Neither rain nor snow, hail nor sleet will keep this blogger from his appointed rounds. It is with great pleasure I announce that I will be writing a new weekend roundup of news, views, and recommendations. Anywhere from three to five items will appear. But unlike The Daily Heller, it won’t come to you by email, you’ll have to click to this page.
Valentines Day, Time for a New Fili Love Stamp
The “Sealed With Love” stamp” expresses the joy and beauty of handwritten love letters and the bygone fashion for using elegant wax seal. Here’s what the USPS says:
The Victorians were ardent letter writers and believed that there was a proper way to compose letters, particularly love letters. Etiquette manuals aided Victorian romantics in penning appropriate letters to their beloveds. While these books reflected the Victorian obsession with propriety, the senders still wished to make their feelings known, and there was a precise etiquette for using sealing wax. Although today red is the color most associated with passion, in the mid-1800s, blue was the color of love, with wax of various shades denoting the degree of emotion felt by the sender.
Louise Fili designed; Derry Noyes art directed; Jessica Hische illustrated.
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Speaking of Philately: Kat Ran Press
The Offices of the Kat Ran Press love stamps as much as I do. I have books filled with them. But surprisingly, I don’t have any of the ones they have collected designed by known graphic designers. You might ask who designs them, if not graphic designers? True enough. But these stamps, from all over the world are better known than many others. Go here for the entire set.
Max Bill
Herbert Bayer
Milton Glaser
Seymour Chwast
Michael Doret
Neville Brody
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What do Ganesh and Mickey and Minnie Share in Common?
Robbie Conal’s latest, limited-edition, inkjet print, “OMMMMIGAWD!”, that’s what. The image honors Ganesh, the lively Hindu god with the head of an elephant, who’s often accompanied by, or metaphorically “riding,” a mouse. “Here, Ganesh is encouraging peace between a couple of well known mice in the middle of a domestic tiff!,” says Conal. Ganesh is the most popular household deity in India and beyond, for his wisdom, charm, sense of humor, and especially as the bringer of good fortune at the start of new ventures. “Ganesh has got us chanting ‘Ommmmigawd!’ (and namaste, too!)” Edition of 40 full color + glitter, digital inkjet prints; 15″ H x 11″ W. $ 75 + Tax & Shipping (Paypal). Order here.
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Animals from the End of the World
Freaks Alphabet & Animals is the wild life preserve of French illustrator and letterer Jerome Corgier now on view at Pariri A Paris in Montreuil, France. “After the end of the world, new animals and alphabets appear.” Here are some specimens.
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So You Want to Write Gooder!? Try This.
This is my latest book, Writing and Research for Graphic Designers, aimed at designers, who are routinely called upon to make words about the images and designs they create for clients. Writing about design is not just “trade” writing, but should be accessible to everyone with an interest in design. This book is a complete, introductory guide to various forms of research and writing in design-and how they explain visuals and can be visualized. These pages address communication on various levels and to all audiences:
Designers to Designers. Designers to Clients. Designers to the Design-literate. Designers to the Design-agnostic
The book includes case studies, interviews and helpful hints from and with 30 design writers and designers.
For more Steven Heller, check out The Education o
f a Graphic Designer‚ one of the many Heller titles available at our official online store: MyDesignShop.com.