Published

Walker blog interview with Maximage

Walker blog interview with Maximage

I asked SB about people/studios that push the offset printing process when we were discussing a potential litho print last week, and he mentioned Berlin-based collective Maximage. The 2013 interview in the Walker design/art blog (linked above) sheds light on their interest in intervention.

Photo of the cover of Acid Test by Maximage

The cover of Acid Test, 2010. Image from Swiss Design Awards (image source)

Published

Regarding single speed bicycle assembly

I need a bike that I’m comfortable with for getting around London. My Claud Butler steel mixte frame is in good condition and I’ve always wanted to learn more about bikes, so I’ve started to replace the heaviest and most problematic bits myself. Over time, the project evolved in to a single speed conversion. The notes below are an overview of the work and research I’ve done thus far. Expect misused terminology ahead, bumps in the road, etc.

Read more

Published

The Peter Principle in management theory

I had a spectacularly inarticulate moment recently trying to recall a management concept I read about a while back. By chance, I came across it today, so note to self: the Peter Principle is the theory you’re looking for. “Managers rise to the level of their incompetence”, or “anything that works will be used in progressively more challenging applications until it fails”.

Published

Snippet for LazyLoad + Spin.js

/**
 * Identify images by class. For each image, add 
 * [Spin.js](http://fgnass.github.io/spin.js/) to parent, [LazyLoad](http://verlok.github.io/lazyload/) image, stop spinner 
 * when image is loaded.
 */

var imgClass = "lazy";

var spinOpts = {
  // [Spin.js options](http://fgnass.github.io/spin.js/#usage)
};

var spinners = [];
var elems = document.getElementsByClassName( imgClass );
for ( var i = 0; i < elems.length; i++ ) {
  var pId = "lazy-" + ( i + 1 );
  var parent = elems[i].parentElement;
  parent.id = pId;
  spinners[pId] = new Spinner( spinOpts ).spin( parent );
}

var lazyLoad = new LazyLoad( {
  elements_selector: "." + imgClass,
  callback_load: function( element ) {
    var spinner = spinners[element.parentElement.id];
    if ( spinner ) {
      spinner.stop();
    }
  }
} );

For use with LazyLoad by Andrea Verlicchi and Spin.js by Felix Gnass. SB and I have both checked out a few different lazyloading plugins, we’re pleased with how this one works with srcset.

Since the default positioning of Spin.js centres the spinner in the element, it’s best for the image to be the only child of the parent element. The code above assumes that this is the case. If I didn’t have control over the markup or needed to individually wrap each image for any other reason, would probably implement something similar to the above w/ jQuery (see the Spin.js jQuery plugin).

Published

Archival boxes from Conservation By Design

With the recent move from Leeds back down to London, we’ve really had to take stock of our work storage situation. It’s been a bit sub-par, consisting of an assortment of A-sized folders, cardboard poster-tubes, and some sturdy but very light-penetrable boxes.

Saw some very nice grey storage boxes by Conservation By Design at a degree show last year, might have been Premier Duo PM Metal-Edge boxes. A few of these would be a step in the right direction. Next up: sort out comprehensive digital storage once and for all…