The largest museum exhibition on design since ‘Graphic Design in America: A Visual Language History’, ‘Graphic Design: Now in Production’ captures how graphic design has expanded over the last decade. To be specific, it explores how design-led magazines, newspapers, books and posters have shaped our design landscape. The exhibition showing at the Walker Art Center until 22 January, so if you’re around the area it’d be well worth paying a visit. (Crap=Good)

Eye magazine lets us know about the work of Boudewijn Ietswaart, a Dutch designer and illustrator who passed away late last year.

“His productivity during his eighteen-month stay was phenomenal: he designed something like 200 books, book covers and magazines, creating original hand-lettering for most of them.”

He specialised in hand lettering, with his works eventually influencing several digital fonts. He even helped finish several of the alphabets, including some which are included after the leap.

If you are a typography geek (like Jeff), you may want to head to New York’s Museum Mile and check out the Cooper-Hewitt’s recent acquisitions of digital typography. “This installation of five recently acquired graphic works will explore post-modernist trends in typography. On view will be examples of lively and expressive type fonts developed by designers as a counterpoint to modernism’s rigid and impersonal sans serif type. The objects include: Dutch designer Wim Crouwel’s 1969 poster ‘Visuele Communicatie Nederland, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam,’ the 1994 issue of Emigre magazine, published by graphic designers’ Rudy VanderLans and Zuzana Licko, and featuring the work of Ian Anderson for The Designers Republic; Cornel Windlin and Gilles Gavillet’s 1999 poster ‘Game Over;’ Dutch designer Michiel Schuurman’s 2007 poster ‘HorseProjectSpace Presents: Ritual Tendencies;’ and Marian Bantjes’ 2006 ‘Fox River Promotion Booklet.’”

We support real music, so couldn’t help following on Curated’s report of this bit of graphic design. “Canadian firm Rethink Agency has produced an engaging campaign for Sparrow Guitars designed to remind of the power of real instruments. “In 2009, more Guitar Hero guitars were sold than actual ones. We thought that was kinda crazy, so we created this poster campaign for Sparrow Guitars to remind people there’s just no substitute for the real thing.” They called the campaign posters “Teen Spirit/ Shine/ Mom” respectively and released them to the world last month.”

See the remaining posters here.

The folks at Reserve LA have taken stock of a rather superb looking book. “Recapping the most innovative advertising visuals from the year, Photographis 84 is an in depth look into the ads that characterized 1984. Featuring detailed information about the artists, brands and images involved in the campaigns, Photographis 84 provides readers with an opportunity to chart the development of many contemporary brands. Providing viewers with an understanding of where they’ve been, but more importantly where they’re going.”

The book hits for $45 and may be ordered over the phone.

Select page views follow.

As the internet has proved, there’s always room for a niche. Magculture turns us onto Unit:Design/Research 01, a magazine that would be a tumblr if the publishers were lazier. This issue focuses on the work of Ronald Clyne, a little known (to us at least) graphic designer who created over 500 album covers for record label Folkways. As Magculture noted, it’s rare that a new publication would open up with a little known designer, but it’s a brave move that should be applauded in this age of the advertorial-stuffed magazine.

Take a look at more shots from the magazine after the leap.

Ira M. Resnick knows a bit about film. He is founder of Motion Picture Arts Gallery, a space dedicated to the art of the movies, and a trustee of the Film Society of Lincoln Center. This background makes him well suited to author Starstruck: Vintage Movie Posters from Classic Hollywood.

Releasing in mid-February from Abbeville Press, Starstruck guides readers through highlights of Resnick’s impressive personal collection. The posters date from 1912 to 1962 – representative of the “Golden Era” – and provide an overview of the film advertising industry.

Marin Scorsese provides the forward.

Sample posters from Starstruck after the jump.

The Christmas decorations covering central London have managed two things – the first has been to trick me into believing it is December (leading to several embarrassing phone calls and a hastily produced Christmas wish list ). Secondly, and related, I’ve actually gotten into the Christmas spirit a bit. I may even send some cards this year.

That feeling has generated a solid search for interesting cards. Those with a little wit, or solid graphic design, typically working best in my mind. House Industries does a good job providing the latter. While they’ve not got cards explicitly, they have produced two pieces from Marilyn & John Newhart from their 1969 Santa Print. Initially conceived as a massive card, the print on both paper and maple is quite nice indeed.

See both after the jump and head to the House Industries Pop Up Shop at the Type Collectors Club, 347 W. 36th Street, New York if your interested. If you’d rather stay home, you can also simply go online, where there are a number of other cool new House things too (like bike shorts, Jeff).

Founded in 1783 by Welsh Born Evan Williams, the Evan Williams brand is notable for being Kentucky’s first distiller. Williams moved to the area while it was still officially part of Virginia, in 1780, and became an integral member of the local political scene. He was an early member of the board of trustees of Louisville and later served as Harbor Master for the City (which is located on the Ohio River.

For us, the most important part of Williams’ life history is the discovery that converting excess corn and grain into whiskey would avoid waste. The small distillery he set up on 5th Street in Lousiville has grown exponentially, now bottles labeled Evan Williams are the 2nd most purchased Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey in the United States.

History has been a part of the Evan Williams identity for some time. Searching through the company website recently, I was tickled by the “What Evan Williams did for Bourbon” campaign of the 1970s. Linking the Welshman to other (perhaps more important) inventors, the advertisements employ a really winning method of heritage construction. Can’t help but think a similar approach would be welcome today.

A few more examples of “What Evan Williams did for Bourbon” after the jump.

Mark this as a great way to kill time on a Friday. LPcover Lover exposes some of the world’s forgotten music graphics. While we’ve previously mentioned a few books highlighting exception work in this field, LPcover Lover grants an opportunity to basically just have a good laugh… usually at the expense of those depicted on the LPs. Good times. (via It’s Nice That).

A few favorites after the jump.