‘I created this site as part of my graduate thesis at Fort Hays State University in an effort to share with others what I have learned on my own.’
Dominic Flask’s Design is History website – featuring highlights from design history.
Found via Grain Edit
‘an unscientific point of view on the beginning and evolution of life . . . and how it could probably end.’
Direction and animation by BLU, production and distribution by ARTSH. Soundtrack by Andrea Martignoni.
Found via Jessica Hische
‘Indeed, Mr. Wong created a stir in 2001 when he acquired Mr. Starck’s plastic Bubble Chair before it was unveiled in the United States, installed a light bulb inside, and transformed it into a piece he called ‘This Is A Lamp.”
That was one of my favorite stunts. Read that Philippe Starck was furious. And I really loved Tobias Wong’s work.
I was saddened to see this article appear on Twitter (via Retinart).
I loved his take on screwing with the norm. Fucking the establishment while being one step ahead of it. [Read more →]
‘Football and typography may seem like an unlikely pairing, but they’ve been getting along quite well since a while. In 2006 Dalton Maag claimed the team with the best typography won the World Cup.’
Here’s two overviews of World Cup typography: The work of Paul Barnes and the work of Yomar Augusto – over at The FontFeed.
Wheat flower, folic acid
‘A popular rule of thumb among proponents of healthy food is that the fewer ingredients there are in something, better it is for you. With a remarkable 37 or so ingredients, many of which are polysyllabic chemical compounds, Twinkies would seem to embody the antithesis of that rule.’
Photography by Dwight Eschliman. Details about his ’37 or so Ingredients’ project (and book) here.
Plus, check out Steve Ettlinger’s Twinkie Deconstructed.
I like how the beef fat is now labeled ‘animal shortening.’
Riboflavin, iron
Corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup
Vegetable shortening, animal shortening
Monoglyceride, diglyceride
‘John Challen, manager of Blists Hill Victorian Town, explained why Abraham Darby I’s iron cooking pot changed the world’
Click to play/jump.
For more about the Darby Pot’s major contribution to the Industrial Revolution, check out the first episode of GoD. For more about Abraham Darby I, go here.
‘A minimalist homage to the perfect pasta and sauce, The Geometry of Pasta tells you everything you need to know about cooking and eating pasta like an Italian.’
Book review here.
Found via Retinart
Poem by Todd Alcott, kinetic type by Beth Fulton.
I’ve known Marian Bantjes a few years – mostly thru emails and online notes. I found her work years ago, it blew me away so I put it in an exhibition.
And in watching her recent TED video (above), I’ve noticed some career parallels. Though I’m not looking at a parallel of work (not even close), what I see is a parallel of thinking.
design rut
I’ve been a designer working ‘behind the scenes’ for over two decades.
I was a paste up artist and I have the scars to prove it. My first graphic design courses were part of a drafting program – no computers – and today I’m shocked at how important work habits developed during that time have become. I don’t consider my work innovative or new – simply bulletproof. And I’ve made a lot of money for a lot of other people. And mostly, I’ve never quite fit in with my contemporaries. And the battles that come from this have raged on for a long time.
A few years ago I had to ask myself this tough question:
Why the fuck do I no longer enjoy what I do??
The answer was telling. And not very simple. Part of it involves the temporary nature of my field. Most of what I’ve designed, doesn’t exist anymore.
But most of the problems I saw came from letting too many other people have control over what I do and how I do it. Working within perceptions of how others see my field – graphic design – really took the wind out of my sails. For this simple reason:
Graphic design can be so much more than people who work in our field think it is.
I seem to see this. But not many others do.
turnaround
About two years ago I made the conscious decision that I will only work on jobs that I enjoy.
This is a key decision, in that I’d reached a bottomed out, enough is enough point in my career. I had some serious work and financial setbacks and had to put a stop to the . . . bleeding. For lack of a better term.
And the work I have in right now, I love doing.
I love teaching, so I just took on SEVEN classes (all typography, one design history course) and this was one of the most fun quarters/semesters I’ve had. And in my spare time, I draw fonts, design really goofy stuff and post whatever inspires me to this blog. Because I love it.
Will it lead to something else? Who knows? Who cares?
But enough about me. Watch Marian’s talk. She’s figured it out, mostly. And what she does – what all visual artists do – is very important.
Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.
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