Cormac McCarthy's The Road Looks Interesting

I have an odd weakness for post-apocalyptic films. You know, like the awesome Children of Men, The Road Warrior trilogy, etc. I don't know what it is that I find so interesting about them, but they always get my attention.

Children of Men truly is one of the most thought provoking films of the decade. An A-List cast (Clive Owen, Danny Huston, Michael Caine) combined with one of my favorite contemporary directors (Alphonso Cuaron) and a brilliant script come together to form a cohesive, aesthetic feast that kept the heart pumping and the brain turning from the opening frame until the last moment. Children of Men is that rare film that pulls you in and never lets go, staying with you long after it ends.

Cormac McCarthy's The Road finally has been come to the screen, and stars the underated Viggo Mortenson. Based on the trailer I am excited, even though the CGI looks very, very suspect. Take a look for yourself and see what you think.

Banksy Says What I Feel

Read this, it really says it all.

Type Nerds: Unite and Take Over

The role of the modern graphic designer/typographer has expanded into the public consciousness over the past several years, with the rise of "font-ism" and Helvetica. It seems that the general public now has a greater understanding of what type is (though not how to properly use it).

Even though the terminology is pretty off and constantly misused, these videos are still pretty funny.

Enjoy typenerds, enjoy!

Top 15 Fonts for Packaging Design

Great article over at the ubiquitous Dieline called the Top 15 Fonts for Packaging Design. Lot's of great stuff in it - it really is a must read.

Some highlights:

Keep # of Fonts to a Minimum. Try to keep the number of fonts on a package at 2-3 typefaces total. It's best to keep the number of fonts used in a design to a minimum. Sometimes there are exceptions, but use your best judgment.

Kerning is Mandatory. No font, no matter how expensive or good it is, is immune to irregular kerning. You should always double-check the spacing between letters to make sure they're even. This will make the difference between amateur design and professional work.

Fonts are Not Infallible. If a specific letter looks weird or somehow 'off', use your judgment to repair or replace it. Some fonts (especially hand-written scripts and free fonts) have strange-looking characters. You should use a critical eye and replace or tweak a character until it looks right.

Readability is King. If you can't read it, it probably doesn't belong on packaging. Again, there are exceptions to this rule, but it's rare. No matter how 'cool' a font is, if you can't read it, the package is handicapped in conveying its message - what's inside and why you should buy it.

Sound advice for all!