The Indian Rupee Gets Its Own Glyph
Posted on July 15, 2010
Filed Under Branding, Typography | Leave a Comment
FF DIN Round
FontShop just released FF DIN Round, a nice contrast to Albert-Jan Pool’s initial remake of the old German standard typeface DIN 1451.
More at FontShop
Posted on July 14, 2010
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Nice brand for Johnson’s Backyard Garden
Homemade but refined. More on this nice identity work at Brand New
Posted on July 10, 2010
Filed Under Graphic Design, Identity, Typography | Leave a Comment
Bruno Maag aims to kill Helvetica
Point well taken. Aktiv Grotesk looks fit for the job, but it’ll be a long road unless it’s free.
The Story http://bit.ly/92UC2t The Face http://bit.ly/d9wz7s
Posted on July 8, 2010
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Girl Scouts gets a rebrand. Via @AJWShaughnessy: “Saul Bass not good enough for the Girl Scouts of America it seems” http://bit.ly/aCUh8Y
Observed on July 6, 2010
Filed Under Identity, Observations | Leave a Comment
Bookshelf Porn
Posted on July 2, 2010
Filed Under Architecture, Online Media, Photography, Print Media, Typography | Leave a Comment
Fraktur Mon Amour, 2nd Edition
I have a thing for blacklettter and this looks good: Fraktur Mon Amour, 2nd Edition, by Judith Schalansky
Review http://bit.ly/8XPsSb & Book Site http://bit.ly/aLoRPY
Posted on June 29, 2010
Filed Under Graphic Design, Office / Tools, Print Media, Typography | Leave a Comment
A labor of moles… A shiver of sharks… What do you call a group of…? http://bit.ly/dDiULE
Observed on June 24, 2010
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AA Battery Hands Clock
“The Front and Back” Clock by The Wrong Objects (via @g_rosendorf)
Posted on June 22, 2010
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Handmade Money
“Response: A reaction to the soulness of digital design. This note pretends to remind the viewer the amount of work, hours, patience and love that artisians put into the handicrafts they produce and stress how valuable they are, replacing currency for the amount of time spent working on it (3 months were given for this project).”
Handmade Money http://bit.ly/9yEfvV (via @coudal)
Posted on June 22, 2010
Filed Under Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, Print Media, Typography | Leave a Comment
Lightleafs Illuminated Bookmark
“A leaf of light, thin as a page of a book, to enlighten rooms and tents, maps and books. Wireless, rechargeable, autonomous.
With adjustable brightness, private or shared light, for those who read and travel everywhere.”
Lightleafs Illuminated Bookmark
Posted on June 22, 2010
Filed Under Industrial Design, Office / Tools, Print Media | Leave a Comment
Looking for good WordPress plugins for email subscriptions and Twitter integration (tweets to blog posts). Advice anyone…?
Observed on June 21, 2010
Filed Under Observations | 2 Comments
Organ²/ASLSP: the 639 year long song by John Cage, performed by an organ in Halberstadt, Germany. Will end in 2640 http://bit.ly/azlXTx
Observed on June 21, 2010
Filed Under Observations | 1 Comment
New York: Inaugural Exhibition at the Newly Re-located Herb Lubalin Study Center of Design and Typography
On view at Cooper Union’s new gallery: an installation that includes recent posters, publications, and motion graphics by internationally recognized graphic designers that spotlight an emerging trend toward expressive lettering and typography.
For more information, or to schedule an appointment to visit the Lubalin Center Archive, please email Emily Roz.
Lubalin Now logo by Justin Thomas Kay.
Posted on October 28, 2009
Filed Under Graphic Design, Typography | Leave a Comment
Dan Reynolds’ Malabar Typeface Wins German Design Prize Gold
Alongside the likes of Audi, bulthaup, and BMW, Dan Reynolds’ Malabar typeface wins gold for the 2010 German Design Prize.
Posted on October 26, 2009
Filed Under Typography | 2 Comments
US Tops Nation Brands Index
Monocle interviews nation branding expert Simon Anholt, who talks about America topping the Anholt-GFK Roper Nation Brands Index and what it takes for a country to rank highly.
