the right work for your portfolio. if you are in design school be sure to have your teachers help you out, or ask your designer friends for input. Your work should be current and you should tailor the type of work in your portfolio to the job you are applying for. if you are applying for a job at a magazine, be sure to include projects related to this area of work. don’t show up with a bunch of Cd covers and poster designs and no magazine covers or spreads.

4. Placement of Work

Your work should be trimmed neatly with no rough edges and placed firmly on each page. You should use some sort of sticky tack or removable double sided tape so your work does not shift around on the page. the last thing you wanna do is open up a portfolio for an interview and see all your work jumbled around and falling out of the page slips!

5. Talking About Your Work

it is very important to be able to speak about each piece in your portfolio for

at least a few minutes each. Know who it was for, what the project details were, what you did, what the concept was, what style you used etc.

6. Networking

networking is an essential aspect of any career, and the more designers and art directors you know the better. its great to be able to show your portfolio to honest people in the field. Most designers and art directors are used to giving honest, non bull-crap critiques so their opinions can be very valuable!

7. Updating your PortfolioKeeping you portfolio current is important because you could unexpectedly get fired, or your dream job might pop up out of no where! You need to be ready anything!

design


Competition in the graphic design industry is tough and getting your foot through the door can be an emotional rollercoaster. It’s hard to know what these employers really want and you’re finding you’re doing every trick in the book and still not coming up trumps. We take a look at freelancing as an option for many of us designers one that may be the answer for some and a mistake for others.

Up #1

Waking up at 11am and sleeping in on a regular basis with no fear that your employer is going to sack you for lateness.

Down #1

slept in and having clients demanding you needed to have sent that ad at 9am.

Up #2You’ve been paid well for the project you just completed for one of your clients.

Down #2You’re biting your nails because there is no work coming through this week which means no money and you have

bills to pay.

Up #3

there’s no manager to boss you around.

Down #3

Your client is being a real pain and thinks they are the designer, and you have already gone through 20 rounds of changes of their logo design and that’s just the font of the business name.

Up #4You can be on facebook all day

Down #4You find yourself talking to an imaginary friend, which might not be socially accepted if you were doing the same thing in public.Up #5You set your own working hours.

Down #5

You find yourself working until 11:30pm or you’re receiving emails about work when you wake up, when you’re doing the shopping, when you’re catching up with a good friend or when you’re watching a movie.

Up #6

You are your own boss - you can do whatever you like.

Down #6

You have to be an accountant, sales person, cleaner, debt collector and designer all at the one time. You have a lot more responsibilities.

Up #7

You feel like you’re able to go anywhere at anytime. You could even go on several holidays and work and travel.

Down #7You’ve fallen sick, but there are projects to complete, design concepts to draft, you have to work while you’re sick if you want to get that job done by deadline.

Up #8

You’ve set yourself up well and there’s regular work coming in.

Down #8You’re struggling with the workload and have no idea about outsourcing or you don’t know anybody that can do the work for you at a cheap rate.

pyjamas, the new work attire

life


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Up #9

Wear anything you like at work, or maybe don’t wear anything.

Down #9

You’ve been wearing the same shirt for a few days, something is starting to smell.

Up #10

today you’ve got some fantastic, creative ideas and you’re proud that you thought them up yourself.

Down #10

Besides your client, there isn’t really anyone you know you can get immediate feedback from for your design, or your designs are becoming a bit lack lustre without the extra heads in your office.

Emily Williams compares the ups and downs of a freelance graphic designer’s working life


art

the war in iraq was a headlining story throughout the majority of 2007. a tragic number of soldiers lives were lost and the global economy was drastically altered due to the upheaval. steven wanted to explore these notions of loss and suffering through his work. Many artists tackle such conflicts in a personal manner in order to express their own opinions – steven however tried to avoid presenting his own thoughts and left the viewer to explore the pieces and come to their own conclusion.

Whether it was that the americans were doing the wrong thing in terms of

iraqi protection, the affect of war on a global market or whether the conflict has a purpose to begin with.

further he aimed to incorporate the elements of artist’s works he enjoyed such as Mark rothko, Jackson Pollock and Jasper Johns. these artists all inspired him in terms of their technique and perspective explored in their artworks.

‘Conquer, we must!’ contains 4 different panels. they vary in colour, tone and texture. steven has used these varying elements in order to show a journey or story through his

works and to allow each piece to be viewed on its own. in his words

“Together they unite to guide the viewer through but they can also stand alone in order to become more intimate and tactile.”

the changing hues also represent this journey throughout the works. While each piece incorporates the same elements and colours of the others, there is one colour in each that appears dominant. this has been done so that the pieces are connected but also so that they can be shifted, moved around and placed

Art in ReviewCONQUER, WE MUST!

