This self-aggrandising video for the new set of Microsoft Office icons seems so overblown and unnecessary, verging on parody almost. I mean, they look lovely… but maybe tone it down a little!?
Archives
November 2018 (12 posts)
Warp and weft
In thinking about the fabric of the web, I unpick a few threads and tie myself in knots.
Future Ethics by Cennydd Bowles
If design is the application of ethics, then anyone designing digital products should see their role in a new light after reading this book.
A more familiar view.
A few photos from my jaunt around Reykjavik Old Harbour, yesterday.
Did I see the Northern Lights? Yes… just about. Do I want to share the blurry, doubly exposed and incredibly noisy photos I took? Not so much.
Of to see the Northern Lights… hopefully. 🤞🏻
Photos from my brief tour around Iceland’s Golden Circle. Featuring the tectonic plate boundary at Þingvellir, the geysers at Haukadalur and the stunning waterfall at Gullfoss.
Feeling uplifted and inspired after a day exploring adjacent possibilities around the web and technology at Material 2018. Just what the doctor ordered.
For the love of the blog
Ben got an email:
Occasionally someone gets in contact with me about my blog. This is usually to say something encouraging – how they’ve stumbled across it and found it useful. Early this year a designer I respect got in touch along these lines to say something similar. He also challenged me – I had recently written about what might be lost when we fall for the promise of convenience. He made the point that defaulting to Medium for publishing fell squarely into that category.
I’ve thought about this a lot, and I now think he’s right.
Hmm, that designer sounds like an intelligent chap! Joking aside, I’m so glad Ben decided to return to blogging on his own site. As I’ve been redesigning this site, I’ve been thinking about what an immense privilege that is. Not only to build something bespoke to your own needs, but also to be less dependant on third-party services – who don’t have a great track record when it comes to looking after their customer’s best interests. As Ben notes:
…creativity is born from experience and a blog is a great place to document ideas, and your thinking as you continue to experience the world around you.
🚨 I’ve redesigned my website! Highlights include use of CSS Grid and Custom Properties, support for dark colour schemes and a service worker for offline reading. @eleven_ty powered and @netlify hosted. And so much more. Phew!
Another idea for a logo
Returning to the conundrum that is the logo for my website, think I’ve landed on something interesting. Constructed of three rectangles and two circles, and placed on a pixel grid, this shape scales down really well to super small sizes. This is important as this will exclusively feature as the site’s favicon, at least for now.