Great article dissecting Mad Men and their use of typography.

Cameron Adams over at TheManInBlue.com recently posted an article where he asked several prominent typographers to send him a sample of their handwriting. He then puts it up in contrast to some of their work. It’s interesting to see how some of the more famous among the type industry write on a day to day basis.

This article reminds me of the book Inspirability in how the author writes about each designer shown along side a survey filled out by hand from each designer. Some some the designers take the survey pretty serioiusly while others are pretty comical.

Recently I’ve been enjoying this simple typographic screensaver called Word Clock, those with CRT or plasma displays need not apply. It was created by a fellow named Simon Heys. He’s actually got some pretty neat stuff in his portfolio. I suggest you check it out.

Also, why aren’t there more cool screensavers like this?

It’s a screensaver!

So you want to create a font? Part 1. Part 2.

I meant to write about this some time ago but things have been rather busy lately. Anyway, a few weeks back as part of the University of Michigan School of Art & Design Distinguished Visitor Series lectures (damn that’s a long title!) Ellen Lupton came to give a talk to the entire Art School body plus anyone from the public that was interested. Her lecture was entertaining, funny, a bit racy, and short (a welcome rarity among many long-winded, boring lectures). From what I hear the Q&A afterwards was even better than the lecture itself, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to attend due to another class coming up.

Anyway, Ellen Lupton recieved the AIGA Medal the previous night, in New York, for her fabulous contributions to the visual design world. And the day after the lecture, the Umich AIGA Student Group Board was able to obtain two or so hours to meet with Ellen to have a little portfolio review. To have a portfolio review with such a highly regarded designer is a rare event indeed.

We sat down with Ellen at 10am in the senior studios and talked a bit before delving into our portfolios; we talked of her newest book in progress and what it was like to receive the AIGA Medal. Three of us had a pretty well-rounded portfolio to show, one was just beginning to assemble her portfolio, and one was just there to take it all in. She had some pretty good, rather constructive, things to say about each of our portfolios.

Personally I had a decent reaction, but she did criticize the typography my business card as being “amateurish,” which admittedly it is. To be fair it is over 2 years old and I had never taken a typography class before this semester. Also, she commented that my portfolio website is rather plain and boring. I explained that it’s minimalist, but she said that I gave it a bit more depth it’d be a lot better. And guess what? She’s right. Not that that opinion was exactly rocket science but she hit the nail on the head. Goes to show outside opinions on projects are totally helpful, which isn’t that the whole point of a portfolio review to begin with?!