A short, informative exploration of various types of letterform ranging from handwriting to lettering to packaging. The part on type design, in which Sassoon discusses the legibility in typeface for children, is intriguing. A recommended read.
The New Yorker’s David Remnick writes:
With every month, it has become clearer that Trump is a makeshift politician, whose rancid wit resides in his willingness to say whatever it takes to arouse the fears of a political base. He might have started his campaign with the idea of winning some votes and publicity, increasing his profile as a marketing whiz, and then dropping out. Good for business! But now that he has stunned the political world—and, likely, himself—he has shown little inclination (or, perhaps, capacity) to grow into his role, to modify his language, be it for the sake of the Republican establishment or of simple decency. He’ll have none of that. Whatever inflates his sense of self and prods the anxieties of the country—that’s what works for him.
Asshole!
Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns addresses Stanford graduates:
So before you do anything with your well-earned degree, you must do everything you can to defeat the retrograde forces that have invaded our democratic process, divided our house, to fight against, no matter your political persuasion, the dictatorial tendencies of the candidate with zero experience in the much maligned but subtle art of governance; who is against lots of things, but doesn’t seem to be for anything, offering only bombastic and contradictory promises, and terrifying Orwellian statements; a person who easily lies, creating an environment where the truth doesn’t seem to matter; who has never demonstrated any interest in anyone or anything but himself and his own enrichment; who insults veterans, threatens a free press, mocks the handicapped, denigrates women, immigrants and all Muslims; a man who took more than a day to remember to disavow a supporter who advocates white supremacy and the Ku Klux Klan; an infantile, bullying man who, depending on his mood, is willing to discard old and established alliances, treaties and long-standing relationships.
Right on, Mr. Burns!
Justin Constantine in his open letter to Trump:
I’m the type of person you said should be a Trump supporter, but I don’t think that any veteran should support you based on what you’ve said and done since announcing you were running for president last year. It’s critical that all veterans take a close look at you and what you stand for. Many of the outrageous statements you’ve made over the last year not only provide us insight into your mindset and desired agenda, but demonstrate what little regard you have for veterans and the national security issues which affect all of us.
Vietnamese Typography is one of the two sites Typekit likes this week to highlight some advanced web typography. Sally Kerrigan writes:
Donny Truong’s site gets deep into the history and current implementations of Vietnamese typography, and is itself a great example of our character subsets in use. It’s also a great design. Body text is set in Garamond Premier Pro, and the headings and navigation are set in Acumin. (The display heading is Acumin Extra Condensed.)
Thank you, Sally.
A beautiful, practical guide for designing brands across all touchpoints. From process to inspiration to resource, Spies’s Branded Interactions is an essential read for designers as well as anyone involved with branding strategy.
Reading my nephew’s blog reminds me of the young me. He expresses his anger toward his parents and Vietnamese parenting. Although I disagree with his generalization, I understand his point of view. I also accept his criticism toward me. I have my flaws and I will try to do better.
He is a bright young kid with lots of potentials. He’s taking up graphic design because I have inspired him. He has been doing quite a bit of design work on his own. I asked him what he would like to do when he grow up and he has already determined to be a designer.
Like me, he started to blog. Through his writing, I get to know him more than I do in real life. I feel his anguish and joy. I hope that he will continue to write to get the rage out of his system.
He is a wonderful kid and I will always be there for him whenever he needs me. I wish he could talk to me. I will help him with whatever I can.
I do not know your name — but I know that a lot of people failed you that terrible January night and in the months that followed.
So proud of our VP for speaking up about this heart-breaking tragedy.
Jim Van Meer weighs in on the graphic design title in the new era:
In the 21st century, to be a designer means you are a typesetting psychologist with a proclivity for marketing strategy. You need to be a web designer and app developer, one of the elite Digerati, well versed at storytelling. You must be an experiential manipulator; able to use your design thinking skills to lead innovative endeavors others wish they had the wherewithal to accomplish. If these skills sets weren’t enough, you must be a futurologist as well. You have to see the forest despite the trees, and you have to be able to envision what is far over the horizon.
Well-said.
These are the books I wanted to get through this summer. The order starts with the ones I wanted to read first.