retro/new
Lo-Fi Lettering · Personality in Package Design · Long Live Vinyl SPRING 2016 · VOLUME 7
the bl CONTENTS
magazi The Bleed 2016: Retro/New Creating Creatures 10 Design Tools We Love Lo-fi Lettering Emojis Retro Revival Seb Lester Is Your Partner a Designer? Pantone Colors of the Year Sifting for Ideas Random Type & Design Facts City Glow Mid-century Modern Design Long Live the Vinyl Album The Purple Serif
3 5 9 11 16 17 21 22 23 25 27 29 37 41 45 49
spring 2 Colophon
1 / The Bleed
leed STAFF
ine Kim Boswell-Crooks Heather Bradburn
Co-Editors
André Casey
Prepress Manager
Nicole Gilson
Prepress Assistant
Brooklyn Seibold
Rachel Saxton
Emily Hallmark Victoria Koldewyn
Art Director Copy Chief Copy Editors
2016 Nicole Gilson John Hughes Dan Jorgenson Chris Sanchez Rachel Saxton
Photographers
Kim Boswell-Crooks Heather Bradburn Nicole Gilson Victoria Koldewyn
Illustrators
Kim Boswell-Crooks Heather Bradburn André Casey Phillip Colby Lauren Douffet Nicole Gilson Emily Hallmark John Hughes Rachel Saxton Brooklyn Seibold
Writers
Kate Becker
Contributor
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2016 2016 3 / The Bleed
retro/new
i F
or the majority of students enrolled in the Lane Community College Graphic Design program, Spring term is the busiest. It is infamous within the program for being slightly rigorous, packed with an overwhelming amount of projects, an end-of-term graduate show, and of course, graduation. In addition, Spring term includes publishing Lane’s annual graphic design magazine, The Bleed. The Bleed is a 100 percent student created publication. With six sterling editions in the archive, deciding on a direction and theme was no easy task. Multiple meetings, never-ending coffee, and group brainstorming sessions were part of the process for choosing a killer theme. The process proved a bit difficult as we worked to come up with an idea that had not already been done. In reality, this is just part of design. Everything has already been created and re-created. We as
designers must examine and evaluate those who came before us and innovatively stake our claim. Essentially, design can be like donuts—sweet and classic, but with time, stale. Well, challenge accepted. (As well as any donuts. Fresh or stale, they’re still delicious.) We at The Bleed channeled our inner “Mad Men” and dug deep into the archives of all graphic design. Many classic, modern, surreal, and breathtaking images were discovered in our research, as well as some weird stuff that we won’t even talk about. The staff then combined talents, tastes, passion, and interests to bring to you the best thing since fried dough and sprinkles. Without further ado, we present to you The Bleed: Retro vs. New. — The Bleed Staff
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Words & Design Emily Hallmark & Kate Becker Photography Dan Jorgenson & Nicole Gilson Artwork Terryl Whitlatch
I
magination International Incorporated is a company that provides the tools that allow artists to express their creativity and they are great at using alliteration. III distributes the wonders that are Copic markers. Imagine walking into a warehouse and seeing rows and rows of beautiful pens ready to be sent into the world to create anything you can dream up, whether it is an advertisement mockup or a creature from a different world. Thanks to our new friend John Santin, the company’s Youth Education & Sponsorship Coordinator, a group of staff members from The Bleed had the pleasure of touring the company at their location in Eugene, Oregon. The building spans 40,000 square feet with
colorful murals across each side. That spirit of art and creativity continues as you walk inside and see artists and multimedia professionals engaged in their projects. Not only were we lucky enough to see behind-the-scenes of the warehouse, witness a team of designers and the in-house photographer in action, and meet the president of the company John Darland, we also saw where Terryl Whitlatch works her magic. It was such an honor to be able to see the workstation of renown animal and creature designer Terryl Whitlatch, a resident artist at III. Her resume includes working with many studios such as Lucasfilm, Industrial Light & Magic, and Walt Disney Feature Animation. She has worked on many beloved films including “Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace,” “Brother Bear,” “Jumanji” 1 & 2, “Men in Black,” and “The Polar Express.” We were fascinated with the creature and character creation process and wanted to know more about this particular form of design so we spoke to Terryl about her career creating creatures.
helped create for Imagination International Inc., and is part of their [intellectual property] and franchise, Tales of Amalthea. Basically, Amalthea is a dangerous and wild planet inhabited by a huge variety of intelligent creatures, and there are all kinds of situations—predator and prey, war, peace, cities, villages, trade, art, culture, civilizations, you name it—but the planet is inhabited only by creatures— there are no humans on the world. This enables us to tell an incredible variety of stories, and all situations are possible, without needing to be politically correct. Animals are able to speak honestly when humans are unable to. That is why “Aesop’s Fables” are so enduring. We are currently working on the “Tales of Amalthea” graphic novel, which will incorporate augmented reality and cinematic elements, as well as an interactive coloring book.
Above: Terryl Whitlatch working on a project at in the Imagination International building (opposite page) which is located in Eugene.
The Bleed: In your words, what is creature design? Terryl Whitlatch: Creature design is the artistic portrayal of an actual or prehistoric (non-human) organism or an imaginary organism based on the former, in order to tell a visual story. TB: What led you to this career? How did you get started? TW: I have loved to draw real and prehistoric animals as long as I can imagine, and was determined (and still am) to understand and draw them as well as possible. My intent growing up was to become a paleontological reconstructionist, and I still do a good amount of this work. I majored in vertebrate zoology with a special interest in vertebrate paleontology, and had about a year and a half of art school. While I was still in art school, I was hired by LucasArts and ultimately Lucasfilm and Industrial Light and Magic because I could do real animals and understood their anatomy. If you understand real world animal anatomy, then doing imaginary creatures by comparison is relatively easy (they have no peers for comparison in nature), but a tiger will always tell you how incorrectly you drew it. Plus, most creature design actually involves real, rather than imaginary, animals. TB: How long have you been creating creatures? TW: I’ve been creating imaginary creatures of some sort or another as long as I can remember, but professionally, it’s been about 30 years. TB: Please explain to our readers what Creatures of Amalthea is. TW: Creatures of Amalthea is a free online course in creature design and animal anatomy that I
TB: What kind of involvement, if any, have you had with the web and/or book layout for Creatures of Amalthea? TW: As an illustrator and creator, I have a lot to do with the story and book and the basic design/layout aesthetic of the book/graphic novel and coloring book—however, the very talented graphic design department at Imagination International Inc. does the heavy lifting when actually creating the image files, as does the web design team when it comes to the actual working website. TB: What are some of the ways you tell a story or communicate information about a creature visually? TW: To communicate a story via creature design, one first needs to create a creature—that is, ‘cast’ a creature, that has the right physical and psychological attributes to fulfill its role in the story. For example, creatures that live in the polar regions and on ice floes will look and behave differently than creatures that live in the equatorial jungles. Creatures that build things will generally have some sort of paws or other organ that enable them to do so. TB: How do you design an iconic character or creature? What goes into making a design instantly recognizable? TW: I think about its role in the story first. I try to create a design that will let it easily enable it to perform the necessary tasks dictated by the story, and allow it to not only survive in its environment, but to thrive. And I think about audience appeal, of course. Is it endearing? Funny-looking? Noble? Beautiful? Simply odd? But, it has to be ‘odd’ or any of the former, for a reason, which is conducive to its survival. Unless it is an absurd universe, the audience will not accept a semi-tropical desert creature living happily on the tundra, unless there is a very good reason for this. Everything must work together so that the audience can suspend their level of disbelief,
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and lose themselves in the story. When all these factors are taken into consideration, only then can one design an iconic creature. Generally, for something to be instantly recognizable, we are looking at silhouette, which, combined with personality, bonds immediately with the audience and strikes a chord of recognition—it reminds them of something they have encountered before, at a seminal, even at a subconscious level. The fantastic new, yet somehow, familiar. And yes, there is nearly always a ‘face’ that we, as humans, can relate to. Pet rocks or abstract crystalline entities or beams of light generally don’t make enduring characters. TB: Do you create a name and backstory for every creature that you make? TW: Yes, most of the time, I automatically (and it’s nearly instantaneous) create a backstory for my imaginary creatures, but also for my real and prehistoric species. I never draw an animal in the abstract, even if the intent of the illustration is highly decorative or symbolic. TB: How much of your work is collaborations with other people? TW: Most of my work has been collaborative, unless I am drawing or painting for myself, or private commissions for a client or gallery (or to put up in my home). Even my book, “The Katurran Odyssey,” was a highly collaborative endeavor. TB: How do you personally deal with creative block or lack of inspiration? TW: To deal with artist’s block, I get out of my chair and take a walk, garden, play with my dog, ride a horse, go to the zoo, and let my brain recharge. No one can be 100 percent creative all the time—creativity takes a great deal of energy, and we are all finite human beings, and subject to many circumstances that occur both outside and inside ourselves. TB: Is one of your creations ever completely done and perfect in your mind? Do you have perfect and complete characters or are you always thinking of tweaks/ improvements? TW: No, I don’t think I’ve ever quite captured what I’ve visualized in my mind’s eye, although there are a very few artworks that have come close . . . I call it “chasing the unicorn.’’ We never can quite catch that marvelous, teasing filly. But, in chasing after her, we grow, and create things that we never would be able to, if we didn’t continue to persevere. That is serendipity. And yes, there are those tweaks and adjustments clamoring for attention all along the way. TB: Would you describe yourself as an artist who uses traditional hand-drawn methods or as one that works in the digital realm? Or do you practice a mix of both? TW: I am an artist that is primarily traditional, but ventures into digital to work in a ‘tradigital’ realm. While digital can speed certain processes up, the infusion of traditional preserves the life and individuality, and allows one to be master of the digital, and not its slave. Experience in traditional media allows you to force and manipulate digital media the way you want it, with far fewer limitations than knowing only digital.
