MINERVA LOOKS FORWARD

We’ve once again turned to Minerva to mark the 80th anniversary of the Society, celebrate our many new initiatives and embark on a new strategy for growth.

By tradition, the CSD logo uses Minerva, the Roman Goddess of wisdom, knowledge, arts and education – qualities which are as relevant to the Society today as ever. As we evolve and embrace new challenges it’s time to revitalise our logo and align our visual brand with our vision and values.

Peta Miller FCSD of miller&team invited specialist brand illustrator Chris Mitchell to develop a new illustrative identity to establish our current position and help take the CSD brand into the future.

Chris, who is also a Fellow of the Society, is a well-known and influential illustrator. He’s worked with some of the leading international design and advertising houses over many years to create a portfolio of major illustrated brand icons and corporate identity logos for both consumer and B2B clients such as Guinness, Sandeman, Nescafé, Marks & Spencer, BAFTA, Bird's Eye and Hovis.

Chris states, ‘The new logo breathes life into the icon with a positive, active pose, looking upward in a strong and majestic manner that implies leadership and inspiration. It projects the stature and maturity of the Society and infuses it with an energetic life force.’

The resplendent Minerva will begin to appear on our material in April, coinciding with a major strategic review of the organisation. It’s no coincidence that Minerva looks positive and optimistic while maintaining dignity and integrity in her new pose.

Peta Miller, who’s overseeing the design of the new identity, says, ‘It was a great honour to be asked to undertake the design for the professional body for designers, and while being incredibly excited I was also aware of the responsibility I was taking on in developing a new phase of the Society's heritage.’

Among the many new initiatives to which Minerva will be lending her new pose will be a CSD Members' Marque. Members will be able to use this as a collective trademark for promotional purposes and to identify them within their practice. We’ve prepared the ground to introduce such a marque for our members by taking action against any designers infringing the use of our current IP by displaying Minerva or using the affix MCSD and FCSD.

In the words of Chris Ramsden, our president, ‘Our new branding exemplifies the values of the Society, not just in its representation but by the very fact that we are able to enlist such talents from within our membership. And not just now, but as the changing faces of Minerva illustrate, throughout our history. Our brand is important – not only to us, but to the profession and in representing UK design overseas – and we’ll continue to promote it vigorously and protect it rigorously.’

Minerva over the years
	The head of Minerva, originally designed by Milner Gray FCSD, has been consistently used in various forms since the formation of the Society of Industrial Artists in 1930. The line version shown is from an original glass plate produced by the Design Research Unit in 1950 and held in the Society's archive.
	A significant transition in the look of Minerva took place in 1983 when Alan Tilbury FCSD (then chair of the CSD product panel) asked Brian Webb FCSD to produce designs for a new medal for the Society. With the permission of Milner Gray, Brian developed designs that were then translated into drawings for electroforming by the silversmith Gordon Burnett, as shown. This version has continued to appear in various forms ever since.
	When we were undergoing major changes in the late 1990s, Minerva was enlisted once more to emphasise our core values and objects. Her presence was a calming and reassuring influence, and over the past decade she’s overseen an exciting period of development in our history.

BUDGET 2011- PLAN FOR GROWTH

When most expect only bad news from a budget it was good to see the government's commitment to so many initiatives that spell good news for the design sector.

The 'Plan for Growth' published alongside the budget contained numerous proposals that will deliver benefits for those practicing in the design sector but most reports in the design press have focused on the proposal in the plan to set up a Creative Industries Council which will oversee some of the activities of the design sector.

However. quantifying the benefit to those providing design services of such design organisations is as the Society knows a difficult task. The Council for Industrial Design's (later the Design Council) original remit to promote design to British industry was admirable in that by raising awareness of the benefits of design it would encourage industry to invest more in engaging designers to provide services. However many in the sector were concerned that as their focus shifted towards inward engagement with the design sector this detracted from the mission of ensuring design was embedded into the UK business mentality.

