Aug 28, 2009read the 18 comments
Accidental design, flawed to success
“I was working for Quiksilver as a tee shirt designer.” Said Dean Bradley. “In the building late one night I began to hand-write the company name. Unfortunately in the script I liked most the letters “ver” were horrible. So I went to the font that never let’s me down (Helvetica Neue) and used it at the end, creating a syllable-tempo logo. Quik, Sil, Ver with the “ver” set in type, and the rest in hand.
“It was the best selling font for the company for three years, on all products, and was fun to watch accepted by the masses.
“A once in a lifetime accidental design, flawed to success.”
18 appreciated comments, click here to add one
Ian Houghton
In my experience, the best designs are sometimes the accidental ones thrown together when I’m frustrated and suffering from designer’s block. I’ve generally considered Quiksilver and its contemporaries (Billabong, Ripcurl etc.) to have quite boring designs, but their mass market appeal is definitely impressive. Personally I’m a lot more partial to the more exciting, individualised tee designs like those you can find on Design By Humans.
Aug 28th, 2009
David Airey
Hi Ian, I’ve never been overly fussed about t-shirts with witty or “fashionable” designs printed on. Call me boring, but give me a plain white number and I’m a happy chap.
Aug 28th, 2009
Ian Houghton
I have to say I do love a good t-shirt. It’s like a work of art you can carry around on your chest! If I was a wealthy man, I’d probably collect them. I can respect your views though, they’re not for everyone.
Aug 28th, 2009
David Airey
Perhaps the Irish weather plays a role, too. And I do have sympathy for Dr Bruce Banner. Imagine every time he finds himself a nice shirt, only for the Hulk to make an appearance and ruin it.
Aug 28th, 2009
David Airey
*Tumbleweeds*
My fault.
Aug 28th, 2009
Jeremy Bolton
I have always been surprised at how a simple mistake or a bump while sketching can make its way into a final design. When I first started designing I thought I needed to have a reason for every idea while brainstorming, but sometimes it is the unexpected that inspires us the most.
Aug 29th, 2009
Ian Houghton
No David, great joke; honestly! ;)
Aug 29th, 2009
Ken Reynolds
The accidental and unexpected flashes of inspiration and experimentation can reap the best results, the most difficult part is to have confidence in your instincts.
You have to carry on with the design and present it knowing you have no thought processes to back it up or justify it to a client. That’s the scary bit!
It’s all worth it when a client loves it and asks: “How did you come up with that?” Then you get to act all mysterious and just a little smug!
Sep 2nd, 2009
Al
I LOVE mistakes and accidents. Thing with our disease is that to get something spot on you have to really work out all the intricacies and often labour over something, which for me leads to hating the final design because I become overly familiar with it. Accidents are great as you can look at the design and to some extent enjoy it more as though a nice piece of work by someone else, you can enjoy the fact that the design kinda took over in way.
Well, that’s what I think anyway.
T-shirts are my life!! Walking canvasses.
Sep 3rd, 2009
David Airey
Ah, confidence, Ken. It’s as importance for us designers as it is a striker in front of goal. If you don’t like your work, how can you expect the client to?
Jeremy, Al, thanks for dropping in. I hope everyone enjoys the weekend (just winding down with a Guinness).
Sep 4th, 2009
Tjeerd van Sas
I’ve never spotted that before! Thanks for showing it!
This inspires me to mess around with handwritten/type or type/type combo’s. (Going to experiment a lot the upcoming months.)
Sep 6th, 2009
Matt Fouty
Did this come before “Stussy”? If not, I find it almost “copycatish”.
Sep 9th, 2009
Daniel Whyte
Who was it that said, Creativity is making mistakes, Design is choosing which ones to keep
Sep 16th, 2009
David Airey
I don’t know, Daniel, but it’s a good quote.
Sep 17th, 2009
Caramella
Late to the game, but what I first saw was the way that the zip bisected the “S”, creating a “$”. Probably still appropriate!
Apr 14th, 2010
Jon Gifford
Gotta love these necroposts. Think this owes a lot to the second-gen Stussy stuff. I believe sometimes when we’re tired or otherwise at our limit, we tap a different part of our subconscious. Personal experience dictates that some if that “brainspace” is inhabited by things we’ve absorbed – not deliberately, mind you. Still like the shirt. Who needs another statement tee? Blah.
Sep 13th, 2010
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