Al's Place

My dad owned a beer tavern back in the 1950s called Al's Place. It was named for him and built by hand by him as well. I always felt a little pride seeing his name up there on the sign even though in retrospect, it was just a little bar out in the middle of nowhere. Still, it was "Al's Place" and that was so cool. I played pool there on the weekend as a kid and the Conjunto Tex-Mex music that blared through the jukebox had a huge influence on my musical taste.

I had some time on my hands and decided to design a logo for a place that was long ago and faraway, but never forgotten.

Typewriter Tin Collection

Now this is cool. A collection of old typewriter ribbon tins. I didn't even know there was such a thing to collect!

The Stories Behind Hollywood Studio Logos

Sorry for the delay in posting. I blame it on the snow and ice that made me feel like hibernating for the rest of the winter.

Just found this link to a web page that gives a little history on some of Hollywood's most famous studio logos.

Band ID: The Ultimate Book of Band Logos

This looks like a book that I would really like to add to my personal library. Note that Gerard Huerta is included in this collection (AC-DC). From the Amazon review:

From the Rolling Stones' tongue-and-lips trademark to the Grateful Dead's lightning bolt skull to Prince's glyph, logos embody an identity and experience shared between musicians and their fans, who proudly display these graphics on T-shirts, posters, pins, stickers—even tattoos. Collecting more than 1,000 rock, hip hop, metal, pop, reggae, and country music logos from the 1960s to today, this catchy design survey captures the coolest and most powerful examples of music made visual. Including interviews with key logo artists and presenting the graphics large and over extended gatefolds, BAND ID will wow music fans and designers alike.

Color us unimpressed: Montreal goes ballistic over new logo

It's been described as a, "patchwork of hot pink, tangerine, rhubarb, turquoise and green apple." Two years and $487,000 later the Montreal Metropolitan Community unveiled the region's new logo.

"I thought my neighbour's cat puked on my paper again this morning" was just one of the negative comments that citizens registered in the Gazette. The president of the design firm that created the logo was quoted as saying, ""deliberately chubby, very welcoming, like a comfy chair."

Gerard Huerta - Logo Designer Extraordinaire

I think pretty much every graphic designer has someone they have looked to for inspiration through the years. Mine is an artist by the name of Gerard Huerta. Huerta began as a designer with CBS records in 1974 and left in 1976 to form Gerard Huerta Design, Inc.

You've seen his logo design everywhere. Here's one I know you've seen (heck you probably drew it on your school book cover!). His masthead design reads as a who's who of magazines: People, Time, Money, Us.

Huerta works digitally now, but his lettering hand skills are what really blow me away. I used to letter by hand and I know how difficult it was for me to do and I am a barbarian compared to Huerta.

Herb Lubalin wrote in Print Magazine's Typography issue "Gerard Huerta, whose work is a throwback to the intricate, complicated and colorful style of the early 20th century cigar-box labels, never ceases to amaze me with the beauty of his design and technical proficiency."

Take a look at Huerta's website when you have time and meet a designer who has had a huge influence in logo design over the last 30-plus years.

www.gerardhuerta.com