Welcome to the Escape Blog

This is quality - a mixture of tutorial and comedy:

“Because you are only using $75 worth of Photoshop”

Remember the Mac Desktop Art? Well, here is some more - and it’s much cooler.

So. You’ve picked the music, pre-selected your outfit for the occassion and asked everyone to be happy and to ‘celebrate’ your death. Then you turn up in a mahogony box with brass fittings… so last year darling!!!

This article on the BBC website just goes go prove that there is a place for design even where you least expect it. I find this refreshing for 2 reasons. Firstly it provides an opportunity for humour to be introduced into what is always regarded as a sombre occasion. As much as many request it in their dying wishes, when did you last go to a funeral where everyone ‘did’ have a good laugh?

Secondly, I love the fact that we have created ourselves yet another medium for design. As an agency, this might not necessarily be a service we would usually offer but it proves yet again that there is a demand for creativity and people place a value on it. It also proves yet again that design is about telling a good story. I love the idea of designing a coffin showing someone holding a piece of paper saying ‘For christ sakes let me out… I’m not dead’. That lasting story/memory of ‘Fred Bloggs’ in the box is that he had a sense of humour, and that was delivered by design.

So, I am sitting with my wife watching Lost at the weekend when one of the Flash-backs (or Flash-forwards - I get so confused) showed Jin running into a shop to get a toy. Who’s artwork should I see on the window but a good friend of mine (ooh ark at me) Simon Oxley.

Courtesy of Steve… and the South Park Game

Steve, Gaz and Keith

I like competition, and if this bunch are anything to go by, I like them even more - The Five Worst Web Designers in the World - my eyes are still hurting from the last one in the list… via Dean.

… and every marketing exec

From the Design Police

…via Advertising Goodness

Two bits of fun in one day… Advertising Goodness with some arty use of desktop space:

Via Noisy Decent Graphics, the Church Sign Generator… minutes of fun to be had.

I will be looking for bolts of lightening all day now.

One of our favourite design blogs is currently celebrating its first birthday by giving away a free iPhone. All you have to do is leave a comment on their post. Comments will be open for one week, and the winners will be chosen at random. You must only comment once, and you have to fill out an email address in order to win.

So get yourself over to Bittbox, wish them happy birthday and you could be the proud owner of a shiny new iPhone.