Wood type has a certain quality about it that is timeless and yet it looks beautifully dated. I love to use these kinds of fonts when the opportunity arises. Here is a collection at the University of Texas at Austin. It’s the Rob Roy Kelly Wood Type Collection. It is a comprehensive collection of wood type manufactured and used for printing in America during the nineteenth century. It is comprised of nearly 150 faces of various sizes and styles, including examples of the most popular printing types in use between 1828 and 1900, and represents a period of history marked by a rapid transition to new printing technologies. This change precipitated a radical shift away from traditional hand production—which involved creating type with soft calligraphic forms—to a completely industrialized manufacturing process—which produced type constructed with hard angular forms that reflect mechanical origins. More

How Strategize for Social Media Marketing
I appreciate Veronica’s straight forward advise on social media marketing in this article. A good place to start your game plan if you are entering this crowded field. It’s amazing how many smart, talented and savvy marketing pros like Veronica work in this little community called Vermont.

I really enjoy the special quality of letterpress printing. This short video shows how it’s done with simple, beautiful imagery. Well done and worth watching. View the video.

Take a tour:
University of Chicago Joe and Rika Mansueto Library

I also believe that if the end result of the process is not beautiful or cool or cutting edge, then it’s a good indication that the problem has not been solved effectively.

Although I’ve been doing this kind of work for 25+ years, I still get stoked by the challenge that each new project brings. I love it when I get the chance to solve a problem.

The design studio of RC Kirk
Brand + Identity Design
Print Design
Website Design
Advertising

About seven years ago I completed my art education degree. Recently I was reflecting on the time I spent back in school after enjoying a 25+ year career in graphic design. I thought about how much I enjoyed making things with my hands during the studio courses I had to take to complete my degree like ceramics and sculpture. For about 2 years I had the opportunity to get my hands dirty with the materials it took to create art. Frankly, I loved it and now I miss it. I believe that’s the way we are made. The book of Genesis says, “God created man in His own image.” So, because we were made to be like our Creator, we have this desire to create and make things. That is why it can be such a fulfilling endeavor, but that is a whole other discussion. What I want to say in this post is that I think working with my hands, getting them dirty, and feeling those materials really helped me become a better designer. For one, it was a stimulating creative endeavor. It made me think deeper and in ways I would not normally do in my everyday work. Secondly, it gave me a greater appreciation of craft. A good craftsman is concerned about every detail and takes the time to do a thing the best it can be. And it also helped by getting me physically active, which in itself is healthy and stimulating to the mind and body. The art work I enjoyed making the most was also the most physically demanding.

One of the pieces I made during that time was called “Layers of Meaning”. I decided I was going to make it in 30 days. So, each day I would add to the sculpture, building it layer by layer until on the thirtieth day it was complete. It was a giant cone shape and the last piece of the sculpture, the tip of the cone, was basically a mini version of the entire piece. I felt that had some significance. Here’s the process and the final piece as displayed in an outdoor sculpture show in a nearby town: Layers of Meaning.

I find her blog pages like Abstract a virtual visual feast. And you can get an original, one-of-a-kind collage for just $20 to $40 at scrapatorium on Etsy. Now that’s art accessible to the people — thanks Angelica.