2009 Wrap Up

To finish out 2009, here are two logos I created during the last half of the year. Dart Tailors logo combines a graphic dart crossing the "t" letters, one of which is a needle and thread. The logo will be embroidered and used in communication pieces for this Dallas-based business.

Eloquenz Concerts design incorporates the two instruments used by these European musical artists. The piano and cello. Between music selections, the duo share historical background about the selections performed. Hence their tagline, Music that Speaks. The artist and the audience interact while being served light refreshments during a concert.

Phoenix, Arizona

Here is a contemporary design from 2009 I created. An e-card cover prepared for a friend in the Phoenix, Arizona area. The Superstition Mountains casts their shadow on the desert floor. The design transitions from the blue water to the mountains and the purple evening light transitions to the daylight sun.

The bright, rich colors capture the colorful heritage of this part of the country. I restricted myself to hard edged shapes which cross other shapes at their junctures. Giving a modern, stained glass feel. Repetition of the triangle shape is used to good advantage. All of which are contrasted by the horizonal bars cutting across the design.

12.27.92 week in revue

‘Give a prosecutor unlimited time and investigative resources, give him unreviewable discretion, give him several thousand statutes, and give him a single case--and the chances are pretty good that an indictment may emerge somewhere.’ ~ National Review. July 6, 1992.

Exactly. Lawrence Walsh, American lawyer and former judge, along his permanent corps of temporary prosecutors were exempt from a critical part of the checks and balances of the criminal-charging process. Their six year, multi-million dollar waste brought two convictions, both of which were subsequently reversed, in the Iran-Contra matter. In my graphics, we see former President Bush heading for the dog…er…birdhouse with, undoubtedly, the world’s largest sparrows.

12.20.92 week in revue

A linear design, using hand-drawn color bars and circle, bring these elements together. The road signs help communicate the big news this week, that of Clinton’s cabinet picks. He rolled the dice and gambled. Dr. Elders was a huge disappointment. She was unqualified in her position, coming up with some goofy ideas along the way. We seem to be in a similar position some 17 years later. What goes around comes around.

12.13.92 week in revue

The Indonesian earthquake was the big news this week in 1992. One of Hollywood’s solid actors died. Dana Andrews was a trained operatic singer but is best known for his acting roles in the 1940’s and 50‘s. Once had his singing voice dubbed because the studio was unaware he could sing. He was the brother of Steve Forrest, star of the TV show, S.W.A.T in the late 70’s. A disco hit was garnered from the theme song. Finally, I could not resist the visual pun on Clinton’s cabinet choice.

12.06.92 week in revue

Going it alone was the theme this week. In 1948, the United Nation’s peacekeepers were a singular force for humanitarian aid. The lone Somalia worker contrasts their story as the USA pays the bill once again. The military’s "don’t ask don’t tell policy" goes it alone as most do not get it anyway. And who could forget the world’s most promising couple doing the royal split. All happened this week in 1992.

11.29.92 week in revue

The large Bayer ad played a big roll in the display for this week. The lady’s expression addresses pain, but all pain is not the same. The announcement that NASA will scale back the shuttle missions is becoming a reality some 17 years later. Bob Packwood. Another one bites the dust.

11.22.92 week in revue

Death becomes them (nearly). DC Comics killed off Superman but there is no truth to the rumor that Dr. Kevorkian was involved. The actor who voiced the original Winnie the Pooh also died this week. An old Joseph Pulitzer stamp includes an ironic statement about the press which former President Bush is all too familiar.

When I pulled this montage together in 1992, the "doctor sign off" clipping was timely. The cartoon kid running in fear from "doctor death" was a solid choice. The "superman" logo is up for your own interpretation but it provides a visual flow across the page.

11.15.92 week in revue

No content comment this week other than to say when I found the 21st century headline I had to use it. Somehow. The Queen’s castle in flames and the out of control human behavior seemed to cast irony on the heading. The graphic display of text at angle plus the color coordination add interest to the week's news.

11.08.92 week in revue

A good week for images that play off one another. Though a horrible week if you drove I-295. Those demented bullets did not come from Chuck Connors, however, who died this week. Connors, as Luca McCain, kept peace (and killed a lot of thugs) to defend himself and those in North Fork. On the political front, Mr. Bill is already on the Vatican’s radar within a week on the job. Shades of things to come. Barbra could not be happier, never the less.

