Blog: Inspiration

Alphabet Trucks & Abandoned Gasoline Stations


I spend half my time driving checking out the type and graphics on passing trucks, some of which have fantastic typography. Eric Tabuchi though, has taken this to a whole new level, compiling a truck alphabet as a limited edition collection of postcards.

He has also created a limited edition set of 26 Abandoned Gasoline Station postcards. Without the fuel pumps etc... you can really appreciate the architecture of the buildings, even though they look a bit out of place in the landscape.

Both editions are limited to 500 and available here.

Via Inspire Me Now.

Thu 08 Jan 2009

Posted under: Design , Typography , Photography , Inspiration

1 Comment

Visual Aid


Visual Aid: Stuff You've Forgotten, Things You Never Thought You Knew and Lessons You Didn't Quite Get Around to Learning.

I'm a big fan of information graphics and I love all those books full of facts and information you'll never ever need to know, so when I came across this book the other day I was thrilled.

It's packed full of simple and colorful charts, diagrams and illustrations; "Visual Aid provides the answers to the little questions in life in a simple colourful and engaging way. This eclectic collection of illustrations and diagrams will get you up to speed on life's basics".




Learning about science is great, but this book also gives information about the more important things in life, like how to make popular cocktails and how to make shadow animals - now we're talking...


Images from Amazon.

Thu 08 Jan 2009

Posted under: Design , Things to buy , Inspiration , Books

0 Comments

Design Magazine


Design was launched in 1949 by the Council of Industrial Design (later to become the Design Council); a body set up in 1944 by the British Government to, “to promote by all practicable means the improvement of design in the products of British industry”. Published monthly and distributed Internationally, Design soon became highly influential.

I picked up 4 copies in a local secondhand store just before Christmas; September & November '73 and February & July '75. The covers aren't great for these issues, but the content is fantastic.

The adverts ooze Seventies style. They are mainly for office furniture, but I found a couple of Letraset ones which made me smile - I like what they did with the 8/g. I miss Letraset!

There are loads of really interesting articles which I'll scan and post soon, but as a taster here's one from the February 1975 issue discussing Coca-Cola and the, "fantastic momentum of the coke image" and how it, "outpowers its fizzy raison d'êtrê". (Click on the images to read the full article).



By far the funniest ads I found in these publications were the classifieds - not sexist or ageist at all - oh how times have changed!


All images and publication content copyright of Design and the Design Council.

Wed 07 Jan 2009

Posted under: Design , Typography , Inspiration

1 Comment

More Vintage Coasters and Beermats



Sell! Sell! have posted up more of their fabulous vintage coasters and beermats. Check out their Flickr group to see the full collection.

Tue 06 Jan 2009

Posted under: Design , Inspiration

0 Comments

From the reference box #29

These have been in the reference box for quite a while - a collection of vintage Christmas cards from 1960 onwards.






I bought them from a boot sale all taped into a scrapbook. There a quite a few more, but these are the best ones. My favourite is the robin, which I think was some kind of charity card designed by a child called, Marian.

The amount of detail is fantastic - many of them have foil blocking, glitter or embossing and are folded in an unusual way with print also on the inner.

A festive #29 - Vintage Christmas Cards, 1960 onwards

Wed 17 Dec 2008

Posted under: Design , Reference box , Inspiration

2 Comments

British Design Classics






On the 13 January 2009 the Royal Mail are issuing a new set of stamps to commemorate 10 British Design Classics.

This great series includes the Mini (Sir Alec Issigonis, 1959), Harry Beck’s design of the London Underground Map from the 1930’s, the classic Red Telephone boxes (Sir Gilbert Scott, K2 Design, 1926), RJ Mitchell’s Spitfire and Concorde (Aérospatiale-BAC).

The stamps will be launched alongside a prestige stamp book which will provide more information about the celebrated design icons and their history.

2009 also marks Mini’s 50th birthday and Concorde’s 40th birthday and to celebrate the Royal Mail are issuing a generic sheet of 20 stamps for each also available in the New Year.

Via CR Blog.
Images copyright Royal Mail, from the CR Blog.

