That this blog will become one of those ‘vintage things to swoon over’ blogs that only posts ‘vintage’ things to swoon over. But I’ve been doing lots of fun research lately, and, y’know, we used to value craft and care in all artistic output. And I like that.
From the magnificent Smithsonian Institution’s Trade Catalogue Collection
Happy campers.
Dear lord I am melting.
These, and so many more, yet to be shared, are the fruits of research for a Farm Tour poster I am working on for WSU. They have come from all corners of the web, but archive.org has been a great resource, as usual.
And we feast, for now.
I’ve written on the topic at length. The excruciating detail kind. This will be a different kind. Promise.
This morning, I sat down to begin working on a poster for a farm tour to take place in September. The preceding steps, necessary to arrive at this point of creative juice commencement being: wake up, put on pants, make a cup of coffee in my egregiously large 8-cup Chemex, sit down at desk, open internet (on computer).
What followed was a function borne completely of habit. So ingrained to the initial stages of my design process that I found comfort in seeing all the friendly faces, and a deal of surprise, in recognizing the regularity of this step irrespective of the product I am to create.
Once the internet had awoken, I opened five tabs, bam bam bam bam bam, without a thought. The contents of which - the subjects of an intention for catalytic osmosis - are so reliable and talented that they are always the first place I turn.
Many of these folks are big cheeses, so more likely than not, they’ll be old news to you folks who are hip and with it. But, humbly, I offer these resources as some of the best and brightest of my inspirators.
These, among many other disparate and geographically diverse people and places on the internet, have been my professors of design. I’ve learned everything I now know and do on the subject by poring over their work, scrutinize the techniques and textures of individual works that stand out.
I’ve imitated, emulated and aspired, and I was lucky enough to discover this wonderful essay by Jessica Hische on the mechanics of thievery. One cannot force innovation, but also must be wary of misappropriation. It’s kind of a pickle.
In conclusion. On account of these rambling words going just about nowhere, and the fact that I’ve now procrastinated well beyond my allotted timeframe of not starting to work on this poster, I say adieu.
Adieu.
For my friends Justin and Addie. It was fun.
because, you know.
I recently designed an identity for my fried Pierre, who, among many other things, is now a sheep shearer. We designed two business cards and a flyer. Then he sheared my sheep. Photos of that to come soon.
It looks pretty darn neat if you ask me.
