my life as a typophile goes way back. One of my earliest childhood memories was wondering how many fonts there were in the world. After much deliberation I decided there must be 10.
Growing up I discovered that the exact number of fonts didn’t matter at all. Great typographers might own thousands of typefaces but use only a fraction of them most of the time. This compelling font fact led me to scrutinize 5 classic typefaces. I carefully drew each one by hand, many times. Drawing letters is like deep breathing.
About this time, I got to know a good friend, Robert Bringhurst’s The Elements of Typographic Style. I began to carry it with me wherever I went. When I had this book with me, I felt safe because in some inexplicable way it told me what I needed to do. My past involvement with graffiti had already started me on a path of appreciating and creating letters. When I joined the San Diego Fellow Calligraphers I wanted to learn all I could about making letters of this particular type. I was the youngest in the group but they accepted me as an old soul. My respect for tradition and craft has led me to believe it is possible to fuse the old with the new. Cracking the code on type has helped me discover the power of my own internal aesthetics.
For me, typography will always speak louder than words.
04 /
CINDER
High-end seductive cigarettes for an affluent group GENRE: Custom Type, Branding & Packaging
To embody the persona of Cinder cigarettes I used evocative photography paired with sensual type treatments. The black and white color palette and minimalist graphics convey the mysterious and provocative voice of the brand. Blackletter fonts are among the oldest typefaces and are often described as Gothic Script. They were used throughout Western Europe from 1150 well into the 17th century. Targeting a youthful, high fashion demographic of Eastern European, affluent males 20-30, the hand drawn Blackletter logo with its curves and points is reminiscent of
INSTRUCTORS: Sean Bacon & Candice L贸pez
fire. The positioning of this product takes advantage of consumer trends to create a market niche appealing to this audience who frequent stylish underground clubs. The supporting typeface Sweet Sans, a classic font, gives a luxurious feel. I developed custom calligraphic script lettering suggesting smoke to further drive the personality and style of packaging and applications. To communicate the enigmatic and bold attitude of the smokes, product packaging is strictly black and white with daring tag lines designed to attract a fearless demographic eager to inhale.
06 /
/ 07
08 / CINDER
/ 09
10 / CINDER
/ 11
12 / CINDER
/ 13
14 /
ASTRODEO Space themed cowboy-centric hotel for the playful bunch GENRE: Custom Type, Branding & Packaging
Located in the cosmos just outside of Austin is the space cowboy themed hotel Astrodeo. This large property blends cool modern design and quirky sophistication to create an incredibly unique boutique hotel experience. Guests will marvel at the bold combination of contemporary design, well-appointed rooms and wide range of leisure activities from throwing iridescent horseshoes to horseback riding. A lengthy study of both Tuscan and deconstructive typographic forms was necessary to seamlessly mesh these two genres together. This resulted in the custom
INSTRUCTOR: Candice L贸pez
typeface Space Slab. After hours of experimenting, a construction system was created that made each glyph relatively easy to construct. When combined these icons radiate a whimsical style layered over colorful celestial imagery of nebulas. The strikingly unorthodox stationery system features unconventional die cuts and customized coasters boast witty fun messages. In room toiletries convey a simple and stark design reminiscent of futuristic space films. Lighting and environmental graphics for the hotel lobby morph with surreal outer space hues.
/ 15
16 /
/ 17
18 / ASTRODEO
/ 19
20 / ASTRODEO
/ 21
22 / ASTRODEO
/ 23
MIX MAGAZINE Creative lifestyle publication for artists of all kinds GENRE: Custom Type & Editorial Design
This lifestyle magazine covers a wide range of interests relating to creative culture including fine art, photography, sculpture, graphic design, restaurants, vacation spots and fashion. Created for stylish, passionate upper middle-income individuals 25-40 it connects readers to the freshest developments that impact the dynamic subjects covered in the publication. Presenting a diverse, global viewpoint, stories look beyond borders and boundaries to inform and inspire readers. The magazine masthead artfully combines
24 /
INSTRUCTOR: Sean Bacon
the three letters of the title to form a polished and memorable icon. The serif font Tiempos was paired with a sans serif font Founder’s Grotesque that maintains the lineage of it’s type family but works best at text sizes. Covers consistently present an intriguing collage that communicates the innovative focus of feature articles. On the table of contents page the magazine icon is outlined and filled with imagery corresponding to these stories. Shape and a generous use of white space plays a vital role in spread layout.
