Craftside

Descriptive Word Pairs Exercise From the Book Playing with Type

Today, I have a fun creative prompt from the book Playing with Type: 50 graphic experiments for exploring typographic design principles.

Pick two opposite words and combine them in a fun way.

Here are two examples: Solid and hollow that are drawn like a solid object with the word hollow being the holes in the 3D letters.

The second example is made with those little melting beads kids play with which spells true and false.

So not only can you choose opposite words to exemplify their meaning when you draw them, try making the two words out of an unusual material.

Click on this page from Playing with Type and choose from the list of word pairs or pick 2 of your own and try drawing them thogther in your art or simply doodle them during your next down time.

More about the Rockport book:

Playing with Type: 50 graphic experiments for exploring typographic design principles

by Lara McCormick

Playing with Type is a hands-on, playful approach to learning type application and principles. This engaging guide begins with an introduction to the philosophy of learning through the process of play. Along with a series of experimental design projects with an emphasis on type, the author provides designers with a “toolkit” of ideas and skills developed through the process of play. The awareness and sensitivity to type styles, forms, and type choices gained through these visual experiments will increase the designer’s confidence in their personal and professional work. This book can be used in the classroom or independently, and readers can go directly to exercises that appeal to them.

Lara McCormick completed her MFA in design from the School of Visual Arts, and has a post-graduate degree in typography from Cooper Union. She is currently the Graphic Design Chair at the New Hampshire Institute of Art. She is obsessed with all things type and is constantly looking to push it in new directions. She lives in Manchester, NH. Visit her online at http://www.laramc.com.

 

9 cool barcode designs from the book Design Matters: An Essential Primer-Brochures, Logos, Packaging, Portfolios

Today I have an inside peek in the book Design Matters: An Essential Primer Brochures, Logos, Packaging, Portfolios. I like the imagery of the barcode and I never thought about being creative with it. But guess what- you can! And did you know you can generate a barcode for free?

More about the Rockport book:

Design Matters: An Essential Primer Brochures, Logos, Packaging, Portfolios

by

Capsule

Michelle Taute

Maura Keller

The design bar is at an all-time high for those brave enough to participate in the industry. Today's designers must be clear on all the steps necessary to create work that stands out in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Unfortunately, most design books only focus on type, color, and layout issues. The Design Matters series takes a more in-depth approach, allowing designers to learn not only how to create work that is aesthetically appealing, but also strategy-driven and smart.

This compilation features the best of the Design Matters series, indispensable guides to design, in one handy volume. Design Matters focuses on developing, creating and implementing brochure designs, logo designs, packaging, and portfolios. The compendium includes all the essential information needed to execute strong designs in concert with beautiful and well-crafted examples, so that designers can successfully hit the mark every time.

Capsule specializes in brand strategy and identity design services. Since 1999, the Minneapolis, Minnesota firm has lent its distinctive methods and perspectives to the international design community. http://www.capsule.us

A former editor at I.D., Michelle Taute has written for magazines ranging from Better Homes and Gardens to USA Weekend and Metropolis. She also regularly contributes to HOW, STEP, ASID Icon, and Dynamic Graphics. In addition, she holds degrees in both journalism and English from the University of Missouri. http://www.michelletaute.com

Maura Keller is a writer and editor. In addition to freelance writing for more than 50 publications for the past 10 years, she was a marketing communications writer for the award-winning design firm, Yamamoto Moss in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She has also written extensively on marketing and business-related topics for regional and national consumer and trade publications.

    

Barbed wire type from the inspiring book The Art of Punk

Type-tastic Tuesday my crafty Craftside readers! Today my inspiration comes from the coffee table book of 900 images, The Art of Punk: The Illustrated History of Punk Rock Design. I love design books for inspiration. I spotted this page that had hand drawn barbed wire type and I thought I'd try writing my quote of the day in barbed wire font.

How I drew the barbed wire type face:

 

I drew lines of pointy ellipses as you can see in the "N" and "E" then I added little messy condensed "Z" shapes where the pointy ellipses met. I should emphasize messy! See the little scribbles under the de Gaulle? That's who said this quote, "Deliberation is the work of many men. Action of one alone."

Click on this page from to see a closeup of the page that was my inspiration:

More about the Voyager Press Book:

The Art of Punk: The Illustrated History of Punk Rock Design

by

Russ Bestley

Alex Ogg

Dennis Loren

Punk rock gave birth to an art movement that was little appreciated at the time but soon became influential around the globe. This is the first book to chronicle the art of punk style, from concert posters and flyers to fanzines and record sleeves, T-shirts, buttons, comic books, and much more.