TB: What material or technique took you the longest to master? TW: Hmmm . . . Photoshop! That is a process still going on, because there are a gazillion ways to do things in that program, and there are always new versions. I haven’t even tried Painter yet. But so far, acrylics are still acrylics and gesso is still gesso. Personally, I love acrylics, because they are very versatile, and forgiving. TB: Are there any exciting old-fashioned techniques that are coming back around? TW: I’m doing a bit of 2D animation again, and that is something I really want to master—it’s all about timing—locomotion combined with anatomy and personality. TB: Has the growing emphasis on digital art affected your career? And has there been pressure to switch over to the digital medium? TW: Well, in animation it is overwhelmingly 3D in North America, but there are interesting things happening in 2D animation in Europe, and also 2D/3D hybrids which are very exciting. But, you just can’t beat a plain old pencil for getting down ideas the quickest and in the most satisfying, tangible form. I don’t know a single colleague of mine who would say otherwise. Personally, there has been some pressure (mostly self-pressure) to switch over, but not all that much and certainly not completely, to digital media. It’s really all about getting the job done in the time required. Doing 75/25 traditional-digital has served me well. If the lights go out, one is out of luck. TB: Do you believe there are advantages to using traditional art forms such as sketching or coloring by hand?
TW: Indeed—I use traditional techniques hand-in-hand with digital everyday. As I’ve said, the traditional elements preserve the life and make the resulting art hands-on and personal, and the audience relates to that. TB: Any disadvantages? TW: Other than possible time constraints, for example, working in digital layers for quick changes and/or options (such as in game design with short deadlines, and one needs to show a variety of fur patterns and textures for a character), I can’t see that many disadvantages. TB: Is there a difference between designing a creature for practical effects versus computer generated images? If so, could you give us an example? TW: Yes and no—mostly, it is the same. The exception in the practical realm one is by necessity dealing with real volume and weight and physics—is the design possible in the real world? Or is it mechanically impossible or unwieldy? In the digital world, you don’t need to worry about your creation falling over or on top of you! You can cheat gravity a little. But in both cases, you are doing your best to create the illusion of reality. TB: Any advice for those interested in the field? TW: The most important thing for anyone who desires to be a creature designer is this— you must love to draw real animals most of all, not imaginary creatures. It is the real animals (including the human animal) that teach you how to draw and give you the wings to create imaginary species. They are the foundation and the rock of creature design. Anything else, or bypassing this, is chasing the wind.
We wanted to know more about the process behind creating the Creatures of Amalthea web page. John Statin got us in touch with Cheyenne Thayer, the Web user interface and user experience designer and project coordinator at Imagination International. TB: Who was involved with the design of the web pages featuring Creatures of Amalthea? Cheyenne Thayer: My coworker Jeremy and I have worked on the web pages. Indirectly, the original creator of the Tales of Amalthea website and the previous web developer of current III website. John also helped us out by giving us feedback and writing some copy I believe. The original Tales of Amalthea website was created by a designer who worked for III long before I joined the team. It was hosted on its own domain with a completely different look than it has right now. [Tales of Amalthea] went through a branding change and was renamed to Creatures of Amalthea. The current III website was designed by a previous web developer. I joined the team in 2014 and was asked to build Creatures of Amalthea on the existing III website platform. I had the help of another web designer (Jeremy) who is currently a member of our technology department, who helped tremendously. TB: How did that process work? CT: I was primarily responsible for making all of the design decisions. I started by stripping away all of the really loud, bold colors from the [Tales of Amalthea] website because the III website is very minimal and has a white background. I found a modern but similar font (Museo Slab) to what was being used on Tales on Adobe Typekit and installed that on the Creatures of Amalthea website to update the look. Fonts can seriously make or break the look of a website. It’s best when you don’t notice them because that means it’s fitting in and you’ve done your job well. I added some of the [Tales of Amalthea] colors back in as accent colors so they didn’t overpower the overall design. We use the gold and dark gray colors throughout the Creatures of Amalthea landing page. Whenever I design something new, it goes through a series of reviews and revisions. I started with illustrator mock-ups, showed them to my art director, made adjustments, and then moved forward to web. TB: Was there anything that was particularly unique or challenging about that project? CT: I started the Creatures of Amalthea project knowing that I needed to somehow blend the look and feel created by the Tales of Amalthea designer and our III web developer. It was a challenge at first because the look of the III website at that time and the Tales of Amalthea site couldn’t be more different. I was also on a pretty tight deadline. I overcame the clashing designs obstacle by keeping elements that worked and changing elements that didn’t. If you are interested in learning more about the Creatures of Amalthea free online course, make sure to visit their website at imaginationinternationalinc.com/ creatures-of-amalthea/
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X-Acto Gripster: When detail is the focus, X-Acto Gripster is the perfect tool to maintain comfort, style, and precision. (Staples, $5)
Sharpie Fine Point Pen: The fine point is great for thumbnailing or adding detail to illustrations. Since the ink doesn’t bleed, it’s perfect for writing in planners, and the assortment of colors makes organizing assignments a breeze. (Target, $7 per 5 pack)
Wireless Mouse: This Microsoft Wireless Mouse allows for work in whatever space inspires you since the track light can handle almost any surface.
