Sharp Gems
At the time that I spotted the striking window of Henry Westpfal & Co. on 25th Street, I had never heard of the place. But the displays were graphic marvels and the juxtaposition with the crudely rendered lettering in the center was a treat that needed to be recorded. I snapped a couple of pictures with my phone and went on my way. Later, zooming in on the photos, I noticed the little white sign taped to one of the displays: “Display Boards for Sale. Made in 1931. Inquire.” So I looked them up and called, and had a great chat with Carmella, the establishment’s manager. Yes, all of the display boards were made by “the same gentleman” in 1931. She had four left that were for sale, including one that features tools for leather workers, and the price was $995.00 each. The boards in the window, though, were not for sale “at this time anyway.” And would those be the same price, if they do ever go on sale? Oh, no, those would be $1,500 each. Reluctantly, I thanked her for her time and resolved to enjoy the images as screensavers and let it go at that. Must return and check out the rest of the collection . . .
For comments email Victoria Pohlmann
Around Town
Living and working in New York City with its constant stimulation, Im often stepping out of the hurried rush to capture a moment that has caught my eye.
Earlier this week, I noticed someone had added a 'G' and an 'A' to a one way sign on 5th Avenue at 18th Street.
On my way into the office this morning I saw that a NYC DOT worker was taking it down.
I felt compelled to ask if it was due to the additional letters - thinking it may make more sense to simply remove the applied letters than take the entire sign down.
Amused, the guy showed his co worker the 'GONE AWAY' sign that had just been brought to his attention, and replied that it had nothing to do with taking the sign down.....
Is it time for a new standard size for business cards?
For as long as I’ve been designing business cards (lets just say several decades) 3 1/2” x 2” has been the standard format. That worked perfectly when everyone had one phone number and email was not even an idea. But, now everyone has many phone numbers, sometimes very lengthy email addresses and job titles that are often six to eight words long. No one uses fax machines any more, but everyone still has fax numbers on their cards.
What’s the poor designer to do? Fitting all this vital information onto one side of a little card is challenging at best. Making it look good has become nearly impossible. Hence the contortions you often see these days: cards printed on both sides, vertical cards, single-fold cards. Any of these solutions might fit the needs at hand and look great, but they will never provide a standard that everyone can match.
Where did the current standard come from? Could we create a new standard? Do we need a standard?
People used to attach business cards to their Roll-A-Dex cards. But, Roll-A-Dexs have gone the way of typewriters. Some people file them in acetate sleeves which are standard sizes, so that would be a problem. Serious salespeople even have business card scanners but I assume there is some wiggle room there in the size they will scan. And, of course, people have fancy cases and folders in which they carry or display their cards. Luggage tags have been designed around business card size.
Who wants to go first to challenge all those reasons for the status quo?
For comments email Robert Barber
Happy New Year
Eileen Harvard, former colleague and friend, remarked that the 2010 Russell Design New Year’s card seemed to be inspired by the work of Alexander Girard (1907–1993). Designer Victoria Pohlmann’s idea was to reference the Russell Design logo using banded circle shapes that transform into round design elements based on various type characters and symbols, and didn’t consciously reference Girard. But the shapes and color combinations definitely bring his work to mind. Girard, along with Ray and Charles Eames and George Nelson, was among the most influential designers of the Fifties and Sixties and seem to be making a comeback.
Within weeks of arriving in New York, I was taken to dinner at La Fonda del Sol, an opulent work of design by Girard including menus, matchbooks, tableware, uniforms and ceramic tiles on the floors and walls. I was told that over eighty different sun motifs were used throughout the restaurant. For me this was a highly impressive and pleasurable experience. A totally designed environment and American exuberance at its best.
“The End of the Plain Plane” (their advertising tagline) was Braniff International Airways rebranding initiative and Girard worked with textiles, color, and graphics on a grand scale, redesigning everything from the interior seating to sugar packets to menus to ticket counters to the color of the planes themselves. In the same spirit, the airline commissioned Alexander Calder to design a aircraft exterior which can be seen here.
Later on a visit to Santa Fe, my wife and I visited the Museum of International Folk Art where the Girard Wing houses his enormous collection of over 100,000 objects including textiles, toys, dolls, and many others collected over his lifetime of travel. All are wonderfully arranged in composed thematic exhibits. A must if you visit the town.
Can graphic design endure? Is a trend or style driven by nostagia revisited every 20 years, suggesting a Girard second coming? Or is today’s edge all that matters? Perhaps my fondness for Girard’s work (and that of Charles and Ray Eames and Nelson) reveals my pre-tech era proclivities after all. I can live with that.
For comments email Anthony Russell
