Ice cube on Eames

Read your newspaper on your computer? 1981!

9 Ways to Improve an Ad [humor]

9 Ways to Improve an Ad by Fred Manley and Hal Riney

NYTimes.com: In a City Fighting Blight, 'Ghost Signs' as Portals to a Bygone Era

January 23, 2012

This Land: In a City Fighting Blight, 'Ghost Signs' as Portals to a Bygone Era
By DAN BARRY

A demolition reveals two well-preserved ads on the side of a building that allude to a prosperity that is incongruous in today's Highland Park, Mich.

Gerd Arntz, graphic designer_Traveling Exhibition and Book now available

Gerd Arntz, graphic designer
The work of politically engaged artist Gerd Arntz (1900-1988) has a great visual impact and is full of information. This motivated sociologist and philosopher Otto Neurath to invite Arntz around 1922 to design the symbols for his system for visual education Isotype. Arntz designed more than 3000 symbols. Still today we can see the influence of these symbols which can be seen as radically reduced information. Many on- and off line communication designers today perceive Gerd Arntz as the godfather for visual communication. The brilliant artist and craftsman Arntz was a master in reduction and a sharing idealist. This exhibition gives insight in the work of Gerd Arntz as politically engaged artist on the one hand and as designer of timeless symbols on the other hand. (http://www.gerdarntz.org/)

The exhibition is initiated by designer Ed Annink of design studio Ontwerpwerk, The Hague.

Publication Available
Gerd Arntz, graphic designer, Ed Annink, Max Bruinsma, 2010, ISBN 978 90 6450 763 2, 010 Publishers, Rotterdam, Distributed by Idea Books (issuu.com/ontwerpwerk/docs/gerdarntz_preview,www.010.nl/catalogue/book.php?id=763)

App available

A wonderfull Gerd Arntz memory app for I-phone is available on the Appstore of I-tunes. 

Check the webiste: www.gerdarntz.org

There’s an App for That: World War II Posters

From the classic 'Make Do and Mend' and 'Dig for Victory' to lesser-known gems, the posters featured in Great British Posters from the Second World War showcase the striking design, humour, memorable slogans and defiant spirit that helped to carry Britain through some of its darkest hours.
With this app you can:

• Discover the stories behind the posters with supporting information from IWM's experts
• Explore over 30 posters on your iPhone or iPad
• Get up-close to the posters by scrolling, pinching and zooming
• Share your favourite posters with friends via Facebook, Twitter and email

As a special introduction, Volume 1 is completely free.



There’s an App for That: World War II Posters - UnBeige

Type. A Visual History of Typefaces & Graphic Styles, 1628-1900

Wow - what a book and a second volume as well. Includes exclusive access with TASCHEN keycard to online image library: over 1000 high-resolution scans of type specimens downloadable for unrestricted use.

Check it out.

Thank you James Van Kriedt for the reference.

200th Birthday for the Map That Made New York

By SAM ROBERTS

Published: March 20, 2011

Henry James condemned it a century ago as a “primal topographic curse.” Rem Koolhaas, the architect and urbanist, countered that its two-dimensional form created “undreamed-of freedom for three-dimensional anarchy.” More recently, two historians described its map, regardless of its flaws, as “the single most important document in New York City’s development.”

read the article 

Interactive historic maps

Film on Hermann Zapf

The Art of Hermann Zapf from Johnny Dib on Vimeo.
A film on the purpose and techniques of calligraphy. Presented and produced by Hallmark. Filmed at Hallmark cards during a visit by Mr. Zapf.

Poster Printing Workshop | The Oakland Standard: Political Poster Jam

Poster Printing Workshop | The Oakland Standard
On February 25, 2011, the Oakland Standard will honor the history of political posters in the Bay Area, and the Museum’s acquisition of the All Of Us Or None (AOUON) collection with an evening of printmaking and conversation. 

An Introduction to Graphic Design: Observatory: Design Observer

An Introduction to Graphic Design: Observatory: Design Observer

This article, in an earlier version, first appeared in Dwell (December/January 2009, Vol. 09 Issue 02) in an editorial series of "introductions" to various aspects of design and architecture. The authors thank Dwell for its original publication in their pages.

Fwd: SFSU University Museum Needs Volunteers for Etruscan Exhibit!

Greetings!
Our upcoming museum exhibition is:

EAT, DRINK & BE BURIED: Life & Death Among the Etruscans
Dates/Time: Nov. 3-Dec. 3, 11 am-4 pm [closed Thanksgiving week]
Location: Humanities bldg, 510

We need volunteers (students, staff or faculty) who can spare 1 or 2 hours to help us keep the museum open for the general public. Training provided.

Please email Christine Fogarty: cfog@sfsu.edu