Hasta La Ideas

Designed to resemble an ingot of gold, the third book in Victionary‘s Palette series (which collate design projects that utilise a particular approach to colour) just landed on my desk: Gold & Silver, New Metallic Graphics…

Regular CR blog readers might have seen our posts on the first two books in the series, first Black & White: New Monochrome Graphics and also  Multicolour: New Rainbow Hued Graphics. Now the third in the series gathers together projects from designers and studios around the globe that turn to metallic finishes and print processes to achieve their allure. Here’s a look inside:

Alt Group‘s designs for awards and award certificates for the Designers Instituted of New Zealand

Although it’s not mentioned in the accompanying text, the Bape Archives book, designed last year by Tokyo-based groovisions, (shown, above right and also below) looks like it was the inspiration for the design approach to Victionary’s new tome

Above, SEA‘s design of the GF Smith Master Selector boxes (which housed booklets that guide users through the paper selection process) includes a super high quality silver foil finish

Gold card stock and foilblocking onto matt black paper qualified Nelson Associates work for Argyll to be included

Who can resist the charms of a debossed and gold foilblocked card? Nendesign created the above Christmas card for Marc Jacobs Japan

Base Design in Brussels created the identity and packaging for local biscuit bakers, Maison Dandoy, which features gold spots

And rightfully included are Coralie Bickford-Smith‘s beautifully foiled dust jackets for Penguin’s series of F. Scott Fitzgerald books

Studio NEWWORK‘s invites to IDEEËN’s AW 09 fall collection

Industrial designer Tomas Kral takes fairly ordinary bottles and jars and makes them beautiful by applying gold plate

And Lomography released a series of Gold Edition cameras

Good to see Leeds design agency Golden included on the strength of their suitably golden self-promotional work

Chocolate wrapped in gold: Rice Creative‘s packaging for Marou Chocolate is a joy to behold

Also included are some truly spectactular furniture from Studio Job‘s Robber Baron series

Gold & Silver, Metalic Graphics ($40) is available to buy direct from victionary.com.

CR in print
The March issue of CR magazine celebrates 150 years of the London Underground. In it we introduce a new book by Mark Ovenden, which is the first study of all aspects of the tube’s design evolution; we ask Harry Beck authority, Ken Garland, what he makes of a new tube map concept by Mark Noad; we investigate the enduring appeal of Edward Johnston’s eponymous typeface; Michael Evamy reports on the design story of world-famous roundel; we look at the London Transport Museum’s new exhibition of 150 key posters from its archive; we explore the rich history of platform art, and also the Underground’s communications and advertising, past and present. Plus, we talk to London Transport Museum’s head of trading about TfL’s approach to brand licensing and merchandising. In Crit, Rick Poynor reviews Branding Terror, a book about terrorist logos, while Paul Belford looks at how a 1980 ad managed to do away with everything bar a product demo. Finally, Daniel Benneworth-Grey reflects on the merits on working home alone. Buy your copy here.

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CR for the iPad
Read in-depth features and analysis plus exclusive iPad-only content in the Creative Review iPad App. Longer, more in-depth features than we run on the blog, portfolios of great, full-screen images and hi-res video. If the blog is about news, comment and debate, the iPad is about inspiration, viewing and reading. As well as providing exclusive, iPad-only content, the app will also update with new content throughout each month.