Own Label: Sainsbury's Design Studio

We're really looking forward to the launch of Fuel's new book, Own Label: Sainsbury's Design Studio. Due for release in October, it looks in detail at Sainsbury's 'own label' packaging created between 1962 and 1977 by it's in-house design team headed by Peter Dixon.

This era of Sainsbury's packaging has always been a good source of inspiration for designers - it's modernist style, simple graphics and bright colours are a winning combination. "Their striking modernity pushed the boundaries, reflecting a period full of optimism. They also helped build Sainsbury’s into a brand giant, the first real ‘super’ market of the time. This book examines and celebrates this paradigm shift that redefined packaging design, and led to the creation of some of the most original packaging ever seen."

Images copyright Fuel Design & Publishing.
Via CR Blog.

Boston Sign Project

I stumbled across pantone356's Boston SIgn Project last week on Instagram and I've been hooked since - Instagram filters, good photography and great signage is a tough combination to beat and definitely not one to be ignored. So I thought I'd share my discovery.

The Boston Sign Project is a growing collection of Instagram photos by pantone356 (aka Keith Sliney, Creative Director for the Boston Celtics) celebrating the signage in and around Boston. From bright neon, to faded 'ghost' signs they're all gorgeous and I love reading the descriptions and history of each one. Luckily he's only up to #59 of his 100 target, so there's still lots to look forward to.

Follow pantone356 on Instagram to see the rest of the project (while you're at it, check deliciousind out too!) or view the full collection and lots more lovely signage here.

All images copyright pantone 356/ Keith Sliney.

From the reference box # 115

#115 - First Book of German, published in 1966 by the 'Société Internationale des Écoles Berlitz' (International Society of Berlitz Schools), Paris.

It's not very often you see a beautifully designed text book cover, so this language book with it's subdued colour palate and bold, geometric shapes really jumped out at me.

I love the contrast between the simple cover design and the detailed Berlitz schools logo - you never know, it might even help to improve my German!

Dig deep in the reference box for more delicious design and ephemera!

Smells I Like by Gordon Stowell

I picked up this gorgeous children's book at the weekend - Smells I Like by Gordon Stowell. The illustrations are fantastic. I think they're paper and line drawing collages which gives them their bold, brightness and wonderful simplicity.

Illustrator and cartoonist Gordon Stowell sadly died in 2003. He sold his first cartoon to a newspaper in 1942 aged only 14. Throughout his very long career he wrote and illustrated many children's books (including the one above published by AR Mowbray & Co Ltd. in 1969) and had his cartoons published regularly in the likes of Private Eye and Punch magazines - he believed, "cartoons could put over serious subjects".

There are 8 more books in this range, so the search is on - not sure how many of them I'll be able to pick up for 20p though!

From the reference box # 114

#114 - Vintage cotton cards. Some new additions to my sewing ephemera collection - really love the little Pringle card and the colour of the wool!

See more reference box goodies here.

Auto Type XVI

I have been very busy snapping these fabulous examples of auto type recently - it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it!

As ever, some wonderfully rare examples with many Italian marques today.

See our full Auto Type collection on Flickr here or look through other Automobilia posts here.