SIX CITIES DESIGN FESTIVAL
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LYALL BRUCE
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VISUAL STORYTELLING
See New Worlds These days. Dundee is arguably better known for comics and computer games than jttte. jam and journalism. Taking inspiration from the success of homegrown companies like DC Thompson (publishers of The Baum, The Dandy and ('mnmumlu) and computer game designers such as Real Time Worlds and DMA Design (who created Lenmzings and Grand Theft Auto), the festival‘s Dundee programme focuses on how visual and narrative elements inform one another. There are exhibitions. workshops and talks on comic and videogame design. including 8-bit and Beyond. a look at Dundee and Scotland’s considerable innovations and influence in the world of gaming. ('omics conference. Biff! Bani?! (‘rikeyllk celebrates the 70th anniversary of the world’s longest rtmning comic. The Dandy as a jumping off point for exploring comics in general. with guest speakers such as cult artist llunt Iimerson. Perhaps the most ambitious project is See New llbrlds. a new comic created
by three Dundee—based designers (Lyall Bruce of
Sooper Double I). Victoria Baker and Stuart David liallon) and written by Dr (‘hris Murray.
This unique project uses design disciplines and processes to create an action packed comic set in Dundee in 2037.
‘lt’s easy to trivialise comics and think they are very simple. I‘ve learnt they are most definitely not.” laughs Bruce. ‘There’s a lot of design processes involved. how the panels flow. the way the bubbles are placed. what emphasis is put on certain words — it’s been an interesting learning expenencef
’()ne of our goals was to make a format that was accessible to everybody.’ says Bruce. ‘Dundee has that fun element of design.. 8-bit and Beyond, White Space, University of Abertay, Dundee, Sat 19 May-Tue 24 Jul. See New Worlds is available from the Festival Information Point, City Square, Dundee, for the duration of the festival.
QUALITY OF LIFE GlassBox Design Funfair
'It really makes my heart sink when you see Scottish designers having fantastic ideas and they just can‘t find the funding to get them off the ground.. says Paul Rodgers. a lecturer in Design at Napier L'niversity and one of the founding members of lidinburgh lighting and furniture design collective (ilass Box.
It's a scenario that Rodgers is all too familiar with. ‘l'm hoping that the Six (‘ities liestival is going to make the public and potential investors realise the talent we‘ve got here.”
Rodgers and the rest of (ilass Box will be running a Design liairground tailored to the theme of the lidinburgh leg of the festival. which looks at how product design affects quality of life. ‘We wanted to do something exciting and unusual that would get passers by involved. ()ur first idea was to take over the whole of Princes Street with the world‘s biggest game of musical chairs — you know. everyone brings their favourite chair along.‘
Instead. (ilass Box are going to erect several different traditional fairground stalls on the Mound. ‘We‘ve got all the old favourites: hook— a-duck. a coconut shy. a haunted house and a couple of stalls that are a little more critical or risque.~
(ilass Box are also hosting a Rogues‘ Gallery. ‘That's my own personal project.‘ says Rodgers.
‘lt‘s asking people “what would you consign to design hell?“ For me it would be shellsuits. They smell. they make a noise — they're just really badly designed. I‘ve collected together about 35 awful products. along with a video installation of talking heads explaining why they hate. you know. clinglilm or tights. and I want members of the public to contribute their own. It's not just about the brilliant luxury products: design is very much to do with those little everyday things too.‘ The Glass Box Design Fairground, The Mound, Edinburgh from Fri 18-Tues 22 May. See www.glass-box.co.uk for further information.
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