December, 2009 | the mehallo blog. beta.

Calendar of Silly Holidays 2010

3-color screen printed calendar by dirtybandits. Info and ordering details here.

Tags: art, cool finds, design, illustration by steve
3 comments . . .

An ode to the book arts

‘3000 photographs (-ish), 35 books, 2 months’

The Complex of All of These, written by Abigail Uhteg, was letterpress printed at the Women’s Studio Workshop in Rosendale, NY.

Music by Ratatat.

Tags: cool finds, education, publication design, typography by steve
2 comments . . .

42-line Rare Book Calendar 2010

I always forget to get a calendar. And it’s already the 30th.

Here’s one: The 2010 42-line Rare Book Calendar features images from Hogarth (1753), William Blake (1793), Charles Le Brun (1806), an 1805 edition of Shakespeare and more. Info and ordering details here.

Tags: art, cool finds, design history, illustration, publication design by steve
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Judging books by (ugly) covers

‘Gradually, I realized that the books I had put off reading for so long all had covers that screamed: ‘Pulp me! Pulp me!”

Joe Queenan looks at Huckleberry Finn, Elijah Wood (pictured, with Courtney B. Vance), Gatsby, Doctor Faustus, Death of a Salesman – and how a BAD cover design can ruin a perfectly good book.

NYT essay here.

What to do about an ugly cover: 1. Brown bag it; 2. Reverse it; 3. Try spandex; 4. Use house paint; 5. Duct tape it; 6. Tear it off

Tags: design history, publication design, thoughts by steve
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Woods and Manson

Elijah Woods and Shirley Manson for Oliver Peoples Spring 2010 campaign. Photography by Autumn de Wilde. Article here.

Tags: cool finds, design, fashion, photography by steve
3 comments . . .

Dumbest quotes of the 2000s

Hasselhoff: ‘I’ve got taste. It’s inbred in me.’

Bunches more at The Huffington Post.

Tags: design by steve
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Alexa Chung: Best dressed 2009

Recently, MTV reformatted a quirky talk show – It’s On With Alexa Chung – into a half hour sound byte mess; losing their star in the process. Then they quietly canceled it.

I don’t watch much television these days – because finding something smart on the tube is becoming more and more difficult. And one thing I loved about Alexa’s program: It was smart. It was also silly, goofy, with a host who wasn’t afraid to show that she’s not just a pretty face.

And frankly, we need more smart here in the US.

Importing Alexa from the UK, just part of the plan. (there is a plan, right?)

Luckily, we haven’t heard the last of Alexa Chung – there’s a rumor floating around that MTV has yet another show in development (get it right this time please); and (no surprise) as of last week, Alexa tops Vogue’s 2009 Best Dressed list.

Plus: Here’s some of what she wore on her program – and here’s a blog that simply gets Alexa’s style.

The US knows what to do with talent, right? (anyone??)