Presto Typo
Posted in Inspiration - July 6, 2008 - tim
I was at a BBQ this weekend with a friend who works at Pixar and we got to talking about the shorts that they frequently release before a new feature. Evidently this is how new up and coming directors cut their teeth there. I’ve always enjoyed these, and in particular I was struck by how fantastic the credits are for Presto, directed by Doug Sweetland, which shows before Wall-E in theatres.
I love typography, but I have a real soft spot for “period” type: stuff that is closely tied with an era or particular type of communication. And within that domain, nothing gets me like circus, magic, side show, snake oil type broadsides. And this is what the guys at Pixar just nailed in this short. I have to say I’ve watched the credits now 4 or 5 times, and the short twice.
In a perfect digital world, it’s a wonderful thing for me to see carefullly orchestrated imperfection. Note the border dots in the graphic above (click to view full size), the embossing – both simulated in ink, and implied in the paper – the ornaments, the graphic layout, and the color. I can only imagine the work that went into this and I would have loved to have been on the team that researched every aspect.
The download (from iTunes) is well worth the $1.99 just for the typography (but you and your kids will like the story too). You can see it here.
In the same vein, and worthy of an entry of its own, the folks at Hatch Show Print have, since the late 1800’s produced some of the most iconic poster work out there. The book is wonderful and recommended. Here is a review of a show with some nice samples.
