buttons buttons buttons

Since the store's UPPERCASE U buttons have been so popular (750 given away since the store opened in March!) and my Eclectobooks have been well-received (60 made, only three left), the logical extension is to make buttons using my Eclecto collections of found papers and other interesting bits. Here are some preview images; Eclecto buttons are available in store now, and will be available online in the new year.

Here's a preview of the packaging, inspired by fabric notions and shirt buttons. Buttons packs have various "topics" such as Security, Fortune, Exploration, Comic Peril and Old News.

Sara Fanelli

Illustrator Sara Fanelli creates wonderful images with collaged papers, whimsical drawings and quirky handwriting. Her website is beautiful as well (refresh the page or enter the site again to see different background papers). I'd love to have her work in the gallery or on the bookshelf... perhaps for an exhibition idea I'm investigating for the new year that explores lettering and typography in illustration. If you're an illustrator or designer interested in submitting work for this or any other show, or if you have an idea that you'd like to share, please email me: info at uppercasegallery.ca. Include a link to your website or a few sample jpg images.

Christmas Gifts - it's ok if you buy them for yourself!

Hiroshi Tanabe #2

Indisputable master of the two-dimensional plane, Hiroshi Tanabe’s unique fashion illustrations are revered by fashionistas all over the globe. A graduate of the Tama Art College in Japan he developed his unique, individual style early in his career and immediately won applause for its dynamic, off-register, almost 3-D appearance. Tanabe's illustrations have been published in Arena, Vogue, Marie Claire, New York Magazine, the New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Visionaire and Wallpaper. His corporate clients have included Ann Taylor, Barneys New York, Redken and Shiseido. In the early 1990s Tanabe studied at Milan’s Accademia Di Brera and was awarded the Brithish Vogue/Sotheby's Cecil Beaton Award for fashion illustration in 1994. In 1999 his first book, "Blue Mode", won a gold medal for illustration and design from the Art Director's Club. This book presents a brilliant collection of work by one of the world’s most sought after fashion illustrators. (Synopsis from publisher's site) (Hardcover with plastic sleeve, $46)

 

Giant

Mike Giant has achieved fame as a graffiti artist, illustrator and tattooist. Black ink is GIANT’s specialty and whether his medium is concrete, paper or skin his signature style - made up of equal parts Mexican folk art and Japanese illustration - is unmistakable. This book is GIANT’s first monograph and it features beautifully executed drawings on paper, full scale wall art and impeccably photographed tattoos. A distinctive, cloth-bound hardcover volume GIANT is a must have reference book for all those interested in exploring the possibilities of heavy ink! (Synopsis from publisher's site) (Cloth hardcover with gold foil, $38)

Vinyl Will Kill

VINYL WILL KILL! is a fascinating insider's look at the process behind 3D vinyl figure production. VINYL WILL KILL! traces the development from initial concept to the insane world of high-end collector's stores and finally to collectors around the world; showcasing new yet-to-be-released vinyl figures direct from the artists along the way. The new genre of 3d collectibles is further explored through a series of one on one interviews with some of the best and hottest vinyl designers and producers on the planet including Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, Scary Girl, Enid by Dan Clowes, Dorbel by Jim Woodring, Mars 1 by Recon and Strangeco to name a few. VINYL WILL KILL! is the ultimate backstage pass for collectors, product designers, or anyone interested in the how a great idea makes its way to finished product. (Synopsis from publisher's site) (Boxed set includes 232-page book, large poster and 36 trading cards. $49.95)

Another great book by Ellen Lupton

Design It Yourself

 
Last year, design educator Ellen Lupton's book "Thinking with Type" was published by Princeton Architectural Press. It is a fantastic introduction to the world of typography: well-written, informative and entertaining, and well-designed. It is must-have book in any design student's (or typophile's) library. (Available at UPPERCASE.) This year, Lupton has edited a design handbook entitled "DIY Design it Yourself"($26.85  at UPPERCASE.) A collaboration with her students at the Maryland Institute College of Art, this book is one page of inspiration after another. From blogs, zines, books, cds, invitations, t-shirts, posters... this lavishly photographed and illustrated guide offers ideas and tips on everything you might want to create or promote. Even if you're an experienced designer, the exuberance of ideas will definitely light some creative fires!

