Know Design

Tuesday 13th May sees the launch of a new collection of Royal Mail stamps focusing on some of Britain’s cathedrals – the First Class version of which features local three-spired beauty, Lichfield Cathedral.

So, if you’re in or around Lichfield on Tuesday, perhaps you could get some commemorative photos of the cathedral then upload them to the Big Picture website? Big pictures ... tiny stamps!

Today we’re celebrating the welcome return of the sunshine by listening to the summery, toe-tapping tunes of Manu Chao.

The other week I got a beautiful booklet delivered in the post. It’s a cute little handmade portfolio from , a locally-based illustrator who, as well as producing some lovely work, has the best handwriting I’ve ever seen!

Winnie came to Supercool HQ yesterday to go through her portfolio with us and it’s great - she’s done loads of different stuff, from TV animation to magazine illustrations. And she’s even won an Emmy (for an animated TV sequence she did when working in San Francisco) - how many Birmingham folk can say that?!

Here at Supercool we’ve been working exceptionally hard recently (yes, even harder than usual if you can believe it?!) on some really exciting projects - which has been fun but very tiring. So, we decided to reward ourselves with this beautiful framed print from Keep Calm Gallery.

I just thought it was the perfect sentiment for those hectic days when your head’s in a spin ... but a nice cuppa really does the trick.

Anyway, if you like screenprinted, kind of retro-looking stuff and have some empty wall space, I’d heartily recommend a visit to the Keep Calm website: www.keepcalmgallery.com

Mr David Osbaldestin, designer and BCU lecturer extraordinaire, informs me that my Birmingham ward map has just been used in “a rather brilliant L6 student presentation about the use of typography in information graphics” - and I was mentioned just after Paula Scher (a very talented designer lady) and everything. Oooh, how flattering!

I watched a compelling programme on BBC Four last night in which Stephen Fry learnt about the Gutenberg printing press, and some very enthusiastic history and carpentry chaps recreated the first press itself. The way this machine was constructed is truly incredible - and the method used to make the twin thread for the screw, ingenious.

Did you see it?! If you missed it on the TV, with the very latest in modern technology, for the next six days you can watch it here on BBC iPlayer. Genius.