What is Graphic Design? Paul Pensom from Creative Review

This is a summary of the lunchtime lecture given by Paul Pensom, Art Director at Creative Review. I do not want to forget any of the nuggets of information he squeezed into 30 mins:


Paul Pensom came into college to give a lunchtime lecture.  He described Graphic Designers as basically 'story tellers'.  A simple desire to communicate. It had taken him a couple of years to give the lecture because he wanted to have a point.  He arrived at the 'point' of his lecture by thinking about how late in his education he had found what he wanted to do.  So he thought we may find it useful to to see a summary of his career so far.  He said is most inspired by Music and Magazines. Mags because there is an ongoing conversation between the editor and his readers.


It was very interesting he gave us a visual journey of magazine covers from the one's which had inspired him such as The Face ,Colours and Ray Gun to the one's has been an Art Director at i-D,Time Out, Getty Images, Edit, Taxi and FACT.

He went to Creative Review in 2007. Creative Review has been around since 1980 where the font was Franklin Gothic.  He discussed how the logo had evolved over the years and also how Creative mags can get away with 'image only'.

They have tried guest fonts such as Memoriam and Regime however he thinks these hindered cohesion.  A decision was made to reduce the size of the mag from 280mm to 247mm not only because of rising mail costs but also this meant they could use better quality paper and address navigation issues.  The size also made the magazine easier to hold and read.

Paul Barnes(Guardian re-design) came up with new font... tried Cason Sans but that realised that Architectural Review had used.  New fonts called "Dala Floda" was designed for all headlines.  Also used Lyon and Optimo Thienhardt for feature headlines. Paul Barnes

Worth checking out EDO Editorial Organisation Organisation - Mentoring programme /Seminars
Editorial Design Organisation

 David Curcurito

 Neville Brody

Names to research:

Design Council/about-design/types-of-design/graphic-design/editorial-design/

Terry Jones
Scott King
Dave Hilman
Willy Fleckhouse (Twen)
George Luis (Esquire)
Nick Bell 'Keeping a tone of voice'
Craig Ward Grew 'a's' from bacteria
Peepshow   - Illustration and Art designers
Ruth Ansel 60's Art director
Luke Kerwin- 'A' filled with oil