Monday, December 31, 2012

Street Lettering or Polite Messaging

It’s not uncommon to come across chalkboard style street lettering on city or rural streets in Italy. They are often times humorous messages written by family or friends for brides and grooms on their wedding day. I absolutely love the graphic appeal. They are even let’s say, polite, as they don’t need public buildings for showcase, but only a wide enough street--no one to task in scrubbing away or painting over the writing on the wall, but just a matter of time to wash off with a bit of snow or rain.

2013 is just around the corner and it’s a time for reflection of what has been accomplished in the studio at Pirouette Press--how to make it better--anticipating future projects in the New Year. 

I think this street graphic communicates a message meant not only for the bride and groom on their special day, but for anyone who happens to be on that same road towards happiness, uncertainty and new adventures. 

“ E le Chiavi? Da Li - And the Key? Over there”


Direction Heart


Thursday, December 20, 2012

Tech Crafty :: Web Videos & Apps

I love it when technological gets crafty. Ilenoliukgo (the first and last letters of this Turin based duo-team’s name) create super cute web videos. This motion graphics "The Maya Advent Calendar "for one, foretells all the catastrophic events that are sure to happen on the 21st December, like the sun switching off and your twitter feed off-line!

Another neat one is for Dreamboard. This video shows a girl waking-up, yawning, remembering her dreams then recording them all from bed on her mobile device--then via their free application, a greater  understanding of the meaning of her dreams and inner self... 
Strangely enough, I dreamt of aliens landing last night. Hm, wonder what that could mean. Happy 21st!





Monday, December 17, 2012

A little jewel :: Printing Museum | Museo della Stampa Mondovi, Italy

(Versione Inglese | Italiano)

In Mondovì there’s a little jewel nestled in a side street in the historic part of the city, Piazza.  The first printed book with movable type was produced in Mondovì in the region of Piedmont (known perhaps better for its wine) in 1472. Il Museo della Stampa Mondovì (I’ve included the museum’s facebook link as it’s most up-to-date), has a pretty good collection of printing machines and type.

But I found the people working underground, yes underground, are who make this museum amazing. There’s laboratory beneath the staircase where a man called Roberto Masante, 82 years old, prints publications for the museum as well as Amici di Piazza, a cultural organization. I met “Maserati" (I playfully call him by an Italian sports car) when I fetched the idea to the museum directive to do a collaborative event with Officina Tipografica Novepunti. They agreed, and in the month of August I have spent many hours along side guided by my Maserati.

Il Tipografico

The design of the print collateral got underway and then a master composer, Mario Costamagna, swooped in to help me with the composition of the invite and small poster.  I chose a soft chipboard for printing the invites. The two color job was printed by master printer Edo Ramolfo on an original Heidelberg Cylinder “The finest letterpress machines ever made". These three men combined have more than 100 years of experience.

IMG_5152

  Pas Shanti poster_primo passo 

original heidelberg

Passalo Shanti volantino :: flyer


IT
In Mondovì esiste un piccolo gioiello annidato in una strada nella parte storica della città, Mondovì Piazza. Il primo libro stampato con caratteri removibili fu prodotto in Mondovì nella regione del Piemonte (conosciuta meglio forse per i suoi vini) nel 1472. Il Museo della Stampa Mondovì  (incluso il link facebook per il museo come ultimo aggiornamento), ha una collezione completa di macchine da stampa e caratteri tipografici.

Nell’esperienza di crescita ho trovato così persone che lavorano “sotto terra”, si proprio così “sotto terra”, e sono coloro che fanno di questo museo qualcosa di affascinante.
Esiste un laboratorio giù per le scale del museo dove un gentiluomo chiamato Roberto Masante, ottantadue anni, stampa pubblicazioni per il museo e per gli Amici di Piazza, una organizzazione culturale.

Ho avuto così l’opportunità di incontrare una “Maserati” (scherzosamente ho così soprannominato Roberto Masante che bene si districa tra gli scaffali dei caratteri tipografici e tra le macchine)  quando andai a parlare al personale del museo per una proposta di collaborazione con l’organizzazione Officina Tipografica Novepunti.  Alla fine la direzione del museo ha accettato e così ho avuto l’onore di spendere molte ore al museo ed essere guidata dalla mia Maserati personale.

Così il design per la locandina dell’evento ha preso il via ed il maestro compositore, Mario Costamagna, mi ha aiutata a preparare la locandina e l’invito stesso.
Ho scelto una carta color triciolare per gli inviti. Il lavoro composto da due diversi colori è stato realizzato dal maestro Edo Ramolfo su una macchina originale Heidelberg Cylinder “La più fine macchina da stampa mai realizzata”. Questi tre uomini insieme hanno oltre 100 anni di esperienza e sono loro grata per avermi accettata e guidata in questa avventura.



Saturday, December 8, 2012

Pinguino “Be Cool” Christmas Card

What would a Penguin say? Would it be in Italian or English and why not both?
Hand pressed on 110# Lettra with silver envelope.

Christmas Pinguino "Be Cool"

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Letterpress Appointment Cards

Square appointment cards. A follow up to some business cards designed for client. Paper choice this time around was card stock, not cotton. Still this light blue recycled paper (with flecks of dark brown) marries natural cotton paper used for business cards well.

Elisa’s appointment cards

The logo design was inspired by the palmette motif which has a long history that dates back to Ancient Greece and Egypt. This simple symbol has been thought to represent many things like an early version of the halo as well as a connection with the sun’s sunset and sunrise.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Turin Design Week: makers, creators and monsters

This week Turin held “Torino Design Week”: A gamut of demonstrations, talks and design products from mostly Italian makers, but also from the rest of Europe, America and Asia. At Operae (a space where independent designers could present their products) my main intent was to see (new to the scene) Italian independent art book publisher Lazy Dog Press, and their presentation of their first book, “Take your pleasure seriously” featuring (graffiti style) calligraphy by Luca Barcellona. The presentation was developed around and about the contamination of self-production and the new branding of “Made in Italy”.  Also Garagedesign (a virtual place where product designers can submit and develop limited ed. designs for the consumer) offered an intriguing talk on new business models.


Operae

L-R Daniele Prosdocimo of Valcucine (kitchen design), 

Luca Barcellona and Massimo Pitis of "Lazy Dog Press”  




At the historical house 'Casa del Pingone’,  Turin based Mag Is In presented their beautifully curated project of 65 independent magazines from all over the world. Among the flux of underground Italian self-produced magazines, art books and zines like Nuant, were (big sigh) monsters House Industries' photo-lettering demo-magazine and the subtle and sweet graphic novelist, Chis Ware. 


House Industries “photo-lettering"

House Industries: Photo-lettering

Chris Ware

Chris Ware: Tales of Tomorrow

nuart

Nuant: page open featuring Officina Tipografica Novepunti


It was an inspiring afternoon capturing the increasing move towards the personalization of products, but highlighting the decidingly questionable "how to”; a topic surely to be explored deeper at next years event.