/ 25
26 / MIX MAGAZINE
LIVE 3 4 0 0 KILOME TE R S A PA RT. His workshop is in Victoria, British Columbia, and her studio is in Toronto, Ontario. When she first made her home more than halfway across the country, they started to send packages back and forth.
28 - Mixmagazine.com
29
In some of those packages, Lance began
In the three years since, their small
to include his own hand carved spoons. He had been collecting wood since the
shop has grown to selling an array of hand carved and hand turned wooden
early seventies, and used his best pieces for these gifts. Nikole loved them; their balance and shape, the pieces were made
objects, including spoons, bowls, pedestals, candy dishes, serving boards, rolling pins, plates and mortar and pestle
with unmistakable care. She knew they were something special.
sets. All are one of a kind and made entirely of salvaged, chemical-free wood, ranging in type, age, and origin. None
One day it dawned on her that others might appreciate her father’s talent as
“One day it dawned on her that others might appreciate her father’s talents”
They’ve also introduced a select line of exclusive porcelain dishware. The ceramic pieces are cast in small runs, and
she did, so Nikole asked if he would ever
boast the rustic, tactile beauty for which their brand is known.
want to share his work. Lance took a few days to think about it. And, after some
They also make, by hand, kitchen linens, cake flags, birthday candles,
convincing, he agreed to her plan, but only with people that understood and cared about the time and effort spent
beeswax salve and cookie cutters.
on each piece. She told him, “Leave it to me, I know just the sort.” And with that, Herriott Grace was born. 30 - Mixmagazine.com
are exactly the same, and thus none are perfect. But the slight imperfections are an effect of the handmade quality.
Lance still lives in Victoria, and still sends packages to Nikole in Toronto. Now, she styles and photographs those pieces he sends, and together they are herriott grace. 31
/ 27
Clouds of Vivid colour hang in a black void. These could almost be the latest images from a satellite deep in outter space. Mark Mawsom uses a secret technique involving paint and water.
30- -Mixmagazine.com Mixmagazine.com 12
13
“MY ADVICE WOULD BE TO CHOOSE SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT & STICK WITH IT.”
Mix: Hello, Mark! It is a great pleasure to talk with such a talented person. Tell us about the first steps you made in your creativity.
Mark: The first steps I made in photography when I was as a child. I had a camera in my hands since I was 8 years old. I experimented shooting anything I could find.
Mix: And how did you gain new knowledge about the art of photography? Mark: I read many magazines and books and taught myself all I could about photography.
30 - Mixmagazine.com
28 / MIX MAGAZINE
Mix: So, you are self-taught. Well done! As a result, we can see your portfolio which is great. We are amazed
Mark: I was inspired to create ‘Aqueous’ series by watching milk being poured into cups of coffee I used to
my dream job, every day is different and I
with the variety of your art ideas. What inspires you on a daily basis?
drink everyday. Mix: That’s a good example of how daily routine events may become
Mix: Is there anyone who gives you sup-
Mark: I am inspired by everything I
enjoy each job for it’s uniqueness.
port you in your creativity?
a source of inspiration. We are interested in the process of shooting the series. What kind of equipment
me support in my creativity.
inspiration to me.
and techniques do you use to take pictures?
Mix: Could you give any piece of advice for those who try to discover their talent
Mix: How would you describe your
Mark: For my Aqueous work, I shoot
photography? Does photography help you to express your feelings?
on a Hasselblad H1 with a Phase One digital back. I use the 120mm macro lens. For my underwater work, I
see around me on a daily basis, maybe that’s why my ideas are so varied. Movies, music and art are a huge
Mark: I’m not sure how I would describe my photography. I would rather leave that up to the viewers. I just enjoy creating inspiring and beautiful images. I definitely express my feelings through my work. Mix: Could you tell us about one of your popular series titled ‘Aqueous’? What has inspired you to capture the beauty of underwater creatures?
shoot on a Canon 5D Mark II in an underwater housing and various wide angle lenses.
