Gradiate's letter to Creative Review
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- soda
Our very own Gradiate had some very wise words in this months letters to Creative review.
Word Dawg! You tell them!!!
- save0
I agree with him......
he's hit the nail right on the head!!!! :P
- soda0
was going to repost it but couldn't find it. Figured if I posted he would stick it up himself...wake up lad!
- rabattski0
is it somewhere online to read?
- waynepixel0
Lets have a look then. :)
- josimarX0
which one was it? if it was the one about the stamps then I think he's a cock. He's simply swayed by the fact they look fun & childish that it must be some amateurish/studenty-like idea. Let's see him do something better.
- vespa0
it was the stamps one
- soda0
i don't think that was his point, but yeah, nice come back JosimerX... "he's a cock" and "let's see if he can do something better."
That's how you start a grown up discussion on design.
- josimarX0
I was just letting you know my thoughts from when I read his letter in CR. I'm not arsed if you discuss it or not. The reason I say "let's see if he can do something better", is because he sounds like he's making out like he's some mad god of design or something. I stand by the cock bit. Actually, my first impression when reading the letter was, 'he's bitter' – he's missed out on something recently to the same company that created it.
- gradiate0
Ha-Ha I am a cock now for wantin gto highlight this crazy situation? Classic response as soda said if you want a disscusion thats not the way to go around it. Ive not got the letter digitally as ive lost all my emails but ill type it up so you can read it. I dont mind people disagreeing, in fact thats what i want. to get people going instead of stuff just floating by unchallenged.
- josimarX0
well said.
it's only an opinion after all.
I bought those stamps and used them and thought they were brilliant and didn't think for a second they would be up for any awards. Maybe a lot of you guys are too young to have done much letter writing. Digital age and all that.
- gradiate0
The Letter as requested.
.
So Johnson Banks wins the only Gold D&AD for graphic design with their interactive stamps for the Royal Mail. They are the best piece of design we have to offer this year? Honestly, look at them and ask yourself if that's as good as we can do. The D&AD is a very public awards showing the best in design and advertising that year and as much we put its role, its winners and everything else to do with it under the microscope this was something I read with dismay.There's nothing wrong with the stamps as such, they are OK but I honestly feel you could have seen them in any graduate show this year. The student would have got a first, mum would be proud and the person would have probably got a student D&AD award. We complain that graphic design doesn't share the same value in the public eye as it's cousins of fashion, architecture and product design and then we give the top design award to those stamps and nothing else. We, it has to be said, are doing ourselves no favours.
It's time for awards that you don't have to pay to enter and that truly recognise all the great pieces of work we all see, otherwise we shall stay the lowly runt cousin handing out prizes to our mates for average work.
- gradiate0
what? too young to letter write? I dont understand the relevance of age. Its got nothing to me doing anything better its to do with graphics standing and the place for such work and awards. If you actually read the letter I am starting to get fustrated with design talks and discussions when people moan about our stading and the way so much excellent work gets overshadowed an dthen that happens. It has nothing to do with bitterness, my personal work or ptiching. Its a poor situation when only 'good' designers can critisise others work when if you think about it the nest critics are the users of the end product as its aimed at them. Oh and using the word cock and you do better really undermines your argument, they are tools for those who lack thought and the ability to express.
- Dancer0
I would say a point well made. I do have my views but no time to type...
Gradiate, have you had any responses from readers of CR yet? The backlash will be mad, "how could you offend the ex-president"
Inside job?
Tehe
- rabattski0
fair.
- rabattski0
btw do you have to send in work to d&ad or do they pick stuff themselves? do you have to pay money for submissions or not? really depends on that. if so than it's the best of the stuff sent by people who are willing to pay for it instead of the best of graphic design.
- soda0
fair point well put I reckon, it's not even about how good the stamps are (or not) but more about surely there is more stuff out there as deserving (or more so?)
It is a sad state of affairs if thats the best we have to offer?
- gradiate0
Yeah you have to pay to enter the D&AD like most awards. Better stuff was in there. No emails yet but my mac's broken at home so if they email my address of my site then i wont be able to get them at the moment. I got a few last time I worte a letter, all fun.
- JamesEngage0
I think it makes a change that a piece of design work that everybody who used it probably enjoyed has been recognised.
Rather than the usual back patting or 'lets be ironic to be cool' type work.
- gradiate0
Yeah thats true james, it was good that it got the general public engaged in a graphic exercise, thats its strong point for sure.
- JamesEngage0
the other gold was deffo worth it from what i saw