Lupton, along with her sister Julia, is working on her next book. "Design Your Life" will apply "ideas from design theory and practice to some of the basic problems of daily living, from organizing a household and thinking creatively in the workplace to achieving a relaxed and satisfying erotic life." Sounds ambitious... I look forward to participating in their online component and adding their next book to my design library.

Immune - Floria Sigismondi

"Floria Sigismondi is a multi-disciplinary artist whose photography, videos, films and sculptures have had a major impact on contemporary visual culture. Six years after we released her first book Redemption, we are publishing Immune, a second collection of Sigismondi’s groundbreaking images that reflect the evolution and diversity of her recent work.

Immune features a remarkable blend of new photos including previously unreleased stills from the prize-winning video clips she has created for music acts including Christina Aguilera, the Cure, Incubus, Björk, the White Stripes (click for video) and Sigur Ros (click for video). These are complimented by more personal artistic images and self-portraits.

The bizarre, otherworldly look that Sigismondi has become famous for is still clearly recognizable, but Immune also highlights the range of her creative vision. In addition to presenting classic images, the book shows work that is subtler and at times irreverently critical of current politics."

CBC gallery on Floria Sigismondi 

Synopsis from the publishers' website.  hardcover $80

 

Helpful book for guiding your career

How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul

 
Through industry magazines, awards annuals and opulent monographs, graphic designers love showing their work off to other designers. “Look what I’ve done!” they say. We look at this work and admire its surface beauty  with a pinge of envy. “I want to produce work like that,” we say.

But how did they get there? And is that really the ultimate goal for the design profession, to be recognized by other designers? In critiques of the graphic design profession, it has been stated many times that the ultimate goal is to produce good work for good clients, not to proliferate your studio’s fame in industry publications. Although it is good creative motivation to strive to achieve quality work that is celebrated by your peers, graphic design is in service of a client’s message first and foremost. How do you function day-to-day within this demanding service industry and still maintain creative passion? How do you balance your artistic motivations with practical matters such as finding a job, dealing with clients and managing a business?

Adrian Shaughnessy’s new book “How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul”, from Princetown Architectural Press, adeptly presents advice about design as a career. Shaughnessy is a self-taught designer who co-founded the successful London design firm Intro. Throughout the book, the author’s tone is inviting and encouraging as he offers practical information while illustrating his points with his own experiences and interviews with noted figures such as Neville Brody, John Warwicker, Angela Lorenz and Rudy VanderLans. Shaughnessy emphasizes that the successful designer is one who is a thoughtful, caring and culturally aware.

This is an invaluable book for students, recent grads and those trying to define their career path. Importantly, the author begins by outlining the creative, philosophical and practical attributes needed by comtemporary designers. The reader is then guided through interviews and portfolio presentation, finding jobs, being a freelancer and setting up a creative studio as well as dealing with clients, finding new work and nurturing the creative process. This book is unique in that it shares insight into motivations and interpersonal dynamics. Ego, confidence, and personality (not to mention talent) play a big part in the success or failure of a designer.

In the foreword, Stefan Sagmeister writes, “I hope this book helps young designers find their way. I don’t think that the ‘designers don’t read’ bullshit is true. A good book will find good readers.” Unfortunately, my main critique of the book is its design. New designers are perhaps the most susceptible to the allure of design picture books — beautiful reproductions by famous designers dangle like carrots before them. (“My style’s going to be a little like Sagmeister, a little like Cahan & Associates...”) For the most part, the illustrations of work reproduced in the margin appear grey and rather uninteresting. These examples are easily available in full colour glory in other publications, so to show them here in poor quality could be a factor against purchasing the book for those looking for some quick inspiration. The book is designed using a sort of “default” style (given the theme of keeping your soul, I found this generic aesthetic an odd choice) which uses a single sans serif family throughout, and devices such as slashes, underlines, footnotes and varying paragraph widths as visual interest. In such designs, attention to detail is vital because the sparceness requires that all elements stand up to scrutiny. Unfortunately, the paragraphs suffer from awkward justification and word spacing which I found fairly distracting, until the author’s voice superceded the printed words.