Fri 28 Nov 2008

Posted under: Design , Things to buy , Inspiration

4 Comments

Cube stamps


I bought these a couple of weeks ago. I love the pink, red and yellow one - it could be a club poster or album cover, with those colours and the square type.

Wed 19 Nov 2008

Posted under: Design , Ephemera , Inspiration

2 Comments

Vintage Packaging




Today I found a fantastic website jam packed with vintage packaging, advertising and store displays, mainly for food and drink products. It's a brilliant resource and must have taken years to compile.

I love the product ranges that have characters - which seem to be mainly drink sachets...

There's a whole section on Funny Face Drink Mix packages showing the development of the characters and design from the early 60's through to the late 70's...

These McDonalds signs from the 60's, were my favourite find, they're really well designed with fun typography and great illustrations - not at all what I imagined!



All images copyright The Imaginary World and Tick Tock Toys.
Via the wonderful Found in Mom's Basement.

Mon 17 Nov 2008

Posted under: Design , Web , Inspiration

4 Comments

Dick Bruna Memory Game


Forget Nintendo DS this is all you need to give your memory a workout - the Dick Bruna edition of the Ravensburger Memory game.

There are 36 pairs of cards, each with a gorgeous illustration in the wonderful Bruna style. The game is copyright 1981, but the illustrations used range from 1959 - 1980 and yes, there are a few Miffy cards!





Even the instruction booklet has a lovely illustration:

All illustrations copyright Dick Bruna.

Thu 13 Nov 2008

Posted under: Design , Inspiration , Illustration

6 Comments

Jon Burgerman Wallpaper




How great is this colour-in wallpaper by Jon Burgerman? I think it's a fantastic idea and actually looks great even before it's been coloured-in. It's available in 1000 x 52cm rolls from Nineteenseventythree along with is colour-in greetings cards!

Via Notcot.

Wed 12 Nov 2008

Posted under: Design , Inspiration , Illustration

4 Comments

The missing letters!

Here are the missing letters from the Cuban stamp set - and I was right, they do spell out the word Munich! These ones are from Adapt or Die's Flickr stream (a truly amazing collection of mint condition stamps) and are in much better condition than mine...



So (drumroll) here's the full set...

Big thanks to Ryan at Sell! Sell! for pointing us in their direction.

Thu 06 Nov 2008

Posted under: Design , Ephemera , Inspiration

0 Comments

Cuban stamps




Some Cuban Stamps celebrating the Munich 1972 Olympics. I love the pictograms against the bright colours and the Mexico68-esque type. I'm thinking there was probably a stamp for each letter in Munich, being as though we have here an 'I', 'M' and an 'N' - anyone have any of the others?

If you want to see more stamps check out these posts:
Stamp Inspiration
Stamps at Present & Correct
More Stamps

Thu 06 Nov 2008

Posted under: Design , Ephemera , Inspiration

2 Comments

Hope & Glory


Congratulations to Barack Obama on his amazing victory - this historic day affects all of us, so Thank You America!

Wed 05 Nov 2008

Posted under: Inspiration

0 Comments

Dick Bruna Squeeze 'n' Squeak Toys



These little cuties have been sat on my shelf for about 6 years now, but it was only today I realised that those simple lines and bold colours are the fabulous work of illustrator, Dick Bruna!

They're Playcraft, Squeeze 'n' Squeak toys - the pig from 1967 and the cow from 1972. The cow still has some squeak, but the pig, not so much. I love them both regardless and I especially love how the pigs tail looks like a little 'p'!

Mon 03 Nov 2008

Posted under: Design , Inspiration , Illustration

2 Comments

Great Beermats / Coasters


Love this beermat on Sell! Sell!, they've posted some of their fine collection, and question - Are beermats under-exploited?

I think they have a good point, because although almost every bar has beermats or coasters, they're rarely designed well and I can't remember the last time I saw one that I wanted to keep.

Anyway at least we can still find gorgeous, vintage ones!

Fri 31 Oct 2008

Posted under: Design , Inspiration

1 Comment

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Welcome to the Delicious Industries blog. We're an independent design studio based in Brighton, UK and this is our scrapbook packed full of design, illustration, photography & typography inspiration. Check out our work here.

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