Friday, May 21, 2010Filed in: Conference
Pen to Printer 2010…
Ditchling, England
Image taken from Ann Pillar and Peter Cartwright's exhibition, From Chisel to Pen: Early Christian Inscriptions.
Detail of calligraphy by Edward Johnston on display at the Ditchling Museum.
Ditchling's countryside
View NEIGHBORHOODS OF TYPE (Ditchling)
Ditchling, England
Image taken from Ann Pillar and Peter Cartwright's exhibition, From Chisel to Pen: Early Christian Inscriptions.
Detail of calligraphy by Edward Johnston on display at the Ditchling Museum.
Ditchling's countryside
View NEIGHBORHOODS OF TYPE (Ditchling)
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Wednesday, May 12, 2010Filed in: Technology
iPad griddled…
Last week on "Friday Night with Jonathan Ross," the iPad makes an appearance. Jake Gyllenhaal was asked to concoct a meal from the remnants of the staff's kitchen. Ross suggested using one of the iPad's applications for cutting ingredients properly. Gyllenhaal flips the iPad as a cutting board, wraps it in bacon, adds a squirt of lemon juice and a dollop of mayonnaise. Dinner is served.
Last week on "Friday Night with Jonathan Ross," the iPad makes an appearance. Jake Gyllenhaal was asked to concoct a meal from the remnants of the staff's kitchen. Ross suggested using one of the iPad's applications for cutting ingredients properly. Gyllenhaal flips the iPad as a cutting board, wraps it in bacon, adds a squirt of lemon juice and a dollop of mayonnaise. Dinner is served.
Friday, April 30, 2010Filed in: Information Design
informational destination…
On board Great Western train to London, I noticed for the first time a Volo: TV. Passengers can track their route, find the nearest Tube stop, read the news…but, finding a seat can be difficult during pricey peak hours. http://www.volo.tv/
On board Great Western train to London, I noticed for the first time a Volo: TV. Passengers can track their route, find the nearest Tube stop, read the news…but, finding a seat can be difficult during pricey peak hours. http://www.volo.tv/
Friday, April 30, 2010Filed in: Stage
athletic magic on stage…
One of the best places in London has to be the Royal Opera House.
where you can watch 2+ hours of Frederick Ashton's choreography with Prokofiev's great score.
Here's a preview:
http://www.roh.org.uk/video/index.html?bcpid=1733261711&bclid=1740033471&bctid=68149287001
Music Sergey Prokofiev. Choreography Frederick Ashton. Production Wendy Ellis Somes. Set Designer Toer van Schayk. Costume designs Christine Haworth. Lighting design Mark Jonathan. Staging Christopher Carr. Cinderella Roberta Marquez
Yes, it's an obstructed view, but seat 111 is the best seat in the house!
One of the best places in London has to be the Royal Opera House.
where you can watch 2+ hours of Frederick Ashton's choreography with Prokofiev's great score.
Here's a preview:
http://www.roh.org.uk/video/index.html?bcpid=1733261711&bclid=1740033471&bctid=68149287001
Music Sergey Prokofiev. Choreography Frederick Ashton. Production Wendy Ellis Somes. Set Designer Toer van Schayk. Costume designs Christine Haworth. Lighting design Mark Jonathan. Staging Christopher Carr. Cinderella Roberta Marquez
Yes, it's an obstructed view, but seat 111 is the best seat in the house!
Friday, April 30, 2010Filed in: symposium
a textural journey ON PAPER…
Attended a day in University of London's Senate House with a group curious about the state of paper in the digital age. Here's a list of presenters and the titles of each paper presented.
