the mehallo blog. beta.

Emeco’s iconic WWII chair – now made from 111 recycled plastic bottles.

New at DWR.

Tags: design, design history // Comments Off on The 111 Navy Chair

‘Depicts 2.4 million pieces of plastic, equal to the estimated number of pounds of plastic pollution that enter the world’s oceans every hour. All of the plastic in this image was collected from the Pacific Ocean.’

From Chris Jordan’s Running the Numbers II: Portraits of global mass culture. Details here.

Tags: art, cool finds, education, exhibitions // 2 comments  . . .   

Crystal Pepsi, New Coke, Surge, Citra, 7Up Gold  . . .

I really liked Josta, which was an American version of a Brazilian Guarana soda. OK Soda won a bunch of design awards, but never saw a national audience.

Here’s a tribute to a bunch of discontinued sodas. Warning: page has lots of ads.

Tags: cool finds, culinary // Comments Off on Fallen sodas

Images from the Museum of Brands, Packaging, and Advertising in London.

For more images, go here.

Found via TheDieline

Tags: design // Comments Off on Vintage UK packaging

Shasta ad from the 1960s.

Found via wesclark

Tags: cool finds, design history // 2 comments  . . .   

‘The 1960s were a time of huge cultural upheaval in America. From the Civil Rights movement to the counterculture of the late 60s and the Summer of Love, the times, they were a-changin’. Unfortunately, this wasn’t reflected heavily in the commercials of the time.’

Another great article – and video – of trends in 1960s commercials over at Eat Me Daily.

Tags: design history // 1 comment  . . .   

‘In the 1950s, television was just beginning to tighten its grip on the American consciousness  . . .  Commercials for all kinds of food products hit the airwaves, from cereal and snack foods, to beer and cigarettes.’

A great article – and video – of trends in 1950s commercials over at Eat Me Daily.

Tags: design history // Comments Off on Commercials, 1950

‘A classic today: this wonderful short animated film by Dusan Vukotic won the Oscar for animated film in 1963. He was the first non-American to ever do so.’

Found via Monsieur Bandit

Tags: cool finds // Comments Off on Surogat

‘The lamps are a contemporary translation of the classical centerpiece. The Tafelstukken stand out by shining upon themselves and their contents. By using this combination of shape, material and light five quaint characters arise.’

Designed by Daphna Isaacs (Netherlands).

Found via Designspotter

Tags: cool finds, design // Comments Off on Tafelstukkken

Air-vents are goood.

Vintage medical tape tin. Photo by mehallo.

Tags: design history, photography // 6 comments  . . .   

I’ve said this in the critiques in my design classes:

‘Are you a designer or a decorator?’

The distinction is a designer is a problem solver. In graphic design, a designer is a problem solving communicator. Graphic design is a communication field and the nuance in definition is what can separate novice from professional. [Read more →]

Tags: design, education, typography // 2 comments  . . .