Mix: Do you have any dream projects? Could you tell our readers about them? How would these dream series look like?
Mark: I can’t think what would be
Mark: My family is the people who give
and cultivate it?
Mark: My advice would be to choose something that you are passionate about and stick with it. Mix: Mark, we are grateful to you for spending time with us. We wish you great inspiration and new achievements in photography. We hope we’ll see new marvellous series by you in the nearest future. To learn more about Mark Mawson photography feel free to visit his web-site and Facebook page. 31 31
/ 29
30 / MIX MAGAZINE
/ 31
32 /
WALKS OF LIFE
An interview publication exposing the process of portfolio GENRE: Custom Type & Editorial Design
A collection of interviews with the 2013 San Diego City College graphic design portfolio students was bound and documented in this publication Walks of Life. This work explains how each aspiring designer had a unique life experience and the conversation chronicles their individual student design journey. The cover uses black and white photography of a thick grove of towering pine trees. Ribbons of different colors weave through the forest maze signifying their passage through many twists and turns to achieve their personal and
INSTRUCTOR: Candice L贸pez
professional goals. The opening folded spread joins those ribbons to icons representing our coursework ending in portfolio. I felt it was important to hand write each student name in a style similar to the calligraphic logotype on the cover. I used black and white Facebook photos and then applied solid colors that corresponded to each ribbon from the first spread. My intention was to create a personal memento for each member of my class as a way to thank them for their support and advice during our portfolio experience.
/ 33
34 / WALKS OF LIFE
/ 35
36 / WALKS OF LIFE
1. How did you end up getting into design? It started out as a hobby, designing this or that for family and friends. Then I decided to design my own wedding invitations and I just couldn’t stop. I’ve always enjoyed art/design and when the opportunity came to take classes I took it; and here I am. 2. Do you feel we’re all here right now at this place and time for a reason? I think timing is everything. If I decided to complete this exact program seven, or even three years ago, it would have been with very different results. I do think I was supposed to take this path, at this moment. And hopefully this will be the impetus to take many other paths. 3. What were your interests as a child? I didn’t have specific interests until junior high when I became involved in music and theater. Once in high school I was very involved in choir and drama . . . even had big dreams of Broadway, but that was not to be. I’ve always gravitated towards creative pursuits and in the last eight years or so my interests turned more towards art/design. 4. Are you religious? I was raised in church, but as an adult I’ve changed my understanding of what this means. So in the traditional sense, no. 5. What role does design/creating play in your life? Currently it is my life. What an amazing experience to have been consumed by design while maneuvering through this program. I’m really gonna miss it. 6. How has your design journey been so far? I feel my design journey has been short! I’m excited to see it continue on. 7. Why did you choose City College? After seeing some of the alumni portfolios, I was convinced that this was were I wanted to be. 8. What is your favorite color? Let’s go with orange. 9. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Hopefully as a better designer . . . 10. Any last words? Quotes? Words of wisdom? Thank you for doing this Etah!