The Society supports any initiatives aimed at promoting design to UK businesses which of course benefits our members and the wider design sector and considers the stated aim of the Creative Industries Council, to facilitate a greater mutual understanding of financial investment in the sector, to be innovative, sound and forward thinking. For far too long the design and financial sector have failed to engage adequately which has inhibited investment and growth within our sector where others have thrived. The Society believes it is precisely this lack of financial investment that has held back the sector's development and not, as some bodies have suggested, the inability of the sector itself and market failure.

But we would like to point out to government that other issues in the sector cited in the 'Plan for Growth' are already being addressed within the sector. We’d urge the government to consult fully and cooperate with the many bodies that have invested a great deal of time, effort and money in tackling these issues before committing public funding so desperately needed elsewhere. In particular, we’ve done a great deal over the years to develop professional skills and more recently have established a framework for professional practice which is increasingly recognised internationally. We’ve also developed and are operating the CSD Course Accreditation Programme, engaging with higher education to ensure design students graduate with a level of competence that prepares them for a career in design and addresses potential concerns of employers and clients.

It has always been our view that design, while being most often placed in the creative industries or embraced within departments of media, culture and sport, does in fact have a role to play in almost all business sectors, whether engineering, built environment, digital or media – and of course now in many of the service sectors. So the fact that the Plan for Growth identifies so many sectors that will benefit from government targeting is particularly welcome. This should provide fertile ground for growing and embedding design services.

The Plan identifies initiatives in the promotion of exports, healthcare and life sciences, advanced manufacturing, construction, retail, professional and business services, the space industry and tourism, as well as digital and the creative industries. All of these areas will rely heavily on the creativity, innovation and professionalism of designers working alone and increasingly in collaboration.

These sectors all need to create and make things if the UK is to regain its credibility and economic position. And designers will be one of the beneficiaries, provided they’re fully equipped to take advantage of these lucrative markets. In our various initiatives, CSD is working to promote best professional design practice. Many of the proposals in the Plan that the government clearly recognises as essential to growth reflect our aims and reinforce the priority themes that we’ve been actively engaged in over the years.

But it’s the people actually working in the design sector who will be responsible for making sure this Plan for Growth is achieved. We urge the government to listen to what they have to say directly through their representative bodies and to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach to a sector which has become a world leader based on its diversity.

You can download the full Plan for Growth from our online library.

MAKING BRITAIN MODERN –
CELEBRATING THE WORK OF
KENNETH GRANGE CBE RDI FCSD

Kenneth trained at Willesden School of Art from 1943-7, then spent one year practising architecture at Arcon and two years as a technical illustrator in National Service Royal Engineers. From 1950-6 he was an assistant in Architectural Modernist Practices. He started his private practice in 1956, initially as an interior and architectural designer and then built a comparatively large practice mainly in product design, gaining Kodak and Kenwood as his main clients.

He founded the design studio Pentagram in 1972 with Theo Crosby, Colin Forbes and Mervyn Kultansky to cover all aspects of design, in particular graphics, architecture, product and general consultancy. His designs range from high-speed InterCity trains to Angleposise lamps. In the late 1990s Grange redesigned the iconic London taxi, revitalising its dated design with a distinctive new silhouette.

Kenneth has been awarded numerous honours, awards and prizes for his designs and his services to the design industry, including Duke of Edinburgh Elegant Design Prize (1963), Chartered Society of Designers Minerva Gold Medal (1966), Royal Designer for Industry (1969) and President of the Society in 1987.

One quality of much of Kenneth’s design work is that it isn’t based just on the styling of a product. His design concepts arise from a fundamental reassessment of the purpose, function and use of the product. He has also said that his attitude to designing any product is that he wants it to be a pleasure to use. Kenneth has influenced much of what we’ve done for almost 50 years, from designing the first parking meters to London Cabs, kitchen mixers and Parker pens.

