If anyone is close to completion that isn't in collaboration with a group yet, we need one more spread for our book. Our subjects are as follows:
1. How-to handle a vinyl record (me)
2. How-to upload files to a website using an FTP client (Silas)
3. How-to hop a freight train (Daniel)
4. How-to mount paper onto mounting board (MrNeverSatisfied@gmail.com....sorry, drawing a blank on real name)
As of Wednesday's class, each of us employed helvetica into our design in some fashion, so that might be taken into consideration when choosing.
Thanks
Andrew
Friday, November 30, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Reading Tea Leaves and Campaign Logos
Comic-style coverage of the latest presidential campaign graphics.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Font Design & more
These are inetersting to see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezyRovNSaHs&NR=1
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1RqdZCo6vkI
Saeideh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezyRovNSaHs&NR=1
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1RqdZCo6vkI
Saeideh
Type Means Never Having To Say You’re Sorry
From an article on designobserver.com by Jessica Helfand about how type is being used and how typography is being taught
"About a year ago, I participated in a student portfolio review involving nearly a dozen American schools, many (most?) exhibiting the classic projects that characterize all undergraduate design programs — the color studies, the poster problems, the typographic exercises — all of which teach the student about that most essential design conceit: letterforms, and how to use them.
And here, I quickly discovered that something had gone horribly wrong. One after another, bright-faced young hopefuls displayed the products of their long hours in the studio. Book after book spilled forth with content ranging from how to cook a frittata to how to understand Freud. There were personal books, commercial books, literary and poetic books, serious and silly books, childrens books, how-to books, and everything in between.
And there they were — virtually all of them — typeset in Futura.
“What made you choose this typeface?” I inquired of a lovely young woman whose senior project involved a series of book jackets for Sigmund Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams.
“I liked how modern it was,” she replied.
“Did you read the book?”
She blushed, shook her head no, and looked down at her lap.
I tried a different approach. “Do you know what year this book was published?”
Again, she shook her head, and apologized for the lapse in research. But I wasn't so interested in the apology (a common refrain, particularly among students) as I was concerned that she was about to graduate and had no fundamental knowledge of design history — a failure of the curriculum, and by conjecture, of the faculty. I explained that when Freud's book was published in 1899 (and in it’s first English edition the subsequent year) it’s impact was significant — that the whole notion of addressing the subconscious was seen as wholly unprecedented, even radical at the time. And yes, broadly speaking, such a novel concept might be considered to be “modern” — and what might that entail, typographically? I could see that an abbreviated lecture on the rise of modernism in America would be about as pointless as quoting George Santayana — or even Harry Truman — and besides, the next student was already awaiting his turn for review — but the bottom line was: why Futura?
“I just kind of liked it.”
I hear this a lot during critiques.It really bothers me. Helfand acknowledges the changes in technology have made the tools of creation available to everyone, so now people are using that power to create as they see fit. Previously, only certain individuals had access and training to create graphic work, type faces, etc... and they were the ones making the rules and guidelines. As future designers, what is our duty? What is our burden? Learn the rules, break the rules, love the rules, or make new ones? What contributions can we make to design in the future?
To continue the conversation about what is appropriate / what about the rules, check this out How To Be Ugly. This is an article about a new magazine that abuses all of Ellen Lupton's rules about stretching type
"About a year ago, I participated in a student portfolio review involving nearly a dozen American schools, many (most?) exhibiting the classic projects that characterize all undergraduate design programs — the color studies, the poster problems, the typographic exercises — all of which teach the student about that most essential design conceit: letterforms, and how to use them.
And here, I quickly discovered that something had gone horribly wrong. One after another, bright-faced young hopefuls displayed the products of their long hours in the studio. Book after book spilled forth with content ranging from how to cook a frittata to how to understand Freud. There were personal books, commercial books, literary and poetic books, serious and silly books, childrens books, how-to books, and everything in between.
And there they were — virtually all of them — typeset in Futura.
“What made you choose this typeface?” I inquired of a lovely young woman whose senior project involved a series of book jackets for Sigmund Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams.
“I liked how modern it was,” she replied.
“Did you read the book?”
She blushed, shook her head no, and looked down at her lap.
I tried a different approach. “Do you know what year this book was published?”
