Does the graphic designer David Carson have the dreamiest setup on earth?
Do you remember, one year ago to the day, when the surfer David Carson was named 18th most influential designer in history? It wasn’t just against other graphic designers either.
Carson left the architects Gaudi, Zaha Hadid and Arne Jacobson in his foamy wake and was only one rung below Charles and Ray Eames, whose chairs have become the most pirated in the world.
Anyway, Carson, he good, though he does tend to polarise. Do you remember when he designed 151 new logos for the WSL? At the time, he told me: “It has no soul. The logo just doesn’t represent the sport very well. It’s pedestrian, unoriginal, forgettable, safe, gentrified and corporate. All things surfing is NOT, at least to me. The zillions of people worldwide, intrigued for decades, who might have felt surfing is unique, are now being shown, no, it’s not. The essence of surfing, the surfing experience, what people feel about it are all belied by this mindless little logo.”
He added,
“Do you see people clamouring for tee shirts with it? Stickering their cars, walls, friends, bikes or computers with it? …nooo. It has no particular intrigue nor design unique to surfing. Surfing’s been an integral part of my life for over 40 years, and it’s disappointing to see the lack of imagination, spark, inventiveness and cultural awareness. I would have liked to see a logo and branding truer to the sport, its history and future, as well as the unique individuals involved with it all.
“I think many others would love to have been excited about the new WSL logo, which is just the weak ASP logo with new letters. World Sleeping League. World Snoring League, World Sunning League, whatever. it’s just a huge missed opportunity to send a message about the sport globally. That it…is… unique and…does… have different ways of doing things other sports don’t.
“With the shark media-fest worldwide after Mick’s encounter, millions of people for the first time saw anything related to the WSL. Snd what did they see? A generic little round corporate logo.. similar to countless other logos. ‘Oh thats surfing? I thought they were more, ah, different? Free-spirited? rebellious, or something.'”
Later, Carson would ask me to remove the story after a torrid response.
But it was so bold, so… true! History would be poorer for its evaporation!
Anyway, our pals at New York’s Dress Code just made this movie on David Carson, shot on location at his dreamy Caribbean hideaway. You can watch it here!
She said thank you after he kissed her belly. Maybe just shy.
If Raygun was his unfiltered and uncompromised work (no corporate eyes over his shoulder), then that is very impressive. He’s talented, seems down to Earth and the WSL logo is crap (his versions weren’t great, there was a couple that looked doable though – with the orange dots as letters).
Thanks. Always good to get instruction from a expert.
Funky G’s perspective may be altered from dipping his finger in his butt and smelling it to many times in a row.. His opinion on this matter stinks like his finger.. At least Carson voiced an opinion on Speaker’s logo which does stink.
That is a nice pad! I’ll bet he can’t surf backside worth a turd. As for him wanting the other write up taken down I have a guess as to why. My guess is that it is because the logos sucked, and people called him out on his style reflecting the same old same old. I went and looked again to be refresh my memory, and yep, they still suck. It’s 151 variations of the same idea.
I never understood the witch hunt ,but I’ve never heard of David Carson….what is graphic design again ?
btw, was that a dig at Bill Finnegan when he dissed those who couldn’t get out of the city?
more likely a dig at the Saturdays NYC consumer
Aren’t most wives of obsessive surfers a little grumpy? I know mine is…
I love how unrepentant he is about burning jobs, relationships etc to chase waves. Whilst not a parable for all round success in life he certainly has the work / waves side down.
The wsl logo is a hipster, no soul, readymade layout but it’s way better than the 151 designs Carson shitted on that occasion
the WSL logo should have always been designed by artist Brendan “Blob” Monroe. never have i seen a better surf graphic. Evidence below
whos not thinking about pulling into that thick lipped dream?
“Their is only one rule..If a board has wax on it you can ride it!” DC
David Carson is about as relevant in the design world as paddle gloves are in the surfing world.
Congratulations. That might be the single most ignorant post ever.
Look Carson up on Wikipedia and under accolades you might find a little “relevance”.
It’s really not… His style is so dated and ugly as he repeatedly shows when he tries to be relevant theses days. His comical attempts at the WSL logo really only served to cement his status as having no relevance or standing in the current design world.
I haven’t heard a designer mention wanting to use or be influenced by his style since the late 90s.
You mean knock off his style?
Carson is one of the most ripped off artists ever.
His relevance will always live on in the many who he has influenced, even those who hate to admit it.
The guy is a graphic arts legend, why is that so hard for some to accept?
Not so much lengend more one dimensional and stuck in the 90s. Yes he influenced a few people in the early 90s but it really doesn’t make him a legend now. Unfortunately for him his name is tossed about as a kinda joke at what was seen as good design for a few years.
The simple fact that his name is even being “tossed about” is the whole point. His art was and still is such that it created conversation. I don’t think making people warm and fuzzy was the goal.
Would it also be your opinion that since Kelly Slater can no longer compete as well as he used to his 11 world titles are no longer meaningful? Jimi Hendrix is dead, throw those albums away?
I’m guessing Mr. Carson will sleep just fine tonight after cashing yet another check from the multiple speaking engagements he makes each year to a graphic arts school or other appreciative audience. That and he’s probably tired from yet another day of surfing his own perfect Caribbean point break.
He may surf his own point break and cash checks ( whatever they are) but I bet it really hurts that people really think his work is dog shit and he hasn’t been able to develop his style at all to stay relevant. Something that Kelly actually managed to do…
There is a very good reason his collection of WSL logos where torn apart and laughed at by pretty much everyone. It wasn’t because people are going out of their way to be horrible it’s because they where just fucking terrible.
You seem to be pretty hard for Mr Carson so let’s just end it there.
That perfect Caribbean point break goes flat for weeks at a time during the swell season.
And when it does break with any size , I can assure you ,he is far from alone.
Perfect time to get work done!
Are there any other breaks on the island? Windswell stuff?
The vid made no attempt to hide his location,
so a few clicks of the old mouse should answer your questions.
As a life-long graphic fart-eest with experience in “the industry”, I gotta agree w Funky. Carson is like a lot of famous modern people, famous for being famous at this point. He hasn’t shit out anything in the design world recently that merits mention except being a condescending blowhard. Example: spew @ the WSL logo and then present those illegible, uncommunicative, off-target options that look like 1994’s cast-offs. His celebrity is consumed only by the uninitiated. Anyone with any chops in design can look at his current work and see it is past time to put him out to pasture. The most ripped off artist ever? I know you are trying to make a point but that is one of the least correct statements ever on BG. You obviously didn’t go to art school. Lucky you. Seriously.
i remember that lynch mob really went after him, was pretty funny. glad u didn’t take it down.
…singleminded and unwilling to compromise often makes a man or gal what we term difficult.
…maybe a little shy? I was enchanted!