India Ink on Birch plywood.
It is Monday so the Humans decided it was the perfect day to share their Whistler Chair piece. The drawing was inspired by their Spaceship photograph shot in the summer at Whistler, Canada. Get in the grain and ink HERE.
This piece was also in the show “Plastic Views”
Round and round we all go each week, season after season, year after year. Hope you enjoy your Saturday. I might spend the day running in circles, or not who knows. Get circular, click HERE.
The Humans spent the past weekend spring cleaning the Habitat for me. During the overhaul they re-discovered this vintage drafting kit they picked up at an estate sale. It’s quite amazing that everything you need to design your own skyscraper, comes inside this little box. Well, it might take a little bit more than a mini drafting table… but the Humans couldn’t resist documenting the vintage packaging and great old typography. Tools like these make you appreciate the efficiency of computers and respect how everything was created not too many years ago. Get inside the box HERE.
You may have noticed my recent hiatus from my daily ramblings, my apologies. The Humans have been keeping me busy with team building exercises for the past few weeks. Ugh, enough of all this team work I am all about getting individual credit for my unique abilities. They don’t seem to share my sentiment. However, we were all intrigued by this seventies architectural teamwork book. Join the team and check out the typography, click HERE.
Even more from PLASTIC VIEWS. Here are the color lomography images currently on display from the Humans art show. Each image is printed on white enamel sheet metal, float mounted, and ready to hang on your wall. Enjoy some color lomography up close by clicking HERE.
More from PLASTIC VIEWS. As mentioned previously, the Humans currently have an art show on display the entire month of March at Pizza Luce in Duluth, Minnesota. For those we may not be able to attend in person the Humans wanted to share some images from the show. Here are the black and white lomography images currently on display. Each image is printed on brushed sheet metal, float mounted, and ready to hang on your wall. Printing on metal is an interesting alternative to paper. Metal prints are can be hung without frame or glass for a less traditional approach to displaying photography. Enjoy some black and white HERE.
I am a pretty avid gamer (especially floor hockey) but board games are not my forte. However, the Humans enjoy a classic game of Monopoly now and then. Especially with these classic Americana graphics, which is an interesting dichotomy to the sinister graphics of Pachisi of India. Perhaps the game teaches you to float like the hovering figures on the box.? If so this game might belong in our Exploratory post. Wherever it might fit they both have great vintage color and typography.
Check out board game close ups HERE.
Canadian Spaceship. Look what our friends to the North spend their time building, space pods. The Humans used their Holga camera to capture another surreal world at the top of Whistler Mountain. In the middle of July without Olympians at the top o’ the Mountain one is inclined to believe that tiny space creatures are lurking near your feet. To look for Canadian space creatures, chick HERE.
Happy Valentine’s Day. Spread the heart.
The Humans thought these vintage Canadian + Olympic stamps seemed fitting. Now, go outside, enjoy the powder. Be inspired, click HERE.
Ah, you have no idea how particular the Humans are about their artwork. Sure, they like a wide range of art but when it comes to actually putting a hole in the wall and looking at something day after day, that is true commitment. Well, they overcame part of their fear and hung this vintage campfire painting above the balance bench. This piece reminded them of a camp site on their Isle Royale venture. Warm up by the fire by clicking HERE.
Before the modern day of annoyingly jam packed graphics and warnings on packaging, there stood a time for simplicity. Where minimal graphics, bold type and strong floods of colors remained king. Here are a couple examples of vintage cleaning boxes that have caught the Human’s eye over the years. Personally, I avoid anything having to do with water or cleaning, but you can clean up and check them out HERE.
One word, epic. These look a bit rocky and huge for me but the Humans spend last February exploring Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper. Why does everyone always forget about our Northern friends… it is big, beautiful, and really clean – oh Canada. Like I always say if you aren’t in Canada then at least look at some pictures and recollect the greatness. Travel People. Observations of the Canadian Rockies from Banff to Jasper are readily available by clicking HERE.
Listo and Scripto have created some sweet-o packaging. The Humans love to draw and these two companies provide the goods to make it happen. They tell me it feels good to sketch and actually make something tangible in this control alt delete world. Check out the great type and color details HERE.
Did you know that board game box tops are the best place for an evening nap… The Humans pulled out their classic Ouija board and Close Encounters board game to see if they could make contact. No contact was made (this time) but the great typography and muted colors were much enjoyed. And not to forget that amazing Parker Brothers logo. You don’t see board game design like this anymore.
To see if you can make contact click HERE.
The snow is on its way. The Humans have unpacked their snow gear, lined up their boards, and secured the habitat hatches – winter, bring it on. My snow gear is built-in thick fur, but I prefer to stay sprawled out in front of the window for the next few months. After many years being transported hillside, the chairlift became a great friend to the Humans winter fun. Hence, they created their Transit design based on this visually correct utility. The design was inspired by a chairlift photograph, shot at Copper Mountain, CO during a Academy Snowboards photo shoot. The lift and two of the lift lines were screen printed and an additional line was stitched with thread to add a textural element to the one-dimensional design. To view the chairlift / transit design + t-shirts and other garments, click HERE.
