Crazily charming: Build Talk

Both Michael Place's designs and talk were absolutely mind blowing. The way he told us about his path made it so natural that makes one feel that success is possible if you work for it.

Some parts of the talk were important to me. For instance, he said he would be a musician if he wasn't a designer. That's exactly how I feel. I got into design for a chain of events that started by playing music. It was also very easy to see how passionate he was about album covers and the magic in them. I know what magic he was talking about because it happens the same to me with certain album covers, stationary design I used when I was a kid, etc.

Also, he made me think about my childhood when speaking about technical drawing (I was amazed that no one knew about what Rotrings were). I was horrible at it! I remember my teacher telling me something like I was useless at it. I've thought about it many times, it's either brave or really stupid that I am studying graphic design... because I had no notions for it. My sister was very good in graphic arts, and now she is a musician. Guess we swapped roles.

I didn't know about the Letraset catalogues, but I remember using the rulers with the letters in them. To me they looked so cool that I even considered about stop the hand-writing and use these great inventions.

He talked about the designer Neville Brody and its book. After checking it out I am getting it, it seems a great source of inspiration. At some point he also mentioned the proto swiss punk... wow! It was like a completely unexpected turn from Vignelli's theories. It was great to see that. And also that he was behind the design of Wipeout, a game I've never played but knew about it, and way before the talk I've found myself thinking of it quite often for who knows what reason... maybe the design is involved?





It was strange! But in a great way. I don't think my work has anything to do with his, but I cannot avoid feeling attached to it. I guess that's what makes him such a good designer. That and this quote I got from him: "Being cool is not cool". Interests in other things than graphic design is what is important.