Discovering inspiration through travel
When we started Marfa Signs, of course we did research (which we continuously update) on the craft, fabrication methods, tools, and techniques. But every designer understands the importance of inspiration, both to push your own creativity but also to allow your clients to provide direction on what they like and what they don’t like. We start every project with an inspiration board. It helps to set expectations and visualize the eventual outcome of the project. We have collected a lot of pictures over many years of travel, but we recently came across the book Sign Painters by Faythe Levine and Sam Macon which is full of incredible artists and craftspeople across the country. Its fortunate that these authors took the time to photograph and interview such an amazing collection of sign makers they discovered during their own travels, and that we can use this record in our library of inspiration.
Leafing thru the book, I was pleased to immediately recognize Phil Vandervaart’s artwork for Dusty’s Bar in Northeast Minneapolis, Minnesota. Spent several a crisp fall evening at Dusty’s after pheasant hunting trips to that state, and Phil’s work preserves the nostalgic brand that has been going for nearly 75 years. We love his clean lines, classic font work with subtle drop shadows. In the preface, Faythe writes how Phil Vandervaart was a major influence in her journey as an artist, writer, and documentarian.
There are over 20 artists featured in Sign Painters, and while we have our personal favorites, what is greatest about the book is the diverse artwork. This is what makes it an excellent reference as we talk with our own prospective clients. As we leaf thru the book together, there is always a moment where someone says, “Ooo.. love that”, and that one picture is worth a thousand words that they could not have otherwise described. Inspirational pieces used in this manner are priceless to our design process. We highly recommend you add this book to your library of inspiration, and we will certainly use Sign Painters as a “map of the stars” next time we are traveling through the cities that are featured.
— HAM
Image credits to Phil Vandervaart via https://signpainterphil.wordpress.com/ and Hennepin County Library.