Sunday Extra: Music for the Eyes
by Steven Heller
With music packaging going the way of the Victorla, it is never to late to document how graphic designers contributed to the look of music. And how music has long in influenced graphic design. The current special issue of EYE magazine (#76) is almost entirely devoted to music – and its an important document to have and hold....
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Saturday Extra: Bert and Harry
by Steven Heller
The most famously forgotten product trade characters, Bert and Harry Piels (for Piels Beer), were so successful that newspapers printed schedules of when their commercials aired. On WNYC this week, the fabulous cultural commentator, Sara Fishko aired a fascinating homage to Bert and Harry. The next best thing to a frosty cold one is Fishko on the radio....
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Harvesting Orphans
by Steven Heller
The title of this post, “Harvesting Orphans” is taken from a current article by Brad Holland in The Journal of Biocommunication (JBC). Yes, you read that correctly: Biocommunication. The image above has nothing directly to do with “Harvesting Orphans” (although with a little imagination a connection can be found), but it is taken from the same journal, which is devoted to the sensitive theme of Artists Rights. About now, you may be asking why a publication devoted to biocommunication (and incorporating The Journal of Biological Photography) is publishing a whole issue on intellectual property....
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The Template Brouhaha Haha
by Steven Heller
Every couple of years graphic design is threatened by devaluation or extinction because our standards are being attacked by the forces of evil knights templates. Remember when Apple claimed with a Mac designers would no longer be necessary? Alas, it never came to pass, despite the persuasive ad campaign (above). Now, one of the most highly respected editorial designers is producing templates too. Thanks to Roger Black’s “Ready-Media” template collection the design world is having a cow....
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Print Ain't Dead Yet (Continued)
by Steven Heller
What happens if you cross the paper-technology of Esopus with type quirky, now defunct Nest? The offspring might be the bi-annual Vintage Magazine. Inspired by Fleur Cowles’ Flair (1950-51), the second issue of Vintage (out now), is an eclectic mix of graphic, printing and written elements. The cover is embossed (letterpress style) with an open spine bound with a ribbon and filled with an array of special paper effects (pop-ups, booklets, and even a air sickness bag filled with a booklet devoted to shopping bags)....
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The Kindest Cut
by Steven Heller
Ricky Nelson had great hair. His pompadour was shinier than a newly minted quarter, slicker than ice on Wollman Rink, blacker than wet tar on a hot summer’s day, wavier than the North Atlantic Sea, and ten times harder than polished coal. Hair has been the subject of odes, verse and entire musicals. Here’s one you all know: Gimme head with hair / Long beautiful hair / Shining, gleaming, / Streaming, flaxen, waxen / Give me down to there hair / Shoulder length or longer / Here baby, there mama / Everywhere daddy daddy / Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair....
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Blood Work
by Steven Heller
I faint at the sight of blood. So this tale of design madness makes me more than a little queasy. Dear reader, stop right here if you feel the same. The poster for the Swedish “Black Metal” band Watain (above) was designed by the Paris-founded, New York-based designer, Metastazis, and was silk-screen printed using real, human blood. There is not much more to say except: whoever said designers invest blood, sweat and tears in their work, did not mean it to be taken so literally....
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Sunday Extra: What Would William Morris Say?
by Steven Heller
Print is dead? What would William Morris say? “If I were asked to say what is at once the most important production of Art and the thing most to be longed for; I should answer; A beautiful House; and if I were further asked to name the production next in importance and the thing next to be longed for; I should answer. . ....
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Saturday Extra: Barbie, Ken, Sterling, Cooper, Draper
by Steven Heller
“When I hear ‘Mad Men,’ it’s the most irritating thing in the world to me,” rails George Lois. “When you think of the ’60s, you think about people like me who changed the advertising and design worlds. The creative revolution was the name of the game. This show gives you the impression it was all three-martini lunches. We worked from 5:30 in the morning until 10 at night. We had three women copywriters. We didn’t bed secretaries. I introduced Xerox."...
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Two Books: One Mine, The Other Not
by Steven Heller
James Victore has designed over 30 covers and jackets for books I have authored and co-authored, including my most recent, POP: How Graphic Design Shapes Popular Culture (Allworth Press), which was published on July 14. Now, he has his own book, Victore or, Who Died and Made You Boss? (Harry N. Abrams)....
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The Incredible Posters of Tadanori Yokoo
by Steven Heller
Tadanori Yokoo is possibly the greatest major influence on contemporary poster design. But the current generation of designers probably don’t not know who he is. So, here’s a primer: In the mid-60s, Yokoo rose to prominence through works such as Koshi-maki Osen and La Marie Vison. His work doubtless influenced the psychedelic style in the U.S. at the time. His posters are even more important in Japan because rather than following foreign styles, they define a Modern Japanese graphic design aesthetic....
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The Color of Catsup
by Steven Heller
It is not unusual for competing magazines to have the same cover stories. Circulation, after all, is like fighting a war. Nonetheless, the battles are fought in the strangest places. Take the annual duel between New York Magazine and Time Out New York: This and last week each have covers selling their popular “Cheap Eats” and “Eat Cheap” features. Interesting how the language of “cheap” is either a beautiful model with luscious lips or reference to mustard and ketchup....
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