Tom Grey MCSD
Graphic Design
Thomas Grey MCSD graduated from London College of Printing in 1985. He is currently Director of MAN GREY Limited, a Hong Kong based creatively driven brand consultancy.
|
|
Thomas’ career choice was strongly influenced by his father who was also a proud member of CSD then known as the Society of Industrial Artists and Designers (SIAD). A few years have passed but now Thomas follows in his father’s footsteps as a Member of the Society. He strongly believes in the power of storytelling in design and his projects bring together graphics, technology and product design to create an immersive design experience.
|
|
|
Thomas told TheDesigner… “Rupert the Bear made me a designer… that and my love of travel. My father worked in Fleet Street as a photogravure retouch manager for the company that printed Rupert the Bear annuals. Every Christmas I would find a hot off the press edition in my stocking and would be captivated by the anthropomorphic illustrations of Alfred Bestall, of Ming the Chinese Dragon, Ping-Pong the Pekingese, a Chinese magician and his daughter Tiger-Lily amongst many others. This world of image creation and story-telling really drew me in.”
Thomas’s younger years included family driving holidays in the late 60s and 70s, across France, Italy and Spain.
“I somewhat resented the endless kilometres on the road and would amuse myself by looking out the window at the foreign appearance of shop graphics and the advertising hoardings such as Osborne Sherry’s giant black bull cut out in Spain. In France I knew we had driven through a village every time I saw a road sign with a line struck through that village name - information graphics!”
Left to right: Alfred Bestall’s illustrations, Spain’s Toro de Osborne’s billboard, speed limit sign in France
Taking his career to Hong Kong gave Tom a new perspective.
“Hong Kong and to be specific the energetic Cantonese, work at a different pace to most of us 8 hour-a-day, weekend loving citizens. The work ethic buttons are wired to ‘fast’ and there is pragmatism to get things done. The city is business oriented with accessibility to many production services, a motivation when realising and refining a design or product with efficiency. I especially enjoy learning and working with local artisans and seeing things from a different perspective. Aside from being a gateway to China and a hub in Asia, Hong Kong is located in a culturally rich region with the Himalaya a few hours flight to the north and Indonesia Archipelago to the south. All this keeps our creative wheels turning.”
Working as a designer in Hong Kong, Tom developed his already diverse portfolio to include video direction, interior design and products.
|
|
Project: Raffles Hotel Singapore, 125th Anniversary

“Since 1887, The Raffles Hotel, Singapore has been a national monument with an abundance of historic and cultural references. The brief was to create a collection of packaging and marketing materials for visiting dignitaries and guests for their 125th Anniversary with the designs needing to convey the brand’s timeless elegance in a clean and contemporary style.
We decided the building had to be the inspiration. The development of graphic components for the designs was informed by the 19th century architectural features and decorative floral motifs evocative of the property’s tropical gardens. These components when applied were subtle but distinctly identifiable with the iconic Raffles. A tea set from the museum was reproduced and its packaging designed to express the brand’s strong association with the culture of tea and travel. This concept was carried through to the house chocolatier boxes, hampers, tote-bags and point of sale displays to unify all brand collateral. For a set of marketing and retail cards, we photographed the unique features of the property, accompanying the images with descriptive copy and historical information.”
Project: Interactive Astrological Diagram

“We wanted to create something fun and interactive using ‘ancient graphics’ which would also be personal to the user. The idea we came up with was for an astrological diagram, being an early form of information graphic which as it refers to a ‘date of birth’ is universally applicable to everyone.
Having established the concept, we personalised the graphics to incorporate symbols meaningful to our industry such as © and @. We travelled to source an artisan to execute our ‘thangka’ painting on cloth in an authentic artistic style and technique, overcoming language barriers by preparing detailed visuals. Content and data information was researched and gathered to build and programme this project so that visitors may discover their Asian astrological animal sign by entering their date of birth or by clicking onto one of the 12 animals revolving in the system. The characteristics and other associated facts for each sign, such as suitable professions, are then revealed to the user.”
Owing to his wealth of experience, TheDesigner asked Tom what advice he would offer to graduates entering the design sector and those taking on the Hong Kong market place.
“For anyone entering the world of commercial design, first try and establish and understand the clients’ perceived goals for the project, who they are and what they want to say. Time invested in this Sherlock Holmes stage of a project will help to streamline the design brief.
Whether meeting in Starbucks, in a boardroom or sending designs remotely, take into consideration the fact that the client may hold back on their own decision making on creative matters and may be reserved in expressing their opinions openly, I find most clients appreciate a designer who makes the effort to articulate and justify the reasons for their concepts and designs, guiding the client through the process. The best projects for me are when the designer and the client are on the same creative journey and the client enthusiastically brings to the table the story they want to communicate.
