entries Tagged as [thoughts]

Star Trek-n-me


Star Trek poster 1966, art by James Bama

Okay, I’ll admit it. I was a trekkie from way back. Sort of lost interest along the way, but I did enjoy the new movie. Which releases in all sorts of formats this Tuesday.

The message of Star Trek is a good one, when it works. A future utopia where humans have gotten past all their petty hangups. President Obama thinks this way. It’s good thinking.

velour: fabric of the future!
Of course, the early design of the show fascinated me. The look changed after its second pilot episode – which featured cast and crew in these really nifty velour shirts (that Kirk could rip at will). I have the original publicity poster framed in my office (above). The art is by the incredible James Bama, great write up at the Drex Files.

The poster really captures the original look, which was a mix of mid-century modern, googie and space age Disney.


In the future, everyone gets a gooseneck video monitor!

It would have been fun if the new movie had the original velour shirts (above) on the bridge of the Kelvin. The U.S.S. Kelvin, at least, had Star Trek’s signature ‘ping’ noise and the lighting was a little bit like the scene from above. Those were a nice touches. [Read more →]

Visions of the future


‘Futurism of the nineteen fifties: contemporary trends exaggerated’

Theo E. Korthals Altes takes a look at our fascination with depicting the future. Here.


‘Not (yet) built: a vision of the future’

Marian Bantjes: Optimistic modernism and soap

Modernism was optimistic. A utopia for the future! More than just a style to be pillaged. And even if you weren’t able to see Modernism: Designing a New World 1914–1939 at the Victoria & Albert Museum back in 2006, Marian’s commentary on the show says much. Go here.

Taking a break, simulated Veterans Day

Today is almost my day off. So I’m sort of taking a break. Listening to Röyksopp. Veteran’s Day is this Wednesday, but the two schools where I teach have decided on different days for the holiday. So I have half of today off.

dad & war
My dad was a veteran. He ended up in the Merchant Marines during WWII. The Merchant Marines were not a combat force, they kept the supply lines going and the ships were mostly unarmed. They had a ridiculously insane amount of casualties.

He thought he’d be killed at any moment, but he wanted to see the world. He delivered supplies to combat zones just about everywhere, was surrounded by lots of violent death, ships sunk, really horrible stuff. [Read more →]

Today is my wife’s b-day

And here’s a music video.

Happy birthday Jeanne! (Yes, I named fonts after my wife)

Stefan Hattenbach: Fine Swedish type


ADAC 40th Anniversary Season mailer (2006-7)

Stefan Hattenbach is a font designer from Sweden who I first met thru Rod Cavazos at Psy/Ops. His types always take me to another place. The forms are rooted in history, but his interpretations are all his own. And his typographic ornaments are exquisite.


Anziano ornaments

I used his Anziano fonts for ADAC’s 40th Anniversary Season – teamed with a beta version of Stefan’s Beef fonts.

Beef will (finally) be released next year thru Veer. And I should note, Stefan is a vegetarian. Beef is pure irony. [Read more →]

Barbara Kruger: Born/Dying

Continuing in NYC is Barbara Kruger’s typography-based exhibition about media bombardment, Between Being Born and Dying. Show runs thru November 21. More info here and here.

Found via Michael Martinho

Vanilla is blue

Something weird happened between now and the 1970s. Vanilla turned brown. Or beige. Or something like that.

I remember Shasta Creme Soda used to come in a metallic blue can. A lot like their cola can, but more of a turquoise blue. To find something vanilla, all one had to do was look for the blue packaging. It was a design standard.

Joyva Halvah (above) still gets it. They still use their old can design.

Vanilla was blue. Something happened and it isn’t anymore.

McDonaldland

Stephen Von Worley maps McDonalds locations in the US. Looking at the Dakotas, there’s not as many as one would think. Details here.

Oak Café, Vincent Price and moi


Oak Café interior, art by Craig Smith

One of the reasons I teach at American River College is The Oak Café. Staffed and run by culinary students, the Oak Café is one of the hardest tables to get in Sacramento – with four star ratings [twice from The Sacramento Bee] and mucho local critical acclaim, they don’t skimp on anything. It’s a foodie’s dream tucked away in a corner of a Community College.


Type treatment, set using my Escoffier Capitaux font
 

vincent
A while back, Café instructor Teresa Urkofsky borrowed my copy of Mary and Vincent Price’s A Treasury of Great Recipes (1965). Known for his horror films, Vincent Price (1911-93) was also one of the pioneers of the gourmet movement. He used his celebrity to promote high class eating worldwide. And this over-the-top cookbook – which features funky recipes from the best restaurants in the world (at the time) – is a testament to his love of good food. [Read more →]

‘Documentary-Watcher Man’

Jonathan Keifer is a writer. He once reviewed a design exhibition I was involved in by saying, ‘Roughly a shitload of images  . . .  Get there.’

‘Documentary-Watcher Man’ (above) is Jonathan’s take on documentary cinema.


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