11.01.92 week in revue

Clinton wins election. Who saw that coming? Hollywood was happy but mourned the passing of Hal Roach at 100. Clipping headlines and finding a place for them can be fun. Or a nightmare. It’s usually something that strikes you at the moment in terms of point size, color and length. Good visual balance here as all elements play off Clinton/Gore central image.

10.25.92 week in revue

The world news this week centered on the revenge of the Muslim guerrillas attacks. Another touchy set-back for Mideast peace talks. In a follow up to my August 23 post, a Somalia airlift plane was fired upon but there were no injuries.

10.18.92 week in revue

Finding some large images help fill the week’s revue. As the 1992 election draws closer, Bush looks a bit distressed. And he was never invited to play the saxophone. Pat Robertson blurted his thoughts on the Equal Rights Amendment as women scream in terror.

10.11.92 week in revue

Scrambling around to find headlines for this week was a challenge and it shows with this less than stellar subject matter. A major quake in Egypt dominated the news, however. Ross Perot and his charts will not go away, despite his withdrawal from the Presidency. For the record, nothing was implied with the close proximity of the Super Chief and Perot. Concorde, a true aviation icon, never made any money doing what it did best. Setting records. The aircraft were retired after nearly 30 years service in November, 2003.

10.04.92 week in revue

Back in 1992, President Bush vetoes a bill that would regulate cable prices, saying it benefited special interests rather than the public. The IRA terrorist bombings continue on a regular basis during this week and into the next. Old Boeings go boing as some engines land before the fuselage. And a quiet week in Lake Wobegon according to Garrison Keillor.

09.27.92 week in revue

Ross Perot is back in the news this week as was Tom Foley, former Speaker of the House. Then there was Cosmo Kramer who had the ability to make his point with very little thought. One wondered whether he was a genius or an idiot. Rush Limbaugh’s television venture was short lived. A somewhat unique element to this week’s posting is the consistent color theme from randomly selected clippings. There is a clockwise progression of visuals starting with Capt. Perot.

09.20.92 week in revue

Boris is back in the news as he does some saber rattling. Is the pen mightier than the sword? A return to my original May 17 post as Brown vs. Quayle continues to ignite the media.

09.13.92 week in revue

Rather than comment on the content, here are a few notes on how this page evolved during this week of 1992. I clipped the heading, “Looking for Trouble” which lead me to the unrest in Africa clipping. Which lead me to the old west comedic character. The checkerboard and spheres were added for visual interest. The Hollywood obit of everyone’s favorite neighbor, “Norman Bates,” was added to balance out the right half of the page. The clipped blue text blanket statement was included to give graphic balance and tie in the blues.

09.06.92 week in revue

Highlights the week in 1992 was Jerry Lewis Telethon. It broke a new giving record and a record number of anti-lewites. Spike suggested students skip school to go see his movie, “Malcolm X” when it releases in November. You just cannot beat good PR. Red tape for storm victims did not start with Katrina.

08.30.92 week in revue

Clinton was looking pretty smug holding the White House calling card. Gore is suited up right behind. Bush One seems to be having a headache of sorts while South African's social matrix and long history of oppression is a key element to unrest and senseless violence.

08.23.92 week in revue

Hurricane Andrew was about the only real news for the week. Some homesteaders exercised their right to bare arms to keep looters away. Homestead Air Force Base was left with a runway and that was about it. It was rebuilt and today is an Air Force Reserve Base. Pentagon and The White House confirmed the airlift of food to famine-stricken Somalia this same week.

08.16.92 week in revue

The Queen of England was not pleased with the manor of commoner Sarah Ferguson and her split with Prince Andrew. I think my graphics make this clear. Yeltsin was back in the news again with $60 vouchers for Russia’s 150 million people in a “bold” effort to boost the economy. Reminds me of the recent stimulus most of us received this past spring. I had to hire an account to handle the extra $13. Bush looks overly optimistic as well.