Assuming this is a new client and especially if there is a positive chemistry, it takes some discipline to strike a balance between ‘sharing ideas’ and ‘giving away solutions’. Use this interaction with the client to focus yourself with the brief but before any pen or mouse hits ‘paper’ establish your rules of engagement and leave space for you to develop and draft your 1st presentation proposals – this is after all how we justify and initiate our billing.
Treat every project however small, with commitment as you never know where it may take you. I have experience on both sides of the fence. A seemingly minor commission has developed into a repeat and a grander project; equally I have commissioned work of a small nature that as a consequence has developed into a long term professional relationship. Hong Kong is a place that embraces entrepreneurship.
As a graduate leaving the environment of college and working independently, it is beneficial to have the recognition and support of a well-established organisation such as CSD, which understands that design is equally a creative and business endeavour.”
|
|
|
|
新年好
Wishing you all happiness and prosperity this Chinese New Year!
The monkey is the ninth of the 12 animals in the recurring 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle. In astrology it is associated with being an intelligent, witty and inventive animal with problem solving abilities and independence associated with achievers.
Monkeys lucky items this year:
Numbers: 4 and 9
Days: 14th and 28th of any Chinese lunar calendar month
Colours: White, blue, gold
Each animal may have one of the five associated elements – so each combination only occurs every 60 years – this year is the Fire Monkey
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Design Business Survey
2015 Results
The CSD quarterly Design Business Survey provides feedback on important issues concerning the design industry. The data is shared with members and the pubic, as well as feeding in to the Society’s regular business meetings with the Bank of England where CSD represents the interests of the design sector.
The survey is conducted across the design sector; in 2015 the Society completed its first full year of analysis, collecting some fascinating results and highlighting trends within the design sector over the year. The number of respondents has been steadily growing giving gravitas to the survey.
The surveys indicate trends in employment, investment and fees and span many design fields; the most popular across the year were interior, graphic design and branding, which were consistently in the top five. Reflecting the nature of the design sector the majority of respondents practice in small teams or micro businesses.
When looking at the concerns of those recruiting in the industry, a lack of skills was consistently identified as being the main concern. This skills shortage is not a surprise and has been recognized in numerous other research projects. The dynamic nature of the design industry coupled with the rapid rate of development in new technologies inevitably determines the need for a continually changing or flexible skillset. Curriculums in design education also face difficulties in keeping up with these developments with employers needs changing from year to year.
The Society has continued to work closely with designers at all stages of their careers to tackle these concerns and continues to work with design education through the Course Endorsement Programme.
All of the CSD Design Business Survey results can be found on the CSD website.
You can help influence your profession by participating in the current quarterly survey.
|
|
Offers
Studio William Welch Ltd
Studio William Welch Ltd, is an internationally renowned, design-award-winning cutlery company, based in the quintessentially English town of Stratford-Upon-Avon. They are designers, upholding the tradition of English cutlery makers; but they are people of the world. Studio William have a wide range of influences, from art and architecture, to nature and history. Every range of cutlery we design and manufacture has it’s own personal story to tell.
Studio William Welch Ltd would like to offer members of the Chartered Society of Designers an exclusive 25% discount off all orders at studiowilliam.com. Visit the members’ space to retrieve your discount code (valid until Dec 2016).
Events
Interaction 16
28 Feb - 4 March, Helsinki
Interaction 16 will bring nearly 1000 design professionals, leaders, students and volunteers together to enjoy three days of workshops and lectures in Helsinki. The local community, IxDA Helsinki, won the application over several other major European capitals. The overarching theme that Interaction 16 explores is what’s next, in the context of the future of interaction design as a craft, as a profession, and design practice as a whole.
Packaging Design and Innovation
1 - 2 March, Berlin
The 12th annual packaging and design event bringing together the best of creativity, brand and consumer driven design.
Design Shanghai
9 - 12 March, Shanghai Exhibition Centre China
Design Shanghai is Asia’s leading international design event, breaking new ground and setting a precedent in China’s ever-growing design community. Showcasing the best design brands from across the globe, Design Shanghai provides a unique and exciting platform to network and establish long-term business relations with Asia’s top architects, interior designers, property developers, retailers and private buyers.
The 4th Annual China Business Conference
22 March, QWII Centre, Westminster London
Last year, the conference speakers were drawn from a wide range of industry experts including: Tangerine, Heathrow Airport, McKinsey, CovPress, Atkins, Holmes Miller, UK and PRC Government, Nottingham and Lancaster Universities and many more. The event is supported by CBI, London & Partners, British Chambers of Commerce, Commercial Section of the Chinese Embassy, CCPIT, UKCBA.
Themes are currently being developed around:
- One Belt One Road (OBOR) & working together in third markets
- Yangtze Economic Corridor
- Hong Kong as a ‘super-connector’ to a wider Asia market Industrial Capacity Cooperation
- The New Normal
- Technological progress through innovation
- Made in China 2025
- RMB internationalisation
|
|
|
|
|