Juliana Tipton | 07
06 | Walks of Life
1. How did you end up getting into design? My mom said I could become whatever I wanted when I grew up so I became an architect. Two weeks later I quit because architects lead sad lives, also there’s too much math involved. I dont consider myself an artist by any stretch of the imagination but i’ve always liked visual communication. In reality the reason I got into graphic design was my interest in human psychology and observing how people react to different things. 2. Do you feel we’re all here right now at this place and time for a reason? If we’re not here right now at this place and time for some reason then who’s drinking this iced caramel latte macchiato? 3. What were your interests as a child? Making things with my hands. Building with Legos, wood, metal...pretty much anything I could get my hands on. In a way, everything I do is about solving a puzzle (which is what we do in graphic). Also watching Jurassic Park. 4. Are you religious? I’ve never been overly religious, while my family is traditional Catholic, they have never been the kind to force the religion on us. I would like to believe in some sort of higher power be it a supreme being or some, non-probing, aliens but im ok with there not. 5. What role does design/creating play in your life? Without design there is no passion in my life. I revel in the long days and sleepless nights because I love what I’m doing and the results are worth the effort. 6. How has your design journey been so far? It’s been a long one and i’ve been lucky to have had a wide range of classes, some that few people have a chance to take, which have helped me become the designer I want to be. 7. Why did you choose City College? No particular reason, City College was just close to my house. I’m lucky I ended up here. 8. What is your favorite color? Chartreuse, yo. 9. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Designing the shit out of some shit. 10. Any last words? Quotes? Words of wisdom? “My thing is to work more than the others to show them how useless they are.” -Karl Lagerfeld
08 | Walks of Life
Heber Miranda | 09
/ 37
COMMON GRIND A cafe to inspire and get you away from the daily grind GENRE: Custom Type, Branding & Packaging
Common grind is an independent, spirited cafe that excels at friendly customer service where talkative baristas offer simple and accurate flavor descriptions for each coffee they offer. In a relaxed atmosphere, they roast their own coffee, offer whole bean delivery and one of the best vinyl collections of any Seattle café. All of the pastries are made in-house and arrive imaginatively wrapped to your table in paper covered with clever conversation. An energetic palette of warm reds
38 /
INSTRUCTOR: Sean Bacon
and yellow tones welcome urban cafégoers 25-40 to fuel their day. Branded applications including a shopping bag, sandwich wraps and to-go coffee cups are too fun not to read and grab attention on city streets. A simple circular crest bears the congenial CG lettermark. The frequent buyer card combines hand drawn letterforms with the sociable charm of Grover Slab. Stickers and café interiors reinforce the vitality of the brand. A website keeps patrons connected to the cafe culture as well as daily specials.
/ 39
40 /
/ 41
42 /
/ 43
COMMON GRIND
WELCOME, RELAX, GET INSPIRED
HOME MENU
FOOD MENU
CATERING SHOP ABOUT US CONTACT US
DAILY DRINKS
WHAT’S TWEETIN
44 / COMMON GRIND
COMMON GRIND is an independent, spirited
accurate flavor descriptions for each coffee
cafe that excels at friendly customer service
they offer. In a relaxed atmosphere, they roast
sandwich it is the bomb! Had
where talkative baristas offer simple and
their own coffee, offer whole bean delivery and
week already!
@COMMONGRIND Loving th
NG?
he new Cobb it three times this
/ 45
46 / COMMON GRIND
/ 47
48 / WEDDING
KEZIAH WEDDING
Hand drawn letters bring relaxed elegance to a desert wedding GENRE: Custom Calligraphy & Invitation Design
Sarah and Gary met each other during a guided nature photography hike in the Sonoran desert. He is a landscape architect and she is a hair stylist and their April wedding meant that desert wildflowers would be in bloom. The scenic setting and breathtaking beauty of Papago Park in the Desert Botanical Garden was a natural choice for their nuptials. The bride’s mother wanted a traditional invitation but the friendly, laid back nature of the couple demanded a more relaxed approach. The word calligraphy is derived from two Greek
INSTRUCTOR: Sean Bacon
words, kalli meaning beautiful and graphia referring to writing. The practice has thousands of years in it’s history and development and aesthetics, refinement and celebration can all be captured by the shapes of letters. Modern calligraphy has great variety from functional handlettered inscriptions to pieces of fine art where the legibility of the letters is all part of the abstraction. Classical calligraphy differs from typography in that it tends to be more fluid and spontaneous and continues to flourish especially on wedding invitations.
/ 49
50 / KEZIAH WEDDING
/ 51
52 / KEZIAH WEDDING
/ 53
GERRIT NOORDZIJ PRIZE A typographic prize for a young, accomplished typographer GENRE: Editorial & Exhibition Design
INSTRUCTOR: Sean Bacon
Every 3 years, the Gerrit Noordzij Prize is given to a type designer who has made extraordinary contributions to the fields of type design, digital typography and type education. In this project I designed the 2013 award to mimic the fictional event of type designer Christian Schwartz winning the award. An informative and entertaining booklet is filled with interviews, type specimens and in depth discussions of Christian’s work. Many of Schwartz’s typefaces
54 /
have become proprietary designs for publications like Esquire and the New York Times and the scope and breath of his work is chronicled in a special exhibition. I designed exhibition graphics to communicate his biography and pioneering work for MetaDesign, The Font Bureau and House Industries while chronicling projects at his own studio Commercial Type. I created a catalog for the exhibition using his clean editorial focused typefaces.
