Design: Infographic on Infographics - Neville Brody vs David McCandless on Newsnight

This great infographic by Toby Bradbury from Mrlerone.com has encapsulated Monday (09 Aug 2010) Newsnight's much heated debate on infographics shown on BBC2. The show featured journalist and designer, David McCandless (who also blogs about infographics), and infamous graphic designer of our times, Neville Brody. Watch all the design fuss from Newsnight infographics debate, visit the BBC iPlayer here (segment starts from about 26 mins in).

General consent is that this debate is pointless (see Creative Review Blog), I think both are too extreme from the spectrum. I am a graphic designer and I love infographics, having said that. I both agree and disagree with Brody and McCandless. There's absolutely nothing wrong with McCandless' finding from India, the bus maps which in this case to simplify complicated bus routes for people (if they have access to these maps).

I agree with Brody that when something is too overly designed to the point of losing the message, that defeats the origin and purpose of Graphic Design/Visual Communication. After all, in my opinion (see Staystylish.com click on "Manifesto"), Graphic Design is about marrying function and aesthetic, creating a system of design through thoughts, integrating design with technology, and utilizing technology to communicate. We are often too mesmerised by the new technology and let it overshadow the initial message we wanted to communicate, which is in the case with McCandless triangle diagram. Brody was right, it did not provoke any feelings. It was just "pretty" information presentation. McCandless might have presented his findings clearly but it wasn't communicating the "message".

I think Toby Bradbury has clearly mocked this Newsnight debate, read his tiny by line beneath the little colour cubes: "Just ignore this bit, it's just pretty colours. Everyone loves that s***. I can say that each colour represents a type of word. Would that be enough reason? Okay, that's it. In fact, no. The colours denote "trends" in the conversation, read by some system I'll never explain to anyone."

Culture Vulture September

Last week, I joined as an ICA member. I was far too excited to get my hands on these events in September through advanced sale, and thought it was worth it. Shame that I've only got one ticket to each event, I'd love some company but it's always ending up begging people to go or my friends are too skint.

I've already took advantage of my membership and booked these within the hours, I can't wait for these:

Douglas Coupland on What Words Look Like
Thursday, 3rd September



Douglas Coupland has always been one of my favourite modern writers, not just because he's Canadian. He captures the IT generation quite well, although thought JPod was a bit smug but his characters were always so interesting.

Helvetica
Tuesday, 8th September



I've been waiting to see this documentary for AGES! AGES! A documentary on a typeface! How amazing is that? And best thing was, there was a deal with Douglas Coupland talk, film was discounted! yay!

David Mitchell and Robert Webb on the Death of Television
Friday, 18th September



I love the Peep Show. Thank God for my membership prior tickets, because this show is now sold out! I can't wait for this!

I'm actually quite interested in going to the Joe Sacco talk as well, that's at the end of September. Will decide as the date comes closer.

Fashion: Gok, show me magic!

Alexa Chung and Gok Wan in Gok's Fashion Fix on Channel 4

My flatmates reckon I'm a telly junkie, but I swear I don't watch crap TV like soaps and Big Brother! Long awaited "Gok's Fashion Fix" premièred tonight on C4. Two of my favourite TV personalities hosting a brand new fashion show - Gok Wan and the stylish Alexa Chung.

In this series, Gok challenges current high fashion trends with the high-street finds. Pick something high-street and make it look expensive whether you're styling by adding accessories or adding to the piece, it's about personalising to make it unique. There were some good DIY tips and ideas there. The bottomline of his motto is to find your own personal style in which he's in search for the most stylish person in the UK (he hasn't met me yet). Nevertheless, there's the Gok's "Must Haves" of the week and some celebrity guests, because you have to. Meanwhile, Alexa takes the roadtest on the trendiest and highest shoes to the test in an ultimate stiletto race and interviewing Roberto Cavalli in his holiday home.

Love it! Gok it! Love it!

RIP: Jerry Orbach aka Lenny Briscoe

Jerry Orbach reportedly died Tuesday night in Manhattan after several weeks battling with prostate cancer at 69. He was diagnosed with the illness when he already had begun production on the new spinoff "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" and it's expected that Lenny Briscoe shall appear in the beginning few episode starting to be aired early next year. His other work included voice over as Lumier in "Beauty & The Beast", broadway musicals and roles in "Dirty Dancing". He was my favourite character from Law & Order. Lenny Briscoe, you shall be missed, oh, Jerry too!