Shaughnessy’s friendly writing and sound advice make “How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul” an excellent companion to a fledgling design career.

$26.95 paperback, available in the store. 

Emigre Exits (and the influence of design magazines on my career)

"Everything must come to an end, and after publishing Emigre magazine for over 21 years we’re both relieved and just a little bit sad to announce that #69 will be our final issue. This milestone issue features a behind-the-scenes look at the history of Emigre magazine, while our contributors and colleagues bid us farewell. It was quite an experience." —Rudy VanderLans & Zuzana Licko

Emigre, the magazine and font foundry, has been a significant influence in my design education. I studied visual communications at the Alberta College of Art & Design from 1992-95, so Emigre had already been around for decade when I first became aware of them. It was in the monograph published on occasion of their 10th anniversary where I discovered the origins of digital typography and design.

I remember a most significant purchase made at SWIPE books while on a visit to Toronto. I bought my first issue of Emigre and a copy of the British publication Eye. On my student budget, this was a thoughtul, weighty purchase. And it was the start of what can only be described as a design magazine addiction!

Actually, Communication Arts was the very first magazine to influence my career — in fact, it lead me to my career. I first discovered the magazine in the Saskatoon Public Library when I was in highschool. Until feasting my eyes on its lush glossy pages, I had not realized that my love of images and letters could translate into a real profession. My parents generously paid for the expensive subscription as a Christmas present and very soon afterwards, I made up my mind to become a graphic designer.

Communication Arts has long been my measure for the ultimate in top-quality design, so it was a huge thrill and milestone that my Leaflet project was included in the 2004 Design Annual (and featured on the cover design!). I am equally pleased that they have selected the UPPERCASE line of typographic greeting cards for this year's Annual.

Update on December 10, 2005 at 10:35 PM by Janine

The last issue of Emigre will be available at UPPERCASE in the new year. Please email us if you want to reserve a copy.

Hallmark Humour

Animator Chris Harding created an amusing short for the folks at Hallmark Shoebox Greetings. It is amazing that this is a corporate video — it does show that they have a sense of humour over at the Hallmark corporation. Link found via Newstoday.

Harding is also featured in the upcoming book in the Pictoplasma series, which UPPERCASE will carry when it become available in North America. There is an animation festival in Berlin this month presenting some fabulous talent.

Christmas Cards

Here are snapshots of the Christmas cards in production, using a Print Gocco (my new favourite contraption). There are ten different designs, so all told the effort of making these greeting card singles and sets required over 2000 impressions — all by hand! 

Update on December 10, 2005 at 10:36 PM by Janine

Samples of the finished cards are shown in the Papergoods section under "Field Guide to the Christmas Season". Order yours soon – they make great stocking stuffers for people to give out next Christmas. Expedited shipping is available, just email or phone before placing your order.

It's like Christmas!

A glorious shipment of books has arrived! 

Oh so busy!

Hello! A lot has been happening behind the scenes since I last updated the journal aspect of this site. (Most significantly, Glen and I got married in August. We took some time off in September to go on a honeymoon vacation to Boston.)

In UPPERCASE news, our cards will be featured in the November Communication Arts Design Annual. I have also incorporated online ordering for cards, as well as capabilities for selling gallery artwork online.

Christmas cards are in production — they're being handprinted this week! 

Reading and writing pay off

We want your opinion

Have you recently purchased a book at UPPERCASE that you'd like to review? Was the book an inspiration to your creative process or were you disappointed with some aspect of the book? Let us know what you think by emailing your review to info @ uppercasegallery.ca. If we publish your review on the website, we'll send you a coupon for $10 off your next book purchase. We also gladly accept recommendations on what books or publishers you'd like UPPERCASE to carry.