Design Heather Bradburn
(Staples, $15)
ban.do Agenda: The perfect size for everyday use, these planners keep your hectic life under control. Not to mention, they are adorable. (bando.com, $20)
Viso Energy: Packed with vitamins and electrolytes, Viso provides a steady energy so that you can complete those last minute projects. (Target, $3)
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Bem Speaker: Small enough to go anywhere, yet powerful enough for the most intense design sessions. The clean, geometric design in an array of colors is the perfect tool for a flawless wireless experience. (Best Buy, $40)
Starbucks Sumatra Blend: An earthy spin on an old favorite, this dark, delicious blend keeps you energized way into the wee hours of the morning.
images: 1. xacto.com, 2. sharpie.com, 3. compass.microsoft.com, 4. bando.com, 5. viso.com, 6. amazon.com, 7. starbucks.com, 8. stampington.com, 9. redbull.com, 10. molskine.com
(Target, $8)
Faber-Castell Pens: Rich, fade-resistant, permanent pigment and the quality of line make this pen perfect for doodling, sketching thumbnails, and turning out finished illustrations. (Barnes & Noble, $25)
Leuchtturm Notebook: Redbull: When all else fails and deadlines loom, crack open a tropical spin on a classic experience.
You’ll never know how to spell or pronounce it, but these notebooks will change your note game. Using dots instead of lines, they offer precision that others cannot. (Amazon, $17)
(Target, $3)
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Lo-fi Lettering Words & Design André Casey
Artwork Joseph Alessio
Joseph Alessio on his life, his craft, and the trend that has captivated the Internet
S
avor the image of books on a white linen cloth, carefully arranged. Some have their spines facing upward with a few badges marking the contents, while others show their curved, white pages sparkling with text. A coarse brush is dipped in a bucket of white paint. Large, white letters begin to appear on the surface of the books in sweeping strokes. They form a phrase that reads as both advice and a command: “Write a New Chapter.” When you think of what a typographic illustrator does, painting on books is not the first thing that comes to mind. Yet that is precisely the type of creative approach to lettering utilized by Joseph Alessio, a Denver-based illustrator and animator. Creating the extraordinary from the ordinary is a specialty of Alessio’s, who has an affinity for analog methods. “I really like working with my hands to begin with, even if something is intended to end as a vector logo,” Alessio said in an interview. This enjoyment likely stems from his musical background. Growing up in a large family of seven kids across a broad age-range, his parents chose music as the activity to bring them all together. All of them play string instruments and are multi-instrumental, with Alessio’s unofficial instrument count at seven. “There’s something about music in particular that’s very personal. And if you play music with people, you
"Write a New Chapter" was created in Jan. 2015 in an effort to visualize Alessio's goals.
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Alessio’s lettering appears on unsual objects, including The Wooden Boombox and a violin. Both were limited releases.
(top opposite page) Much of Alessio’s work is created for and shared on Instagram and other social platforms.
really foster a healthy relationship with them,” Alessio said. “That was really valuable. Just getting along with brothers and sisters, you know.” Alessio often creates illustrations that involve some musical influence, including lettering a quote about music being the “soul to the universe” on a violin in a decorative, script-inspired style. All of that time spent learning music with his family has taught him valuable skills that carry over into his career as a lettering artist. “The principles of practice have helped a lot,” Alessio said. “Just the hours spent honing things ... translates very well to something like lettering where it’s also very tedious and you want to invest in the minutiae.” Having worked professionally as a designer and illustrator for four years, he has benefited greatly from the recent popular interest in hand lettering. Search trends for hand lettering have increased 85 percent since 2011, according to Google Trends, and Alessio has been riding the wave. It may have even strongly influenced the trajectory of his entire career. “I probably would not have seen the possibilities with the more illustrative approach to lettering,” Alessio said regarding the cultural phenomena. “But the great thing about it is that
when you think about design history, lettering has always been there whether it’s a trending topic or not.” Art and illustration is nothing new to Alessio, who’s been drawing since he was a small child. One of his earliest memories involved drawing a picture for his mother with crayons, and bringing it to her while she was cooking. “I set it up on the stove over my head and started a little fire there,” Alessio said. “My piece of art was ruined, but thankfully the house did not burn down.” Despite a strong illustrative bent, he believed at first that web design was the best practical application of his art and design skills. He worked for a while as a web designer at a small agency, but described the work as “soul sucking.” Continuing to explore his passions, he transitioned into a career of illustrated typography and design. “I didn’t realize that you could actually build a career out of it,” Alessio said. “Being self-taught I didn’t really get a lot of career information. I don’t think even people who go to school get enough information about building a career. Everybody kind of figures it out as they go.” He has not always been comfortable with that uncertainty. There are often aspects of creative careers that develop in unexpected ways or through mere happenstance. Being a
When you think about design history, lettering has always been there whether it’s a trending topic or not.
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bit of a perfectionist, Alessio craved order. He wanted to know where his life was headed, and to be able to predict where he would end up. He wanted to know the destination. This inner struggle led Alessio to create one of the first typographic posters that he shared publicly. It incorporated the following phrase: “Choose your road with care but always choose a destination first.” This idea of having the end in mind is something made popular by Stephen Covey in his book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” Covey’s theory was that you needed to visualize where you want to go, and then make a plan to get there. You can see how tantalizing this prospect would be for a pedantic creative. “I was actually kind of crippling myself with that mindset at one point,” Alessio said, describing how he learned the way he tends to operate over time. “I’ve accepted … that there is a lack of control in everyone’s life and you have to be cool with that, and be able to grow along the way without having everything figured out.” Accepting that uncertainty can be hard. Add on depression and anxiety and it gets harder. Alessio’s personal struggle with depression led him to create a particularly symbolic piece. “When I made ‘Write A New Chapter’, I wasn’t in a very healthy place,” Alessio said. He created the piece around the 2015 New Year, in an effort to overcome negative influences and invest more in himself. “The old books with the pages torn out and the large type brushed over the already existing story felt like a powerful metaphor to me as I set about these goals.” The career he’s built since includes an array of notable clients including the FYI Television Network, Target, and Walt Disney World. Alessio’s work has been moving more
towards animation, in the form of highly shareable GIFs. Yet, even in a digital medium, he hangs on to his analog roots. “I have a very lo-fi process,” Alessio said, relating his process to that of a scrappy and resourceful member of a garage rock band. “You use what you have at hand. For me it was just take pictures and stick them together in Photoshop.” Even when Alessio is playing with animation, he is first and foremost focusing on the craft of lettering, which is quite different than simply typing out the phrase on a computer. A key distinction between lettering, calligraphy, and typeface design is in how it is created. Calligraphy involves letters that are created in a few strokes using a specific tool, such as a broad nib pen or a brush. The calligrapher uses a ductus, or sequence of steps, to create a specific style of writing. Type design, on the other hand, involves
creating a font, which is a set of interchangeable letters that are meant to work together as a system. Originally, letters were carved into wood or metal, while today they are digitized using vector tools. Every letter in the font is exactly the same, which allows the typesetter—nowadays, anyone with a computer—to recombine them in any order and have them still be functional and appealing. Lettering is an entirely different animal. It involves drawing each letter, often building up the shape of the letterform using many strokes. The craft of lettering often deviates from the everyday appearance of letters, taking on elements that are more illustrative. Phrases or words take on a whole new graphic form. Letters begin to swirl and curve, or take the shape of objects. Alessio often uses real life objects to create his typographic illustrations, everything from snow to literal nuts and bolts.
Interest in Hand-Lettering Over Time based on search data from Google
100
50
0 2006
2011
2016
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Cutting letterforms into a book freehand demonstrates Alessio's obsession with books and analog methods.