ON PAPER. A symposium exploring the meanings of the material page in the era of the digital text
Beveridge Hall, Senate House
http://ies.sas.ac.uk/events/conferences/2010/OnPaper/index.htm
PROGRAMME:
PANEL 1: SERIALS / NEWSPAPERS / COMICS (Chair: Robert Eaglestone)
Tony Venezia (Birkbeck), 'Alan Moore and the Material Text: The Case of The Mirror of Love.' 'Zara Dinnen (Birkbeck), 'Object McSweeney's: Fetishising print in the Digital Age.'Laurel Brake (Birkbeck), 'Paper Chains/Paper Dreams? Reading nineteenth-century serials online and on paper'
PANEL 2: READING THE SURFACE (Chair: Joe Brooker)
Luisa Calè (Birkbeck), 'Reading and Cutting through the Surface: William Blake's extra-illustrated page from paper to print and to screen.' Heather Tilley (Birkbeck), 'The "feeling reader": embossed books for blind people in the nineteenth century.' Patrizia di Bello (Birkbeck),'The Sculptures of Picasso with Photos by Brassai' Henderson Downing (Birkbeck), ' "A modernist collage of found objects": The Second Education of Iain Sinclair'
PANEL 3: MARKING THE SURFACE (Chair: Gill Partington)
Adam Smyth (Birkbeck), 'Collage: Reconsidering Renaissance Writing.' Ros Murray (King's College), 'Scrapings of the Soul: Artaud's Cahier 395'. Anthony Bale (Birkbeck), 'Medieval graffiti, Digitization and the Emotional Archive'
Response from Professor Esther Leslie, followed by round table discussion.
Attended a day in University of London's Senate House with a group curious about the state of paper in the digital age. Here's a list of presenters and the titles of each paper presented.
ON PAPER. A symposium exploring the meanings of the material page in the era of the digital text
Beveridge Hall, Senate House
http://ies.sas.ac.uk/events/conferences/2010/OnPaper/index.htm
PROGRAMME:
PANEL 1: SERIALS / NEWSPAPERS / COMICS (Chair: Robert Eaglestone)
Tony Venezia (Birkbeck), 'Alan Moore and the Material Text: The Case of The Mirror of Love.' 'Zara Dinnen (Birkbeck), 'Object McSweeney's: Fetishising print in the Digital Age.'Laurel Brake (Birkbeck), 'Paper Chains/Paper Dreams? Reading nineteenth-century serials online and on paper'
PANEL 2: READING THE SURFACE (Chair: Joe Brooker)
Luisa Calè (Birkbeck), 'Reading and Cutting through the Surface: William Blake's extra-illustrated page from paper to print and to screen.' Heather Tilley (Birkbeck), 'The "feeling reader": embossed books for blind people in the nineteenth century.' Patrizia di Bello (Birkbeck),'The Sculptures of Picasso with Photos by Brassai' Henderson Downing (Birkbeck), ' "A modernist collage of found objects": The Second Education of Iain Sinclair'
PANEL 3: MARKING THE SURFACE (Chair: Gill Partington)
Adam Smyth (Birkbeck), 'Collage: Reconsidering Renaissance Writing.' Ros Murray (King's College), 'Scrapings of the Soul: Artaud's Cahier 395'. Anthony Bale (Birkbeck), 'Medieval graffiti, Digitization and the Emotional Archive'
Response from Professor Esther Leslie, followed by round table discussion.
Friday, April 30, 2010Filed in: packaging
eco-packaging…
If you find yourself in the London area, I recommend a visit to Planet Organic either for the food or a little product design browsing (especially if the inner designer in you thinks grocery stores are museums.)
http://www.planetorganic.com/
If you find yourself in the London area, I recommend a visit to Planet Organic either for the food or a little product design browsing (especially if the inner designer in you thinks grocery stores are museums.)
http://www.planetorganic.com/
Wednesday, April 28, 2010Filed in: packaging
packaging by hand survives…
Michael Twyman's lectures are back in session. This week he displayed an abundant collection of packaging dating from the 18th century. Many of the packages are produced by hand and are reused as storage boxes surpassing their original shelf life. Also, punches created during the production of metal type were stored in such boxes of the time. My personal favorite is featured below.
Patrick James on GOOD's Blog was thinking the same thing on April 30, 2010 at 3:34 pm PDT
http://www.good.is/post/classic-american-package-designs-from-the-early-20th-century/
Michael Twyman's lectures are back in session. This week he displayed an abundant collection of packaging dating from the 18th century. Many of the packages are produced by hand and are reused as storage boxes surpassing their original shelf life. Also, punches created during the production of metal type were stored in such boxes of the time. My personal favorite is featured below.