‘Conquer, we must!’ is a series of 4 mixed media pieces that was produced by Steven Bollinger for his major Higher School Certificate art work in 2007. It explores a number of different theories and employs the use of various artistic techniques in order to create a visual surface that presents an open-ended question of its subject matter.


in a different order to tell the viewer something different.

the works are also highly textual. the artist has build up the surface using many different materials and techniques. the base of the works is hand sewn pieces of canvas which has then been splattered with high density glue and finally painted over with oil and acrylic paints. The final part to giving the works a raw and gritty

surface is spray on adhesive, lacquer and pva glue.


tho

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it’s true that the idea for this article came to me in the middle of the night as i lay in my nice warm bed thanking my electric blanket and cursing myself that i had not replaced my notebook beside my bed. since i began studying graphic design I am thankful of this quite time to reflect on my day and focus my thoughts to the day ahead. this is the moment when my ideas come to me as i lie in my bed contemplating sleep. i must admit my husband disapproves of the pile of notebooks and sketchbooks that sit piled on my bedside table. it means nights of being distracted by the lights on and me scratching down ideas so that i too can go to sleep

as a graphic design student the process of how designers and artists get ideas fascinates me. as i pour over design books i wonder how many great ideas started. Is there a sketchbook out there that contains the first workings of Saul Bass’s famous title sequence of, the man with the golden arm. did he sketch ideas down on notebooks in the wee hours of the morning? Was there a ritual that he used to refine that idea into a great idea? Did he have a special place that allowed him to forget his thoughts and direct his energies into idea generation?

graphic design is all about that great idea. those great ideas that will inform, persuade, communicate or simply entertain its audience. However conditioning your mind to generate great but also effective ideas is hard. during my years of study i remember an excellent book that i was asked to read for a subject. the book was “How to get ideas” by Jack foster. despite my hesitation this book has helped me through some times when the ideas did not flow. I

For the creative minded generating ideas can sometimes be a difficult task. Each has their own way of getting ideas. It is all about finding the way that works for you and trusting in your process to get you closer to that great idea.


design


“an idea is nothing more nor less than a new combination

of old elements”

James Webb Young

am not naive that there will be many times like this to follow in my career as a graphic designer. I want to share with you my top five techniques that Jack suggests in his book that have helped me approach my idea generation process or ritual.

1. Become idea prone. Believe that there are ideas out there, that there will be always be more solutions. Making it the best may require work but you need to start somewhere. (1996)

2. team up with energy. (1996) i love to throw ideas around with people that are passionate about design. they can present a different view than yours. it is great to have another person to toss ideas around with.

3. If the ideas are not flowing or working forget it, walk away, grab a coffee, take a break and enjoy some leisure time that allows time for your mind to think and move ideas around in your mind. (1996)

4. gather the information. (1996) i found this imperative to know what you are talking about, who you are designing for or the product that you are advertising for.

5. Visualise success. (1996) Picture yourself executing that great idea. there is a lot to be said about positive thinking. seeing your self already succeeding at something to push you further. Believe me my graduation day has been played over in my head many times. such positive thinking just may get me through the last eight months of my degree!

Grab your copy of Foster’s book How to get ideas from Amazon.com



life

My mind is inhabited by countless other worlds.

i can be sitting at my desk at work, performing some mundane task, or washing the dishes, or going for a walk. But while my body is performing these tasks, my mind is often thousands of miles away; on a beach with a group of surfers, escaping from an evil group of dictators through a forest somewhere, soaring through the clouds in a hot air balloon.

i am a writer. i am also a graphic designer. the creative river runs deep. for me and countless others like me, imagination is my bread and butter. imagination, creativity, inner vision; call it what you will ... it is almost as vital to me as breathing or eating.

Often when life is boring, i can retreat from the world into my mind, close the door and live in my inner worlds for awhile. Waiting in queues or at the dentist is never a problem for me. i

see other people fuming and fretting, frustrated at their valuable time being wasted. But for me, it is often some of the most profound and rich time i could possibly spend.

in a way, i don’t just write stories. i actually live them. sometimes they seem more real to me than the physical world i inhabit.

enid Blyton, that famous, but nowdays much maligned, author, often spoke about how she would open the curtains to the theatre in her mind and watch her characters perform. all she had to do was try to record the performance as faithfully as possible. and while it’s not quite like that for me, i do see my stories unfolding somewhat like watching a movie - although with one main difference: I am in control of the action. Whatever i want to happen, i can make happen.

it is a powerful feeling. intoxicating, almost. Many people would find it strange that you can spend so much time with people who don’t exist. to me it seems as natural as breathing.

imagination is a powerful, quixotic force. With our imagination we can go anywhere, be anyone. and it is not just the province of artists and writers. Without it our society would be so much poorer. if we couldn’t imagine something better then we would never have invented it. imagination is what makes us fully human. no other creature has this capacity. the sad thing about our society is how easily we lose the ability for imagination that came to us so easily when we were children.

i can’t envisage my life without an imagination. There are infinite possibilities to be explored. Infinite worlds. and i love getting lost in them.

it gives me wings.

