After designing Trey's blog some weeks ago, we start working on his big project : a book to present his HDR images... my first idea was to do a comps with vaired images, but we figure out it present more my work that his, so we came back to a cover that mix both and show more HDR image... more to follow soon...

We put on sell new posters in the harmonie intérieure shop... Based on the catalog cover design for the harmonie catalogue, they are available in 2 sizes, and are limited edition of 100...

We also propose you a special offer : BUY 3 POSTERS of the same collection (Harmonie or graphic sentences) and GET THE 4TH FOR FREE

It is rare that i show a project at this time, but I just design this last week and end it over the week end... and I love when the client said "perfect, no change"... so, here it comes... well I have to integrate all the sponsors logos on the down part now ;) Please comment it on flickr.

The "Once upon a time" sticker is now on sell and is the perfect complement of the "Ornements" limited edition sticker...

I also get interviewed for this russian design magazine you can download in pdf... As I guess you few of you speak Russian, here come the interview in english :

Tell about yourself, where do you live, work
So, i am Fabien Barral, I live in France, in 100 years old country house I restored with my wife. We have a daughter and 4 cats, we live near lacs and forest, there are not enough houses in our village to have names to the streets... I love to say that because I am happy to live here and to work a such amazing projects from so far away...

Scool was not my cup of tea, and I always feel stupid learning things I don't care like chemicals stuffs... At the end of my regular school cursus, there where a forum to present working life to young unprepared people we werre... and I saw this amazing school where you can design magazines and CD sleeves... that's a job? Good... I get into it and I loves it... and it never stops... it is not so far away, 12 years ago, but believe it or not, a time without internet and with photoshop without layers ;)

How does your day begin? ( E.g I like to start a day with a cup of flavoured coffe)
Freelance give the chance to wake up when I want, and as I often work late… So, my girl always we take the breakfast together, it is really important for her… so, black coffee ;) Then, I jump on computer and check emails… If I was paid to read and answer email, I would be rich… Some days of the week, I work in at mediafix agency, where I was art director during 5 years and still work with on projects.

When did you undesrstand that design is what you want to make?
Because it is my talent, it is what I am made for. No need to try to understand it, it is like that… like some are singers or painter, baker or violinmaker.

Do you have special design education? Do you think that design education is really important to become a real professional?
I go to design school as I said, it was short, 3 years, but I do not think it is there I learn the most… I am wrong, I learn how to use the softwars, something you do not have the time to learn when you work, you need to avoid that to focus on creation… To become a real pro, you need to take time in agencies, and to create, create, creat ;) And to see what exist…

Where do you get inspiration? What helps you generate new ideas?
I am that kind of designers that need to eat thousand and thousand of images before going into creative phase... most of the time, I do moodboard of what I love and can feat the project, and then, when i am not on computer, driving, walking in the street, images and concepts comes to my mind... do not really know how, but it happen... and sincerly, it also happen when i fall asleep... not when i sleep, when i fall aslepp... this curious moment where you are not awake but not gone enough to not remember...

Also, I remember to have read a Michael Stipe (REM singer) where he said that, when he start to record a new album, he need to listen to old one to be sure he can do it again… I feel the same, I need to have an updated portfolio to check what I have done to make me feel confident… The create phase is always difficult and full of doubts, I hate this feeling.

What are you hobbies? How do you relax or spend free-of-work time?
To be honest, if the project goes well, client is open to idea and it is a real exchange, I do not feel like working… I need to take a break for computer, not from designing… During freetime, I spend the most time that I can with my daughter and wife… As I said, we live in the country, so during winter we can go skiing, sledge… in spring, we do big walks and feed the horse, etc… that the most important to be creative after… and movies, thousand movies ;)

What software does you use? What is the computer`s configuration? Do you use digital tablets e.g. )Do you have favorite design books\catalogues which you can recommend us to read?
Sorry, have to admit this is not a good question ;) We all use the same softwares, all of us… concerning the computer, it just need to be fast enough to follow me… The main thing is to have your own sources… I have a hard drive with thousand scan of papers, textures… Concerning books, me “bible” is the tolleson design book. But one of the sentence I found on the web and that really speak to me is : “Designing is basically the practice of combining stuff; ideally in ways that haven't been seen before. So the more stuff you know (about everything), the greater the chance you'll find a relevant and distinctive, and therefore effective (and original) combination.”

How do you think - who is a real designer? What characteristics are required to become designer?
Be original, and found the right solution on client asks. Design is creating the right reponse between a client and his target, the designer can have his style but it should deserve the message…

What is your advice to beginners?
Be yourself, be creative, and get away from computer sometime… Looking as design is not design… and last but not least, get inspired but do not copy, specially Iso50 ;)

This Ornements sticker is now on sell and for a limited time only ;) Choose the size, the color and use it to decorate your wall, furnitures, fridge, everything ;)

Be creative !

Un air de voyage is the shop of a friend of me... he travels the world, brings back with him objects and furnitures, and sold them in his shops... he do it with a very nice respect of people he met.

We are currently working on the web site, and for it, I design a travel book based on the picture he takes during his travels... I also ask him some objets like coins, bills, tickets, etc... the result is this 32 page book that we would print soon.

I rework the image with a texture, and old paper, like this has been made by hand... tell me which one you prefer on flickr and I will do a limited edition of 100 posters...

Have this in mind for a long time... will do posters soon to complete the graphic tought posters serie...

Blank Canvas is an event organised by the students on the BA (hons) Design for Moving Image Design and Graphic Design courses at Ravensbourne College to raise funds for our graduation show.

Rather than the usual cake sale or student union party, we decided to do something a little bit more exciting this year. We will be sending our favourite designers and illustrators packages containing random items (which could be anything from an old teapot, to a skateboard, to a vintage suitcase). They will then be asked to customise these items in any way they see fit. These masterpieces will then be collected and put in a silent auction on the 30th of April at the Vibe Bar on Brick Lane.

Here comes the Antique Photograph I get and customize... I glued old papers on the back of it...

Letterpress printing is the best... The design is inspired by the ripple effect we see when we touch water... My message is that whatever we do, it has effects beyond the initial action.

It was also important to me that the design featured the three words : Creation / Emotion / Inspiration

www.harmonie-interieure.com