Posted on October 26, 2009
Filed Under Branding, Interview, Public Relations | Leave a Comment
WANTED: Graphic Designers + a Ruby or Python Programmer
Full-time Graphic Designer (web & print)
I’m looking for full-time Graphic Designer with a focus on web and print. An understanding of typography is a must. The position is in Atlanta. Interested parties should send credentials and salary requirements here.
Contract Graphic Designer (web & print)
I’m looking for a contract or freelance Graphic Designer with a focus on web and print. An understanding of typography is a must. The company is in Atlanta, but the work can be done from anywhere. Interested parties should send credentials and hourly rates here.
Contract or Freelance Package Designer
I’m looking for a contract or freelance Package Designer. An understanding of typography is a must. The company is in Atlanta, but the work can be done from anywhere. Interested parties should send credentials and hourly rates here.
Free Agent Graphic Designer (web & mobile)
I’m looking for a Graphic Designer with a focus on web and mobile platforms. An understanding of typography is a must. The company is in Atlanta, but the work can be done from anywhere. This position is an equity deal. Interested parties should get in touch here.
Free Agent Ruby or Python Programmer
I’m looking for a Ruby or Python Programmer with AJAX experience. The project has web and mobile components, and will be offered as a subscription service. The company is in Atlanta, but the work can be done from anywhere. This position is an equity deal. Interested parties should get in touch here.
Posted on October 8, 2009
Filed Under Graphic Design, Identity, Industrial Design, Office / Tools, Online Media, Print Media, Typography | 3 Comments
Design Projections Presents Justine Nagan’s Typeface Documentary in Montréal
Design Projections will host the Canadian premiere of Justine Nagan’s Typeface documentary in Montréal October 6th 2009.
Posted on September 29, 2009
Filed Under Film, Graphic Design, Print Media, Typography | 2 Comments
Alex Roman’s “The Third & The Seventh”
No cameras used here… well, physical ones. Alex Roman created and composed this work entirely on the computer. Though the bit and pixel juggling is impressive – he used 3D Studio Max, Vray, After Effects, and Premiere – the subject matter is by far the most important element.
More at The Third & The Seventh site
Link via → The Ministry of Type
Posted on September 21, 2009
Filed Under Architecture, Broadcast Media, Film, Fine Art, Photography | Leave a Comment
Unit Editions Makes Books for Designers
From Adrian Shaughnessy and Tony Brook comes Unit Editions, a south London publishing company producing books on design and visual culture.
Multi award winning Tony Brook is known for work produced through his design studio Spin. Much of the work has been exhibited globally and documented in many publications including Graphic Design for the 21st Century. Tony is president of the UK chapter of AGI.
Adrian Shaughnessy has authored many titles including How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul and Graphic Design: A User’s Manual. He is also host of the internet radio show Graphic Design on the Radio.
I talked with Adrian Shaughnessy to get up to speed with what’s in store at Unit Editions.
Theo Rosendorf: What topics does Unit Editions deal in?
Adrian Shaughnessy: Our ambition is to produce books on a wide variety of topics relating to graphic design and visual culture. I can’t see us producing books on how to use software packages, but I’d hate to rule out any topic that was of interest to designers.
Amongst other things, we have an ambition to publish books on historical subjects. There is a disconnect when it comes to design history. If you talk to mainstream publishers – even those with extensive back catalogues of design books – they will tell you that historical subjects don’t sell. We’re not convinced. I think the failure of historical titles has got more to do with the way publishers put these books together: they are often badly designed and written purely for an academic audience. Dull, in a word.
Poor sales can’t be because there isn’t any interest in the history of graphic design. Look at the internet – it’s stuffed with examples of historical material. One of the ways we’ve driven people to the Unit Editions website is through a Flickr site that Tony has been building up. He is a collector and has an archive of fantastic journals, magazines, books and posters by Swiss, Dutch, German, and American designers. From time to time he dips into this trove and plucks out a few unseen gems and posts them on Flikr. The effect is astonishing. Within minutes people are responding – and many of these hardcore design fans find their way onto the Unit site.
Besides historical subjects, we want to look at the contemporary scene, too. We’ve got an important book lined up for next year that we’ll be announcing soon. The subject matter is contemporary, but we want to show that what is cool and vibrant now often has links with what was cool and vibrant in the past – so the book will encompass the contemporary and the historical.
