About me
Hey, my name is Chris Baker. I currently study Graphic Design at Central Saint Martins, London. Before studying at CSM, I worked as a Graphic Designer for a print company in Oxford for 6 years.
In my spare time I enjoy cycling, running, travelling, live music and playing guitar. Occasionally I guitar tech for bands. I’m passionate about typography and type design. I also enjoy coding.
Projects
- touch soundtouch sound surface encounters Touch sound is a digital and analogue music creation surface focused on touch and surface interaction. For the digital side, I used a Bare Conductive Touch, powered by Arduino, which uses conductive ink to trigger midi sound samples in Ableton. Along side an analogue ambient noise box using contact microphones to capture real time interactions with the exposed guitar strings to create soundscapes. When combined, it creates unique and unreproduceable compositions –
- CERN IdentityCERN is a research organisation that operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world where it uses the world’s largest and most complex scientific instruments to study the basic constituents of matter – the fundamental particles. The foundation of the identity is aimed at repositioning CERN to be more accessible, understandable and more relatable. Positioning CERN as an ‘explorer’ type brand by creating a simple tone of voice that reflects their exploration and creating an image style that focuses on the cutting edge science, technology and engineering carried out by CERN’s diverse employees around the globe. On the surface this reposition aims to simplify complex science and make it more exciting for a wider audience. Using radial motion on a simple wordmark, this gives the logo a sense of moment and acceleration, which is based on CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, which collides particles at almost the speed of light around a 27km circular tunnel deep underground.
- our brand can be your lifeA graphic design dissertation Our Brand Can Be Your Life is the board game in which players can build a modern-day branding agency. To do this, your agency will have to hire resources, pitch and compete for new potential clients and spend and invest in industries to help your own brand and business grow. Players get to dictate how they run their branding agency and the direction they wish to take. They do this by hiring resources from three categories: Brand Strategy, Business Strategy and Creative Thinking. The aim is to use these resource to grow your clients’ businesses through the building of brand. The biggest agency with the highest wealth and most clients becomes the eventual winner. In this dissertation I explore the role of the modern designer in a changing industry and how applying creative thinking to business and brand can help companies grow. I wanted to create a physical embodiment of my essay that allows users to interact, experience and apply this theory to a small scale, make believe scenario.
- a totally average lifemapping time A physical infographic using the idea of sand timers to map the average amount of time 16 countries spend; sleeping, at work, on a computer, on a phone and watching tv, during their lifetime. The height of the tubes represents the average life expectancy in that country. The A3 acrylic block was CNC machined with funnels to create the sand timers and the typography laser engraved on. part 2 For the same project I also created series of double sided cards that slot neartly into an acrylic plinth. Each card has a common activity an average person spends time doing most days. A triangle is cut out representing the % of our lives spent doing that activity, where the cards size represents 100% of the average persons life. One the back of each card is a relatable fact about that activity.
- bliss specimenbliss specimen typography A type specimen showing off the Bliss typeface and explaining how it was influenced by 5 fonts: Johnston, Gill Sans, Frutiger, Transport and Syntax. The type specimen is a bind-free 32 page booklet that opens out fully to A1. Each weight of font has its own page to show a range of sizes. The booklet also has direct comparisons of Bliss against 4 out of 5 of its influences, as well as an A3 poster in the middle of the design. It comes with an envelope which could be used as a self contained mailer for promotional use.
- vibecheckvibecheck personal geographies A concept app designed for bands, by bands. It allows touring musicians and bands to view their upcoming tours, rate and share infomation about music venues and the surrounding area. It also compiles pictures and videos posted by fans on social media, creating ‘tour diaries’. Vibecheck allows touring bands to share their experiences and mistakes, helping other bands book tours to create a more enjoyable experience and pressures venues to maintain their equipment and repuation as a good live music venue.
Projects credited in
- D&AD New Blood. Dropbox Paper: You&AIIt’s predicted that by 2030, 800 million people worldwide will lose their jobs to automation. That’s more than 1/5 of the global workforce. You&AI is a campaign and digital platform aimed at bridging the gap between humans and machines. You&AI puts humans at the centre of machine learning, making AI more accessible through education, and encouraging collaboration to start the conversation on the future of AI. PENCIL WINNER.
- D&AD New Blood. Dropbox Paper: beecauseLast year alone, deadly parasites, mites and crop pesticides caused a 34% decrease in UK bee colonies. With our food chain so heavily dependant on pollination, bees are integral to human survival. beecause is a social media led campaign that spreads the message: if the bees go, we go. PENCIL WINNER.
Work history
Design InternLandor & Fitch
- London, United KingdomInternship
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Design InternEnergy Design Studio
- London, United KingdomInternship
+ Show more
Skills
- Digital/ Print
- Print Design
- Graphic Communication
- Graphic Design
- Branding
- Coding
- Design Interaction
- Typeography
- Type Design
- Adobe Create Suite
Education
BA (Hons) Graphic DesignCentral Saint Martins (UAL)
London, United Kingdom
Currently in my 3rd year at CSM doing the Design & Interaction pathway.