Tech Company Logos

via popurls

Some of you may remember what the original Adobe logo looked like, but how many of us could pick Canon's circa 1934 logo out of a lineup? (Considering the company’s name was Kwanon at the time, not many, I’d wager.)

For your tech logo edification, click over to Neatorama’s The Evolution of Tech Companies’ Logos. You might be surprised at the early corporate identities of many (now-)familiar names.

All Signs Say Paul Rand

I was poking around online for some inspiration (always a fun way to circle a task), and I was led, breadcrumb by breadcrumb, to this site about Rand that is the work of Daniel Lewandowski of Atlanta.

Here's what Lewandowski has to say about Paul-Rand.com:

"This site is meant to honor and pay utmost respect to the life and work of Mr. Rand. When I first began this project, I discovered that there were no “single-source” references to Mr. Rand or his works anywhere on the internet. Thus sparked the idea to build this tribute/archive site. I am in no way a philosopher or critic of design but have a great respect for the history of our industry and the people who have shaped it. In the course of building the site, I’ve been able to more greatly appreciate their thoughts and theories on design and develop my own opinions on the subject."

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There's a dearth of images in the galleries as of yet, this looks like a work in progress, but I was drawn to this page of writings and video interviews that might be of general interest to us design types.

I particularly liked the interview with Steve Jobs about working with Rand for the NEXT logo (logotype?)

Typesetting in the 70s, Part One

For those who weren't there to see it in all its glory, here's a chance to get a glimpse of what the 70s looked like, by and large, graphic-design wise. Creative Pro just posted the first of a series and I think the images and the technical background he offers about why things looked the way they did is fascinating.

Scanning Around With Gene: Part 1 of That '70s Type!



Some of you may know that I think there is a dearth of understanding amongst the younger digirati of what design really entailed before PostScript. I think I'm secretly soliciting stories from the trenches from those who know what collodion is. I didn't. At least not until a heart to heart with an elder pressman at the press check on Monday. And Scitex?

What do you guys think? When the car was invented, did we really need to teach our children about the details of horse husbandry? Or did we say, let bygones be bygones and let the knowledge fade into the ether?

You've probably seen it a thousand times today. Why?

Fan's of type foundries may already know that this year is the 50th birthday of this Supremely Ubiquitous Font. Join today's BBC News magazine in a meditation on its influence, for good or ill. (Also impressive are the design-savvy Brits in the comment section.)