Again, she shook her head, and apologized for the lapse in research. But I wasn't so interested in the apology (a common refrain, particularly among students) as I was concerned that she was about to graduate and had no fundamental knowledge of design history — a failure of the curriculum, and by conjecture, of the faculty. I explained that when Freud's book was published in 1899 (and in it’s first English edition the subsequent year) it’s impact was significant — that the whole notion of addressing the subconscious was seen as wholly unprecedented, even radical at the time. And yes, broadly speaking, such a novel concept might be considered to be “modern” — and what might that entail, typographically? I could see that an abbreviated lecture on the rise of modernism in America would be about as pointless as quoting George Santayana — or even Harry Truman — and besides, the next student was already awaiting his turn for review — but the bottom line was: why Futura?
“I just kind of liked it.”
I hear this a lot during critiques.It really bothers me. Helfand acknowledges the changes in technology have made the tools of creation available to everyone, so now people are using that power to create as they see fit. Previously, only certain individuals had access and training to create graphic work, type faces, etc... and they were the ones making the rules and guidelines. As future designers, what is our duty? What is our burden? Learn the rules, break the rules, love the rules, or make new ones? What contributions can we make to design in the future?
To continue the conversation about what is appropriate / what about the rules, check this out How To Be Ugly. This is an article about a new magazine that abuses all of Ellen Lupton's rules about stretching type
Monday, November 12, 2007
Helvetica: The Movie
So I am now eating only Ramen noodles to offset the cost for seeing the movie but it was well worth it. Especially since it was in HI-DEF
As for the important stuff- YES, I did see the "Kern" zip-up.
The movie was a very through examination of helvetica and the result of the modernist movement on typography. The Q&A was ok and they did record it so i imagine it will be a podcast soon. I will try and find out. Well worth renting, but be warned using Helvetica for at least a short time afterwards will be a dilemma.
As for the important stuff- YES, I did see the "Kern" zip-up.
The movie was a very through examination of helvetica and the result of the modernist movement on typography. The Q&A was ok and they did record it so i imagine it will be a podcast soon. I will try and find out. Well worth renting, but be warned using Helvetica for at least a short time afterwards will be a dilemma.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Review Questions
1. What is a Polyglot book and what does it mean for typesetters?
2. What movement led the drive against the grid, while simultaneously being forced to work within it, due to the technology of print?
3. What is the formula for the golden section?
2. What movement led the drive against the grid, while simultaneously being forced to work within it, due to the technology of print?
3. What is the formula for the golden section?
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Friday, November 02, 2007
DIY's
Was looking at Ready-made (the bi-monthly DIY mag) and noticed that all of their DIY projects have a reference box which includes symbology relating to:
*the amount of time each project takes (a stopwatch with a red scale)
*the cost (dollar amount)
*difficulty (expressed by highlighting one of 4 figures:
-a monkey (has opposable thumbs)
-a Cro-Magnon (has tools and fire but may be clumsy with both)
-a Drudge (has tools and basic know-how), and
-a Craftsman (knows that "plyboo" isn't a term of endearment)
These three bits of quick/easy-to-read information are arranged across the top of a sub-box on each project page. Under the icons are the lists of ingredients and tools needed.
Just thought it might be an interesting way to tie together the section of the how-to book that contains actual how-to PROJECTS (as opposed to the one's that simply provide helpful information like mine; i.e., how to properly maintain a record collection). Perhaps the information could be arranged in a different way, i.e., using different colors to note the difficult of the project instead of figures or just using different numbers of money symbols instead of putting the specific price (like the magazine)
The title link takes you to the section of the ready-made mag website that explains the reference box i'm talking about.
-Andrew
*the amount of time each project takes (a stopwatch with a red scale)
*the cost (dollar amount)
*difficulty (expressed by highlighting one of 4 figures:
-a monkey (has opposable thumbs)
-a Cro-Magnon (has tools and fire but may be clumsy with both)
-a Drudge (has tools and basic know-how), and
-a Craftsman (knows that "plyboo" isn't a term of endearment)
These three bits of quick/easy-to-read information are arranged across the top of a sub-box on each project page. Under the icons are the lists of ingredients and tools needed.
Just thought it might be an interesting way to tie together the section of the how-to book that contains actual how-to PROJECTS (as opposed to the one's that simply provide helpful information like mine; i.e., how to properly maintain a record collection). Perhaps the information could be arranged in a different way, i.e., using different colors to note the difficult of the project instead of figures or just using different numbers of money symbols instead of putting the specific price (like the magazine)
The title link takes you to the section of the ready-made mag website that explains the reference box i'm talking about.
-Andrew
spoof infomercial makes some good points
Hit the play button to watch the infomercial... This company could put us all out of business...
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