RETRO GRAPHIC DESIGN STYLES

This packaging was developed for the Client: El Paso Chile Company by Louise Fili Ltd.

The packaging has an honest, home made appeal, exuding all the comforts of home made cooking. "Chili just like Mamma used to make". 

The visual identification of this packaging allows the consumer to reminise in the comforts and joys home made cooking brought to them as a child.

How is this achieved? Use of limited colour palette, immediately places the packing into the early part of the 20th Century. The font is a slab serif typeface and has been excavated and reproduced from an old type book that was originally produced by a long defunct Woodtype foundry. The red font as well as commanding attention from the shelf, also relates to the spiciness of the chili. As a whole I think the packaging is very successful. The design instantly adds history to the product, giving the illusion of longevity (even though this may not be the case - this could be a brand new product with absolutely no history) and in the minds of the consumer: longevity equates to integrity and trustworthiness.

www.louisefili.com

HOW MAGAZINE

Earlier this year I subscribed to the American "How" magazine, as a way of expanding my mind into the world of Graphic Design. 

I love receiving magazine subscriptions - it's like a little bit of Xmas every month, particularly when you're sooooo busy and you forget that you've signed up - and receive a nice surprise in the letter box (rather than the usual bill).
Like all magazines, it's filled with advertisements (as this is where the funding comes from) but this Special Issue: August 2009 is the Creative Talent Issue and features 17 young up and coming artists. The styles are wide and varied from Illustrators to Photographers and Designers and begs the old question "What is Graphic Design" (now, let's not go there!)
What is interesting is the shared insight you gain from each individual, as they are all asked the same questions:
How did you realise you wanted to be a designer?
Who or what influences your work?
What's the best advice you've received?
What's you best way to break out of a creative rut? 

All good tit bits for those of us making our way into the world of design.

www.howdesign.com

www.HOWdesign.com/youngcreatives

LOUISE FILI

New York based Graphic Designer Louise Fili has been one of my great discoveries this year - and thank you Joh for listing her in the Influential Designer research assignment last semester. Louise Fili has an incredible out put of work. Before setting up Louise Fili Ltd, she had spent 11 years as book publishing company Pantheon's art director, and during this time managed an incredible 2000 covers. The maths on this of course is approx 180 covers per year, roughly 3-4 covers per week. Now I don't know about you, but I know it took me at least 3 weeks to do the book cover assignment last semester! (and yes I do realise Louise Fili has way more experience than I, but still a huge achievement).
What I find inspiring about her blog, is that one is offered the rare opportunity for a little insight into her world - the things that inspire her, that keep her mind fresh and creative. I get the impression she is a private person, so info on her can be a little scarce - I know this from piecing together the research article I did on her. Capturing little insights on the person behind the art is always interesting, one can begin to formulate a idea of what this person is about, and in turn begin to understand a little more about our creative processes. There is a reason for all the shelves of empty tins, paper cuttings, old suitcases and wrappers!
Fili's website is packed full of before and after logos, and a selection of her book cover designs. Well worth a look.

www.louisefili.com/blog/

JIM FLORA

It's been 12 months since I discovered who this man was; although when I was working as a music buyer in Sydney I was, unbeknownst to me familiar with his work. Unfortunately as the saying goes"all good things must come to an end", and Jim Flora is no longer with us, however his work lives on and inspires many of us admirers. In a nutshell Jim Flora (1914-1998) has been long admired for his boisterous 1940's-1950's record cover illustrations and later a series of best selling children's books.
Flora has been rediscovered by Irwin Chusid and Barbara Economon who together with the family's blessing has trawled through the Flora archives and published three volumes of Jim Flora's art work. (I have them all!) Jim Flora was responsible for making the humble record cover a piece of art, using it as a canvas for advertising, and as a result people began to buy albums based purely on the look of the cover, not the music within. 50 years later Flora's album covers are collector's items, commanding big money at auction. Why do I like his work? With a limited colour pallet, Flora's art jumps off the page and commands your attention, he uses simple shapes, sharp angles contrasted with curves, and although colourful and what you think is joyous and happy, can in some instances have a more sinister content.

www.jimflora.com

www.jimflora.blogspot.com

NEW VINTAGE TYPE

NEW VINTAGE TYPE: Classic fonts for the Digital Age. Steven Heller and Gail Anderson.
I was very excited to finally receive this book in the mail. It is filled with endless examples of using type in posters, packaging,books, logos, practically anything that you care to name. The book demonstrates the importance of type and how modern artwork utilises old fonts to evoke another time and place. The book is divided into five chapters by historical period - so you are given a bonus history lesson as well! The book boasts 400 colour illustrations, so there's certainly plenty to look at and absorb.

Show & Tell