From the Swipe Files: Mikey Burton's Idenity Work

Monday Class

In case you didn't get Gen's email and are checking the blog, here is a message about Monday's class:

folks,

only 9 of you want to show up for the last classes...

tomorrow.

so, i'm gonna come in late (what else is new), but later than usual and leave earlier.

for nine folks i think 3 hours is plenty, no?

so, let's make it 5-8pm.

that gives us daytime hours and evening hours for both type class and intermediate design.

i'll start grading right after.

look forward to your good work.

see you tomorrow.

g.

btw. there's been no snow plow here and it's going to snow here again tomorrow.

so, please check your emails in case there's an emergency and i cannot get out.

thanks.

FINAL CRIT

Hi folks,

REMINDER:

GEN IS GRADING FROM THE BLOGS MONDAY NIGHT right after class.

gen cannot remember everything you have showed in class, so if it's not posted, it doesn't exist.

please POST ALL WORK you want considered toward a grade on your blog by 9pm, monday the 21st.

please do not send work via email for gen to look at to grade.

did i mention post?

POST!

[side note: i'm home in cali so won't be present for the last class but i'll look at all your blogs!! feel free to email me if you have any questions]

-e

Debbie Millman / Design Matters

Design Matters, the long running design radio show by Debbie Millman, is making the jump to the small screen. SVA is producing a TV version of the show and will be taping the pilot episode this Friday. The first two guests are Milton Glaser and Stefan Sagmeister. To top it all off, the show will be directed by the wonderful Hillman Curtis.

The taping is open to the public!

The INVITE:

Debbie Millman, Hillman Curtis and Richard Wilde
invite you to the taping of the Design Matters Television Pilot
December 11, 2009

9:00am-6:00pm

Debbie will be interviewing
legendary designers Milton Glaser and Stefan Sagmeister
in front of a live, studio audience

School of Visual Arts Theater
333 West 23rd Street
New York City

Taping Schedule:
9-1: Debbie's monologues
2-6: Interviews with Milton and Stefan (separately)

Facebook event site.
http://debbiemillman.blogspot.com/

via http://blog.iso50.com/2009/12/07/debbie-millman-design-matters/

All Things Typographic 12/09

From Ilene Strizver, founder of The Type Studio

Holiday greetings! Here's the latest scoop: -- TypeTalk: You ask, we answer -- Typeface as decoration: Thinking outside the alphabetical box -- Typembrya -- Homage to Velvet Touch Lettering -- Upcoming Typography Workshops -- Gourmet Typography Discount LAST MONTH -- The Type Studio now on Twitter

TypeTalk: You ask, we answer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Q. Most design software lets me stretch and squeeze characters, but I'm not sure how far is too far. Are there acceptable parameters for distorting type? Check it out... Q. I'm bored with the look of digital fonts, even the ones that try to look grungy. Do I have other options? Check it out...

Typeface as decoration: Thinking outside the alphabetical box ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Type is usually meant to be read. But not always! With a little imagination, you can use many typefaces to create engaging decorative elements. You can apply your original ornamentation to just about anything, from greeting cards and announcements to posters, book covers and editorial spreads. You can also use decorative type elements effectively on the Web and other dynamic applications. Read on...

Typembrya ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This short film shows a typographic mutation of an ampersand, inspired by current biotechnology methods. Created by Oded Ezer, Typembrya is a personal homage to the Mother & Child logo, designed by the legendary Herb Lubalin in 1967. Take a look...

Homage to Velvet Touch Lettering ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Steve Heller's wonderfully nostalgic homage to the transfer type of the pre-computer (B.C.) era..."It was the wee hours of Monday morning some months back when my computer died while I was designing a brochure that had to be finished later that day. Without a computer what could I do? Dependency is a horrible thing. But rather than self-indulgently wallow in misfortune, I walked over to a flat file where I stored dozens of old press type sheets." Check it out...

Upcoming Typography Workshops ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Every creative professional, including the most seasoned designer, can benefit from learning to communicate more effectively with type. This workshop will give you the expert-level typographic skills and aesthetics necessary to visibly improve your type. It will sharpen your eye and reignite your passion for typography. Typography for Print: The Finer Points Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) Boston, MA Friday, January 8 If you'd like to see Gourmet Typography come to Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, or any other city, let me know! Ilene

Gourmet Typography Discount LAST MONTH ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In today's competitive market, you need all the edge you can get. Whether you are a student or a professional, having strong typographic skills should be at the top of your list. Bring Gourmet Typography Training right to your company, school or organization! Workshops are customized for groups of any size and designed to fit your specific needs. Sessions are scheduled for your convenience - daytime, evenings or weekends. We will design a program customized for your particular requirements. ONSITE TRAINING: $300 off workshops booked through December. SCHOOLS & UNIVERSITIES: Special pricing, call 203.227.5929 Call with FONcall™ 203.227.5929 Connecting... Connected! Error: could not place call bug? Call with FONcall™ 203.227.5929 Connecting... Connected! Error: could not place call bug? for details. "I found your class to be the missing link in the field of graphic design. I have had type classes before and the content is mostly about the structure of fonts, word usage style and then how to see type as a design element. Very important classes, but not all inclusive. Having been in the field for over 16 years, I was surprised how much I learned and some of the practical information about what to do with fonts. Thanks again!" For more info, click here or call 203.227.5929.

