Type and fashion

[Carol]

Here's a link you might enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH_fqfO ... r_embedded
C.

[Patrick Mackle]

Here is another related site that I learned about from Huell Howser of a print museum in Carson California. I want to go there the next time I'm in that area.
go to: www.printmuseum.org

I have to say that as I watched the clip about Target's design crew grabbing all those many years of accumulated nostalgic art, wooden type, and block prints to stamp all over their next wave of "fashion" bargained based out sourced fabrics- my stomach kind of felt weird. And I don't think it was the patty melt I just had for lunch. Is it just me? 'cause I felt the same way when I saw King Tut's stuff and Von Dutch treated the same way. I am glad that these historical things are revered, but when they are bastardized with mass marketing it feels like something is just wrong.
Back in the '60s when you cut a linoleum block design with a speedball chisel in printing class and printed it onto your tee shirt it really gave you a sense of accomplishment. Your friend's would comment on your abilities and urge you to print one for them. But alas, they have done away with all of the shop classes. I think we grew up in luckier times.
Just my spin.
Pat

[Mike Jackson]

Carol, Thanks for posting the link. Very interesting! And, along the side of the YouTube video, there are other related videos and they are equally interesting. Some are about the same company. Looks like a very cool place to visit if in the area, too.

Mike Jackson

[Robare M. Novou]

When I went to tour the Hamilton Type Museum in Two Rivers, Wisconsin (which is about 50 miles north of Milwaukee, Wisconsin), I got lucky finding it. Seems that on that particular day there was some Art Fair a goin' on in downtown Two Rivers, and the Main Street running through town (and the fair) was blocked off.

Detour signs around the event pointed to the right...and then to the left...and if you're not careful making that left, you run smack dab into the Hamilton Type Museum.

Once inside, I was asked how I found the place? I told them about the Fair and the Detour signs, to which they replied..."that all I had to do was look for the smoke stack".

The Director of the Museum, Jim Moran, gave me a truly amazing tour of this huge place and it's marvelous exhibits.
At some point we started talking about the Target Fashion Project, how it came about, and some of the details of the deal with Target on using those woodblock images for Target Apparel.

Target Designers selected about 50 woodblock images, Jim hired a intellectual property lawyer, and a licensing deal was struck. The licensing deal is only temporary, as all the apparel printed with these designs can no longer be sold by Target after the end of 2011. The museum still and always will own the woodblock designs.

Jim explained that it was a great deal for the Museum, as it helps to pay the bills and keep the doors open.

To also help out with the financial well being of the Museum, Reprints of old Hamilton Wood Type Catalogues are sold to visitors. Along with posters, both small and large, of woodblock images and letters from their archives.

Yes Pat, it's just you. Did you feel the same way when Mike Jackson introduced his digitized from "old sources" clip art?
And before that when digitized fonts started to make the rounds? Face it Pat, we live in the "Future", where Old is New again. Some might call it recycling or going green. It's really a great way of finding a new use for an old medium. A bringing into the light of day, that which was stored away, and almost forgotten. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! And pass the Printer's Ink!

"Bastardizing"?, in this case... I think not. The other situations, maybe. The Hamilton Type Museum needs to turn a buck somehow to stay open, unlike Hatch Show Print in Nashville, Hamilton does not have a large clientele of those needing show posters.

Jim understands that the internet is his next step, a website, both educational and commercial. He respects the medium, and carefully considers how to promote it.

And Pat, I'd stay away from those Patty Melts!

RMN

[Robare M. Novou]

Here is the entrance to the Hamilton Type Museum. And if you don't turn left, you drive into the building down at the far end.

[Robare M. Novou]

A small sampling of photos of the displays and equipment used to produce wood type.

These photos don't do justice in showing off the place.

[Robare M. Novou]

A couple of old (or are they?) Hamilton Type Lithograph Promotional Posters.

[Mike Simpson]

Thanks for the post Robare. Very Interesting. From the outside, the place looks huge.

[Patrick Mackle]

Robert,
Your post is like a dose of Malox for my stomach. Good to know that some paper work as been drawn up to govern the use of the properties and that their use will support the museum.
Pat

[Robare M. Novou]

Pat, Good to know you are feeling better.

Went looking for some more information on the Hamilton Wood Type Museum and came across their website.

I was under the impression that they did not have a website as of yet. Looks like it has been around for a while.

Check it out, it quite nice and shows how really huge the place is.

http://woodtype.org/

And here is a link to a public television short on the history of the Hamilton Wood Type Co.

http://wptschedule.org/episodes/9116/Typeface/

This next link is for a movie trailer for the movie "TypeFace".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX6z9shj ... r_embedded

And finally, a link to another video showing some exotic wood type faces.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HJjKJgv ... ure=relmfu