Since it is political debate season, year, month, whatever, I thought I would try to focus on something positive (stop laughing) about politics. No not the lies that are coming out of their mouths nor the attacks on each other, you would think they are all in middle school or high school, so cliquey! And are we not trying to teach our children to not bully? Hello presidential candidates and their PR firms lets cut the crap and lead by example. Enough with the he said, she said, you all need a time out. I digress… The real reason for this post was to take a look at some of the political posters over the last couple hundred years. It might be the one bright spot in the race for presidency. There are some pretty cool ones and it is fun to look at ones that were done so long ago. There are some good designers out there. I also like that lately people have come up with their own versions (as long as they are nice and tasteful. One great example of that is the Obama Hope poster.
Here are some additional places that you can view more posters:
Presidential Campaign Posters: Two Hundred Years
The Library of Congress
I am about to geek out on my type obsession and my thing for clocks, you have been warned. I have posted before about how I have a clock in every room of my house. I am always looking for more ideas on how to incorporate type into my surroundings. I am also on a mission to schedule more free time and make this the most stress free summer of the decade (I know the decade just started, but still). I love clocks and these little gems from Soho Clockworks just make me smile. The birdhouse is my fave.
Winnie the Pooh movie poster. Loved the less is More concept!
Last night I went to see the new Winnie the Pooh movie with my kids. It is a cute story but very short, perfect for youngsters. My girls are 10 and 12 so it is a little young for them but they have such fond memories of Winnie the Pooh that they could not wait to go. We did not stay until the end of the credits but I have since learned that there is a cute little ending, so stay put! We will have to rent it when it comes out.
The stories by A.A. Milne are so sweet and the film adaption is great. The characters are cute and quirky just like your extended family. There’s Uncle Bob always asking about food, and the control freak Aunt Betty, the spastic cousin John, the know it all Uncle Sam, the mother hen and her spoiled brat, Mitsy and Kaily, the shy introverted cousin Mikey and the grumpy grandpa Dave. Just kidding these are not my real family names I changed them to protect them. 
But the real treat of the film is how the story literally comes to life. The film is every graphic designers dream. I loved how they incorporated the words into the film and even used the letters as props. So creative! Winnie the Pooh has always been one of my childhood favorites. I even designed my son’s nursery in Winnie the Pooh. Now as an adult and as a designer I can see why I loved it so much as a child, it was my inner design diva shining through!
the gang used the letters as a ladder to get out of the hole
another interaction with the storybook
Last week I went into the book store to buy a gift but I stayed to browse around looking at books. This time I wasn’t looking for a specific genre or author, just book cover design. When I go to the book store I’m like a kid in a candy store tasting everything. As a graphic designer, I can’t help being drawn in. I used to take my kids to reading hour and pass the time looking at the children’s book covers. If a book I see turns out to be something that I would like to read then score! I love reading and I have bookmarked many an online blog that I try to keep up with. But there is something about a book that you can hold in your hand put in your pocket and take home. Newspapers seem unwieldy and magazines feel too temporary. I like when a book cover catches my eye and piques my interest. That is a huge accomplishment when you consider the competition. Standing out amongst an immense crowd is no small feat (unless you are Lady Gaga at the Vatican on speech day).
These sites showcase some of the best book cover designs. I know that looking at book covers online does not replace going to the book store, but it is inspiring and addicting.
Pinterest
Book By It’s Cover
The Book Cover Archive
Some that caught my eye:
cover design: Matt Dorfman
cover designs: C.S. Neal
cover design: Chris Haughton
cover design: Paul Rand
cover design: Oliver Munday
cover design: Kelly Blair
cover design: Gray318
cover design: Gray318
cover design: Kelly Blair
The Academy Awards are coming up this Sunday. To honor this event I have collected some of my favorite movie posters that feature great typography. As you can see, I always like to attach my type addiction to any event, and this is a great one to do so. Movie posters are a great medium for conveying concepts to the masses and when great type is involved the result is fantastic. Here are some posters of (mostly) great movies and (some) not so great movies. Bear in mind the obvious fact that the caliber of some of these movies do not necessary match that of their posters, but check out how cool the type is.
Having some movie buffs over for an Oscar party and have no idea what to feed them? I like these simple ideas from The Food Network. For fun appetizers, pretend your guests are coming to the movies and serve classic movie type snacks such as popcorn, Milk Duds, Junior Mints, and orange cream soda.
I have kind of an unhealthy addiction to type. Typefaces are like crack to me (without all the obvious wrong). I love the shapes, curves, and corners. I love the negative space around letters and numbers. I think there are some of you typophiles out there that agree with me. I also love type that is just for fun. Because all work and no play can make type suck really bad.
I can sum it up here:
“There are essentially two kinds of typography: The familiar kind for reading, and the other, simply for viewing, like a painting. Some say that readability is most important. There are really two important things about typography: readability and beauty; both are equally important.” -Paul Rand
We have been inspired by the beauty of the fonts at Letterhead Fonts. These fonts don’t just include type in the traditional sense. Some collections include nostalgic themes, banners and borders. Combine them with bright colors and you have a fresh new take on the classic. Just for fun.
I have a tendency to be late. All the time. I think there was an unconscious effort on my part to correct this by having a clock in every room in my house. I never really made this connection until a friend pointed it out to me: how can you always be late when you have a clock staring at you from every corner of your house? Then it hit me. Yes clocks are used to tell time, but more importantly, they contain numbers. Being a type addict (or nerd as some would call it) lends itself to collecting clocks as decorations. After a while of collecting I decided that the clocks don’t even have to have numbers and in most cases the round shape is a complimentary accent to any decor. Even though I pretty much already have a clock in every room, I am always looking for new cool designs. Here are some of my favorites. I love the fishy the most but it will go into my son’s room. He won’t know it’s really for me.
Clockwise (pun intended) from top left:
Luggage Clock: Pottery Barn
Nelson Ball Clock: DWR
Fernando the Fish Wall Clock: DWR
Oversized Old World Clock: Target
Whatever Clock: Target