Patrick James on GOOD's Blog was thinking the same thing on April 30, 2010 at 3:34 pm PDT
http://www.good.is/post/classic-american-package-designs-from-the-early-20th-century/
Sunday, April 25, 2010Filed in: Thai
Not my usual grocery store run…
ThaiSmile Supermarket
283-287 King Street, Hammersmith, London
What is this kid eating? Delicious seaweed sheets make for a salty snack. Typography resembles handwriting, but each character appears to be an exact duplication.
Stickers for your keyboard.
The smallest type size of a Thai typeface I have seen thus far. Contains two chicken bouillon cubes.
ThaiSmile Supermarket
283-287 King Street, Hammersmith, London
What is this kid eating? Delicious seaweed sheets make for a salty snack. Typography resembles handwriting, but each character appears to be an exact duplication.
Stickers for your keyboard.
The smallest type size of a Thai typeface I have seen thus far. Contains two chicken bouillon cubes.
Friday, April 23, 2010Filed in: Amsterdam
precious things of the past
people have left for us…4
Amsterdam, Netherlands
The highlight of an evening in Bussum. The Unger's graciously hosted the MATDs with a warm meal and happy company. Juanita, the rabbit, even made a special appearance.
Representing Lichenstein, USA, Canada and Amsterdam's many canals. Subtle similarities to sweet Louisiana's below sea level flat terrain only the USA needs more bikes on the road.
Nice white window display of origami wedding folds amid the Red Light District.
The pride and joy of the Dutch road: Gerard Unger's typeface for the ANWB. Am especially fond of the arrows.
An unusual find at an open-air book market. Van boom tot krant or From Tree to Paper by C. Pels. Not certain the date of publication, but it appears to be around the 1950s.
Tom Hagers, the young boy with slicked-back hair and a full suit, appears in numerous photographs demonstrating various stages of the papermaking process.
Dutch text:
"Achter een der ramen stond tom. tom hagers, oud dertien jaar bijna veertien, niet zo klein, niet zo du, niet zo dik, een gewone, normale jongen zoals er zoveel rond lopen. Hij wordt de hoofdepersoon van dit verhaal en daarom stelden wij hem zo even aan je voor. "
With the help of Google Translate thus far:
Tom stood behind one of the windows. Tom Hager, thirteen years old, almost fourteen, not so small, not so thick, an ordinary, normal guy like so many around. He is the main person in this story, so we asked him just to you.
Located in the back of the book, a copper matrix with teeth for the monotype machine (Koperen matrijsje voor de zet).
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. She's a beauty, but am not fond of the All Other Passports queue (chiefly Brit. a line or sequence of people or vehicles awaiting their turn to be attended to or to) during Icelandic volcanic eruptions.
View NEIGHBORHOODS OF TYPE (Amsterdam)
people have left for us…4
Amsterdam, Netherlands
The highlight of an evening in Bussum. The Unger's graciously hosted the MATDs with a warm meal and happy company. Juanita, the rabbit, even made a special appearance.
Representing Lichenstein, USA, Canada and Amsterdam's many canals. Subtle similarities to sweet Louisiana's below sea level flat terrain only the USA needs more bikes on the road.
Nice white window display of origami wedding folds amid the Red Light District.
The pride and joy of the Dutch road: Gerard Unger's typeface for the ANWB. Am especially fond of the arrows.
An unusual find at an open-air book market. Van boom tot krant or From Tree to Paper by C. Pels. Not certain the date of publication, but it appears to be around the 1950s.
Tom Hagers, the young boy with slicked-back hair and a full suit, appears in numerous photographs demonstrating various stages of the papermaking process.
Dutch text:
"Achter een der ramen stond tom. tom hagers, oud dertien jaar bijna veertien, niet zo klein, niet zo du, niet zo dik, een gewone, normale jongen zoals er zoveel rond lopen. Hij wordt de hoofdepersoon van dit verhaal en daarom stelden wij hem zo even aan je voor. "
With the help of Google Translate thus far:
Tom stood behind one of the windows. Tom Hager, thirteen years old, almost fourteen, not so small, not so thick, an ordinary, normal guy like so many around. He is the main person in this story, so we asked him just to you.
Located in the back of the book, a copper matrix with teeth for the monotype machine (Koperen matrijsje voor de zet).
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. She's a beauty, but am not fond of the All Other Passports queue (chiefly Brit. a line or sequence of people or vehicles awaiting their turn to be attended to or to) during Icelandic volcanic eruptions.
