This is the celebrated journal of Mr. Simon Collison A.K.A Colly

A potted autobiography

Parping wheezily on one's own trumpet

Hello. I'm Simon—a freelance web designer, author, speaker, occasional illustrator and much more, with over a decade of experience at the sharp end. I'm based in Nottingham, England, and I'm always interested in new projects anywhere on the planet.

I co-founded Erskine Design back in 2006, catering for clients including magazines, the government, and polar explorers.[1] In 2009, Erskine was runner-up[2] in the .Net Magazine Awards Design Agency Of The Year category, making me very proud. In February 2010 I moved on in search of fresh challenges.

Prior to designing websites, I went to art school and later worked as a visual artist, which helped me to attract bohemian girls. Subsequently, I founded an independent arts org and arts festival,[3] but that was a ball-ache to be honest.

As an employed designer/developer from 2002 to 2006[4] I attracted barely any bohemian girls, but learned my trade on numerous web projects for record labels, bands, public sector stuff, artists and illustrators, and so on.[5]

Fortune has allowed me to write a few books about design and web standards[6], and speaking about the design process at conferences always excites me. I'll do almost anything for a biscuit and cup of tea, but prefer hard cash and/or beer. I'm currently writing an ambitious new book, and organising the forthcoming New Adventures in Web Design conference.

I've lived in places like London and Reykjavík, but have settled back in my beloved Nottingham, where bohemian girls are still abundant. I drive a 33 year old car[7] and have a stupid cat called Bearface.

This website was born in 2003, and this design is version four, or thereabouts. You can read more about this design if you wish.

Selected Books * denotes co-author
Presentations and workshops
Forthcoming
Selected previous
Selected Interviews

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Clients include frieze magazine, Frieze Art Fair, National Employer Service, Ben Saunders.
  2. ↑ Clearleft were the worthy winners.
  3. ↑ You Are Here Visual Arts, and You Are Here Festival.
  4. ↑ Agenzia Ltd, Nottingham UK. Love, always.
  5. ↑ Universal, Poptones, The Libertines, The Beta Band, Jon Burgerman, Lucy Orta to name a few.
  6. ↑ Published by Apress and Friends of ED, USA.
  7. ↑ Datsun 120y, 1977.

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Photo: Nate Croft

Simon is a troubled genius. Prolonged periods of total brilliance, followed by bluster and fluster, is his trade mark. This makes him totally endearing, as opposed to a pain in the arse.

Mr. Simon Campbell

External References

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