We’re also committed to publishing books by designers and writers we admire. We want other voices and other opinions to enter the Unit bloodstream. But whatever we do, our books will always be characterised by superb design and production. Each of our books will be an embodiment of the ethos that underpins Unit – namely that design is our paramount, first and number one concern.
I imagine you’re preparing for an onslaught of query letters. How do you select books for publication?
Well, its still early days for us. We have no track record to help us decide what books will find a market, so we are relying on our intuition and the experience we have gained from publishing material ourselves. Tony has produced three issues of a journal called Spin [link through Spin’s studio projects] and he has sold lots of these. I’ve done about 8–9 books with a commercial publisher and all of them have been successful – some more so than others. We both spend a lot of time in design schools, we both read the design press, the blogs, and the literature of graphic design. In addition we both have an extensive network for friends and contacts in all areas of design.
So, I would say we have a good grasp of what designers want from books. But in the end it comes down to our intuition. We want to publish books that we would like to see in print – and that’s the main way we are arriving at a decision about the books we will publish.
Does Unit Editions have a physical location or is it completely web-based?
We are based at the Spin design studio in south London. It’s a delightful airy space. I’m there one or two days a week, but the rest of the time I’m based at my home studio. For writing and editing duties I need as few distractions as possible.
I agree. A hermetically sealed, climate controlled pod would be ideal. How much control does Unit Editions exercise with editing its publications?
Tony and me have both lived and worked as Creative Directors of design studios for most of our lives – Tony still does this, but I gave up studio life six years ago. As Creative Directors our philosophy is to designers as much freedom as possible, and only intervening when they go off track. Yet it is only possible to adopt a hands-off approach when you work with good people. If you employ second-rate designers then you have to intervene all the time.
It’s the same with the authors or the external designers we decide to work with on books. Editing is like being a Creative Director, it only works if your intervention is wanted and respected, so we’d only want to work with people who felt that our editorial or design interventions were welcome. If we were consonantly at war with an author or a designer then it probably wouldn’t be the sort of book we’d want to publish – although a bit of creative friction can often help reach a deeper and richer outcome.
In light of the internet and social mediums, what marketing and distribution channels do you use?
We are distributed in the UK, Europe and the US by major book distributors. They will get our books into bookshops and are the best in their fields. But we are also planning to sell special ‘designer’ editions of our books on our website. Our website is a blog – it’s a customized WordPress site, low cost but effective. We have a Facebook page and an active and well-attended Flickr site, as I’ve already mentioned. Against my instincts I am also going to start Tweeting – but I’m not entirely convinced by it as a platform so I’m just dipping my toes. At the moment our energies are going into the Unit website. We want to make it into an essential destination for designers – although we’ve got some pretty stiff competition in that area!
What are your thoughts on small vs dominant chain bookstores? Who do you prefer to stock with?
We are happy to be in any bookstore – physical or online – that wants to stock our books. But we’re keen to work with some of the smaller specialist shops. In the UK there is a wonderful mini-chain of shops selling design books called Magma. We know the owner really well, and he’s being incredibly supportive. He’s given us windows to promote Studio Culture in the weeks around its publication. We are also going to Amsterdam to give a talk at a wonderful book shop called Nijhof & Lee We’ll post details of this and other talks on our website.
We’ve been staggered by the number of books we’ve pre-sold from our website. The version we offer online is signed by Tony and me and it comes with a different cover from the version that is sold in the shops. It’s made us realise that we can build a publishing business that functions online as well as through conventional retail outlets. The discounts the chains demand are pretty horrendous, and by the time the distributor has taken their cut, there isn’t much left. I’d always want to see our books in bookstores – and I really hope bookstores don’t go the way of record shops and vanish – but in order to survive we are going to have to sell direct to our audience. And since our audience is designers, and since designers ‘live’ online, that means we have to use the internet.
What are your professional backgrounds?
Before founding our respective studios, both Tony and I worked separately for design companies doing record covers. Tony founded Spin in 1991 and is the studio’s Creative Director. He runs Spin in partnership with his wife Patricia Finegan, who is the business manager of Unit Editions. Spin has worked for numerous clients such as Channel 4, Nike and ICA. The studio has won countless awards, and has designed numerous books and publications, including the successful Spin [link through Spin’s studio projects] series of publications. He is president of the UK chapter of AGI, and is a recognised collector of graphic design artefacts. He lectures extensively around the world.