Please put "UPPERCASE Book Review" in the subject line of your email and include your name and phone number. Reviews should be similar in length to those posted below. UPPERCASE may edit the posted reviews for clarity.

More book design!

Classic Book Jackets:

The Design Legacy of George Salter

 

By Thomas S. Hansen

"For more than forty years, his beautifully drawn and lettered covers served as elegant windows onto the works of such revered authors as Albert Camus, John Dos Passos, Jack London, and Thomas Mann. Salter had the rare ability to reduce the illustrated dust jacket — a new part of the book package — to its essential elements. He could visually evoke — with typography, calligraphy, and pictorial imagery — the contents of any given book."

(synopsis from Chronicle Books' website)

Book Design

 

By Its Cover

By Ned Drew and Paul Sternberger

"We all know we're not supposed to judge books by their covers, but the truth is that we do just that nearly every time we walk into a bookstore... It's really not something we should be ashamed about, for it reinforces something we sincerely believe: design matters."

A few weeks ago, I attended the AIGA conference in Boston. The authors of By Its Cover were presenters in one of the focus sessions entitled "Debunking Nostalgia: The Truth about Graphic Design History". The moderator, Véronique Vienne, made a joke about how most designers don't read graphic design books — they just look at the pictures. I admit that I "read" design books for the visuals. When By Its Cover arrived to the store just before I left for Boston, I looked at each image in the book and then put in on the shelf. Now that I have heard the authors speak about their process behind compiling the book cover designs and their research, I look forward to reading By Its Cover and judging it not only on the beautiful images and great book design, but on the quality of the written content as well.

Pressing Letters Workshop

Indulge in the beauty of ink and type and attend an UPPERCASE Pressing Letters workshop! Make your own posters and postcards using the an eclectic collection of rubber stamps and woodtype. Workshops are $20 for instruction and supplies. Please call the gallery at 283-5318 to sign up for a Saturday afternoon or Thursday evening.

Here are Twyla and Ron's creations from July 23:



And some of my growing collection of new and vintage rubber stamps and woodtype:

Amazing website featuring circus posters

This Circus Museum site is an archive of antique circus posters from around the world. You can zoom in to view each poster in great detail. The beautiful site design is an achievement, as is the collection of posters.

Typedrawing

A online public sketchbook in which your illustrative gestures become typographic lines.

Not My Type

Here are some typographic animations, part of a series entitled "Not My Type", by the Lycette Brothers from Australia.

Hatch Show Print - this book on sale: save 20%

Hatch Show Print

UPPERCASE will be presenting the letterpress posters of Hatch Show Print this July and August. Contact us to reserve your copy of the book.

By Jim Sherraden and Elek Horvath and Paul Kingsbury

Published in March, 2001

In this age of digital media, the handcrafted ethic and aesthetic of a Hatch Show Print poster is beyond compare. Country musicians and magicians, professional wrestlers and rock stars, all have turned to Nashville's historic Hatch Show Print to create showstopping posters. Established in 1879, Hatch preserves the art of traditional printing that has earned a loyal following to this day (including the likes of Beck, Emmylou Harris, and the Beastie Boys). Hatch Show Print: The History of a Great American Poster Shop is the first fully illustrated tour of this iconic print shop and also chronicles the long life and large cast of employees, entertainers, and American legends whose histories are intertwined with it. Complete with 190 illustrations--as well as a special book jacket that unfolds to reveal an original Hatch poster on the reverse--Hatch Show Print is a dazzling document of this legendary institution.

Jim Sherraden who has been the manager of Hatch Show Print since 1984.

Elek Horvath a deputy at Hatch Show Print and is well-versed in its history, lore, and technical aspects.

Paul Kingsbury an award-winning author of several books and Deputy Director of Educational Research and Special Projects of the Country Music Foundation. All three authors live in Nashville.

Click here for more images.
(synopsis from Chronicle Books' website)

Typewriters from 1930 to the 1990s

Year after year, I would ask Santa to bring me a typewriter. I would have been very happy with any of these models.