The Type Studio now on Twitter ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yes, I gave in to Twitter pressure. It's no longer your teenager's social networking tool, but a valuable source of education and information for students, educators and professionals of all kinds. Follow me at Twitter for the best of typographic rants, raves, reviews, and releases.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ info@thetypestudio.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Good Advice From Dr. Seuss

I couldn't get this to show up bigger but transcripts are below and here's the link. Enjoy!


Transcripts:

First Letter

Dr. Seuss
THE TOWER
La Jolla, California

May 12, 1957

Dear Howard:

I am very sorry to have been so long in answering your very friendly letter of April 13th. But I've been East. And the letter's been waiting me here in the West.

Your theatre productions sound wonderful. And I am very proud that you dedicated it to me.. and performed so many of my stories in it.

....

About giving you advice...pointers on how to properly write and illustrate a picture book...all I can say is this:

This is a field in which no one can give you pointers but yourself.

The big successes in this field all succeeded because they wrote and they wrote and they drew and they drew. They studied what they'd drawn and they studied what they'd written each time asking themselves one question: How can I do it better, next time?

To develop an individual style of writing and drawing, always go to yourself for criticsm. If you ask advice from too many other people, then you no longer are yourself.

The thing to do, and I am sure you will do it, is to keep up your enthusiasm! Every job is a lot of fun, no matter how much work it takes. If you'll plug away and do exactly what you are doing, making it better and better every month and every year...that you CAN be successful.

The very best of luck to you!

Your friend,

(Signed, 'Dr. Seuss')

Second Letter

January 3, 1985

Theodore Geisel/Dr. Seuss
The Tower
La Jolla, CA

Dear Mr. Geisel/Dr. Seuss,

If you peer at the two Xerox copies which are attached to this letter, you'll recognize them as your gracious responses to a thirteen/fifteen-year-old Alabama boy who wrote to you in 1957 and 1959. I told you about the puppet-show adaptations of Bartholomew and the Oobleck, and McElligot's Pool which I wrote and performed for neighborhood kids in my basement, and I confided that I hoped to grow up and write and illustrate children's books myself. As you can see, you gave me a valuable gift: you took me seriously.

It's been twenty-five years since the second of your two letters to me was written. During that time, I've often thought that I should write and thank you for the encouraging words which you offered me. On my fortieth birthday last May, I was given (at my request) The Butter Battle Book. I enjoyed seeing the world through your eyes again as much as I did when I was very young, and I appreciate your willingness to engage a truly serious and important subject within the children's book format.

I have not illustrated any children's books yet, but I have grown-up to be a cartoonist and humorous illustrator. My principal interest is in comic strips for adults, and I fill out my extra time doing spot drawings for magazines. My first book--a trade paperback collection of my comic strip Wendel--will be published at the end of 1985.

Although I couldn't claim to enjoy a hundredth of your own stature as an artist, I occasionally receive letters from youngsters not unlike the letters I wrote to you. And remembering the strength of the childhood dreams which are represented by such letters, I try very hard to do as you did and treat the young artist as a person with dignity. Thanks for showing me, in your work all through the years as well as in the particular letters you wrote to me, both how to be a wonderful artist and how to be a kind and supportive human being.

Yours sincerely,

Howard Cruse

Third Letter

Dear Howard......

It sure made me feel GOOD, reading your letter and seeing what you've been accomplishing during the past 25 years! It makes me especially happy to have played a small part in it.

May your first book, WENDEL, sell a billion copies. And may your next 25 years be even better than the 25 you've just conquered!

All the best

Dr. Seuss

AIGANY Sloppy Office Party!

---

TUESDAY 15 DECEMBER 2009 6:30-9:30PM

SLOPPY OFFICE PARTY

´Twas the night before Christmas,

And all through the chapter,

There was loud music playing--

And, oy vey--the laughter!

It was coming, of course

From the Holiday Party

It´s remarkably hip--

and (hello people!) it's arty!

details / come!

Student Work - April Sharp

some spreads from April's thesis project:

Young Jerks

Young Jerks aka Dan Cassaro has done some really good work with type - check it out:

Orba Squara

NY musician Mitch Davis aka Orba Squara has a beautiful online journal. In case you missed it last class or want to see if you can make it to the end here's the link!