WORLDSOther

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“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”

(Albert Einstein)


uHANDMADE JEWELLERY

Unu designs is quality handmade jewellery fashioned and designed by twin sisters! All beaded jewellery is made by Emma and Alice Hill, from a range of materials to ensure pieces are unique and distinctive.

emma has dabbled in all sorts of different crafts but loves to sit among the growing amount of beads and play with colours and textures of the necklaces. With seven years experience emma is a talented designer that has made jewellery pieces for occasions such as weddings, formals, debuts and many other special occasions.

the jewellery ranges from earrings, necklaces and bracelets to lamp shades, brooches and bookmarks so there is something for everyone and is made from a large range of different materials such as tigertail, elastic, cords, ribbon and wire as well as high quality glass beads, gemstones, wood beads, Czech beads and swarovski crystals. emma has also incorporated her beading designs into handbags,

coin purses and even lampshades. With a large selection of beads emma and alice are able to make a diverse range of unique pieces, ranging from simple strands and re-stringing to quite complex, intricate works of art!

But let’s hear how it all started with a quick 5 questions from the designer. How did the name come about?unudesigns was from an old saying when we were growing up, since we were identical twins everyone just called us you and you and it stuck for many years through school.

When did you start beading?

it would be about 8 or 9 years now but I would say my first years weren’t very good. The first couple were more experimenting rather than designing!

How often do you get time to design and create?Between my fulltime job and my social life not much but i love when i get to bead because it relaxes me and get to make gorgeous pieces for wonderful people.

How do we get our own unique piece of jewellery?

You can find us on Facebook unudesigns or can visit our site at www.alice-e-hill/unudesigns and have a look at some of the hundreds of necklaces we have!

Do you have a favourite piece?

to be honest i don’t think i do… i don’t wear a lot of jewellery but when i do i seem to just design a necklace to match my outfits its as simple as that!

design


Designing Difference the

as graphic designers and practitioners in the visual medium, whose life work mainly involves making things look good and be more easily understood, it’s sometimes easy to wonder what the point of it all is. it’s not like we’re saving people’s lives on a daily basis, or finding cures for deadly diseases, or making the lives of people in third world countries more liveable or… well, you get the picture.

sometimes we wonder if what we do is completely trivial and superficial. sometimes we get downhearted at being a regular on the treadmill of commercialism and consumerism. sometimes we wonder why we spend so much time and angst in order to essentially make people buy more stuff. sometimes we feel like a lightweight in terms of making a contribution to our world.

so how do we resist being just another cog in the wheel in a world of crass commercialism? Well there are a few things we can do (or not do) that just might make a difference …

Think Beyond Paper

We all know that the environment is finite and we need to protect our resources – so why are we still stuck in a print mindset? gone are the days when almost everything you designed was intended for print – these days there are so many great digital options available that print need no longer be number one choice. anything that can be promoted in print can probably be done just as well on websites and online blogs, as well as social media such as facebook, twitter, linkedin, iphone apps etc. so where we have a choice (i.e. when our client has not specified a particular avenue of promotion) we can recommend less print and more online outcomes.

Green lights

if you do have to print material (and let’s face it, we all will), you can choose greener methods. You can use recycled paper, recycled ink and environmentally friendly inks for a start.

You can rearrange your print jobs to ensure that paper is not wasted unnecessarily, for example if you’re printing a project that only uses two thirds of a piece of paper, is there something else you could print to use that space effectively? Work with your printer to find sustainable methods of printing that can benefit everyone.

Ethical Design

if a cigarette company approached you to create an advertising campaign for them, would you do it? How about a company offering hunting safaris to africa? Or one promoting fur clothing? each of us has different standards and ethical positions – and no-one should feel pressured to undertake work for causes they completely disagree with. While it can often be difficult to refuse such clients, especially if you are working freelance and need the money, your peace of mind is ultimately more important. “the standards that you walk past are the standards that you accept” – don’t be guilty of lowering your standards for anyone.

give someone a handWhile many prominent people in the

design


design industry (e.g. david airey) frown upon spec design, pro bono design is another matter. if you know of a local charity or not-for-profit organisation that needs some promotion or design work, offer your services for free. You get to help a good cause, as well as generating more work for your portfolio and building good relationships – and you never know what might come of them in the future. this is an especially good practice for design students who are building their portfolio, as they get to display work from real clients. it’s a win-win all round.