“My aptitude is more towards constructing the forms than writing them,” Alessio said. “Of course keeping the written tradition in mind while doing so.” Alessio’s first experience with lettering involved a calligraphy book his brother had when he was little. Being left-handed, it was harder to learn how to hold and manipulate the pen to create the letters, so he just traced them. “I thought I was doing calligraphy wrong,” Alessio said. “I didn’t realize this was a thing called lettering, where we draw the forms and construct them rather than writing them.” Through carefully studying traditional writing styles and other lettering artists—not to mention lots and lots of practice—Alessio has developed a keen eye for creating letterforms. “You kind of begin to understand how the curves flow, both from the hand and just the way that the eye perceives them,” Alessio said. Throngs of new letterers have jumped on the bandwagon of the hand lettering trend, but to truly succeed with illustrated typography— or anything for that matter—one needs to be passionate about the pursuit. This passion is what will separate the true craftspeople from
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the rest when the trend shifts back towards modernism, Alessio says. One example of this shift in design history is with Jan Tschichold, a German typographer who pioneered modernist typographic design during WWII. Tschichold was the son of a sign painter and trained as a calligrapher, but eventually veered towards the stark aesthetic of Swiss design. Later in life, he swung towards more ornate designs influenced by the human hand in reaction to the militaristic harshness and modernist style adopted by the Nazi regime. Tschichold’s reaction, while unique in circumstance, is not unique when looking at the culture at large. The pendulum of aesthetic style often shifts sides as a reaction to what came before. “I feel like we’re kind of on the cusp of giving up on the whole handmade, vintage aspect—because there is just so much of it—and
going back to a much more modernist sensibility,” Alessio said. “I’m almost looking forward to the trend kind of settling down a little. Let the dust settle, you know. “People will stop doing it just to do it, and the people that are really interested in it, because they love it, will stand out more.” Looking to the future, Alessio is planning to branch out and try some new approaches to lettering, including public art projects. “People look at [the work] in a different light if it’s on a large scale, or if it’s in a different medium,” Alessio said. Even if Alessio’s prediction comes true, he isn’t worried about lettering becoming unnecessary. “[Lettering] will always be necessary because people always read. People always want to see words,” Alessio said. “It’s just we have to figure out how to continue to make it relevant.”
I feel like we’re kind of on the cusp of giving up on the whole handmade, vintage aspect.
EMOJIS Originated in Japan
1997
first emojis appeared
Lack of emojis nearly sank the Japanese launch of the iPhone.
3
Design Heather Bradburn
with the “Tears of Joy” Emoji as the 2015 “word” of the year
45% of emoji messages use happy images
Smartphone users will soon be able to use emojis for passwords. There is a full emoji translation of Moby-Dick available.
Retro
Design in Branding & Packaging
Revival
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(left to right): Coldfire tap handle by Drawn Design, Yogi Tea by Revolution Design Group, Oakshire and Seafare Pacific branding by Drawn Design.
V
Words & Design John Hughes Photography Chris Sanchez & John Hughes
intage or retro styles have become increasingly popular. Retro refers to new things that display characteristics of the past. Retro is short for retrospective which means looking back, referring to the time period of the ‘40s, ‘50s, or ‘60s. From the return of vinyl records to that new pompadour haircut you want so badly, retro has become ubiquitous. The design world is also no stranger to this trend; in fact, it has fully embraced it in some cases. Major brands are taking the lead in order to stay ahead of this movement. Many established companies are revisiting their past, and new businesses are jumping on the bandwagon as well. You can see the effects in the likes of Coca-Cola, Budweiser, The Gap, Uncle Ben’s, and Kraft. Extensive redesigns have taken place in an effort to revisit the past and keep up with this trend. This nod to the past elicits a nostalgic feeling in people while reinforcing and strengthening brand recognition. Whether it is a passing phase or something greater, one thing’s for sure: throwback design sells. People love feeling nostalgic and companies know it. Some characteristics that make up retro design
style include old-fashioned styling techniques with ornate detail, or prints with a handmade look. Designers are not simply reviving styles from the past, they’re also giving them a modern twist. With the prevalence of digital technologies, manual techniques such as calligraphy, letterpress, and foiling are in danger of becoming obsolete. These techniques, however, show a sort of care and attention to detail that digital could never achieve. This is why the retro design trend is sought after and continues to grow year by year. To better understand why this trend is so popular, we must first look at a bit of the history of package
“It’s more about evoking their personality than it is about doing something trendy.” design. Whether you realize it or not, package design has a major influence on your daily life and is one of the strongest forms of marketing out there. It’s become so ingrained in society that we seem to take it for granted as if it has always been a part of life. This is far from the
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truth, as packaging design is a fairly new concept that’s evolved from advances in industry and consumerism. The Industrial Revolution was the driving force of package design on a broad scale. With the huge increase of mass produced goods, the need for companies to differentiate themselves from others was more important than ever. In order to make sure major manufacturers’ products stood out they turned to creating flashy, eye-catching designs. This pushed companies to establish an identity for themselves in an increasingly crowded market. Thus branding was born. In the beginning, the use of packaging and package design was almost exclusively reserved for specialty and luxury items because of the expense. Later on, the process became more refined and costs fell. The introduction of lithography printing in 1798 was a huge milestone in the production process. Lithography is a method of printing from a flat surface such as stone that has been prepared so that the ink will stick only to the design that will be printed. This enabled illustrations to be printed on labels, boxes, and tins for less. Out of these innovations came some of the most powerful and effective designs. It opened up a whole new world of design. In 1866 Dr. Lyon’s Tooth Powder became one of the first companies to print their label directly on a metal container. In 1886 John Pemberton founded the Coca-Cola Company which was one of the first companies to establish mass brand development. Package design has come a long way since its introduction. Its purpose goes far beyond that of enabling the safe transportation and containment of the product. The design tells a story of the company, their values, beliefs, and promises. This is also the first tactile experience that a customer has with the brand. In an effort to understand how design firms are using retro styling in their designs, I paid a visit to Drawn Design and Revolution Design Group in Eugene, Oregon to see what they had to say. Drawn Design is known for its branding of King Estate Winery, Tap and Growler, Northwest Community Credit Union, and Sea Fare Pacific. Revolution Design Group is known for designing packaging for Yogi Tea, Sweet Home Farm granola, Anthem beer and cider, and Attune Foods. Bryan Taylor of Drawn Design made it clear that he was less interested in following trends and more interested in designing for a company’s values, stating, “The whole idea is more about fitting the personality of who you’re trying to reach and less about being something that’s trendy.” From Revolution Design Group, I spoke with Jennifer Revoal who commented, “[Retro design
“Sometimes [retro design] works ... there are certain products where that’s going to sell.”
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is] super trendy ... I kind of joke that people are really big into creating aspirational brands, which is kind of creating branding that may not match whatever their product or service is but it’s something that they would like it to be.” Occasionally a client will ask Revoal for a specific retro style. She does take this request into account, but only if she thinks it fits with the company’s values. Taylor agrees. “If retro fits their personality, then we’ll go down that road.” In order to create the strongest work, it’s important to design for a client’s core values and not follow trends. Revoal is open to hearing her clients out if the retro look is what they really want. “I’m really a fan of playing to the strengths for whatever the product is... particularly in food and beverage. Sometimes the history behind the product calls for this style. Sometimes [retro design] works...there are certain products where that’s going to sell.” Revolution Design was in charge of rebranding packaging for the Idaho Candy Company, the maker of the Idaho Spud and Old Faithful candies. This is a great example of an authentic vintage throwback brand with history. The Idaho Spud has deep history, not only within the company but with customers as well. They needed a rebrand in order to modernize their look but also carry the original vibe. “If you have an authentic brand, something that has a great story and history, you can evolve it and update it,” said Revoal. “It’s been a really fun opportunity...we actually went and toured their candy company last summer.” What they ultimately came up with was updated packaging that offered the familiarity of the original brand. Every year, there are trends that make their way through the design world that are driven by the customer. According to Revoal, “There are definitely certain trends that you see...organic and all natural are really big right now. We’ve seen an uptake in using craft materials and recycled stuff, making it look rustic, going with the matte look on some of the printing finishes, and illustration has been really big.” Being true to the client is one of the most important aspects of Taylor’s philosophy. “We go for authenticity and hang everything on that. That requires a lot of discipline and not everyone is comfortable with that.” It is Images from left to right: Drawn Design’s branding of Living River Film Festival, Fifth Street Public Market, and Oakshire Reserve.
