Published August 12th, 2007
in Bicycles, Design, Design engineering, Design philosophy, Designers, Engineering, Engineering design, Freelance, Freelancing, Fulminate, Graphic design, Interviews, London and Product design.
In Parts 1 and 2 of this series I looked at some aspects of what it’s like being a freelance designer / engineer / maker, and some of the things I’ve learned along the way. Lots of freelancers have blogs, and sites such as Freelance Switch and Sologig News draw together some very interesting (and diverse) people and advice. I did an interview for Sologig News a few months ago.
One of the things that I’m often asked, mainly by design students intrigued by the idea of working for themselves once they graduate, is just how to go about doing it: how to raise your profile, and find the right projects to take on. Having really only been marginally successful in this area, I decided to interview Ben Wilson, with whom I’ve worked on a couple of projects, and who’s achieved a great deal working for himself in this field. Ben’s blog, along with his brothers, is a great photostream-style travelogue of interesting products, vehicles, graphic design, places and influences.
Left: The Tilting Trike in arm-propelled mode. Right: The Downlow Lowrider
Continue reading ‘Freelancing Part 3: The Ben Wilson Interview’
Published August 11th, 2007
in Battery vehicles, Bond Minicar, Design, Design philosophy, Electric vehicles, Engineering, Engineering design, Environmental, Fulminate, Motoring and Sustainability.
While it hasn’t often come across on this blog, due to most of the focus being on architectures of control, I am, both personally and professionally, very interested in lightweight transport - its design, use and potential.
Continue reading ‘Electro-Bonding: Part 1 of many’
As so often, slow on the uptake, I‘ve - or rather, this blog has - been tagged with a couple of blog memes*, and I really ought to respond. Hey, if I can find time to help Dr Charles Soludo transfer his funds**, I can find time for this.
Continue reading ‘Self-regarding nonsense’
This post is the start of a series that will only be of interest to a few readers, but it’s about a subject that means a lot to me, and about a place which, in one way or another, has had an impact on design, and design education, in the UK and beyond. Brunel University has just sold its Runnymede campus to Oracle Residential, part of the Epsom-based Oracle Group, a property and investment company.
Continue reading ‘Runnymede Memorial: Part 1′
Published April 20th, 2007
in Friday quote and Fulminate.
Scott Adams (via Seth Godin):
I think writer’s block is when you say to yourself, “I could write something, but it wouldn’t be good enough.” There’s no such thing as a complete inability to write a sentence.
He’s right, of course: it’s the fear of failure, of incompetence, or the fear of being perceived as incompetent, which stops so much useful work being done. If it’s sub-standard, will it actually drive readers/customers away? John S Rhodes has an interesting take on the issue.
Best get on with it, then.