Team Mentality

get behind other designers when you

can – we are a generally a misunderstood, under-valued species, so support other designers wherever possible. say no to spec work, thus promoting the value of what we do. Comment on people’s blog posts and online articles and offer help where you can. share information. Promote positive thinking. encourage better design.

Do it Yourself

all designers undertake their own projects – creating work which inspires and interests them instead of constantly having to meet the needs of clients. When you find yourself thinking about what you will create for

your next project, how about choosing a cause that motivates you (such as human trafficking, clearing of land mines, homelessness etc.) and create a poster or piece of work which draws attention to this issue, as well as showcasing your skills? this is also great for creating work for your portfolio, as well as showing potential employers that you have a social conscience.

these are just a few places to start using your passion for design to make a difference to the world. and just remember, in the end, making the world a more beautiful place is hardly a bad thing!

“The standards that you walk past are the standards that you accept”

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time capsule

TODAY. RIGHT NOW. THIS IS ME.

time.

it cannot be bought or captured or sold.

it cannot be reversed. it cannot be regained once lost.

it can only be lived. right now.

time is perhaps our most valuable resource.


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TODAY. RIGHT NOW. THIS IS ME.

time

time is time?what’s the

manfor no wait

and tide

the hourscounting

of timepassage

theawayticking

stands stilltime

it is one we often take for granted. time is something we could all be more aware of and use with greater wisdom.

to this end, the editorial team of Howler Magazine decided to look at how we spend our time on a typical day. We conducted the “time Capsule experiment” on Wednesday 16th March, 2011, from 1.00pm until 5.00pm. during that time we documented our activities, our surroundings, our interactions ... our lives.

the results can be seen on the following pages.

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friends always ask me “How do you do it...How do you run a freelancing business, study at University, be a wife and raise a 2 year old boy? Juggling these four things has been a part of the norm for so long i haven’t realised it as something that i should be proud of. they are four things that i really love or have my heart set on and it makes it all the more worth it. When i decided to pursue a creative

Being a designer and a mother is tough to juggle. When you love being both every minute counts and multi-tasking is something you need to be good at.

career it was like the first piece of snow was just about to roll off a hill and it was as if i was destined to become a graphic designer. this new journey i decided to take led me to a point which also prepared me for motherhood. While other new mothers had to return to a 9 to 5 job to generate the income needed to pay for all those nappies and nappy wipes, i was able to continue to take care of



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our son and have him at home. i didn’t have to miss those special moments like his first crawl, first steps or his first few words.

as my son has grown older, life is definitely a balancing act now. Keeping track of time is a big part of what i do now and i have to squeeze as much in my day as i can. One thing i’m concerned about the most is burn

sanity? i take each day at a time and try to manage my time.

out, but loving what i do and what i have prevents that from happening.

i think having a son and being a designer can work in your favour as i’m learning to see the world like a child. looking at objects as shapes and blobs of colour and trying to create something new.

so how do i do all this and still have my

time capsule



TIME SHOWS US MANY THINGS

time capsule


TIME SHOWS US MANY THINGS

Team Kalman was given the collaborative task of taking a period of time within the day to assess and document their surroundings for inspiration in order to create a magazine spread.

through observation, each team member recorded different aspects of their daily lives whether at home, work or out and about.

from observing my own surroundings, i found a number of varying points of inspiration for both this spread and for design in general. this included various colour blocking ideas seen by the grouping of various dVds, gradients seen in objects such as stereo players or the wooden texture of a computer desk – all these elements became detrimental to documenting my afternoon.

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02 Howler June 2011


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Patterns are everywhere. Patterns are everything. When i walk outside i see beautiful patterns created through nature, buildings, walkways and almost everywhere. i love to walk outside for hours, even to the same places, to find new

patterns and different objects that interest and excite me. i am inspired by textures and patterns from simple leaf structures to high-rises in cities. nature is one of my main sources for textures and interesting patterns which explains why 90% of my photographs seem to be all sorts of leaves, flowers, landscapes and animals! textures and patterns inspire me simply because i love to look beyond the simple object to find more then just a surface and multiply.

alice’s obsession with patterns and textures

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Organised chaosa magazine for busy mums

This issueAll about boys

Are you overscheduling

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Satisfying those after school

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issue:autumn

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Dealing withSibling rivalry

greatrecipes inside

Boys and technology- how much istoo much?