imperative for package design to embody the company’s core values and brand. If a brand is not built on a solid foundation, no amount of design can help. His firm’s tag line explains this perfectly: “We are a group of thinking creatives committed to branding authentic experiences by understanding people, aligning cultures, and designing meaningful connections to which people feel drawn.” It is only when a complete profile of the company is established that design work can begin. An example of when Taylor thought a retro design would be appropriate can be seen in his branding of Coldfire Brewing. For this project, he wanted to create an Old World feeling for the whole brewery, paying homage to the advent of brewing 200,000 years ago. For example, when designing the tap handles, he used natural materials like raw wood and metal. Referring to the metal used on the tap handles, he says, “We could have cut these with a laser and everything would’ve been perfect and shiny but instead we cast them by hand so the metal part is actually just this single piece and then we added these wood elements to the stem.” Throwback design will most likely continue to cycle in trend. People love innovation but are nostalgic by nature. That said, one thing is for sure: methods like these prove that trend or not, vintage design has made its mark on the current design world in a big way.
“If you have an authentic brand, something that has a great story and history, you can evolve it and update it.”
Seb Lester
BRING
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ou’re scrolling through the Explore feed on Instagram. Amidst a sea of picturesque shots of brunch and landscapes, one post catches your eye. In beautiful penmanship, someone has written “I’m the plus size Justin Bieber of Calligraphy.” This brand of humor is only part of the reason Seb Lester’s online followers have soared into the millions in recent months. Utilizing classic calligraphy tools, he regularly posts eye candy in the form of short time lapse videos and snapshots, both showcasing his stunning skills. Though
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difficult to pinpoint the exact beginning of his swift and steady rise, Lester seemingly became most well-known amongst the Instagram community when he began replicating iconic logos by hand with near machinelike precision. Browsing the comments below such videos (or any calligraphy videos that he’s showcased, for that matter), you’ll find that almost half are users commenting on the satisfying and almost therapeutic quality of Lester’s strokes; the other half are tagging their friends to share in the wonderment that happens while watching ink glide across the page to create a work of art.
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Regardless of what he’s scrawling, Seb Lester has done something wonderful through his artistry—he’s brought individuals from many different backgrounds and walks of life together to experience something beautiful. With the rise of social media, we can do so in the palms of our hands with one press of a button. Moreover, Lester has proven through his postings that traditional methods in design are not only alive and well, but that they’re better than ever.
Sometimes it can be hard to discern. Luckily, we’ve created this handy flowchart to help you find answers.
Does your partner cringe and comment on the kerning and leading used for inspirational quote graphics shared online?
Yes! When will they learn to disregard the type and #livelaughlove!?
The what? What’s a kerning?
They’ve been on their laptop for hours... you look over and they’re:
Checking out BuzzFeed or IMing with a friend.
Meticulously tapping arrow keys, moving elements point by point in InDesign.
Do they have a poster of Milton Glaser hanging above their bed?
Yes, and I’ve told them that it’s creepy several times
Are they adamant about naming your firstborn child Helvetica?
Yes, but I draw the line at Garamond Pro as a middle name.
Like the font?
Love it or leave it, but hey, things will never be dull, and they will never be typed in Comic Sans.
Um... who?
How many Mad Men references do they make on a weekly basis?
15-20
Wasn’t that canceled?
You're safe for now, but seek help if they ever start waxing poetic about the beauty of the ampersand.
Words Rachel Saxton Design Heather Bradburn
SIFTING
FOR IDEAS A journey to find inspiration and unlikely baked goods Words & Design Brooklyn Seibold Images Holly Fox
B
eing a designer requires a delicate balance between finding inspiration and cranking out as much work in a short period of time as inhumanly possible. It’s important to practice your skills often, but sometimes you have deadlines that keep you busier than you’d like. And sometimes it’s hard to feel connected to your work when you’ve been staring at the same font pairings for five hours trying to decide which has a better shtick. This predicament can leave a designer feeling frustrated and pedestrian. When I found myself grasping at straws and crying more often than usual, I decided to find another outlet to express my creativity and keep the juices flowing. Like any good designer,
I turned to social media for inspiration. I stumbled upon a snapshot, displaying perfect rows of Pantone color swatches. It wasn’t until I double tapped the screen to like the photo and began to scroll past it that I noticed they weren’t just Pantone swatches—they were Pantone swatch cookies! I immediately read the caption o f the photo and my mind exploded. After scanning over the photo’s original page, I learned that the baker was Holly Fox—a full-time graphic designer who mixes icing colors and creates beautiful cookies on nights and weekends. Her profile featured an array of colorful baked goods in every shape imaginable. I was enlivened by the idea that my knowledge and talents could apply to edible canvases. This was revolutionary and I had to try it myself. Instead of Googling Photoshop tutorials, I was reading tips on Royal Icing consistency and the perfect cut-out cookie dough. With recipes bookmarked and podcasts blaring, I set out to create my first batch of Holly Fox inspired cookies. I remember that night like it was only four months ago—because it was. I discovered the icing color build for the 2016 Pantone Colors of the Year, Serenity and Rose Quartz, and knew that as a graphic designer I had to incorporate these colors into my baking debut. In theory, the Pantone swatches seemed easy enough to handle. Cut out rectangles, mix the icing colors and draw some boxes on the cookie. First time on the horse, go big or go home, right? Wrong. What a poor, inexperienced, over-confident creative I was. Cookies are hard. Icing is finicky. CMD+Z does not exist in the baking world. My first attempt at cookie design wasn’t exactly what you’d call “successful.” After 12 hours, icing that would normally be dry to the touch was similar to marshmallow crème. Disappointed and discouraged, I turned to Google for answers. Scrolling through forum posts, I read comments and desperate pleas for explanations such as “Why is my Royal Icing still not dry?” “Whipped-looking icing
doesn’t dry” and “Icing has air bubbles and feels spongy.” I found my answer. I overmixed my icing. In the baking world, overmixing is equivalent to accidentally wiping your flash drive clean. Despite the delicious taste of my cookies, the icing could not be saved and had signed a DNR. I took a major hit right in the ego. Who was I to think that I could create magnificent, jaw-dropping works of edible art on my first try? I’d never held a piping bag let alone mastered the various components of cookie making! But, as an aspiring designer, I had high expectations for my work and abilities, even in unfamiliar territory. This batch didn’t turn out to my liking, but with practice and determination I was sure to get better. And that’s exactly what happened. I’ve only made a dozen batches of cookies since January between school, work, and life (notice sleep was not part of the equation). With each batch I feel more confident in my skills. When my sister got a new job, I jumped on the opportunity to congratulate her with homemade cookies. This time around the icing was a little stiff for outlining, the colors were too contrasty, and I definitely over decorated a few. Despite my
CMD-Z DOES NOT EXIST IN THE BAKING WORLD critique, the photo I posted online received attention and admiration. My sister was tickled to receive her surprise goodies. When I bake, I am doing something out of the norm and using my hands for something other than holding a stylus. I may see the fault in my designs, but people appreciate them because, let’s be real—cookies are delicious. It doesn’t hurt if they look pretty, either. My cookies fill bellies and hearts while emptying my mind of gestalt and grids. I build color palettes and explore patterns, styles, and techniques. I may spend seven to eight hours from mixing ingredients to finishing touches, but then those babies are done! I’ve fleshed out an idea that
Holly's Instagram and Etsy store (@hol_fox) are filled with gorgeously decorated sugar cookies
I had in a handful of hours from start to finish. That said, if you spend all that time on these cookies and something horrendous happens in the process, feel free to cry or throw something (maybe not a rolling pin… or your Kitchenaid). In every creative field, failure and mistakes occur. The universe knows no bounds! Don’t lose hope. And if you do, take up underwater basket weaving or LARPing. I hear LARPing is coming back. If all else fails you could explore the vast abyss of the Internet. Maybe you’ll stumble upon really beautiful creations that inspire the heck out of you, discover a wonderful and new way to get your mind off of the drills and projects, and just create something you’re proud of. That’s what I did. And I have those Pantone swatches to thank for that.