/ 55
56 /
/ 57
58 / GERRIT NOORDZIJ PRIZE
/ 59
60 / GERRIT NOORDZIJ PRIZE
/ 61
62 /
SAVAGE Counter-culture meets refined couture GENRE: Custom Typeface & Editorial Design
History reveals a close connection between professional sign painters and type designers. I’ve long admired the work of master typeface and logo designer Doyald Young who got his start with type by painting signs at a five and dime. I found myself drawn to the work of graffiti writers, nonapprenticed letterers doing sign work in our time. The centerpiece of this gritty, rough, street-smart magazine is a custom typeface I drew and named Vato Modern. The word “vato” is Spanish for “dude” and refers
INSTRUCTOR: Sean Bacon
to a man who means business. My solution was developed through use of the letter structures of Los Angeles gang graffiti and grafting them onto the body of Didone. I found influence in the straight hairline serifs without brackets, modern appearance, and strong contrast between thick and thin lines. Unimaginative eyes might see elements of this publication as ordinary but forms take on new importance in Savage, a high fashion magazine targeting upscale readers 30-45 with sophisticated tastes.
/ 63
64 / CINDER
/ 65
66 / SAVAGE
/ 67
68 / SAVAGE
/ 69
70 / SAVAGE
S K AT E B O A R D I N G I S O N E O F T H E F E W S P O R T S T H AT, S T R O N G LY R E L AT E D W I T H C R E AT I V I T Y, H A S A L S O B E C O M E A WAY O F L I F E O F Y O U N G P E O P L E .
04_MADE FOR ACTION
SAVAGE_05
fashion would not only occupy a burgeoning corner of the market but also infiltrate high fashion must have seemed absurd. This spring PPR, the parent company of Gucci and Alexander McQueen, bought the Californian skate company Volcom in a deal worth $607m. The leap in Volcom’s stock to $24.39 from $19.73 when the deal was announced in May even prompted some law firms to take a closer look at it because they claimed shareholders weren’t getting a fair price. But skating’s rebirth began with the sport itself, which became mainstream in the early 2000s when skaters such as Mark Gonzales gained a cult following by performing pioneering street skating and Tony Hawk’s antics on vert ramps opened up the sport to new audiences around the world. Skateboarding fashion followed suit, crossing over into the mainstream with brands like Vans and DC becoming mainstays of “alternative” culture. Sportswear specialists Nike and Adidas caught on, and started sponsoring young skaters such as Theotis Beasley and Shane O’Neill. Alex Olson and Dylan Rieder have become teen pinups, while the latter was even invited to endorse a brand of wine. Keith Hufnagel, founder of Huf, a skateboarding Mark Oblow, a photographer, skater and creative consultant for skate brands Analog and Gravis, believes the interest of major brands such as Nike and Adidas has forced original skate companies to up their game. When Supreme opened its London store this September, the young and well-heeled spilled on to the streets of Soho from a launch party many had queued for hours to get into. Inside, Ed Banger Records label owner and Parisian DJ Busy P rubbed shoulders with legendary skaters such as Jason Dill. This was more than good PR for the New York-based skater brand, recently worn in prolificacy by Odd Future’s Tyler the Creator. This was an event that marked a remarkable change in fortunes for a fashion once largely dismissed as the style concerns of waster teenagers. Supreme started life in the mid-90s, when New York skating was at an all-time low. Companies were going out of business, skaters couldn’t afford to live off their sponsorship and the sport had developed a reputation for being popular among a nuisance generation of slacker kids. The idea that, a decade down the line, skater
04_MADE FOR ACTION
SAVAGE_05
/ 71
PHOTOGRAPHER Maria Lancer FASHION David Bowser
In a mysterious and inexorable process that seems to transform all that is low culture into something high, permanent ink markings began creeping toward the traditional no-go zones for all kinds of people, past collar and cuffs, those twin lines of clothed demarcation that even now
14_ONLY SKIN DEEP
SAVAGE_15
Fitted and comfy. Nudie Jeans Tight: $200.00
Skateboard decks make very beautiful collector’s items. There are many skate deck brands and styles to choose from.