Road test our free family planner


Organised chaos

greatrecipes inside 3a snapshot of a mum of three boys

The title of this magazine sums up my life pretty well I think. I admit, it is chaos but I try to keep myself fairly organised. I live by my diary and checking the weekly planner is a morning ritual. Being organised means I can keep up with my three boys, who despite my reservations are all doing two sports each and all have commitments at school that I need to help with or be there as support. On top of that is running the household and keeping up with my university studies.

At 3:20 pmi was a personal taxi service for three boys. getting them all to their sports of choice, swimming, karate and hockey. at this particular point of time it was soccer training in preparation for their three games on saturday. Within three minutes of school pickup they are fighting in the car. I then have to juggle soccer training for all three, at three different locations. the car is packed with three lots of after school snacks that are healthy, but will keep them going until dinner time. then home to dinner then three lots of homework and three lots of reading. This is what fills my afternoon.

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Between the hours of one and five on a cool wednesday afternoon i headed out on the farm to help milk four hundred odd cows. By gosh was it difficult, even more so due to the sheer quanitty of sales reps callinging in to have a chat and a glass of exsquisite milk.

With that i took elements from the farm and designed a sign to be placed at the farms’ front gate to try and reduce the amount of unnessacary traffic. That way the staff would be able to do some work and finish on time instead of finishing late, although well nourished.

dairy farming is a tough gig. even more so when the staff are bombarded with sales people wanting to chat.

The Art of Life


art.

sport.

i am lucky enough to have a career in both these diverse fields. My fulltime job is as a graphic designer and publishing coordinator at a school. My part time job is as a gymnastics coach.

Every afternoon of the week I finish work at one job and make the mad dash from one side of town to the other, to start my other job. from one side of the career spectrum to the other. art. sport. a more diverse shift is hard to imagine.

going from one to the other has its benefits. After a long day staring at a computer screen it’s energising to get out and do something active. as well, design is an often solitary occupation, so working with people in a very hands-on way, especially children with their openness and sense of fun, is liberating.

But it also has its downside. i call it “the fracture zone”: a phrase I picked up from a book somewhere. it involves being forcibly wrenched from one headspace and flung into another, with all the resultant adjustments and confusion that that involves.

When you are in the flow of designing and creating, it’s sometimes hard to remove yourself from that headspace and adopt a completely different one.

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The Art of Life


“I think that if we take the time to notice, to really connect, then we will find that creativity is not so far removed from real life after all”

remove yourself from that headspace and adopt a completely different one. sometimes i feel disconnected. similarly, after a few hours spent coaching i am in a completely different place and find it hard to disengage.

But underneath the surface, are these two ventures so completely unalike?

gymnastics, perhaps more so than some sports, is an artistic venture. it encourages expression, innovation and artistry of performance. When I am choreographing floor routines, or finding a way to make a child understand what they need to do or thinking of a way to keep ten children occupied on three sets of bars in my lesson plan, i need to use creativity and innovation. and yes, sometimes artistry.

it is a different kind of creativity to what i use in design, but nonetheless real and just as challenging.

i think that if we take the time to notice, to really connect, then we will find that creativity is not so far removed from real life after all. that it is actually all around us. even in places or situations that we might not have immediately associated with creativity.

Chances are, in some form or other, it is there.

We just need to have eyes to see.

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02 Howler June 2011040 Howler June 2011


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Motivation is a funny, complex thng. When im motivated i want to do everything really gung-ho at 100 miles per hour. But when my motivation levels aren’t high the things i love andtake pleasure from from can seem like the most boring chore.

at the moment and for the past few weeks i have been extremely motivated, yet in the back of my mind i am thinking ‘how long with this last?’.lately the thing taking up most of my ‘creative’ time is the clothing label, ‘Unscarred’. i started it in July last year and i’m designing new t-shirts,

flyers adding things to the website everyday and it feels great. i’ve also began writing short blogs on the site to increase subscribers and popularity. the good thing is that really enjoying it and feel like i’m actually doing something worth while with my time.When i’m not at the computer working on a new design i feel like i need to be.

i’ve learnt a lot about myself recently and i’m determined to ride out this wave for as long as i possibly can, you just watch me.

tHe strUgglesWitH MOtiVatiOnCristian Sciuto talks about his wavering levels of motivation

unscarred Clothingw w w w . u n s c a r r e d . c o m . a u

Above: The latest Unscarred flyer.

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