1960's Graphic design Posters

Some of my favorite posters come from the 60's it was a time of saturated colors, acid based palettes and imaginations that looked to the future. And in instances when muted colors were used, composition took center stage. The sixties was a time filled with great social intensity but also a great deal of hope. Here are some examples of my favorites.

 


 

No Littering Campaign Graphic Design and Society

    

Litter is on my mind. In the west it is as though people within cities have a pact with each other to throw away their trash. They don't unwarp something and just throw it is the street. In the city in which I now live that is not the case. People will be standing beside a trash can and still throw their wrappers and other items on the ground. It makes the city seem dirty and unhealthy. It makes me question, does this lack of carrying translate into not carrying about others things, like life in general? I don't have an answer to that question but I do know there needs to be a campaign teaching people that clean=healthy, healthy=vibrant. I am in the midst of designing a poster and in taking a look at what is out there I found some that I think are graphically engaging. But what works with people? That is the question. As a kid I saw the Indian with the tear in his eye telling us not to litter and took that to heart.

Each time I go back to the West, I see what a difference it makes when the city is clean. It lifts ones mood and makes it feel as if things are being taken care of, not by the government but by each citizen in the city. Not littering is a priority for the town, it is a pact between the people who wish to live in a clean space. It is rare to see people littering in the towns in which I have been. I don't think anyone even has to say. "Don't Litter" anymore, it is simply a given.

modern kaeseki : the design of food philosophy

One of the most amazing restaurants around in Chef Niki Nakayam's place in Los Angeles called n/naka. She is dedicated to the art of cooking. Her style is that of Modern Kaeseki a Japanese way of presenting food. Niki mixes structure with creativity. This multi course way of eating allows the dinner to eat food that is honored. The Kaeseki chef is supposed to represent the area in which they live with the ingredients they use in the food. They are also to take into consideration what nature has given and how long each item has taken to grow and the ingredients are to be treated nobly.

The meal starts at a mellow point and builds. Sashimi is served before grilled, steamed or fried dish, A grilled dish is served before a steamed dish, a steamed dish is always served before a fried dish and desert served lastly brings the meal back to the starting mellow point. Kaeseki

I'll Take Two Please

Imagine a bob, a weave, a sway. Taking a moment to be enjoy the scenery from above. Fly as the crows would, interact with the leaves, feel the breeze flow through and around you. That is the feeling you get from this these designs.

Architecture as Sculpture

Clean Lined, white washed, leaning, free formed structured, elevated hard and soft. Amazing in its essence. Poetic in form....

What??????? Edible Architecture

An Incredible Edible House



This is a design that baffles the imagination and bids you to try to bring it into fruition. Image tomatoes growing on the side of your house or arugula, chick peas, carob and a number of other edibles. Fruits and veggies on your home? Harvesting would be an interesting undertaking. This design makes you want to try something new.

WOOD

ABUNDANCE:

Wood makes me think of abundance. Perhaps it is because my office overlooks trees that are tall, aged, seasoned by winds, rains, sunshine and snows. They are many. Some bear fruits others grow wildly reaching towards the sun, their canopies overshadowing and casting shadows over the land beneath.

It is a material for which I have great reverence. For as long as I can remember I have been enamored by this renewable resource. Trees help us breathe, offer themselves for our homes and chairs and cabinets. We are beholden to each tree with which we partner.

Look as these products how they are created how the wood is used in an honorable way.

What is Eco-Design? This is a question that I have been meditation upon for quite sometime now. Is it the materials used, the distance material has been transported, the intent of the designer, or the market to which the product is sold. I think it is all of the above. For me amazing design trumps all and eco design really trumps everything. We are in an amazing time in history where we can move in directions that will help us all be better and interact in more thoughtful ways with nature. So many people balk at the changes we must make because most people do not like change and there in is the rub. Instead of being a negative, I see Eco-Designing as real positive and a real opportunity.

I am in love with this bike made of wood. The design is classic but not. I like how the designer has taken style and functionality into consideration. Look for instance, at the fork over the back wheel. Since the bike is made of wood, the forks have to be thick but also elegant. The thickness of the wood helps in making it sturdy. I also take into account the hardware the designer used to attach the parts together, everything is flush and simple. You can see that the bike is held together with six metal pieces of hardware. The handlebars are really sensible for city riding. This bike was shown at Feria Puro Diseno in Brazil, a Latin American Design Festival.