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Cabaret-Berlin: Die wilde Bühne 1919-33

‘In her 2010 documentary about the Berlin cabaret scene of the interwar period, Fabienne Rousso-Lenoir includes archival material, excerpts from German cinema classics, rediscovered promotional and institutional films, rare modern art experiments as well as documentaries of the time – all restored in high-definition.’

Above, the first five minutes of Fabienne Rousso-Lenoir’s Cabaret-Berlin: Die wilde Bühne (The Wild Stage) 1919-33. This 2010 documentary is loaded with incredible images from an era that went away in the 1930s.

Watch the entire untranslated film here. (Note: Veoh player download required)

Tags: cool finds, design, design history, music, typography by steve
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‘Life was a cabaret’

Berlin of the 1920s was considered by many to be the cultural center of Europe; home to innovative art, music and a bawdy nightlife – all squashed when the Nazis came to power in 1933.

Above, Walther Ruttmann’s silent (add your own music) Berlin: Symphony of a Great City (1927), which ‘portrays the life of a city mainly through visual effects and music, not narrative content. The impression it conveys of daily life in Berlin is dynamic, anxiety-ridden, cacophonous – and a helluva lot of fun!’ -Jessica Glaser, MoMA

Below, visual highlights from MoMA’s recent exhibition, German Expressionism: The Graphic Impulse. Additional commentary here.

Tags: art, design, design history, typography by steve
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Salad dressing

The concept of salad dressing – oil and water – is the basis for the magic we call printing. I learned this a long time ago, in a class. Or something.

Also, years ago, learned that this stuff is pretty much one of the few things that will remove printing ink from skin.

Pictured, the typographic work of UK-based Craig Ward.

Tags: design, education, typography by steve
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Off Book: Type

‘Type is universal’

Typography is everywhere – and as an art form is often overlooked.

There are very few actual documentaries about type – and PBS decided to take on the task of making one. Or in this case, remaking one. Off Book: Type premiered this week as sort of a seven minute version of Gary Hustwit’s Helvetica. Sort of. It IS a new doc, tho it does cover some ground already treaded.

Off Book is PBS’ new online series focusing on ‘experimental and nontraditional art forms.’ For more information, read here. Website here.

Tags: design, fonts, thoughts, typography by steve
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More lost type: PLINC is back!

Back in the day, Photo-Lettering Inc. was THE resource for custom set hedline typography, odd letter distortions and other custom font creations that were made possible by the new technology of the time, phototypesetting.

Since, PLINC’s original stock has been sitting in a warehouse. Just sitting. With the elements of time eating up the original negatives.

Several years ago, House bought rights to the collection and set about building an online version of PLINC’s original services – where type is sold one custom set headline at a time. PLINC fonts – which included a lot of ligatures and alternate characters – needed a professional typesetter at the helm.

Today, after years in development, low cost custom hedline type is now available digitally at the new PLINC website. One hed at a time . . . . [Read more →]

Tags: design, design history, fonts, typography by steve
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Honfleur

‘inspired by lettering on an antique perfume poster’

Ray and Chikako Larabie’s funky Honfleur font. Snag it free now, offer ends Saturday August 6, 2011.

Tags: design, design history, fashion, fonts, typography by steve
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‘I’m Comic Sans, asshole’ – animated

‘A short monologue from the perspective of the typeface comic sans’

Filmed and edited by Joe Hollier, based on the McSweeney’s monologue written by Mike Lacher.

Found via Campbell BrownKorbel

Tags: design, fonts, typography by steve
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The Lost Type Co-Op

‘founded with the intention of providing unique and quality fonts based on a pay-what-you-want model. All designers get 100% of the donations their font receives.’

The Lost Type Co-Op is the brain child of Tyer Galpin and Riley Cran.

Peruse Lost Type’s fonts here. And pay what you feel the fonts are worth.