View NEIGHBORHOODS OF TYPE (Amsterdam)
Friday, April 23, 2010Filed in: Haarlem
precious things of the past
people have left for us…3
Haarlem, Netherlands
Founded in 1703, Izzak Enschedé established a printing house specializing printed materials such as bank notes among other projects. This visit featured an amazing museum housing a vast archive of original matrices, punches, moulds and everyday correspondences. Was able to observe blinding 2-point metal type. Also, unique story on the Enschedés' early interest in the daguerreotype, a large scale commercial photographic process was shared.
Happy owner of No 1056: Typefoundries in the Netherlands, from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century : a history based mainly on material in the collection of Joh. Enschede en Zonen at Haarlem / by Charles Enschede ; an English translation with revisions and notes by Harry Carter, with the assistance of Netty Hoeflake; edited by Lotte Hellinga
people have left for us…3
Haarlem, Netherlands
Founded in 1703, Izzak Enschedé established a printing house specializing printed materials such as bank notes among other projects. This visit featured an amazing museum housing a vast archive of original matrices, punches, moulds and everyday correspondences. Was able to observe blinding 2-point metal type. Also, unique story on the Enschedés' early interest in the daguerreotype, a large scale commercial photographic process was shared.
Happy owner of No 1056: Typefoundries in the Netherlands, from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century : a history based mainly on material in the collection of Joh. Enschede en Zonen at Haarlem / by Charles Enschede ; an English translation with revisions and notes by Harry Carter, with the assistance of Netty Hoeflake; edited by Lotte Hellinga
people have left for us…
Thursday, April 22, 2010Filed in: The Hague
precious things of the past
people have left for us…2
The Hague, Netherlands
Museum Meermanno-Westreenianum, Conventions of the Book, The Hague, Netherlands
A typography-like park. K is for Killen while cold and rainy.
A snippet selection from a session on 1920s modernists parallel with type as ornamentation. Digging deeper in the work of Piet Zwart and Jan van Krimpen.
More images to come…
people have left for us…2
The Hague, Netherlands
Museum Meermanno-Westreenianum, Conventions of the Book, The Hague, Netherlands
A typography-like park. K is for Killen while cold and rainy.
A snippet selection from a session on 1920s modernists parallel with type as ornamentation. Digging deeper in the work of Piet Zwart and Jan van Krimpen.
More images to come…
Monday, April 19, 2010Filed in: Antwerp
precious things of the past
people have left for us…1
Antwerp, Belgium
Representing USA, Spain, Canada and Poland.
Plantin-Moretus Museum (The Golden Compass)
The Golden Compass houses two of the oldest printing presses in the world.
Two-color musical score letterpress printed on both back and front. Red bars are printed first, then notes and text follow.
Type fills the line and marks the end of a column. Plus, an interesting example of complex typography in multiple languages.
Location of the punchcutters workshop. Located on the top floor of the foundry, this workshop was most likely to catch fire and remained here on the top level of the building for greater safety.
A library housing Christoffel Plantin's extensive collection of humanistic and scientific publications for comparison and reference.
Representing Ireland, USA and Poland.
Top: One of the oldest if not the oldest moulds in existence. Bottom left is a mould used for scripts as the slant is evident compared to the other mould on the right.
Mmmm…Belgium waffles with sugary sticky bits and fresh mint tea. Mmm…
Antwerp Central Station: My new favorite place to catch a train.
Staircase to Antwerp.
View NEIGHBORHOODS OF TYPE (Antwerp)
people have left for us…1
Antwerp, Belgium
Representing USA, Spain, Canada and Poland.
Plantin-Moretus Museum (The Golden Compass)
The Golden Compass houses two of the oldest printing presses in the world.
Two-color musical score letterpress printed on both back and front. Red bars are printed first, then notes and text follow.
Type fills the line and marks the end of a column. Plus, an interesting example of complex typography in multiple languages.
Location of the punchcutters workshop. Located on the top floor of the foundry, this workshop was most likely to catch fire and remained here on the top level of the building for greater safety.
A library housing Christoffel Plantin's extensive collection of humanistic and scientific publications for comparison and reference.
Representing Ireland, USA and Poland.
