The Glyph

Happy New Year

2008-12-31T09:59:00.005-05:00

On this day before New Year's Eve, let's take a look at the event's graphic symbol. No, not Champagne bubbles, the Times Square ball, or goofy year-themed glasses, but the venerable New Year's baby. While said baby, being without sin and all, once had religious connotations (above), its image has long been secular, as popularized by the great American illustrator Joseph Christian (J.C.) Leyendecker (1874-1951) on the covers of The Saturday Evening Post (below). Of course, babies are timeless, but sadly, so are Leyendecker's themes (war, taxes, and stock market crashes). By Steven Heller

Santa in 1862-Thomas Nast

2008-12-15T13:14:00.001-05:00

Have a great Holiday!

2008-11-22T08:06:00.004-05:00

For years now, advertisements have featured a logo with the outline of a television tube, usually in red with white letters reading "As Seen On TV," as the ultimate badge of promotional credibility.

The "As Seen On TV" emblem echoes the logo of TV Guide, the most trusted name in TV guides, and gives the impression that the product or service being advertised is endorsed--much like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval--by the magazine. And despite the emergence of the educated consumer and a healthy skepticism of anything advertised on television, "As Seen On..." continues to be a trusted brand, even though everyone knows that anyone with money can buy time on TV to sell almost anything.

So what's going to happen in February 2009 when the venerable, bulging TV screen will go the way of the transistor? (Analog television owners can buy a box to convert their TV, but by now, analog sets have become a rarity.) Can this trusted logo be adapted to the rectangular flat screen format and continue to be as credible? I doubt it. So let's take the time remaining to pay homage to "As Seen On TV," knowing we will never see its like again. (From the Heller)

Shopping cart project

2008-11-22T07:57:00.002-05:00

Censorship of Picasso Drawing

2008-11-19T10:52:00.002-05:00

This drawing was removed from the facade of Cooper Union in NYC. Find out the issue.

Health Issues Posters

2008-11-09T12:26:00.003-05:00

Only in New York

2008-10-18T08:24:00.000-04:00

Check out the designer dogs!

What's wrong with this picture?

2008-10-05T12:42:00.005-04:00

Go to the website and figure out what is wrong with this photo for a new US postage stamp.

Graphic Design Can Cause Seizures

2008-10-05T12:04:00.002-04:00

Epilepsy fears over 2012 logo footage-A segment of animated footage promoting the 2012 Olympics has been removed from the organisers' website after fears it could trigger epileptic seizures.

Join the Design Police

2008-10-05T09:19:00.001-04:00

Download the labels and join the design police

2008 Vote Posters

2008-10-05T08:26:00.003-04:00

View the slide show of vote posters for 2008 and then also view the ones from 2004.

Chicago Poster Biennial

2008-10-05T08:04:00.003-04:00

Check out the slide show on this site for the poster show. Then take a look at some of the other topics on this site.

The Earthquake in China

2008-10-03T14:58:00.000-04:00

The devastating earthquake in China last May prompted American designer Robert Appleton,who has been teaching in China, to design and co-curate 5.12: China's Massive Earthquake: A Commemorative Exhibition, held at the RCM Art Museum in Nanjing.Appleton notes: "The website has more than 100 works out of 200 in the show.

New Features in CS4

2008-10-01T17:58:00.003-04:00

Thanks Michael-take a look at what's new in CS4! It will be on the lab computers next fall.

Illustration Site

2008-09-30T10:41:00.002-04:00

Hockey Moms Deserve Better (Design)

2008-09-10T09:35:00.002-04:00

Wondering why all those handmade signs you saw during the Republican National Convention looked so similar to each other? That's because they were all made by RNC staff or volunteers beforehand and distributed to selected attendees!

Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art

2008-09-10T09:15:00.002-04:00

Kim Deitch: A Retrospective

Exhibition dates: September 9 - December 5, 2008
Opening Reception: Friday September 12, 6 - 9 pm

Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA)
594 Broadway, Suite 401
New York, NY 10012

You Know Your A Graphic Designer When...

2008-08-29T22:48:00.003-04:00

You watch the Super Bowl just for the commercials

You can spot bad typography from 100 yards away

You look upon a well-designed project with either: sympathy OR extreme jealousy

You tell stories of exacto-knife inflicted wounds with grizzled sort of pride

You buy a CD or DVD for the artwork, even if you have no idea what the actual music or film is like

You know what “kerning” is and you really, really like it.”

You give your relatives a lecture about color spaces and profiles when you email them your vacation photos.

You maintain a grid system for your refrigerator magnets.

You sit at work for eight hours straight just looking at your monitor, waiting for a spark of inspiration that doesn’t come.

Looking at a menu makes you go “hmmm, ITC Baskerville italic” rather than “mmm, lunch!”

Apple+Z is the first thing that goes through your mind if you drop and break something.

You know that rivers are more than just water.

Kerning and leading on your shopping list actually matters to you, and you don’t see a problem with that.

You know that “bleeding” doesn’t hurt.

When deciding on the right crop doesn’t involve a choice between corn or wheat.

You’ve considered naming your children things like ‘Kern’, ‘Pica’, and ‘Serif’.

You can understand everything on this list.

Where is the Donkey?

2008-08-29T11:29:00.005-04:00

Something time-honored appears to be missing from the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Do you know what it is? It’s the Democratic donkey, the symbol of the Democratic Party. Read the article by Steven Heller about campaign graphics. (Steven Heller is the co-chairman of the MFA Design program at the School of Visual Arts and is a noted author on graphic design subjects)Click the Title to read this article.

Design a Beard?

2008-08-29T10:55:00.005-04:00

This might be your next design assignment. Check out the website by clicking on the title.

New Work

2008-08-28T17:53:00.012-04:00

This is one of my lastest photographs that can be seen in the faculty show at IUS that opens September 4th. Hope to see you there.

Fonts Have Personalities (select to play again)

2008-08-26T21:35:00.015-04:00

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.