Running from 20 July to 30 October at The Design Museum London, Making Britain Modern celebrates Grange’s impressive career and design legacy.

Images: Anglepoise Type 3 2003, Kodak Instamatic Range 1970

BOOK REVIEW

CYCLEPEDIA: A TOUR OF ICONIC BICYCLE DESIGNS by Michael Embacher

The book opens with a foreword by cycling enthusiast Sir Paul Smith, followed by an introduction to the collection by Embacher himself and a short history of the bicycle, before moving towards the collection. The first bike shown reminds us that there is precious little new under the sun – a Vialle Velastic from 1925 incorporating a ’suspension’ seat post fashioned from a cart spring, the precursor by 70 years, of the Allsop Softride beam featured later in the book. There follows 200 more pages of images of beautiful, quirky, rare and delightful bicycles. Bernard Angerer’s photography is excellent. The main images showcase the bikes very well including many detailed shots. It is clear that Angerer loves and obviously understands the subject. This book is a must for bike geeks and anyone with an eye for design as it captures the changing form of the bike since the early 20th century.

A tour of Iconic Bicycle Designs is published by Thames & Hudson (RRP £19.95) CSD members can buy the book for £16.95 including UK mainland delivery (overseas costs available on request) using the promotional code in the members’ area of the CSD website.

NOTE THIS

LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL

The London Design Festival 2011, running from 17th to 25th September, will offer over 200 events and exhibitions staged by around 160 organisations. The Festival was first staged in 2003 and it is chaired
by Sir John Sorrell CBE FCSD.

Read more http://www.londondesignfestival.com

ERIC GILL – PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ART

Eric Gill (1882–1940) is one of the most famous British artists of the early 20th-century. His work is widely known, from his typefaces (including the famous Gill Sans used by the Society as its corporate typeface) to his sculptural work, such as the Stations of the Cross in Westminster Cathedral. The exhibition concentrates on Gill’s art and ideas, rather than focusing on the sensational aspects of his private life which have become dominant in recent years. Showcasing both Gill’s private work and his little-known public commissions it deals with the entwining complexities of his art, life and ideals, and the contradictions that often emerged. The exhibition runs from 10 February to 7 August at the British Museum, Room 69a and admission is free.

Read more http://www.britishmuseum.org/
whats_on/exhibitions/eric_gill.aspx

Image: Self-portrait medal depicting Eric Gill. Engraved by George Friend, about 1933. © reserved.

MEMBER'S PROFILE

The Designer aims to showcase members’ work, including the next generation of professionals. This issue looks at samples from some of our student members.

Jonathon Warren
Product & Furniture Design - Kingston University

Enthusiastic, determined, innovative, flexible designer.

Jonathon is on his final year at Kingston focusing on manipulating materials, manufacturing processes and developing products alongside real world manufacturers. He believes that in order to succeed designers must not be afraid of getting involved with the industries for which they design in order to gain a better understanding.

Stainless: An exploration into metal pressing.

Dumbbell Evolution: Can your furnishings grow with you?

He is fully competent in CAD, Photoshop, Illustrator, idea generation, model making, sketching and design research with a strong graphic design background. Enthusiastic and determined he embraces innovation and believes that designers need to be flexible to embrace new situations and processes. Shown here are two of his projects.

Tom Kent
Transport Design (MDes) - Coventry University

Attending his final year of study at Coventry University Tom, feels he is now ready to enter the professional world having enjoyed his time at Coventry which help him develop into an enthusiastic, motivated and articulate your professional with the right attitude and motivation to succeed as a designer.

Tom enjoys a challenge and his motto is always seeking to improve his skills and abilities as a designer. He has been very fortunate during his design studies as he achieved significant successes with his work being featured online, in magazines and at exhibitions at home and abroad. His passion for design of every kind and a great interest in all forms of transportation, as can be seen here, is what drives his desire to become a professional Transport Designer.

VW "Bug-E" Concept

"Cell" Electric Vehicle Concept