Top: One of the oldest if not the oldest moulds in existence. Bottom left is a mould used for scripts as the slant is evident compared to the other mould on the right.
Mmmm…Belgium waffles with sugary sticky bits and fresh mint tea. Mmm…
Antwerp Central Station: My new favorite place to catch a train.
Staircase to Antwerp.
View NEIGHBORHOODS OF TYPE (Antwerp)
Friday, November 27, 2009Filed in: printing
back in the day…
IBM golf ball for proportional spacing (any typesetter could do it)
monophoto film matrix
IBM golf ball for proportional spacing (any typesetter could do it)
monophoto film matrix
hand-held mould
Martin Andrews presented a delightful retelling of various printing processes of the past.
Friday, November 27, 2009Filed in: printing
the laser print in a new light…
This week I have begun to observe the quality of a print achieved by a variety of laser printers. Perhaps, a commonality I never observed with great detail until now. It can be assumed that this variation in print is common knowledge, but with a look through a loop, the type and printer keeps revealing new discoveries.
This week I have begun to observe the quality of a print achieved by a variety of laser printers. Perhaps, a commonality I never observed with great detail until now. It can be assumed that this variation in print is common knowledge, but with a look through a loop, the type and printer keeps revealing new discoveries.
Friday, November 27, 2009Filed in: Information Design
history designed…
Michael Twyman's Monday 'Typographic Delights' session featured information design samples as books. Specimens dated early 19th-century.
Michael Twyman's Monday 'Typographic Delights' session featured information design samples as books. Specimens dated early 19th-century.
Friday, November 27, 2009Filed in: Forms
signed, sealed, delivered…
cut rosette
security seal
security lines
Forms at first glance can appear detailed, complex and mainly administrative. During Michael Twyman's Monday 'Typographic Delights' session, I gained a deeper appreciation for these everyday specimens. On the contrary, forms of the late 18th-century provide a peek into the daily transactions of churches, banks, hospitals and the common merchant. A detailed notice of the form reveals a unique vestige of typography, ornamentation, hand-lettering and stamps. Each providing a standard of identification, security and etiquette.
cut rosette
security seal
security lines
Forms at first glance can appear detailed, complex and mainly administrative. During Michael Twyman's Monday 'Typographic Delights' session, I gained a deeper appreciation for these everyday specimens. On the contrary, forms of the late 18th-century provide a peek into the daily transactions of churches, banks, hospitals and the common merchant. A detailed notice of the form reveals a unique vestige of typography, ornamentation, hand-lettering and stamps. Each providing a standard of identification, security and etiquette.
Saturday, November 14, 2009Filed in: Monotype Demo
rare monotype magic…
the monotype composition casting machine: first mechanical typesetter.
a typewriter style keyboard punches holes in a roll of paper tape which will control a separate caster.
a matrix (mat): a mould for casting letters (sorts) used in letterpress printing.
The matrix of one letter is held in the lower part of the mould, the mould is locked and molten type metal is poured into the cavity.
the monotype composition casting machine: first mechanical typesetter.
a typewriter style keyboard punches holes in a roll of paper tape which will control a separate caster.
a matrix (mat): a mould for casting letters (sorts) used in letterpress printing.
The matrix of one letter is held in the lower part of the mould, the mould is locked and molten type metal is poured into the cavity.
Friday, November 13, 2009Filed in: Lithographic Printing
lobbying for a litho revival…
Michael Twyman presented a collection of chromolithography posters from the end of 19th-century. Amazing rich color relationships and small letters for sign writing. The apparent textures present in these prints makes offset printing suddenly less desirable in a room of this nature.
Michael Twyman presented a collection of chromolithography posters from the end of 19th-century. Amazing rich color relationships and small letters for sign writing. The apparent textures present in these prints makes offset printing suddenly less desirable in a room of this nature.
Thursday, November 12, 2009Filed in: Children's Books
wishing I read these as a child…
(exciting ventures in British publishing)
Puffin Picture Books, a subset of Penguin Books, produced chromolithographic children's books during the mid 20th-century.