The Humans survived Isle Royale. Thank goodness, someone needs to prepare my meals. Here, is the foot long tale as the Humans tell it…once they stepped off the dock they were on their own trudging down a small footpath with all the gear on their backs. Sweating hot to bone aching cold, wearing eau du bug spray (that was of zero assistance). After hiking too many miles, they found their first campsite, a spot on the peninsula in Huginnin Cove. They pilled up a couple logs to sit on, boiled some water to drink, ate some grub on their private beach, and caught some much needed rest (no campfires allowed due to preservation of the Island). The days repeated with more hiking, moose stalking, rain, mosquitos that actually had teeth, food rationing, stinky socks; creating one of the best adventures to date – crazy Humans. To see more of the one of the most unspoiled places on earth, click HERE.
Hope you enjoy the Island my friends.
The MOVIE CAMERA, a super 8 movie camera to be exact. The Humans do enjoy their film, however, there are some serious efforts involved to shoot, develop and transfer super 8 footage – all 100% worth it. Filming with these Star Trek like guns only produces three minutes of footage per roll. Fifty feet of capturing beautiful natural and unique effects.
Not only do the Humans love using their super 8 cameras, but these vintage packages are right for so many reasons. The Kodak yellow has been selling cameras for years, add in the other amazing color usage, vintage graphics, minimal text and boom – you have sold us on the packaging alone on so many levels. A stark contrast from all the flashy, cluttered packaging on the shelves today. Or at least that is this cats opinion. Time for your close-up examination, click HERE.
Business as usual. This Belgian candy shop did not let a little a broken window get in the way of their daily sugar high. The Humans shot this picture down a side street in Brussels, Belgium at 4:00 p.m, 35mm film, 1600 iso. The Humans love to travel, something that usually leads to a good part of their design inspiration, as exampled here. The Brussels tshirt design was inspired by their shattered window photograph. Linear graphics were added to the design to mimic the many train routes traveled throughout Europe. And a tshirt is born. To view the tshirt + window click HERE.
Presenting another piece from the Human’s inspirational collection. This time they grouped together these vintage matchbooks to form a solid grouping of mid-century graphics. Some tasty thick lined graphics and that unmistakable color, mm mmm. Obviously, my favorite of the bunch is the Barclay’s… fish anyone? Get mid-century and inspired my friends, check out insanely close up and personal scans of these matchbooks HERE.
Woodland creatures and boy scouts go together like ______ and _____. Perhaps this painting was created by a Webelo knocking out one of his many badges he must earn. This is a vintage paint by numbers woodland creature masterpiece. The Humans found it last weekend at their new favorite antique store, Hunt and Gather. Personally, I don’t waste my time rummaging around in old stuff…pfffft. However, the Humans can’t seem to get enough of it. They bought this vintage 1967 Weblos Scout book due to it’s diagrams, step-by-step instructions, and text that inspires one to make a home out of twigs. Viva La Nature.
Check out page details below. Also – history lesson alert, do you want to read more paint by numbers? Then click here peoples.
Often I help the Humans dig thru all of their vintage stamps to find these types of iconic art stamps. While they were busy searching and sorting I helped by rearranging the piles and taking a nap on a few of my favorites. It is amazing to come across stamps like these with a strong graphic presence and nice old unsaturated color. These vintage stamps date from the mid-sixties, which is a time period we thoroughly enjoy in all walks of it’s creations. Check out the details up close and personal, click HERE.
I am very pleased that the Humans finally got a record player… now I can enjoy the classics on vinyl (like an obvious favorite: Cat Scratch Fever). The Humans are excited because now they have an excuse to start collecting amazing album covers. The humans keep telling me their design inspiration comes from many sources, however, they have really been enjoying spending the afternoons at an antique stores browsing thru all the old albums. Sure, they might be dusty to dig through but the album art is worth it. I can even agree, check out the type, colors and graphics… stuff like this isn’t found on cd covers. Here are a few of our recent favorites.
Locked and loaded, our near extinct ammo: 16mm, Super 8, and 120 slides film boxes
As it may be apparent the Humans are addicted to taking my picture, ugh. During one of Tommy’s history of photography lectures, he explained to me that over the last 10 years digital photography has become the new standard. As such, it has also become the new monotone. Although, he enjoys the convenience of digital he truly relishes the chance to use real film. Film forces the users to concentrate on taking one shot verses five backup shots. Film adds warmth, grain, depth, and texture to create truly unique images. The Humans are never without a couple of their old cameras – they accompany them on all of their travels. Here are a couple of the many cameras from the Humans ever-growing archive.
The humans are so excited to finally have a place to post their design inspiration. When they backpacked around the UK they swung by the most amazing bookstore (or so they told me… I don’t have my passport yet but i am working on it) Barter Bookstore is an old train depot in Alnwick, England. You know, the country of kings, castles, and harry potter. They found a couple of Old Ladybird “How It Works..” books about “The Computer” and “The Camera.” Both books are filled with amazing graphic images from the back in the day when a computer filled up an entire room. The type usage in the books is similar to what I explained in the previous post about the typeface used for the new Medium Control identity.
The Humans have many years of inspirational items they are excited to post. Knowing how many years the Humans have been around and collecting is overwhelming compared to my three… We hope you enjoy these images as much as us, see more from these crazy computer and camera books here.
Up in the atmosphere, up where the air is clear, let’s go fly a… pffft… no thanks. I stayed home during this mid-summer foggy photo shoot at Spirit Mountain. The humans were all amped with excitement over the ambience – weirdos. Yeah, I guess the pictures turned out pretty cool, to see more of their super spooky foggy afternoon check out the pics below.