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PANTONE 13-1520 Rose Quartz 25 / The Bleed
PANTONE 15-3919 Serenity
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Words & Design Nicole Gilson Illustrations Victoria Koldewyn & Nicole Gilson
Two schools of thought: Were serifs first drawn by scribes as a result of the calligraphic pen cleanly starting and ending the flow of ink, or were serifs caused by the chisel cleanly starting and ending the form in the stone?
When naming his typeface Georgia, Matthew Carter referenced a tabloid’s headline: “Alien Heads Found in Georgia.”
A new word for something so simple and yet so hideous! keming is the result of bad kerning!
Upon the plaque left on the moon by the astronauts of Apollo 11, you’ll see the typeface Futura.
Stanley Morison once claimed that the British newspaper The Times used a poorly designed typeface. He was asked to put his money where his mouth was, and ultimately created the famous typeface, Times New Roman.
Never meant to be used as a standard typeface, Comic Sans was created for a character named Bob the Dog in a children’s game created by Microsoft.
@
In 1536 Francesco Lapi, a Florentine merchant, used the @ symbol to denote units of wine called amphorae. As with the &, a scribe’s work has brought the world the @ symbol. Either the Latin ‘ad’ or the French ‘at’, scribes combined the letters and swirled the top of the d or t around.
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We’re wired to remember better with color. Researchers found that we remember more detail when color is used instead of black and white.
Chromophobia is the irrational fear of colors. It usually correlates to a traumatic event that occurred near or in a room painted with the color or colors.
In attempt to make ‘?!’ look more appealing, Martin Speckter created the interrobang by combining them.
The Hulk was originally portrayed in gray tones to avoid being associated with a specific race. But alas, the gray value could not be maintained from page to page and so was changed to green because the hue was easier to control.
H 2
The world’s smallest book, a 22 page Japanese picture book of flowers, measures 0.0291” x 0.0295”.
It took a whopping 4 years to create the New York City Transit Authority’s graphic standards manual.
Helvetica did not become the official typeface of the NYCTA until a decade AFTER the graphic standards were completed.
Chef Homaro Cantu of Moto Restaurant in Chicago, called a “mad scientist” by customers, printed his $240 sushi entrees using a Canon i560 inkjet printer with edible ink.
The Latin ‘et’ was its own glyph for ‘and’. Early recitings of ABCs ended in ‘and-per-se-and’ meaning ‘and by itself and’, slowly becoming ampersand. The Bleed / 28
y t i C N
Words & Design Kim Crooks Photography Rachel Saxton & Nicole Gilson
eon lights create an undeniable ambiance in our world. There is something comforting and nostalgic about the glow emitted by neon signs. The soft light and bright colors bounce off of their surroundings, bathing sidewalks and buildings in rich pigments. Personal memories and feelings are evoked while in the presence of a neon sign. Perhaps the blur of oranges, reds, and blues hint at an era of all things radical and awesome. Blinding pops of color and movement define both the vintage and modern world of gambling on the historic Las Vegas Strip. They remind us of exploring unknown cities that are alive with shimmering beacons for unknown clubs, bars, and businesses. Get out and explore the alluring neon glow of your own town.
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the influence of mid-century modern design Words & Design  Lauren Douffet
T
he past is alive in design. There is proof that can be seen in the compositions of designers all across the globe. One of the past design movements, mid-century modern design, is still present in all things from furniture design to graphic illustration. The main visual cues of mid-century modern design include geometric forms, bold colors, balanced negative space, and a “less is more” mentality. The famous Finnish industrial designer and architect Eero Saarinen’s tulip chair design is an outstanding example of the idea that “less is more.” Curvature instead of an angular construction of chairs is another example of modern design, which includes all shapes in variation as opposed to sticking to one predominant shape. Boldness of color is also a strong modern design style asset.
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mid-century modern design will never die
Mid-century design is also known as modern design because it portrays the modernization of design in the mid 20th century. This evolution was shown in the form of interior, architecture, graphic, and product design. The exact time frame of this production fell between the years 1932 and 1965. It is not coincidence that this time frame was in serious need of propaganda and advertising because of the international hard times of war. In advertisement and propaganda designs of the mid-century, lithographic printmaking came into full effect. Lithographic printing technology caused printed design of the time to change drastically. Most of the designs of the mid-century had gone out of fashion by the late ‘60s, but in the early to mid ‘80s, interest in the period began to return. Within a decade, modern
designs were increasingly popular, and the change of newly available material and technology boosted mid-century modern's appeal from a niche group of design enthusiasts into mainstream design. Today, modern design is still seen in very many design trends. Designers around the world still represent modern design sensibilities in their architecture, products, furniture, and graphic illustrations, proving that good design never fades. Spain is home to mid-century modern influenced designer Manuel Barrera. His work is deeply influenced by the mid-century modern furniture design of Arthur Umanoff. Barrera has always enjoyed furniture design but didn’t start designing and building his own furniture until a few years ago, when he moved to a new house with his family. They had a hard time finding furniture that they
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RETRO DESIGN INFLUENCE
Mid-century oak ottoman by barrera
Mid-century white dresser by barrera
Mid-century oak desk by barrera
liked with the right measurements, so he made the bold decision to construct his own. He refreshed his CAD, 3D, and Photoshop knowledge and started producing sketch after sketch of the furniture that he envisioned. Soon, he had made his first bedside table, and has continued making furniture ever since. Barrera is invested in all of the materials that go into his furniture, no matter how far they must travel to get to his studio in Madrid. In his Etsy store bio, he explains the care he puts into his material decisions. “The oak and walnut boards we use are made by us with the aged timber selected with the right amount of moisture. After selecting the most beautiful grains, we sanded and sanded and empower the grain acrylic varnish and oil.” Barrera founded his shop Habitables in 2013 out of his desire to manufacture and market
“
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there is so much we can learn from the past
the ideas and personally designed projects. By using completely local production, he hopes to contribute to the revival of craftsmanship and quality work in furniture design. Mid-century modern design is also alive and well in the USA. Keith Lowe is an American graphic designer from Jacksonville, Florida. His design also shows how much influence past design styles tend to have on the present. Lowe had direct access to mid-century modern designed objects because he was raised to find and collect older items. While browsing antique shops, yard sales, thrift shops, and flea markets with his grandmother for treasures,
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Designer manuel barrera
he built an influenced design style. Lowe states, “There is so much we can learn from the past and from one another that can be a great driving force for creativity and ambition.” He also shadowed his father, a printer who ran offset-presses and letterpresses. His father would meet with designers and fellow pressmen and Lowe would always be there
to help package up the final printed pieces. He got to see the process from start to finish sooner in life than most. Lowe started his screen printing studio, Blockout Studios, in 2015 with his close friend Kevin McDonald. While designing pieces for Blockout Studios he has had the chance to drive mid-century modern style even further.
