War is hell but it is never without an element of graphic ingenuity. From WWI, designers made T-shirts. From WWII, Charles and Ray Eames designed chairs from molded wood splints. Infographics were also given a boost from wartime. This is one example: the 1943 WWII “Recognition—Pictorial Manual of Naval Vessels, Restricted,” paper cover with canvas and tie binding, by order of the Secretary of War, G. C. Marshall. Published by the War Department, it was used to train and educate members of the Army and Navy in how to identify the warships of several of the Allied and Axis nations. Produced in a loose-leaf format to aid in the addition of new pages and the replacement of outdated pages as required, the originals were held together by a shoelace running through two of the three holes.
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All too often, typography gets overlooked in larger design competitions—which is why we developed one that gives the artforms their full due and recognizes the best designers in each category. Whether you design your own typefaces, design type-centric pieces or create gorgeous handlettered projects, we want to see your work—and share it with our readers.
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About Steven Heller
Steven Heller is the co-chair of the SVA MFA Designer /Designer as Author + Entrepreneur program, writes frequently for Wired and Design Observer. He is also the author of over 170 books on design and visual culture. He received the 1999 AIGA Medal and is the 2011 recipient of the Smithsonian National Design Award.View all posts by Steven Heller →