How many of you knew that designed broom labels were an industry of some note? Raise your handles. I’ve seen the random label festooned with stock-looking images printed in beautifully gaudy and often unregistered color. But I was unaware that the genre was so designy.
These, from what might be called “The Wichita School” of pre-modernist label design, show a wide range of typical specimens, from the overly cliched to the unique and novel. Of course, it’s nice to have the image of a broom but not entirely necessary, as you will see. I attempted to find names of artists who engaged in broom label art but they’ve been swept out of the trademark registration books. Still, like many so-called “vernacular” design disciplines, you never know who might have earned their rent money doing them. I bet if it were possible, Andy Warhol might have put his brush to broom.
Do you design your own typefaces? Have you created stunning type-centric design work? Have you produced a gorgeous handlettered project? If so, we want to see your work. All too often, typeface designs, typographic designs and handlettering get overlooked in competitions—which is why Print developed a competition that gives the artforms their full due and recognizes the best designers in each category. Enter Print’s Typography & Lettering Awards today.
