
Sometimes I like to document my path across the web as I explore... tonight I have been spending a lot of time inspired by this piece that was at the Crane's display... it is a promotional piece for Lettra... I began researching it and here is what I discovered along the way...
I started searching on Lettra and that led me to the Philadelphia AIGA where they describe the above piece as having been designed by Michael Osborne Design in San Fransisco... as I was looking over MOD's work I began to remember that I saw Michael speak years ago at an OTIS lecture series... I remember how inspiring he was and how is discussed his process of sketching as a way to think through designs...
MOD has done some really inspiring work for Target, William Sonoma, Janie and Jack and Gymboree not to mention designed one of my favorite stamps ever, the 2002 Love Stamp for the USPS... take a minute to look over his portfolio when you get a chance.
From MOD I traveled to One Heart Press, which is owned by Michael Osborne, so I bet it was the printer for the Alphabet 26 piece from Crane. I remember Michael showing some One Heart Press pieces during his lecture (could that lecture been the beginning of my love for letterpress?)... There is some lovely work done there, and next time you are in SF you can drop by for a tour...
Then I was off to find out more about Alphabet 26, the typeface featured in the Crane's piece. Designed in 1950 by Bradley Thompson, Alphabet 26 was an attempt to unify upper and lower case letterforms as a way to simplify the alphabet. More about Alphabet 26