Tuna poster series by lowe
Christmas poster series by lowe
Designer keith lowe
He gets to do it for himself and see a piece go from concept, to design, and finally to print. Adobe Illustrator is his go-to software for every illustration because of the speed of the graphic production. Being able to look at his collected antiques, such as jazz records, gives him the perfect design reference to create illustrations with representational
mid-century modern style. Lowe works at Shepherd Agency and is surrounded by great designers and thinkers. Working at an ad agency alongside others who are talented in such a variety of ways provides inspiration. He states that, “It's great to head into work and have the chance to work on almost something different every day.”
The mid-century modern style seen during the ‘50s is the style that Lowe represents most in his work. The bold colors, typography, and geometric grid structure of this design period can be seen in almost every one of his pieces. A perfect example of this is his bottle club logo with the bold orange in contrast to the strongly geometric lighter cream-colored graphic. There are always going to be retro influenced designers around the world. It's so wonderful in the design world to have people you admire in such close proximity who can help push your creativity and help build a community. Mid-century modern design will never die, for it lives on in the work of all influenced designers.
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ECNEULFNI NGISED ORTER
Baltimore bottle club logo by lowe
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Long Live The Vinyl Album Words Phillip Colby Design Heather Bradburn Illustrations Kim Crooks
A
lbum covers represent a unique visual language for depicting the tone and personality of the music that they are designed to sell. A cover represents the feel of the CD’s title track, as well as the rest of the songs, but it’s more than that. It triggers a memory in someone’s life in a way that’s personal. I’ve always known that cover art is an important component to the music that it’s trying to sell, but why does it truly matter? What is cover art’s history, and what is its place in music and media today?
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I
was 12 the first time I held Iron Maiden’s “Powerslave” album in my hands. The cover depicted the band’s undead mascot Eddie as an Egyptian statue for this release. The CD wasn’t anywhere in Oregon at the time; I discovered it at Tower Records in California while visiting my grandma. She bought it for me, we went home, I put it in her old CD player (the same one that she listened to gospel music on), and the first track began. I remember the room I was in and the chair that I was sitting in. I remember everything about that day. That’s what I think about when I look at that cover. As I write this, I’m listening to “Piece of Mind,” a CD by the same band. I look at that album cover and recall memories that the art brings back. In one such memory, I was maybe 11 or 12, and I was sitting in the back of my late mom’s SUV. She played this same album every morning as she drove me to school. It was the best part about going to class, because one, I wasn’t in class yet and two, I was listening to Iron Maiden. During the 1930s, covers for vinyl amounted to nothing more than green or brown paper. In 1938 Alex Steinweiss, art director at Columbia Records, started to bring imagery to the covers. Steinweiss was confused as to why anyone would purchase a boring green sleeve. What comes from that? It’s passable if the music is good, but there’s something missing without visualization. When he approached company executives,
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they said that the cost of producing art on the records would increase, because they would have to buy plates for printing. The executives eventually realized that it would be a good investment when sales increased due to art on the front sleeve of a pressing of one of Brahms’ symphonies. Steinweiss developed a new way of visually depicting music by developing each cover based on the background of the material. The ‘70s and ‘80s brought iconic imagery to the front of album covers, notably for rock and roll music. It would be appropriate to mention one of the most pivotal album covers of that era: the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The “Sgt. Pepper’s” imagery
were all improved upon. The changes that came with these advances also created an uncertain future for the medium that Steinweiss had created. During the ‘50s, advances in photography allowed for better pictures of musicians on the front covers of every major music release. Later, in the ‘90s and 2000s, developments in digital resources attracted designers to bring more art and illustration back to covers. Because tools like Photoshop allowed for simpler editing, photography eventually returned as a primary way to visually represent an artist’s music. With the development of tape cassettes and CDs, designers had to work on smaller canvases. Vinyl covers originally amounted
“the old technology of vinyl can continue to coexist with the digital world” depicted the band in multicolored uniforms amongst cutouts of various celebrities and historical figures. It may not have made any sense, but it paved the way for more creative visual depictions of music. If it wasn’t for this cover, there may not have been the album covers that I love so much. After Steinweiss sold his first album, artwork, photography, audio, and digital imaging
to a 12-by-12 inch canvas. Many veteran graphic designers didn’t realize how privileged they were to work on a frame of that size. The canvas of a cassette tape was threeby-four inches, and the CD case was roughly five and a half-by-five and a half inches. It was a frustrating task for designers to work within these limitations; however, that’s not to say that there weren’t memorable images made
throughout the ‘90s up until now. Recently the band Anthrax released a new CD with some of the best art that I’ve ever seen on a cover. Iron Maiden put out their newest CD with another traditionally painted image of the band’s mascot Eddie. Both covers were the typical dimensions for a CD case. The format that consumers used to listen to music on continued to shrink until it was all bitmap and vector images on an digital interface. Accordingly, some will argue that the digital age destroyed the album cover. Aubrey Powell, one of the designers of Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” album artwork, stated while talking with fastcodesign. com that the “digital phenomena—downloading, streaming,YouTube—has, in a way, completely destroyed the album cover.” This argument suggests that the craft was diminished, but vinyl made a comeback in a niche market. Often, new releases for physical records come with a digital code so that the listener can enjoy both the convenience of music on the go and the experience that comes that comes with vinyl packaging. That’s a good example to me of how old technology can serve a new purpose in 2016 by existing in harmony with advances in technology. Vinyl does not necessarily have
“With vinyl, CDs, or even cassette tapes, there is the illusion that the music can almost be touched” a superior sound, despite what some consumers in this niche market might say. There is a distortion that comes with listening to a vinyl record that people consider to be a “deeper sound,” but that doesn’t make vinyl superior, especially given the fact that new vinyl records are pressed from digital recordings anyhow. Perhaps the reason vinyl records with their 12-by-12 inch covers have a new audience is because music doesn’t share the same relationship with technology as computers or automobiles, for example. A consumer is likely to get a new computer because it’s a stronger product than the last one that they owned. Few people will purchase a 1977 Apple II computer out of some personal connection any time in the future. Listeners have returned to the 12-by-12 inch format because they adore the music that has impacted them. There is a connection to listening to a great musician while holding a
record sleeve in your hand. With vinyl, CDs, or even cassette tapes, there is the illusion that the music can almost be touched. Furthermore, a listener may relate to the imagery in a way that no one else can, that is, in a way that only makes sense to them. That’s why physical cover art matters—because there is still value in the analog world. I was born in 1990, so I border somewhere between the era of CDs and the era of iPods, and I’ve enjoyed the best of both worlds. Today my room isn’t cluttered with CD cases anymore thanks to MP3 files, and cover art still exists in the digital world due to companies needing to add as much value as they can to downloaded music. Listening to music digitally is incredibly convenient, yet it lacks charm. Seeing album art on an iPod can still be enjoyable, and even nostalgic, but it’s not the same. This is why I’ll go to a CD store every now and then and pick up a new album
that I’ve been anticipating for a long time, as opposed to just downloading it. The albums that I’ll always have the fondest memories of are the ones that were there during my childhood, and especially the art that defined their music. Cover art isn’t as memorable if the music itself isn’t memorable. Some people will buy a record based solely off of the art in front, and that is perfectly fine because it’s one of the most underappreciated aspects to music that there is. There are more retrospects on music videos and musicians than on the designers who played almost as pivotal a role in selling music as those who wrote it. That said, cover art will always bring a sense of physicality to music in one form or another, and as long as people’s connection to music remains, the old technology of vinyl can continue to coexist with the digital world.
