What does it mean to really understand type—to use it with clear intent and purpose? Universal Principles of Typography (UPoT), a new book by Elliot Jay Stocks —published by Quarto and out today— answers this and so much more. The book’s 100 principles cover everything from the tactical to the compositional, sometimes pausing for the philosophical. In the foreword by Ellen Lupton, author of the book on type, (and our guest for the next PRINT Book Club), we love how she explains the breadth of what Stocks has endeavored to do with UPoT: “Typographic knowledge is an awkward mix of science (how ..read more

How are we all? Me, I’m … rested. After a pretty manic few months, I had two whole weeks off, so the three of us jetted off to Paris and it was LOVELY. A few highlights: Nathanaëlle Herbelin at the Musée d’Orsay; the Jean Julien installation at La Bon Marché; the Eiffel Tower (thanks to this one incredibly tip: when booking, set your computer’s clock to French time); hitting every single comic store on Rue Dante; and of course the open top bus tour. I love an open top bus tour. I was less keen on seeing a duckling being eaten by a crow at the base of the Eiffel Tower. That was … not great. Fas ..read more

Debbie Millman has an ongoing project at PRINT titled “What Matters.” This is an effort to understand the interior life of artists, designers, and creative thinkers. This facet of the project is a request of each invited respondent to answer ten identical questions and submit a nonprofessional photograph. Craig Dobie, with an extensive background in branding, has co-founded Applied Design, led high profile projects like the National September 11 Memorial & Museum identity, received a Gold Cannes Lion, and taught at Parsons School of Design. What is the thing you like doing most in the wor ..read more

The frenetically drawn portrait on the invitation to the opening of Ancient Awakening at the Raúl in Manhattan piqued my interest. Usually, I’m blinded by the flurry of gallery announcements, but this one somehow grabbed me by the eye. Ancient Awakening features the work of “self-taught” artist Matthew Marcot, who specializes in Abstract and Neo-Expressionist approaches. During these stressful days at the brink of who-knows-what, I am drawn to words and images of upset and struggle, and particularly an underlying theme in Marcot’s painting: giving visual expression “to unseen ritualistic and c ..read more

Ganzeer is an artist, designer and writer. His beginnings were actually in commercial design, but over time he began to drift toward “fine art” and activism, and in more recent years fiction writing, creating what he has coined Concept Pop. His media are stencils, murals, paintings, pamphlets, comics, installations and graphic design. With over 40 exhibitions worldwide, Ganzeer has been viewed in art galleries, impromptu spaces, alleyways and major institutions such as The Brooklyn Museum, The Palace of the Arts in Cairo, Greek State Museum in Thessaloniki, and the V&A in London. He is alw ..read more

Ganzeer is an artist, designer and writer. His beginnings were actually in commercial design, but over time he began to drift toward “fine art” and activism, and in more recent years fiction writing. creating what he has coined: Concept Pop. His media are stencils, murals, paintings, pamphlets, comics, installations, and graphic design. With over 40 exhibitions worldwide, Ganzeer has been viewed in a art galleries, impromptu spaces, alleyways, and major museums, such as The Brooklyn Museum, The Palace of the Arts in Cairo, Greek State Museum in Thessaloniki and the V&A in London. He is alw ..read more

Major League Baseball has started. And with it, a whole new slate of metaphors to apply to work and life. Today, I’ll apply some baseball to help explain the critical phenomenon of momentum starting with the bunt. A bunt is a way to force a hit. A way to try to take control of the situation. A way to start some momentum. Imagine you’re in a game. Of the 9 innings you play, you’re in the 8th with the score tied — 0-0. You need to get out of here with a win. (Heck, it’s Cleveland in July, you really need to get out of there!) So what’s a manager to do? You call for a bunt. Your player enters the ..read more

There are certain things you know you’ll find on Hollywood Blvd: fresh-off-the-bus dream-seekers, street performers caressing pythons, international tourists keeping the selfie stick market afloat— the list goes on and on. Less expected on Tinseltown’s most famous thoroughfare is a glass storefront within the Ovation Hollywood shopping center that showcases Japanese art, design, gastronomy, innovation, and technology. JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles might feel a bit out of place, but its mission holds strong amidst Hollywood’s hustle and bustle. As part of this imperative, JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles has ..read more

I have long been a fan of early 20th century cartoons and Ashcan School art of the same period. Louis M. Glackens, the older brother of Ashcan School painter William Glackens, became one of the first illustrators of animated cartoons from 1915–1920, creating characters for production houses such as Baré, Pathe and Sullivan Studios. His fantastical depictions of mermaids, anthropomorphic beasts and comical characters created a paradigm for what would become Walt Disney’s masterpieces. “Louis Glackens had a discerning eye through which he observed the human condition,” writes Ariella Wolen, cura ..read more

It’s a familiar scenario for many organizations: the marketing website feels outdated, confusing, and disconnected from what the organization truly represents. The straightforward solution seems to be a new website. Tangible engagement metrics on Google Analytics make it easier to persuade leadership to set aside funds to fix your primary channel for marketing and communications. But, what if the root of the problem lies deeper, in the very essence of your organization’s brand? Deciding what to invest in first should be based on the root cause of your symptoms. With several hundred projects un ..read more