Marcel Proust

Proust is one of those figures who kind of towers below a lot of writers. It's the damn length of A la recherche du temps perdu that's the problem. Like Gravity's Rainbow, Infinite Jest et al it's one of those works that everyone should have read but just hasn't got round to reading (or has reached page 63 and given up at the sheer cliff face of words ahead). Personally I was always fascinated by Proust the man semi-retiring from the world (partly through intention, partly through a frail constitution) to write for years in his cork-lined room. I like small-scale heroics like that.

I was pretty pleased with the drawing that this print is taken from. Faster than other recent pieces, and possibly better.

Anyway, the print is available now in the shop.

Giil Sans in My Shopping

Haven't had a Tunnock's Caramel Wafer for ages, saw them in the supermarket the other day, loved the (only slightly - grudgingly? - updated) package design, bought them. Almost chipped a tooth on them. The secret is to let them come to room temperature, and for that room to be somewhere outside the Arctic Circle (they're made in Uddingston, near Glasgow, so draw your own conclusions).

But yes, check out the Gill Sans. Who these days would have the balls to stick so such a classic weight and draughty track? They're simply not cool, just functional, delicious, gone in about 45 seconds. That's design right there.

Write-Ups

I've been working on other projects for about a month, but now I'm back and I find the shop has had a couple of very nice write-ups online. The first is on Thrillist:

http://www.thrillist.com/home-gadgets/standard-designs_art_books_online-shops

And the second is on sofa.com:

http://www.sofa.com/uncategorized/its-a-witty-sign-of-the-times

Ah yes, all public appreciation gladly accepted...