A book about the signing system Crosby/Fletcher/Forbes devised for the liner QE2.

Part of a series of volumes for the Royal College of Art – ‘Graphic Design: visual comparisons’ by Fletcher/Forbes/Gill, ‘Typography: basic principles, influences and trends’ by John Lewis and ‘Basic Design: the dynamics of visual form’ by Maurice de Sausmarez.

To mark the tenth anniversary 'The Art of Looking Sideways' at his alma mater – Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London – original artwork, preparatory materials and copies of the book are showcased in the Window Gallery on Charing Cross Road. Kindly supported by Phaidon Press and Vitsoe.

This was the first time that Manchester and beyond saw such a vast and important retrospective archive celebrating fifty years of the designer’s work (and play). This comprehensive exhibition included original sketches, posters, objects and archive footage spanning Fletcher’s work from his student days at the RCA to the playful and more personal work he created after leaving Pentagram in 1992.

Thirty of the most talented designers and illustrators were invited to create an artwork using very simple materials – a sheet of A1 premium paper from GF Smith and a set of Tria Markers from Letraset. The aim was to create an opportunity where designers could step away from their computers and create a piece of work that required them to interact physically with their materials. Alan Fletcher named his poster 'Observations on art'.

The Design Museum presented his first retrospective including his commercial work for Penguin, Reuters and Shell, alongside more personal projects in lettering, collage and illustration. It celebrated the remarkable life and work of this influential figure of British graphic design.

In 2004, the writing group 26 and the International Society of Typographic Designers joined forces to explore the DNA of language. Twenty-six business writers were randomly paired with twenty-six graphic designers, given one letter each and asked to create a collaborative work that celebrated, explored, questioned, elucidated or subverted that letter. The resulting exhibition was displayed throughout the British Library as part of the London Design Festival.