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Arm Terminal
Scripts
sadness Speed
Stem
Headlines
Cap Height
Unity
Royalty
caution Asender
Disgust spring Elegant Contrast Minimal Levitas
Slab Serif
Type High shoulder
folio
wealth
Desender Counter
calm
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Pride
grotesque
Baseline
energy
trust Body Copy
Vertias
lucky Power Knowledge
romance Military Honor
Mondern
Eye
X-Height
Decorative dange Relationships
family go
Tra
happ
Egy
p
S
THE PURPLE SERIF Words & Design Nicole Gilson
SERIF: A TYPEFACE THAT DEPICTS KNOWLEDGE PURPLE: ASSOCIATED WITH ROYALTY IN WESTERN CULTURES
J J
effrey Zeldman, a web designer, author, and the co-founder of both A Book Apart and the design conference An Event Apart, states “Content precedes design. Design in the absence of content, is not design, it is decoration.” As designers, every choice we make on a project must have a reason. Whether it be the circle to encompass a logo, a cupped or flat-footed serif, or the hue of that circle, all design elements have meaning.
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y
adition
piness
yptian
passion
Sans Serifs
By far one of our largest choices, typography influences the viewer even if they don’t read the actual content. In this case, context can determine whether or not your audience gives you the time of day. Dr. Kevin Larsen conducted a study at MIT on type and layout. Researchers found that when asked to read a poorly designed layout, readers felt bad physically and didn’t take in as much information. Meanwhile, when asked to read from content that was well laid out with good typography, readers felt better. They displayed higher cognitive focus, experienced efficient mental processes, and a stronger sense of clarity. Good layout starts with a well-considered font choice. Start with what you want your reader to hear from your type. The poet Paul Claudel once said “the secret of type is that it speaks.” Do you want to express truthful and knowledgeable information? Look to your serifs. How about straight authoritative information? Sans serif is your friend. These maxims are based on Western culture where governments use fonts like Helvetica and printed books use Times New Roman or Georgia.
Serifs
Lythography
Joy
Established
Shapes also play a part. Take for example The London Underground’s combination of a circle and a rectangle which impart strength and authority. When asked to name the most recognizable logos, you’ll likely you’ll list Nike, Pepsi, and Apple. Our minds respond differently to various shapes. Lines, circles and arcs all imply different things. The Nike swoosh suggests movement through the use of a curve and sharp point. Apple’s use of shape and colors in their symbolism gives strength to their brand. The first iteration of their logo with it’s rainbow colors gave the illusion of equality and inclusivity. They’ve since dropped the rainbow and now sport a modern sleek look of black, white, and gray, but don’t be fooled. In western cultures the color black is symbolic of power and control. In eastern cultures, it is symbolic of wealth and prosperity. White stands for purity and calmness in the West, and ironically death in most other cultures. In the end it is up to the designer with accumulated knowledge of associations, meanings, and history to help promote good design to the world that will be unforgettable.
The Bleed / 46
TYPEFACES & SHAPES SERIFS Serif typefaces are used mainly in print for a formal feel or for correspondence where prestige and class are important. Associated words: classical, romantic, elegant, established, expansive, warm, old.
SANS SERIFS
Sans-serif typefaces are used mainly for print & web. They’re successful for both headlines and body copy, and can relay an informal feeling. Associated words: clean, minimal, modern, rugged, ugly, cheap, cool, young.
DECORATIVE Decorative typefaces are used for headlines, not body copy. The feelings and associations caused by decorative type are based strictly on how they are designed. They can produce feelings ranging from joy to disgust.
CIRCLES
Leaning towards positive emotional messages, circles tend to give us feelings of community, friendship, love, relationships (between people, objects, concepts), and unity. They tend to be viewed as feminine in nature.
47 / The Bleed
American Typewriter
Times New Roman Garamond
Didot
Avenir Next
Calibri
Neuton Century Gothic
Malayalam
Dutch Gothic
Bauhaus Arizonia Bradley Hand HARD CORNERS
Straight edged shapes imply practical stability and can be used to imply balance. They impart strength, professionalism, and efficiency. Triangles in particular tend to share an association with power, science, religion, and law. Even here, in a discussion of shape, we return to type. Jagged, angular typefaces can be aggressive or dynamic, whereas soft, rounded letters give a youthful edge. Curved or script typefaces bring forth softer emotions that are often associated with romance.
COLOR ASSOCIATIONS Western:
energy excitement action danger love passion warning anger
Eastern:
prosperity good fortune
China:
good luck celebration vitality happiness long life
Nigeria:
South Africa:
Japan:
Thailand:
ceremonies
life anger danger
mourning
sunday color
Russia:
beautiful
Western:
Eastern:
China:
Thailand:
Western:
India:
Japan:
Thailand:
affordable inexpensive
happiness joy hope cowardice
happiness spirituality
sacred auspicious
China:
good luck vitality happiness
courage beauty refinement
thursday color
auspicious Buddhism royal color monday color
Nigeria:
ceremonies
Egypt:
sacred imperial
sacred imperial royalty honor
Western:
Eastern:
India:
China:
Indonesia:
Giving a Chinese man a green hat indicates his wife is cheating on him
Eastern:
luck spring jealousy greed
Japan:
eternal life youthfulness
Western:
trust authority conservative corporate peace sadness
Western:
royalty spritituality wealth fame honor
Western: caring nurturing love romance
Western: brides purity hospitals peace
fertility
North Africa: drug culture
Thailand:
hope beginnings
forbidden color
wednesday color
Egypt:
Eastern:
Egypt:
immortality
Thailand:
hope
virtue protection
friday color
Mexico:
India:
Thailand:
sorrow comforting
mourning saturday color
privilege
Korea:
It is believed that pastries taste better in pink boxes and plates.
Eastern:
India:
tuesday color
trust
death mourning
Thailand: purity
fertility disgrace
Generally, blue is the safest color to use worldwide.
mourning trust
Japan:
Thailand:
mourning
sorrow
China: death
Catholicism: mourning crucifixion
ANIMALS & CO. Strong sources of symbolism throughout history, animals appear in logos or are associated with companies regularly. Animals are often creatively entwined with a brand’s identity, many times using a sound-alike technique such as Geico’s Gecko, Schwan’s Swan, or the quack of the Aflack duck. One does have to be careful when choosing an animal to use. Foxes are clever, the elephant never forgets, and the ox is strong. More than likely, other people have thought of these things too. Snakes are viewed as evil in most Western cultures, but in Celtic symbolism they are representative of the cycle of life. We in the West view bats as symbolizing death, superstition, fear, and cults whereas the Chinese believe them to be a sign of happiness and good fortune. As designers, when working with animals, it’s up to us to figure out how to get a client’s choice off the ground—to spin the animal so that it meets the look and feel that they aspire toward for their company.
Colophon The Bleed was printed and bound by QSL Print
Communications in Springfield, Oregon on a four-color offset press. The interior of the magazine is printed on 70lb. Lynx uncoated opaque book stock. The cover uses 80lb. Titan dull cover with a spot gloss varnish. It was constructed using an asymmetrical nine-column grid. The magazine uses Neuton at 9.5/11.5 as standard body copy. Montserrat is used for captions, bylines, and some headlines.
The Bleed is an annual art and design publication produced Table of Contents: Heather Bradburn Kim Crooks Staff Illustration: Kim Crooks
by Design Studio!, a collaboration of dedicated graphic design students at Lane Community College. In addition to The Bleed, Design Studio! provides graphic design services to the college and non-profit organizations in the community. Each spring, working under the direct supervision of experienced faculty, students create all manner of marketing materials, from branding to advertising for print and web. If you feel that this service is something that your organization might be interested in, please contact Tom Madison at: madisont@lanecc.edu or call (541) 463-5887.
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The Bleed 7 RETRO / NEW · SPRING 2016