Ecru

Source: goodwill
What is it?: a lable for a 1970's shirt
Analyze this piece: The spindley vines of the type give it a fantasy vintage feel. It could be the 70's version of blackletter. The type is definitely influenced my the retro type that was reproduced in the 70's when people where exploring the ideas of post modernism.
How will this influence my work: I love these decorative fonts especially for editorials or package design.  I could see this for an organic product or a hippie fashion editorial.

Sticky Paws

Love the typeface chosen for the packaging of this brand of molasses called "Sticky Paws". I appreciate the diverse mix of slab serif sans serif and script, especially since I am not the best at mixing typefaces myself. I think the color palette is great and that each typeface uniquely complements the other. Everything flows very nicely from title to description and so on. Also loving the extended drips off of the title Script font for the product name; they are super fun and engaging. Altogether very nice work!

NAMM logo

Source: NAMM logo from internet
Typeface classification: Block Sans Serif
Description: NAMM is a music tradeshow displaying company's new products for the upcoming year and allows musics a showcase - the typeface is a pretty straightforward thick sans serif with an altered A.
How it enhances the message: the type enhances the image by way of keeping things simple while adding in a small alteration that breaks the image in a pleasant way.
Influence: Again, the simplicity of the image is my main source of influence with this design, it allows easy readability while providing enough interest with the change to the A.

Midnight Moon_Casey Sturm

Source: Bottle of Midnight Moon from my apartment
Classification: San Serif, cursive, serif
Description: Simple label has the brand name in a san serif type face, the type of alcohol in a serif face, and the "distilled from" in a cursive face
Enhancement: The most important information, the brand name is written in the clearest fashion and is the largest. Other important info is included in a visual hierarchy where the least important information is written in the cursive face.
Influence: Visual hierarchy is important to remember. Your most important information should never be difficult to read it should be clear and well presented.

How Good You Want To Be- Jen Stephenson

Source: Internet
Classification: serif font
Description: This is a poster design I came across that really caught my eye because of the fact that the type creates a 3D letter from a 2D design. There are two font colors that are used to repeat the single sentence "it's how goo you want to be."
Enhancement: The type is serif which I think creates some extra texture in the form that is necessary to create such a 3D design on a flat surface. I also think that it is achieved very well due to the spacing and the use of two colors to create that extra amount of depth. Since the black lettering is going backwards into space, it create the illusion of a third grey color.
Influence: The type is successful and the use of color really helps it. If I were wanting to achieve a look like this I think I would head in this approach using the different colors, angles, and spacing. 

Japan Drier : Print Room | Caitlin Landingham

Helvetica being used on the can of Japan Drier, a toxic element used in relief printing inks to help speed up the long drying process. This can probably hasn't changed its design since the late 50s/ early 60s when most commercialized products used Helvetica typeface. 

Helvetica is a widely used sans-serif developed in 1957 by Swiss font designer, Max Miedinger and Eduard Hoffmann. We've all seen the documentary helvetica I'm sure I don't need to give much more of a history. It became a staple for American Industries and was used widely among most business in the 60s. 

Boy Scouts | Andrea Johnson

This is the cover of a Boy Scout encyclopedia I found in an antique shop and bought for a friend's collection of vintage Boy Scout stuff. I will be analyzing the words "Boy Scout."

This is a sans serif font.

This is a really nerdy encyclopedia of all things Boy Scouts. It was made in 1945, and it is complete with all kinds of definitions and beautifully done illustrations both in black and white and in color.

The typography enhances the message by making it very clear as to who the Boy Scouts of America are and what they do. The type looks like planks of wood that have been put together, which really captures the identity of Boy Scouts.

This will influence my work by inspiring me really consider the identity of the company or group I am designing for. I feel like if I was the one to have put together this book, I would have avoided the wood plank type because I feel that it is an obvious solution. But after seeing it here I can see that choosing the obvious was the best solution. It's important to remember to not always shy away from the obvious, because that can sometimes make the best solution.