Monday 3 January 2011

Blog Early This Christmas!

Well and truly thwarted in my plans to give you a Christmas Special, and having failed to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I can at last kick off 2011 with something appropriate. Considering my lack of getting anything done this last December, I can do no better than give you this excellent Barnett Freedman poster from 1938. It will act as a reminder for me to get my finger out next December. Freedman (1901-1958), is one of my favourite designers, amongst the last of a breed once called 'commercial artists' as opposed to 'graphic designers'. He will perhaps be best remembered for King George V 1935 Jubilee stamps and Faber bookjackets, but little recognised for designing an early Penguin chocolate biscuit wrapper. Happy New Year!

11 comments:

Lemon Kelly said...

What a splendid poster! A very happy new year to all at Ashley Towers.

Peter Ashley said...

Thankyou Lemon, and to you.

The Vintage Knitter said...

Happy New Year to you & yours, Mr A. and thank you for that interesting snippet of information about one one my favourite childhood and adulthood) snacks. I'll go and Google an image of one of these wrappers right way!

Vinogirl said...

I followed your link to the GPO blog and then on to the BFI website, all good stuff.
Happy New Year!

Philip Wilkinson said...

A beautiful poster, full of subtle touches and typical of the work of this master. Thank you for sharing it. And Happy New Year.

CarolineLD said...

Happy new year, and thank you for that great poster! Although now I'm craving Penguins...

Ron Combo said...

What a lovely p-p-p-poster!

Jon Dudley said...

What a grand start to the new year. We rather like the term 'commercial artist'...made the more interesting when 'non-commercial' artists turn their hand to posters, bookjackets and the like - Bawden, Ravilious and Nash amongst the ones from a favourite era. Best wishes to all for a good new year.

Jon Dudley said...

What a grand start to the new year. We rather like the term 'commercial artist'...made the more interesting when 'non-commercial' artists turn their hand to posters, bookjackets and the like - Bawden, Ravilious and Nash amongst the ones from a favourite era. Best wishes to all for a good new year.

Anonymous said...

....please don't forget to also blog often! UE addicts of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your corrugated iron chains!

Sue Imgrund said...

What an elegant poster. Despite the message, the tone is cool, calm and collected with a lack of 21st century panic and !!!!!! exclamation marks.
Look forward to UE 2011.