08.09.92 week in revue

Two giants in the news this week and one is not Clinton’s head. Howard Hughes H-4 “Hercules” was transported from San Diego to Oregon It remains the largest aircraft ever built with a wingspan longer than a football field. That is more than a city block. Her next door neighbor while in San Diego was the former luxury liner, the Queen Mary, which, ironically brings us to the QE2 voyage to the states. Retired from active Cunard service in 2008, the summer of 2009 anticipated her sailing for South Africa to become a floating hotel as part of a Dubai World project.

Movie buffs will recognize the 1959 Vincent Price sci-fi movie title, “The Tingler.” One of the William Castle produced features with the obligatory fright warning before the movie began. Here though, it takes on a whole new meaning.

08.02.92 week in revue

The big man rules the roost. Jay Leno, that is. Arsenio Hall tried to slice into the late night ratings but fell far short. Just goes to prove goods looks aren’t everything. Having a much longer reign than Arsenio, Mobutu ultimately died in exile three years later. A NASA shuttle mission made the news as well as.

Bird Design Trio

Three unpublished designs for a personal icon I created recently. Simplicity and flowing motion is the key to these graceful, abstract designs.

07.26.92 week in revue

This week, illusionist Harry “Carrier” Bopespiel goes for the ride of his life, while Bush takes a punch at Hussein. Democratic candidates take to the road ala Dr. Richard Kimble. All three were trying to hide their real identity. The USA comes up big in Barcelona.

07.19.92 week in revue

More fun visuals this week as Saddam continues to upset everyone’s stomach. President Bush verbally decks an audience heckler. Saddam appears to take his remarks personally. The summer Olympics get under way in Barcelona.

07.12.92 Week in Revue

Ross Perot seemed to be the man for president. He talked a lot. He ran and ran and ran (his mouth) but came up short behind the Clinton machine. The road signs support his demise. Local flooding opened up alternative transportation options this week as well.

Christmas with Strangers

In this final segment of four, we find our muddy, disheveled, young and very pregnant couple on the porch of benevolent people. A day that started with potentially fatal results ended in the comfort of a warm home, celebrating Christmas with strangers. The same day when another couple, long ago, was also welcomed by strangers in Bethlehem.

The Crash Scene

In part three of, "Christmas Morning with Strangers," the author’s mother recalls they were proceeding at tree-top level after awhile and began noticing the ground getting very close. Then a terrible jolt. Although flying low and level, the terrain decided to go its own way and grab the main wheels. So the occupants found themselves upside down in a muddy field. No fire or explosion. The pilot was the worse of the three with cuts to his head. All were banged around pretty good but nothing life threatening.

07.05.92 week in revue

Some fun this week. Clinton revived his campaign in rather amazing fashion. You will note a lean, more energy efficient Al Gore, as well. Boris Yeltsin’s yearly checkup brought new demands for the Soviet leader….getting into spandex. Doctors ordered him to get "excersized." Finally, one of TV’s earliest journalists signed off for the last time.

A Foggy Start

Today’s drawing depicts a single engine plane of the late forties and its three passengers. The plane did not have an electric starter like today‘s private aircraft. One had to hand-prop the plane. It is the equivalent to popping the clutch on a manual transmission auto. Fortunately, for the husband doing this cranking, the engine started the first time.

Federal aviation regulations would indeed frown on this type of flying today. The author states that, aside from being very dumb to fly in these conditions, the pilot would lose his license. In this case, assuming he was spotted on a dense, foggy, Christmas morning, that is.

The flight went well. For awhile. The density of the fog varied until it got much worse.

06.28.92 week in revue

After a participant is killed, Florida issues a ban on further bungee jumping. Tornadoes rip through the south but the gentleman in the straw hat seems more interested in the bungee jumper‘s future. During his first public appearance, the president of Algeria was assassinated by his body guard. Reason #43 for running background checks on your employees.

Foggy Christmas Morning, 1949

This is the first of four pencil drawings I will post. The drawings help illustrate a story for a gift book entitled, “Christmas Morning with Strangers.” It is an inspirational, true story about a light plane crash on a foggy Christmas morning in 1949 involving a young, expectant, married couple, their pilot uncle, and the hospitality of a nearby family. Thankfully, everyone survived the crash. Ironically, the author of this story is today an experienced pilot and his mother was 9 months pregnant with him as the story opens.

