Hello. this is me, Ben Linford.

graphic design student. benlinford ^(me)

// No longer the Wimble Don.

June 17th, 2010

As far as I can remember, the Wimbledon Tennis Championship‘s website had always been a spectacle in its own right. I used to love scaling through its purple and green exterior. This year, the Wimbledon website looks like an empty shopfront, neglecting stock buying due to unstable economic conditions.

Maybe it does have something to do with the economic climate.

Maybe it’s a cost-cutting measure that’s been implemented to ensure the bank can provide the prize winners with their share of this year’s; £13,725,000 overall kitty. I have no idea whether general ticket sales have increased much over the years but a 9.4% overall increase in prize money (compared to last year), has got to be accumulated from somewhere.

I’ll be making my first trip Wimbledon this year, having been a consistent follower of the tournament on TV. It’s always been something I’ve wanted to do in my lifetime and it’ll be the first live tennis event I’ve seen, outside of the box – ohhh, so close.

Posted in Reviews, Technology |

// From Print Screen to Screen Print.

May 5th, 2010

Midway through the first, of my last four weeks as a first year student at Bucks New University, it is becoming ever-more apparent that time shifts through tenses like a zoetrope. It’s been a mystifying two years since I last used the ‘Print Screen’ key on a Windows based computer. After taking my first bite of the Apple, with the purchase of a glossy white Macbook, back in early 2008. Apple products have become a core ingredient in my creative crumble.

After flirting with some design ideas for a personal logo last week in the studio (in the hope of leading to a design for the 16 by 16 pixel, favicon .ico format), I came up with an initial mark. Once mocked up in Illustrator and printed in monochrome onto acetate, the design formed the basis of my screen, to be used in gaining a founding in the silkscreen printing method.

I had sketchy knowledge of the screen printing process from my two GCSE years at school. Having been tormented with diagrams of seemingly cuddly squeegees and precariously floating pots of coloured gloop, it was nice to finally penetrate that mesh.

Whilst on the topic of screen printing, the whole process has given me an idea for the design of this blog.

Stay tuned.

Tags: apple, buckinghamshire, Bucks Colleagues, design, favicon, ico, ideas, logo, new, print, printing, screen, silkscreen, uni, university, zoetrope
Posted in Digital, Methods, Technology, Traditional |

// More snaps than Steve Irwin.

May 1st, 2010

I purchased my first ever Digital SLR camera today from Jessops with the standard Canon 18-55mm lense. Went for the Canon D550 (550D). I’ll get up close with nature myself with it tomorrow, if I have the time. Hopefully the wildest thing I’ll come across though, is a couple of old naturists… Hmmm. Maybe not – bring on the crocodiles.

Coincidentally, I had the privilege of spectating at one of Steve Irwin‘s croc demonstrations at Australia Zoo, in Brisbane a good number of years ago now. I’ll be heading off to Australia again (I know – I’m very lucky) for four weeks at the end of the year and there are so many things I’m looking forward to capturing while I’m out there.

No doubt, I’ll be needing my poncho tomorrow though, if I’m going to be waving that camera around.

Happy Snapping!

Tags: 550d, australia, camera, canon, d550, demonstration, digital slr, dslr, jessops, naturists, photographs, photos, poncho, purchases, slr, steve irwin, zoo
Posted in Photography, Technology |