gordon ling

http://gordon.figtreedesign.com

I moved there. Just in case you didn’t notice. Its more fun there.

1. James Bond(I get excited over wrong things)

Not many girls enjoy James Bond. Surely, not Sharlene. Somehow, we were in the cinema few weeks ago to catch Casino Royale. One of the most awaited movies for this season.

As usual, a typical Bond movie starting with a little movie teaser at the beginning of the movie. Then, we move to the trademarked gun barrel sequence. Amazing. Still looks good after all these years. If you have no idea about this, James will be walking normally then make a sudden turn towards the screed and shoots. The scene then will be rendered showing the assassin’s blood, filmed through a rifled gun barrel as if its from the perspective of the bullet.

Here’s the climax:

The main titles!

Yes, that’s why i get over excited over the wrong things always. Every James Bond movie title is amazing. Back from the Sean Connery years up to the recent Daniel Craig domain. They usually deplete slight female nudity. (yes..) Usually, there will be a little symbol symbolizing certain motifs and usually are non-related to the movie plot. The films theme will then be played along as the stills move around while the credits appear. Typographically, I could say that they have fairly decent typography over the titles. Can’t really recall them but they are worth observing and drool over.

Casino Royale’s credits differ from the rest firstly because of the heavy use of computer graphics and violence in it. The motif’s used were playing cards while silhouettes of Bond fighting villains shown through. No women shown - with full respect to all females, I’m no ‘genderist’ but this time, they simply decided to move beyond that track.

Designers, here are the heros involved:-

Maurice Blinder (1962-1991)
Robery Brownjohn (1963-1964)
Daniel Kleinman (1991 - present)

Maurice Blinder was pretty much responsible for the gun barrel sequence thingie.

Daniel Kleinman brought in computer graphics into the picture when he took over. Click here for a short interview about Casino Royale’s main titles.

Robert Brownjohn took Marget Bolan (41′ 23′ 37′) and projected the titles all over her body in Goldfinger (1964). Typography in this case, has been treated so seductively. (ref= sex & typography)

So finally, if you are an inspired to be a type-geek, watch movie titles and ending credits. That’s the best part a movie can offer you. Seriously.

2. James Brown. RIP. But band continues to gig.

3. James Bong downloads here (CD cover shown below).

4. I’m getting tired and a bored blogging here in a cheesy match-making, self-satisfying, photo-posing online scam agent.

Book binding ain’t easy. Trust me, this is amazing. In case anybody needs ideas on book binding (Cai Lun) :-

1) Back when I was a student, I would buy titles from the somewhere I happen to work at now.

2) I still struggle in my other junkie hobby:

3) Nevertheless, finally, the distraction coming from the passengers seat most of the time, completes this three for junkie post.

Queries? Questions? Loans(only applicable to no 1 & 2. Patent Pending)? Leave a comment. Responds guaranteed.

Why did North Korea conduct nuclear-tests?

Re-branding purposes?

Now, how does re-branding work again?

Not that I’m supporting  global headliners anyway, just a graphic designer doing his bit in social responsibility.

You have to do a bit of research to understand why I said that.

Really.

Oh. Nuclear warfare doesn’t really have much to do with graphic design anyway. Only minimal typography to make sure legibility of that e=mc2 calculations.

Quietude, Kenneth FitzGerald, pg. 27. Emigre no.64

" Sagmeister is naughty by nature - never transgressive. The big ideas are frequently obvious or hackneyed metaphors tweaking mainstream taste. That their visualization delivers a jolt points up the timidity of most designs. Though Sagmeister doesn’t promote a formal signature style, his reliance on visual joy-buzzers become style in its own right. "

After all these years, i came to a simple conclusion. Being a pastors kid ain’t easy. Furthermore, having a mother who’s teaching in your secondary school, who happens to be your history teacher at Form 2. Furthermore, uncle & aunt’s who work in His service, a grandpa who’s an Elder of a church. Sounds as if all was planned properly just to keep someone safe and sound.

As a young kid, I always wished that things were different. That I could stand alongside with all the other kids whose parents had ‘real’ jobs. Doctors, lawyers, businessman etc. Somehow, it felt a little bothering to mention ‘pastor’.

My dad use to remind me, whatever you do, do it well, for the Glory of God.

I struggled with issues in Glorifying God through my lifestyle a lot. I dare say all pastors kids feel the same. Truly not easy to please your parents, please your relatives, neighbors, people that have high expectations on you. Believe me, the amount of pressure in the eyes of the people who meet you in that phase if teriffying. That’s so fake (or corporate).

Sorry.

Anyway,

firstly, pastors kids are of flesh and blood. Same ideas, thoughts and emotions run across their brains like any son of a gun as well. It is particularly silly to look up high to a pastors kid. All the pastors kids I am close to have at least something that separates them from others. No, its not that holy, holy thing. All of them are particularly playful & experimental. (Jass Yu if you’re reading this, that’s most likely going to be you)

Secondly, not all teachers kids love school. Come talk to me personally, I never enjoyed the terminology of ’school’. It doesn’t work. Maybe the charismatic part of socializing perhaps. Or in my personalized case, meeting people.

Thirdly, never ever think all teachers kids get into top science classes. Mine was the 4th, compared to all the other 4 teachers kids in the top classes.

Fourthly, pastors kid shouldn’t look tidy need and ‘geeky’. Somethings very wrong here if you know what I mean. In other words, non-compromising? (That’s where the long hair thing comes in with that edgy movement approach)

Finally, not all pastors kids end up like their daddy’s. In my very extensive evaluated case, I just want to give my best as a son, brother, friend, servant of God & whatever I might become.

If you happen to be reading this and am an avid rigid linear believer in biblical terms and conditions for ‘The selected one’s to be called Pastor’s son’, I’m pretty much sorry to disappoint you. But God’s radical notions of having Samson and John the Baptist in Christianity seems to be still applicable in these modern times.

Pastor’s kids, start arguing!

A dear friend of mine for almost 12 years passed away. Apparently, he just graduated from college and earned his first RM500. He barely lasted in the creative industry for 3 weeks.

In the presence of death, I’m always thoughtful. If not certain emotions that mix with respects.

We have witnessed maybe to many deaths. Passing aways of people that have to leave early ahead of us. People that matter so very much to us in little bits. People that we take for granted that have left. People that we could have maybe helped a little more.

I sometimes question the position I stand in their lives. Frequently after obitury. Especially those that I’m capable of helping through hard times.

“If I helped you make a glass of water when you’re thirsty, I marked a place in your life.”

“When you needed money, I robbed from you.”

“In the desperate event of help, I turned you down.”

It makes a whole lot of difference if I did something for you in your life. Big or small. A joke or a hand to hold.

Maybe, I could have.

In ever loving memory of Vincent. (1985-2006)

Celebrating in Goa, India together with Andy Altermann, Peter B’ilak, Nick Bell, Vince Frost, Neville Brody, Paul Hughes. Fun right? Appretiate the lovely people who sent me messages & some even tried to call me.

Great Scott! Im 22, only?

Steve Irwin, better known as the Crocodile Hunter, died of a stingray barb. For more details, please kindly click here.

His wounded reputation was when the public outcries about him feeding a crocodile while holding his 1 month old baby single handed. But his shows educated millions of people not only by saying the ever famous “Crickey!” buy also his enthutiasm about animals, deeply moved me. Im speaking in terms of passion, passion for beings so different that us, humans. Passionate enough, to share his love to the world outside.

Another important point, he died doing what he loves doing most.

This triggered me most.

Rip, mate.