First up, today, is the arrival of the plane at the couple’s Oklahoma farm on that foggy morning. The plane has been parked and awaits its journey. The anticipation of being with family for Christmas overrules any logical fear of flying in dense fog. Typical of the era, a grass taxiway and dirt road were their catapult to the air.

The drawings retain more detail than the foggy conditions would have provided. In reality, a blank canvas might have been more accurate. But the author and I did not want to lose the story’s content.

06.21.92 week in revue

A dichotomy of speed this week. Nine NASCAR teams were invited to Indy to participate in a Goodyear tire test, which was, in reality, an unofficial test to see if stock cars could be competitive in such a circuit. The Brickyard 400, now called Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, began two years later. A labor dispute idled Amtrak but no one noticed any difference in service. This, a lack of speed, while the crisis in Rwanda accelerated. Sputtering out of the pit is the notion that freedom of speech means you can say anything you wish no matter how offensive. Freedom to express our opinions concerning our nation - that “we the people” thing - is what our founding fathers had in mind, dude.

06.14.92 week in revue

The week will all anticipated. Boris coming to America. A tour of Kansas revealed a lot about what the Russians do not have. Profits. You go, Boris! Sears had some repair problems of their own, made worse by pessimistic reporting. Two unusual suspects show support for each other. The page design moves the eye around pretty well between positive and negative spaces. Appropriate repetition is used to good advantage.

06.07.92 week in revue

The Siege of Sarajevo was the longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare. The Serbs blockaded the city and residents came very close to complete starvation. Their only chance for survival depended on the success of UN airlifts from the Sarajevo airport that was opened in late June. An estimated 10,000 persons were killed or went missing in the city. The dictator/terrorist from Iraq continued to make headlines. A lighter bit of news was the ban of water canons in Boston. “You could put your eye out with that thing.”

05.31.92 week in revue

The circle theme is used again, as a graphic device, as it targets Bush/USA with the brunt of the funding to, once again, save the Earth. Other major news involved the Strategic Air Command, disbanded to become what sounds more like a video game, the Air Combat Command. Speaking of circles, Ross Perot’s mouth is open again, too.

05.24.92 week in revue

The Indianapolis 500 dominates the week, although I am not a huge fan of people going in circles. The 500 image anchors the page and the repetition of two major headlines forces the eye from top to bottom, left to right. At this point, you may create your own pun if you feel led to do so. Ironically, Leno started and ends his reign as host during the same week. There we go in circles again. And Limbaugh proves you cannot lose weight sitting 15 hours a week.

05.17.92 week in revue

Many in the media tired of Carson in his later seasons, complaining that his material was routine, old and stale. Not unlike David Letterman in recent years, he seemed to be on auto pilot as time passed. Carson borrowed comedic characters from other entertainers, of course, like Steve Allen and Jonathan Winters, yet he remains an icon of class and comedic talent of the highest order. Other entertainment news centered around barbs between “Murphy Brown” and Vice President Dan Quayle. And the bubble finally burst for The Champaign Music Maker.

Murphy Brown dominates the design by shear size. But the Carson montage sprinkles down into Lawrence Welk and the eye returns back to Brown. The Quayle photo and two other text blocks, one of which indicates a difference of opinion between Hollywood and "everyone else," balances out the page.

05.10.92 week in revue

For many, the big news of the week was the space walk and retrieval of a wandering satellite. Ironically, this week in 2009 has another dangerous space walk mission. The graphics play off this theme. Sadly, Percy Dovetonsils had no part in the historic space walk. For those familiar with the innovative Ernie Kovaks, a pioneer in satiric skits and characters long before SNL, Percy was the soused poet in stunning eyewear who loved to share his poems, giggling all the while between sips of his martini. In another bazaar portrayal, here in the states we saw a lot of Barry Humphries, alias Dame Edna Everage. Humphries’ long-standing comedic character brought international fame.

The layout design works fairly well here. Where English is the standard, we tend to read top left to lower right. The visuals here help take the eye on that journey. There is repetition in the horizontal headlines and the circle theme. The earth graphic and the square, space image offer a balance on the page.