SWIPE!

record sleeves from Crossed Combs:

All Things Typographic 11/09

From Ilene Strizver, founder of The Type Studio

Fall back to typography. Here's the latest scoop: -- TypeTalk: You ask, we answer -- Hanging Characters in QuarkXPress 8 -- Words at Play -- Font Fight -- Upcoming Typography Workshops -- Gourmet Typography Discount LAST MONTH -- The Type Studio now on Twitter If this email is not displaying properly, you can view it here. Previous editions can be viewed here.

TypeTalk: You ask, we answer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Q. You've written about figures in Open Type fonts, both oldstyle and lining variants and tabular and proportional spacing. But I have trouble figuring out which fonts have which. Can you help unravel this numerical mystery? Check it out... Q. What is the difference between Times Roman and Times New Roman, and why are both listed in my font menu? Is Times Roman the "Old" version? Please explain! Check it out...

Hanging Characters in QuarkXPress 8 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hanging punctuation has long been one of the hallmarks of expert typography. Adobe InDesign CS has provided for this with its Optical Margin Alignment. This feature makes it a snap to achieve an optically aligned margin - an effect you previously had to create manually, and painstakingly, with desktop publishing software. Quark 8 has finally stepped up to the plate, and now contains a very robust feature with precise and customizable controls for hanging characters. Read on...

Words at Play ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spell out "words at play" with the floating characters, and see where it takes you. This book was created as a special project to celebrate the power of words, the beauty of typography, and the creativity of designers Roberto de Vicq and Matteo Bologna. Take a look...

Font Fight ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ More on Helvetica and Arial, who get into a good old fashioned rumble in this College Humor video, which is a sequel to the the very funny Font Conference. Check it out...

Upcoming Typography Workshops ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Every creative professional, including the most seasoned designer, can benefit from learning to communicate more effectively with type. This workshop will give you the expert-level typographic skills and aesthetics necessary to visibly improve your type. It will sharpen your eye and reignite your passion for typography. Gourmet Typography 1 and 2 TDC New York Friday, December 4 Part 1: 9 to 12 Part 2: 1 to 4 Typography for Print: The Finer Points Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) Boston Friday, January 8 If you'd like to see Gourmet Typography come to Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, or any other city, let me know! Ilene

Gourmet Typography Discount LAST MONTH ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In today's competitive market, you need all the edge you can get. Whether you are a student or a professional, having strong typographic skills should be at the top of your list. Bring Gourmet Typography Training right to your company, school or organization! Workshops are customized for groups of any size and designed to fit your specific needs. Sessions are scheduled for your convenience - daytime, evenings or weekends. We will design a program customized for your particular requirements. ONSITE TRAINING: $300 off workshops booked through December. SCHOOLS & UNIVERSITIES: Special pricing, call 203.227.5929 for details. "I found your class to be the missing link in the field of graphic design. I have had type classes before and the content is mostly about the structure of fonts, word usage style and then how to see type as a design element. Very important classes, but not all inclusive. Having been in the field for over 16 years, I was surprised how much I learned and some of the practical information about what to do with fonts. Thanks again!" For more info, click here or call 203.227.5929.

The Type Studio now on Twitter ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yes, I gave in to Twitter pressure. It's no longer your teenager's social networking tool, but a valuable source of education and information for students, educators and professionals of all kinds. Follow me at Twitter for the best of typographic rants, raves, reviews, and releases.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ info@thetypestudio.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This Morning on FFFFOUND!

There were a lot of pretty things on ffffound this morning. Here are some:

Infographic Presentation Re-Cap

For those of you who missed last night's presentation, here's a recap of some of the things Danielle talked about:

Danielle has been an information graphic artist for about 3 years now and is currently working for Portfolio (before that she has been at Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal).

Some things to keep in mind when making visual representations of data:

• if you can take something away and the meaning isn't altered, simpler is usually better
• BUT make sure it's still understandable - you might want to show it to other people and see if they are reading it properly (since often it becomes hard to see it objectively after working on it a long time)
• if it's not chart-able, don't force it
• think about the point. what do you want people who read the graphic to come away with? you want your charts to be accurate and well-reported but you also don't want to lose sight of your main objective.

Some Resources/Info-Graphic Artists:

Edward Tufte - diagram guru; charts of the academic, info-heavy persuasion. makes fun of overuse of icons. has also written several books on the theory/practice of designing infographics

John Grimwade

Alberto Cairo
Nicholas Felton (see examples a couple posts back)
Ben Fry

Nigel Holmes

Catalog Tree

New York Times Multimedia Index - Amanda Cox
eg: How Different Groups Spend Their Day

Also - Processing.org is a computer programming tool for making infographics
And the book Data Flow was mentioned again - more on the info-light side of infographics.

Thanks again to Danielle for taking the time to come talk to us and to Michelle for setting it up!