I co-founded the design studio Intro in 1989, but left to work as an independent art director and writer in 2003. I’ve written, edited and designed numerous books including How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul, which has sold 70,000 copies, and I’ve got a new book out called Graphic Design: A User’s Manual. I write for many design magazines, and I’m a contributor to Design Observer, the world’s most widely read design blog. I do a lot of lecturing all over the world.
What does Unit Editions currently have in the works?
Ah, that would be telling. Very competitive this publishing game! But we should be able to announce our next title in a month or two. It is more of an image book than Studio Culture, but it will have plenty of texts and interesting commentaries. It is about a graphic design topic that, amazingly, hasn’t been covered in book form yet. It is planned for publication in 2010. We have a long list of titles we are considering – watch this space!
Posted on September 15, 2009
Filed Under Graphic Design, Interview, Online Media, Print Media | 1 Comment
Typography is Fashion on the Street at Selectism
If you’re in the neighborhood, check out my new column at Selectism. Selectism is an online fashion magazine with an eye to reveal what will eventually find its way to the street.
Posted on September 11, 2009
Filed Under Online Media, Other Work | 1 Comment
Here’s your “immersive experience” – Vitsœ Turns 50
I still cringe when I hear the term “immersive experience.” Since the advent of video, Flash, and increased bandwidth, a misunderstanding of medium has attempted to make television out of the internet.
But Vitsoe’s site makes masterful use of the medium, and dare I say, delivers an immersive experience in the process.
Note Vitsoe’s front page video serves a double purpose as a standalone promotion hosted at Vimeo.
Today is Vitsoe’s 50th Anniversary, so check out their sales while admiring their beautiful website.
Posted on September 4, 2009
Filed Under Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Office / Tools, Online Media | 2 Comments
Monocle Magazine Picks The Typographic Desk Reference as a Vital Life Improvement
Alongside Shiseido’s Future Solution LX Range cosmetics, The Typographic Desk Reference is one of Monocle Magazine’s Autumn picks of vital life improvements.
“American graphic designer Theodore Rosendorf has edited and designed the ‘Typographic Desk Reference’, a comprehensive hardback about symbols, diacritics, marks and various forms of typographic furniture in Latin-based writing systems. Published by Oak Knoll in Delaware, a nerdy house specialising in books about making books, TDR is a fascinating peek into the mind of our art department.”
— Monocle Magazine volume 3, issue 26, page 138
Inventory: No. 23 — September 2009 [Direct link for subscribers]
Monocle is a global briefing covering international affairs, business, culture and design. Headquartered in London with bureaux in Tokyo, Sydney, Zürich and New York, Monocle appears 10 times a year in print and is updated constantly at monocle.com. Monocle is edited by Wallpaper* founder and Financial Times columnist Tyler Brûlé.
Posted on August 27, 2009
Filed Under Other Work, The Typographic Desk Reference, Typography | 3 Comments
Rob Janoff on the Design of the Apple Logo
Rob Janoff, the original designer of the Apple logo, opens up with some historical info and intriguing insight in this interview by Ivan Raszl.
Side Note: You can type an Apple logo on an Apple computer by typing OPTION + SHIFT + K →
I don’t recommend PC users attempt this for obvious reasons…
Posted on August 19, 2009
Filed Under Graphic Design, Identity, Interview, Office / Tools, Typography | 3 Comments
Utrecht City Theatre Identity Presentation
I picked up this video from FontFeed where they ran a story on Edenspiekermann winning two red dot awards for their work with Hering Berlin and Utrecht City Theatre. I was attracted to the video by its ability to communicate the Utrecht City Theatre identity work so well. The brand uses a custom version of Agenda.
“The Agenda caps were modified in various details by Earik to accommodate the horizontal mirroring we used in the logo. We also use this custom typeface in running titles, i.e. in the programme booklet and for monthly agendas… In the logo and various titles, we use color for the upright caps, grey for the mirrored caps that were superimposed and black for the overlapping areas”
— Edo Van Dijk, creative director, Edenspiekermann
Posted on August 13, 2009
Filed Under Graphic Design, Identity, Typography | Leave a Comment
The Faces Behind Typeradio
Typeradio is a periodic podcast of interviews with typographic experts. It’s required listening for graphic professionals.