So Sew Tailor

This pencil illustration was for a www.libertyridge.com mailer. The campaign was promoting tailor-made living and just as a tailor custom fits formal wear, this community offers amenities to suit every senior’s lifestyle. My wife posed as the hand and measuring tape model. The face was created from another source. I chose a hairstyle and dress from mid-twentieth century in an attempt to establish a relationship with the prospective senior. Not sure how much the drawing helped the campaign in the short term, but the community has established itself as one of the most successful senior communities in the midwest.

05.03.92. The Week in Revue.

Alright. Enough with the teasing. Go back seventeen years near the midway point of the year. I start there because the first Sunday in May is the 3rd for both 1992 and 2009. What started as a whim turned into a full year obsession of sorts. Scrambling to find the right image got harder as 1992 came to a close. Burnout. But as I look back they still make me smile.

This week’s focus is on the U.S. Postal Service’s efficiency, a UN maintenance worker tidying up and another attempt to keep Congress from raising their own salaries. Teddy is not pleased. If you have seen the classic movie included here, you know the script includes a political machine bent on destroying an opponent.

A frequent inclusion for this montage will be the obligatory celebrity obituary. Obscure news, like the ban on bungee jumping in Florida or the ban on water cannons in Boston, will also be included in this revue. Hope you enjoy this 52-week mystery tour.

So if you were born before 1975, maybe you can say, “Oh yeah…I remember that.” Or, “Dude! This is all pretty obscure.” if you were born in 1990.

Beginning Sunday: A Weekly Revue of 1992

I was thinking way back when that I might have fun with news headlines. A montage of images, clipped news source headlines and text that highlight the week. I added artwork to tie it all together for a cohesively designed page. Visual and word puns. Satire. Subtle social glimpses. Some images were begging to be added simply because they worked in conjunction with another image or graphic. For each week, it was more about design than social commentary.

It is not an original idea, of course. I simply undertook it as a challenge. These were completed pre-computer days so all work was done by hand. Though perhaps entertainment news and personality heavy, you might find it fun to see what you remember or what you have forgotten. Some entries were for my own amusement so you will not recall every item each week.

I have posted a few slices today as teasers. Like Mike Tyson’s infamous trial and getting his head knocked off by a member of the opposite sex. The latter never really happened. Jeffrey Dahmer. Mikhail Gorbachev spot remover. The death of Alex Haley.

Converging Steel

Very chilly and windy when I sketched this in downtown Muncie, Indiana, so I stayed in my mobile studio (VW). Muncie was once a hotbed of New York Central rail traffic and for some annoyed motorists it still is today, though under a different logo. Double-track main line for CSX and two converging Norfolk Southern lines is the reason. One NSRR line heads west to Frankfort, Indiana, site of my earlier posts on 19 March.

The communication poles, rail signals and converging tracks attracted my attention. Then I noticed an old freight depot in the distance right in the middle of the scene. The old New York Central depot once stood behind the tree. You will have to go to (conveniently located 60 miles away) Indianapolis if you want a rail ticket, however. Another Muncie depot thrives on the former Chesapeake & Ohio line, but no rail ticket there either. It has been completely restored and houses an office for the Muncie Cardinal Greenway rail-trail system.

Key to All Those Relationships

Here’s a recent poster design for a local church. Dual pianist compositions were to be a part of the concert and that is the basic design element in the poster…two grand pianos head to head. The abstract keys at both ends gives the poster a solid bracket for the text to stand within.

The information is displayed in relationships. For non-designers, that means grouping words with other words that go together in a logical thought sequence. Group words so they support each other. A “free concert” is further explained by “free will offering,“ for example. For another, the time and date are dominate over the location but they definitely belong together.

Certain phrases, on the other hand, should stand alone and not have a relationship with one another. When this happens, leave a little space between phrases when appropriate. Knowing the limited text and a large vertical area to utilize, I chose the use of space between lines of text. The space act as a pause for the reader. Hence the slight pause (space) above and below the title. Of course, the point size contrast also sets the title apart from everything else.

All the white text is located in an efficient area. There is no reason to try and spread everything out the entire width. Again, because I wanted to take advantage of the vertical area available. The curves of the piano graphic transports the eye across the page. All the text is aligned to the left, adding order to a slightly complex graphic background. The original empty area to the left was solved by inserting a type graphic at right angle to everything else, adding contrast and interest to all other elements. The sideways font gives the poster a slight oriental feel, signifying the concert will be intriguing, with maybe a few surprises.