How did you start out with Manystuff?
Charlotte Cheetham: My boyfriend is a graphic designer (Pierre Vanni), and many of my friends are as well; I used to send them, by email, some interesting links. One day, I thought it would be easier to do it on a blog. That's why (and how) I did start to do Manystuff.
Charlotte Cheetham: My boyfriend is a graphic designer (Pierre Vanni), and many of my friends are as well; I used to send them, by email, some interesting links. One day, I thought it would be easier to do it on a blog. That's why (and how) I did start to do Manystuff.
How has it developed from there to what it is now?
CC: I think that what people like in Manystuff is my regularity and my choices. It proposes a sustained flow of information the aim of which is to give an non-exhaustive overview of today's graphic art.
I don't claim that what I show on Manystuff is the best or what must be done in graphic design: I just post graphic designers I like, graphic designers whom I find interesting (students or not).
In the begining, I would spend lots of time to post the link to Manystuff in all the websites I could find (like Newstoday, Computerlove ... and other graphic design platforms). But since a year, I don't have to do that anymore, and the visits increase constantly: between 2000 and 2500 visit per day.
I am very happy about that, but I want to develop Manystuff; that's why Manystuff is working on a magazine (which I hope will be published in January 2008): with a magazine, Manystuff wants to extend its activities and induce by this paper medium discussions and exchanges by written and graphic reflections around a common problematic renewed for each issue.
CC: I think that what people like in Manystuff is my regularity and my choices. It proposes a sustained flow of information the aim of which is to give an non-exhaustive overview of today's graphic art.
I don't claim that what I show on Manystuff is the best or what must be done in graphic design: I just post graphic designers I like, graphic designers whom I find interesting (students or not).
In the begining, I would spend lots of time to post the link to Manystuff in all the websites I could find (like Newstoday, Computerlove ... and other graphic design platforms). But since a year, I don't have to do that anymore, and the visits increase constantly: between 2000 and 2500 visit per day.
I am very happy about that, but I want to develop Manystuff; that's why Manystuff is working on a magazine (which I hope will be published in January 2008): with a magazine, Manystuff wants to extend its activities and induce by this paper medium discussions and exchanges by written and graphic reflections around a common problematic renewed for each issue.
I don't claim that what I show on Manystuff is the best or what must be done in graphic design
About the format of this magazine, is there a direct relation to Manystuff being published online?
CC: The magazine is going to be texts and images arranged as reflections around a common problematic. Like Manystuff, it's going to show images. But more than Manystuff, it's going to present text as well (each text translated in French and in English). And, as the texts, the images are going to be an answer to a problem, a reflection around a theme. The participants are students for the images part, and for the text part they are students as well but also more established graphic designers and theorists.
CC: The magazine is going to be texts and images arranged as reflections around a common problematic. Like Manystuff, it's going to show images. But more than Manystuff, it's going to present text as well (each text translated in French and in English). And, as the texts, the images are going to be an answer to a problem, a reflection around a theme. The participants are students for the images part, and for the text part they are students as well but also more established graphic designers and theorists.
The room where Manystuff is made
Isn't it hard to really do updates every day?
CC: I really think that people like to be sure that, every day, they'll find something new on the blog they like (or if it's not every day, at least most regularly). I work on Manystuff every early morning, before going to work. I enjoy it a lot.
CC: I really think that people like to be sure that, every day, they'll find something new on the blog they like (or if it's not every day, at least most regularly). I work on Manystuff every early morning, before going to work. I enjoy it a lot.
I work on Manystuff every early morning, before going to work
How do you find all the work you post?
CC: Every day I visit some websites like Newstoday, Computerlove, VVORK, Etienne Mineur blog, YCN .... and many more. I also check school and university websites. Also Myspace.
I do the links of the links ... I check the links to the friends of the graphic designers I like.
Every day, I also receive email from artists who suggest me their website.
CC: Every day I visit some websites like Newstoday, Computerlove, VVORK, Etienne Mineur blog, YCN .... and many more. I also check school and university websites. Also Myspace.
I do the links of the links ... I check the links to the friends of the graphic designers I like.
Every day, I also receive email from artists who suggest me their website.
The interesting thing about Manystuff is its European outlook. How do you think it's different from the dominantly American portals and blogs, like Newstoday and Computerlove?
CC: You're right: there are a lot of American websites about graphic design. But they are not my favourites.
I agree with what you said about Manystuff's European scope: the graphic design I prefer, most of the time, is from Europe (especially Nordic countries). This is not a voluntary choice, it's more of a feeling that almost all the time carries me to a European graphic design style.
The difference between Manystuff and the big American portals is what we show, the style of graphic design we like. I propose graphic design is more purified, less tout, less 'vulgar', less easily commercial, far from American TV images.
I thing that the difference has to be found in the process, in the creation process, in the graphic designer's intentions ...
(I have a lot to say about this ... but because of my bad English I am afraid not to say exactly what I want to say, to make mistakes in the vocabulary ^^.
Go and have a look at 'About the process')
CC: You're right: there are a lot of American websites about graphic design. But they are not my favourites.
I agree with what you said about Manystuff's European scope: the graphic design I prefer, most of the time, is from Europe (especially Nordic countries). This is not a voluntary choice, it's more of a feeling that almost all the time carries me to a European graphic design style.
The difference between Manystuff and the big American portals is what we show, the style of graphic design we like. I propose graphic design is more purified, less tout, less 'vulgar', less easily commercial, far from American TV images.
I thing that the difference has to be found in the process, in the creation process, in the graphic designer's intentions ...
(I have a lot to say about this ... but because of my bad English I am afraid not to say exactly what I want to say, to make mistakes in the vocabulary ^^.
Go and have a look at 'About the process')
I propose graphic design is more purified, less tout, less 'vulgar', less easily commercial, far from American TV images
What do you do besides Manystuff?
CC: I am 24 and I live in Toulouse, in the south of France. I am not a graphic designer. I have first done communication studies, and after that history of art studies. I am now working for a contemporary art festival (communication and press).
CC: I am 24 and I live in Toulouse, in the south of France. I am not a graphic designer. I have first done communication studies, and after that history of art studies. I am now working for a contemporary art festival (communication and press).
Poodle
Square, Circle & Triangle
Manystuff