 

The story begins with the godfathers of punk—the Velvet Undergound, MC5, the Ramones, New York Dolls, and Patti Smith—and the distinctive aesthetic these bands launched thanks to impresarios like Andy Warhol. Punk broke big in 1976 and 1977 with American and British groups such as the Sex Pistols, the Damned, the Clash, the Germs, and more, and continues today with bands like Green Day and Rancid. The bands created a reactionary, do-it-yourself art designed to shock, amaze, and stand out from the blandness of the 1970s. This groundbreaking style continues to impact design, music, and fashion today.

 

This collection of more than 900 images is a rare look at punk design since so much of it was made as throwaway art and few originals have survived. The authors have collected an incredible gallery of images, plus interviews with the artists, poster designers, and musicians who were there on the frontlines of punk rock.

 

Russ Bestley is a graphic design professor at the London College of Communications, University of the Arts London. He’s also the author of Up Against the Wall: International Poster Design and Experimental Layout. He writes for publications including Eye, Zed, émigré, the Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern World, and Punk & Post-Punk.

 

Alex Ogg is the co-editor of the esteemed academic journal Punk & Post-Punk. He’s the author of The Hip Hop Years, No More Heroes, and Independence Days. He’s a regular contributor to The London Times, Vive Le Rock, and is the former editor of Spiral Scratch.

 

Dennis Loren is a rock poster designer and member of The Rock Poster Society.

  

Deer themed logos featured in LogoLounge 7

Okay, I have some eye-candy for you today... deer-themed logos from the book LogoLounge 7: 2,000 International Identities by Leading Designers. If you like to design, draw or just doodle, why not use these to experiment with your personal style and whip up a holiday bit of cheer? They'd be perfect for a greeting card or ornament.

Click on this page of logos from LogoLounge 7 to enlarge and try creating something in one of the styles with your own touch,

And if you like creating your own art with inspiration from other designs and styles check out the Rockport book. It's filled with 2,000 logos!

 

LogoLounge 7:

2,000 International Identities by Leading Designers

by

Bill Gardner

and

Anne Hellman

This celebratory book, the seventh in the series, once again pays tribute to the brilliant work top designers around the world have created for a diverse clientele. This inspiring collection provides a wealth of insight for graphic designers and their clients. The LogoLounge website (www.logolounge.com) showcases the work of the world’s top designers as well as up-and-coming new talent, and this book presents the site’s best designs of the past year as judged by an elite group of name-brand designers. The first portion LogoLounge 7 profiles ten top designers and spotlights their biggest, newest campaigns. A handful of their smaller projects are also featured in this section along with unused logos that have never before been seen. The second half of the book contains almost 2,000 logos organized by visual categories.

Bill Gardner is president of Gardner Design and has produced work for Learjet, Thermos, Nissan, Pepsi, Pizza Hut, Kroger, Hallmark, Cargill Corporation, and the 2004 Athens Olympics. He is the author of LogoLounge I, LogoLounge II, LogoLounge III, and LogoLounge IV, and lives in Wichita, Kansas.

Anne Hellman has been involved in several design titles, including Rockport Publishers' Joel Desgrippes and Marc Gobe on Emotional Brand Experience.

 

Shadow boxes of words from the book The Best of Cover Design: Books, Magazines, Catalogs, and More

Happy Black Friday! I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving day filled with all the things you are thankful for. I am thankful for books filled with words and books filled with art made of words like these shadowboxes featured in The Best of Cover Design: Books, Magazines, Catalogs, and More. And hey, if you are looking to do a little book shopping might I suggest QBookShop.com where there are some amazing books that are on sale for up to 70% off!

Like "best of" inspiration like I do? Then check out the eye-candy filled Rockport book:

The Best of Cover Design:

Books, Magazines, Catalogs, and More

By

Altitude Associates

You can't judge a book by its cover, or so the saying goes. We beg to differ.

Each of us is exposed to several thousand messages a day. To be successful, covers not only have to stand out amongst all the clutter, but they also need to make an instant connection with viewers. Designing covers isn't an easy task. It's a minefield of requirements, constraints, and subjective opinions, oftentimes resulting in what we like to call the “design-by-committee pit of despair.” Make the logo bigger. The CEO's daughter doesn't like orange; change it. The sales team begins art directing. Welcome to the land of mediocrity. We've all been there, and it requires ninja-like skills to traverse and emerge in one piece. Despite the challenges, some covers clearly rise to the top. You can't help but pick up the magazine, open the brochure, or buy the book. They draw you in through their cleverness, simplicity, or boldness. These are the covers contained herein.

Of the more than 2,000 covers received, the authors had the dubious task of selecting about 350 to be featured in  The Best of Cover Design. The chosen covers were selected based on their initial visual impact and effectiveness in conveying the message within. It is an inspiration feast for the eyes.