Ride with your supplies. Men’s Floral Print Vance Vity Backpack: $90.00
Keep your head warm. HYPE Mustard beanie: $18.00 For styling riding. ASOS Plimsolls: $26.00 06_QUICK GUIDE
72 / SAVAGE
SAVAGE_07
/ 73
AMNESTY Posters that work together for human rights GENRE: Custom Type & Poster Design
INSTRUCTORS: Sean Bacon & Candice L贸pez
The vision of Amnesty International is that every person should enjoy all the rights in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as other international human rights standards. The organization is independent of governments, economic or religious interests and politics it is funded by membership and public donations. With more than 3 million supporters and activists in over 150 countries they work tirelessly to end human rights abuses. The group is currently re-organizing their efforts to create regional hubs of research that will distribute communications and research. The core message of the group is the big idea that people are most powerful when they stand
74 /
together for human rights. These combined efforts work to defend the freedom of expression, abolish the death penalty, demand justice from crimes against humanity, protect the rights of women and demand corporate responsibility. To this end I designed two typographically based posters to reinforce the goals of the organization on a local, national and global level. I selected two powerful quotes, one from a leader of the Mexican revolution, Emiliano Zapata and the other from Filipino diplomat, journalist and author Carlos Romulo. I drew and painted the quotes in a calligraphic arrangement and filled the text with illustrative portraits that spoke to the overall cause.
/ 75
76 / AMNESTY
/ 77
78 / CRFTY
CRFTY
Sewing kit for the modern woman who appreciates the past GENRE: Custom Type, Branding & Packaging
My passion for blending old and new ideas resulted in Crfty, a small, artisan sewing kit. Filled with an assortment of useful supplies, this kit is both collectable and handy for emergency sewing needs. Complete with scissors for cutting fabric, an assortment of thread, needles, buttons and pincushion it fits conveniently into a purse or desk. Ideally for a stylish, organized women aged 25-40 determined to be prepared for a lost button in the middle of a workday. I chose a palette of rich black and gold to give the kit an elegant, retro feel. I’ve built a large collection of
INSTRUCTOR: Sean Bacon
vintage type specimens from used bookstores and thrift shops and put those inspirations to great use for this project. Drawing from these classic old letterforms I challenged myself to incorporate bits and pieces of their DNA into the production of a modern product. This typographic blend drove the concept. Typographic forms referencing the artful shapes of the included tools were carefully hand drawn. Each letterform was designed to speak with a vintage, classical voice that could bring a touch of whimsy and enjoyment to the simple act of threading a needle.
/ 79
80 /
/ 81
82 / CRFTY
/ 83
84 / CRFTY
/ 85
86 / CRFTY
/ 87
88 / CRFTY
/ 89
FOREVER GRATEFUL The journey doesn’t ever really stop, but this page does conclude a certain segment of this story. I could not have asked for a better cast of characters to cross paths with and to be influenced by.
thank you E D U CATOR S Sean Bacon for conceiving such a masterful plan for my portfolio, and being so dedicated and determined that I do well. Lisa Starace for being such a great person and instructor. Candice López for your passion and graceful running of the show. Robert Bringhurst for your constant reassurance. George Bickham for making me see that the old has value.
PEERS All the ones I’ve had a laugh with, looking forward to a lot more.
COLOPHON DESIGNER Etah Chen 619 757 7310 etahchen@gmail.com BINDERY ClearStory 8320 Miramar Mall San Diego, CA 92121 888.907.5611 PRINTER ClearStory 8320 Miramar Mall San Diego, CA 92121 888.907.5611 PHOTOGRAPHY Adrienne Armstrong & Sean Bacon TYPEFACE Austin, Walbaum Pro & Titling Gothic SOFTWARE Adobe CS5
Š 2013 All rights reserved. No portion
of this publication may be used or reproduced without written permission from Etah Chen.