(exciting ventures in British publishing)
Puffin Picture Books, a subset of Penguin Books, produced chromolithographic children's books during the mid 20th-century.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009Filed in: Letterpress
the work of Desmond Jeffery…
At a lecture at St. Bride Library, the life of a late letterpress printer, Desmond Jeffery, was recalled. The first public exhibition of his work was on display.
http://stbride.org/events/lateletterpress
At a lecture at St. Bride Library, the life of a late letterpress printer, Desmond Jeffery, was recalled. The first public exhibition of his work was on display.
http://stbride.org/events/lateletterpress
Sunday, October 25, 2009Filed in: Sketches
Sunday, October 25, 2009Filed in: Handwritten
observing the handwritten…
Postcards and their enticing tendencies. Paper, stamps and ink. I am fascinated by the fact that the speed, pressure and position of my pen seems to fluctuate with each postcard written. My cursive tends to shift as does the leading and letter-spacing. Split personalities perhaps?
Postcards and their enticing tendencies. Paper, stamps and ink. I am fascinated by the fact that the speed, pressure and position of my pen seems to fluctuate with each postcard written. My cursive tends to shift as does the leading and letter-spacing. Split personalities perhaps?
Saturday, October 24, 2009Filed in: Technology
technology worth praising…
Providing shameless praise of my new point-and-shoot digital camera. As much as I can love the quality of film and/or a hunky digital SLR, my new Olympus Stylus-7010, (12 megapixel, 7x wide zoom) has skills and a nice price. The super macro function has the capability to capture the texture of paper, the finer details of a letter's bracketing and the punch of metal type.
Providing shameless praise of my new point-and-shoot digital camera. As much as I can love the quality of film and/or a hunky digital SLR, my new Olympus Stylus-7010, (12 megapixel, 7x wide zoom) has skills and a nice price. The super macro function has the capability to capture the texture of paper, the finer details of a letter's bracketing and the punch of metal type.
Saturday, October 24, 2009Filed in: Kerning
why the bad kerning?
Again, Michael Twyman's weekly presentation of fascinating artifacts triggers questions in relation to the production and the craft of typography of the 18th/19th-century. Why such bad kerning between letters? Sure, the word is still somewhat legible, or is it? Does one see SLA VE or SLAVE?
Again, Michael Twyman's weekly presentation of fascinating artifacts triggers questions in relation to the production and the craft of typography of the 18th/19th-century. Why such bad kerning between letters? Sure, the word is still somewhat legible, or is it? Does one see SLA VE or SLAVE?
Saturday, October 24, 2009Filed in: Letterpress
one grand room…
No gloves, no vaults, no humidity sensors. Each week, Michael Twyman presents a room filled with theatre broadsheets, government documents and various samples showcasing street reading artifacts of the 18th and 19th-century France and Britain. One is able to touch the paper, ink, punch of metal type and wood typefaces used as a sample collection of prints all in original size and scale.
No gloves, no vaults, no humidity sensors. Each week, Michael Twyman presents a room filled with theatre broadsheets, government documents and various samples showcasing street reading artifacts of the 18th and 19th-century France and Britain. One is able to touch the paper, ink, punch of metal type and wood typefaces used as a sample collection of prints all in original size and scale.
Saturday, October 24, 2009Filed in: Wood Type
sugar plums in my head…
With class well under way, I am often distracted by the shelves and shelves of wood type lining the walls. Not to mention rooms filled with printing presses. Hopefully, prints will follow soon. Do miss the 13th FL Sharp Letterpress Shop in Chicago, IL.
With class well under way, I am often distracted by the shelves and shelves of wood type lining the walls. Not to mention rooms filled with printing presses. Hopefully, prints will follow soon. Do miss the 13th FL Sharp Letterpress Shop in Chicago, IL.
Sunday, October 11, 2009Filed in: Reading, UK
incoming…
The summer has flown, and I now find myself in a little slice of English paradise. Located in the county of Berkshire, Reading is a home away from home for a year of study and cultural immersion at the University of Reading.
The summer has flown, and I now find myself in a little slice of English paradise. Located in the county of Berkshire, Reading is a home away from home for a year of study and cultural immersion at the University of Reading.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009Filed in: Featuring…
SAIC features…
MFA Fellowship Profiles are now posted online. View samples of my thesis work and thoughts on my experiences at SAIC.
MFA Fellowship Profiles are now posted online. View samples of my thesis work and thoughts on my experiences at SAIC.