The eleventh issue of Four Minutes to Midnight will represent a dramatic change in format, an hors-série as it were, featuring the work of American poet F.A. Nettelbeck and Montréal visual artist Sophie Jodoin. I’m very excited and honoured to be working with such talented artists on this issue, and am happy to say we actually have a real editor/production manager on board this time around too. It’s going to be beautiful…

The issue itself will be split into two booklets. The main booklet will feature F.A. and Sophie in all their glory, and the other booklet will consist of the Fugue (XI) that we’re starting here. For those that are unfamiliar, the typographic fugue is a collaboratively written “poem” loosely inspired by the exquisite corpse surrealist technique. It’s our goal to use this approach to find/create a resonant/dissonant collective voice, marked in time, and through type.

So, to start it off:

“a stranger’s borrowed words…”

In honour of International Women’s Day yesterday, I wanted to write a post on a few of the women designers that have impacted my practice. I remember during my final year of undergrad (in 2000) being asked by my professor to name some female designers that we admired and, very ashamedly, drawing an almost complete blank (not that I was that aware of design culture or history in general at the time).

I asked my portfolio class this same question last night and was happy to see them fare better than me, but not by very much… So as always, there’s work to be done, and I’ll start with a (very) select list of women who’s works have directly guided my own.

(more…)

I quickly whipped up these poemcards to promote the upcoming issue at expozine. Click on the image above to view the individual cards. Just a little taste of things to come.

I recently completed a small branding project for Scène 1425, a local concert promoter who’s mandate is to bring quality rock shows outside of the Montreal city center to all the music starved kids in les banlieues (Laval et al). They’ve built a large, loyal following and were in need of a new logo that captured the spirit of not only the company, but the growing scene surrounding it.

Though the budget was tight, the cause was good, so I embarked with enthusiasm on the rush project. The process was a lot of fun, and inspired by designer and blogger David Airey, I thought I would take a moment to share it here for posterity and potential clients. Given the budget and time constraints, some corners were cut in design development and implementation, but I’m pretty happy with the end result that is now being implemented by Scène’s in-house designers.

(more…)

I recently completed an extensive interview, this time for the inimitable Ziggy Nixon. Its a rollicking ride of an interview from a ‘design outsider’, injected by Ziggy’s unique sense of humour and passion for the field. Hopefully, it provides an interesting and slightly different perspective on what I’ve been working on all these years. He’s even ‘written’ an annotated biography at the end gathered from all the bits and bobs about me floating around on the interweb! Who knew?

You can read the full interview here (in two parts), and please leave a comment to let us know what you think.

I just finished reading a great little interview with designer/director/artist Mike Mills over at The Marma Spot.

“To me the different career categories are really just false creations of art schools, the people who thought up careers. It’s all one big conversation I’m trying to engage in, there are different parts to the conversation, different ways of talking, short talks and long deep private talks, but it’s all the attempt to communicate, to not be alone, to be a part of things.”

Inspiring stuff… Read the interview here.

Arjen Noordeman of Elasticbrand has just posted an in-depth interview with me over at the Cranbrook Design site. The recently revamped web site once hosted a vibrant discussion that played a large part in shaping Four Minutes to Midnight during its early stages, so its fitting that 5 years on, I’m on there once again to talk about it.

I have to tell you something: an interview with Kevin Yuen Kit Lo

Thanks Arjen for the challenging questions, I’m really happy to be featured amongst such design luminairies, past and present. My very own little taste of Cranbrook…

It was with shock and sadness that I read today that Armin and Bryony Vit have decided to close Speak Up. Here’s what I left in the comments:

Dear Bryony, Armin and all former Speak Up authors, I’ve never clearly voiced this before, so I’ll do it now before I lose my chance.

Being selected as one of the original authors on this site was an indescribable honour for me as a student fresh out of university. Here was democracy in action, and I had so much to say and so much to learn. All I had to do to take part was send Armin an email with my favorite serif and sans-serif fonts (I still remember what I said too; Mrs. Eaves and Futura!). Though I only managed to contribute sporadically, Speak Up has been with me my entire career as a professional designer, acting as a dear friend and a credible reference. My most recent CV still proudly states, “former editorial author on Speak Up, the leading graphic design web forum.”

(more…)

Four Minutes to Midnight issue 10 has just been reviewed by the reknowned design critic Kenneth Fitzgerald as part of his Chronological Survey. Kenneth has recently reviewed books by Stefan Sagmeister and Debbie Millman, and was a regular contributor to the late, great, Emigre magazine, so needless to say, I’m humbled by the company. I’m inspired and honoured by his critique, not (simply) because of the considered praise from someone I highly respect, but moreso by the depth of his analysis and the revelatory insights of his interpretation.

His understanding of what we’re trying to do with the zine is frighteningly accurate, to the point of spotting the genesis of this project in Steve Baker’s article from New Perspectives: Critical Histories of Graphic Design. Even I had forgotten about that! While studying at Post St. Joost in Breda, I found a stack of the three issue Visible Language series in an old locker, devoured the articles, and shortly thereafter began the process that led to FMTM as part of my MA thesis.

In reading Fitzgerald’s review, I’m reaffirmed that what we’re doing is relevant and has the possibility of genuinely connecting on an aesthetic and emotional level. I’m also challenged by his criticism of its stylistic codification and the danger of commodification. There’s much more work to be done.

Thanks Kenneth!

Read The Chronographical Survey #3: Four Minutes to Midnight, Issue 10.

If you’re interested, here’s a list of other reviews we’ve gotten over the years.

Geof Huth reviews Issue 7: When I Start Writing

Geof Huth reviews Issue 8: Better Living through Typography

…and issue 9: When Else Could Anyone Get Anything Done?

Snap Magazine gives us The Lo-Down (starting on page 19)

Montreal weeklies the Hour and the Mirror gave us a little ink to hype our Musicians are Cowards event.