Going Vintage For Sally Jane

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Occasionally Jennifer likes to update both her vintage clothing blog and Etsy store with new graphics. This typically occurs every 12 months or so, mind you. With that said, I've done at least two prior to October's revamping.

I took a vintage piece of art, mid-century favorites like Futura and Clarendon and tossed in a little sampling of color (0:C, 78:M, 74:Y, 0:K) and came up with a new set of banners for her blog ("The Fashion Pages"), store ("The Etsy Boutique") and avatar/button for Etsy ("SJV").

Alvin Lustig: Born Modern

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Very few artists can ever be at the forefront of an actual movement in their lifetime; a visual representation of a new cultural aesthetic. Alvin Lustig is one of those select few.

"Alvin Lustig's contributions to the design of books and book jackets, magazines, interiors, and textiles as well as his teachings would have made him a credible candidate for the AIGA Lifetime Achievement award when he was alive. By the time he died at the age of forty in 1955, he had already introduced principles of Modern art to graphic design that have had a long-term influence on contemporary practice. He was in the vanguard of a relatively small group who fervently, indeed religiously, believed in the curative power of good design when applied to all aspects of American life." – Steven Heller

For more, go here.

"She Said, Now Stop That Jivin'…"

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"…Now Whip Out Your Big 10 Inch!"

Ah, remember when Aerosmith had fire in their souls (and pants, apparently)? I know, it's been a long, long time! However, not as long as it's been since the 78 rpm 10" record dominated the music industry. By 1910 the 10" record was by far the most popular standard, holding about three minutes of music on a side. Because of both that and the fact that the 10" size was the standard size for popular music, almost all popular recordings were limited to around three minutes in length. This limitation in length of playing time persisted until the invention of the LP (long playing record) in 1948. From that moment on, the 10" began its fade into obscurity until seeing its end in the late 1950s.

By enlarge these records aren't worth very much money but they are fun to look at for all of their "label" graphics. I flip through hundreds of old 45s and LPs in the thrift store racks looking at the old artwork and labels. From the great colors and typography to seeing how one label like Capitol or Columbia changed their look from one decade to the other. Classic stuff and something worth checking out.

The Icing On The Cake…

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Well, the Mosaic Project has officially launched! It's an incredible show, an incredibly packed show and one I'm happy to have played a part in. Congratulations to Michelle Fogel, Heidi Leitzke, Matthew Cherry and everyone at PCA&D for a fantastic debut.

As an added bonus, I was able to talk to one of the exhibiting artists, Rudy Gutierrez. I'm a fan and it was very cool to chat briefly about the world of album art.

Finally, have I ever seen a logo I've designed literally become part of a cake?!?! I think not. Am I a fan of this concept? Indeed, I am.