Today is Thursday, and it’s an extra special Thursday because DDA is closed on Monday for Labor Day - so it’s even more important that we work hard to wrap up any loose ends going into the long weekend.

At 1 today we have a photo shoot scheduled with a client of ours who makes a variety of singing snack bowls and a few other products. They are rather inventive and fun. We have been developing the package design for one of the latest products and they have another lined up for the future. Today’s photo shoot will be of around 5 of these products filled with assorted snacks or candy to show the product in use. I’m not sure if these photos are going to be used for the packaging, website, or something else - but I have no doubt they will be put to good use to sell the products. I don’t have a great deal of information about what will be featured in today’s shoot, but I am very familiar with the product and I am the project coordinator for the design work, so it gives me a great head start in what to expect.

Last weekend, I wanted to rent the documentary “Helvetica” but alas, it wasn’t available at the local Blockbuster so I was forced to purchase it online and now I’m patiently awaiting for the UPS man like a puppy dog waits for his owner to come home.  You see, I’m a typography geek… just love the entire history of typography and all the wonderful old typesetting machines that are now obsolete. About 7 or so years ago I was teaching typography to a group of students pursuing their associates degree in Graphic Design and we took a field trip to a local printing company that has been around for decades. While they have updated their equipment you will find (as we did during our trip) some wonderful great old typesetting equipment, including lead type and an old Linotype machine, and I mean old! Along with this great equipment was a very kind elderly gentlemen who actually operated this equipment (Yes, they still used it for some printing jobs!). He must have been in his 80s and we were told that when he retires so does the equipment, since he is the only one who knows how to use it.  Anyway, I was in my glory to see such history.   I’m sure if you ask any graphic designer their top three fonts they will rattle them off in seconds since there always seem to be those three-five that are our go-to fonts. Helvetica is certainly one of mine and with the huge selection within the entire family there’s a font for every use, Extended, Condensed, Black or Light. I love them all. In fact, just today as I was putting the finishing touches on the DDA SEM web site design I picked a lovely bold condensed version of Helvetica for a headline title and right before that as I was putting the finishing touches on a package design for a novelty product I selected a light condensed version of Helvetica. It’s versatility is remarkable!

The absolute last place I expected to find myself this weekend was at the 4:10 p.m. showing of the new Batman movie, “The Dark Knight.” I can’t remember the last movie my husband and I went to see … I’m sure it’s been over a year. Don’t get me wrong, I love movies, but with two kids under the age of 3 … it’s a bit of circus-act to get there.

So, it happened to be our 5th wedding anniversary on Saturday, and we hauled the kids off to my parents’ and away we went. I convinced my husband that the movie would be good … he was a bit skeptical for some reason, although we have both been life-long Batman fans. He’s into the Batmobile and used to dressed up as Batman. No, not for Halloween, but for one of my birthday parties. There are pictures, but I will save myself from being embarrassed. Every Friday after piano lessons I glued myself to the TV to see what kind of trouble Batman and Robin would find themselves in.  The movies are a great way to lose yourself for a while … in this case 2 1/2 hours! I’m always anxious to watch the previews and check out the title sequences. Saul Bass, aka “King of Title Sequences”, is of course my favorite designer in this field and, perhaps I missed something, but I don’t believe The Dark Knight had any opening title sequences? It wasn’t until the very end of the movie that the name of the movie ever came on screen.

Anyway … I am going somewhere with all of this … Inspiration … I needed some inspiration this weekend and while I may not have found it watching the new Batman movie … maybe I did, on some level, but it was great to change my perspective a bit, to break away from the everyday routine and refresh the mind. So, with a weekend that was full of new and exciting activities I am ready for the workweek. Website designs, Watch Out! Logo designs, POW! Brochure and package designs, WHAM!