Link to video via → Jawbone.tv
Posted on August 12, 2009
Filed Under Graphic Design, Interview, Online Media, Typography | Leave a Comment
Herb Lubalin Archives at Cooper Union
See some of Herb Lubalin’s work at Justin Thomas Kay’s photo collection of the Herb Lubalin archives at Cooper Union.
If you like the type pictured above, you should check out Stefán Kjartansson’s Black Slabbath.
Link via → Picked By Six
Posted on August 10, 2009
Filed Under Graphic Design, Print Media, Typography | 1 Comment
The TDRme Ugly Type Winner is…
Artem Antoniuk! As you can see, Artem’s picture is so bad, his dog went blind. I like how “our passion are chainsaws!!!!!!” seems to be painstakingly placed just so over the purple orb and, what is that, toothpaste? This is like when someone tries as hard as they can, only to find the work heading straight to the toilet. Well Artem, you’ve really outdone yourself. What crap. Congratulations!
Below are ten favorites that were also under consideration. They’re not in any particular order. Thanks to everyone who participated!
Background: TDRme was a contest where contestants submitted created images of bad typography to win a signed copy of The Typographic Desk Reference.
Posted on August 10, 2009
Filed Under Graphic Design, Online Media, Other Work, The Typographic Desk Reference, Typography | Leave a Comment
Cardboard iPhone Document Scanner
University of Cincinnati student Kyle A Koch creates a makeshift scanner from cardboard and an iPhone.
You can order a pre-built version of various materials or download a free EPS file for DIY building.
Link via → Darci Forister
Posted on August 6, 2009
Filed Under Industrial Design, Office / Tools | 1 Comment
Times New… Mompen?
The history books will tell you that Times New Roman was designed by Stanley Morison and drawn by Victor Lardent for the Times of London in 1931. They’ll also say its forms originate from the Dutch face Plantin. And that’s what I documented in The Typographic Desk Reference.
In 1994 at an ATypI conference in San Francisco, Mike Parker (pictured above) proposed an alternate history for the design of Times New Roman. He’s now moving things past the questioning stage with the release of Starling [through Font Bureau], a face that looks very similar to Times New Roman. Starling for the middle name of who Mr Parker claims to be the original designer of Times New Roman, William Starling Burgess.
Starling’s design is straight from a face referred to as Number 54. The unfinished designs of Number 54 appeared on documents (labeled Number 54) that were created by William Starling Burgess in 1904 for Lanston Monotype. In 1921 Lanston Monotype tried unsuccessfully to sell the Number 54 font to a fledgling news magazine called Time.
Did Stanley Morison mump (steal) Number 54?
Link → The History of the Times New Roman Typeface at FT.com
Posted on August 5, 2009
Filed Under Typography | Leave a Comment
I’m Combining Subscription Lists for my Book (The Typographic Desk Reference) and Type Desk
Who would have thought a dictionary on type would become so popular? The Typographic Desk Reference went for a second printing a couple of months after its release and we still can’t keep up. Thanks to everyone for this amazing support.
Due to the growing complexity of managing multiple subscription lists, I’ve decided to combine the lists for my book (The Typographic Desk Reference) and Type Desk.
I look forward to our continued correspondence and valiant efforts to rid the world of typographic faux pas.
Theo
Posted on August 4, 2009
Filed Under Online Media, Other Work, Print Media, The Typographic Desk Reference, Typography | Leave a Comment
Dork Phrenology Helmet
Hand painted helmets by DJ Baskin: “I can paint using a color pallet of your choice and a phrenology chart custom to your personality so you know the exact parts of your brain you are protecting!”
Link via → Maria Popova
Posted on July 30, 2009
Filed Under Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, Typography | 3 Comments
Network Solutions Gets a Rebrand
Here’s a preview of what Network Solutions is up to with a thorough rebrand and improvements to infrastructure.
Posted on July 29, 2009
Filed Under Graphic Design, Identity, Office / Tools, Online Media, Typography | 3 Comments
Type Desk is a journal of graphic communication featuring observations on design, typography, and the modern office. Type Desk is produced by Matador, the office of design consultant Theo Rosendorf.
More at Matador