Graphic Journey Blog

Margaret Calvert: The right direction

When I started this blog a decade ago, I used the word 'Journey' in the title. This was long before it became one of those ubiquitous, annoyingly overused words, applied willy-nilly to everything.

But no matter, I still love Graphic Journey. And the design of the title banner above echoes the iconic motorway signage system that can be seen on any journey when driving around Britain.

The 1960's graphic designer's toolkit. Nothing to plug in. nothing to crash.

As every designer knows that signage system was devised and designed byJock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert back in 1965. In those days the graphic designer's toolkit consisted of a scalpel, tracing paper, Cow gum, a Rotring pen, a wooden T square, and when a mouse, was still a little furry creature.

Our National treasure Margaret Calvert.

Jock Kinneir died in 1994, but Margaret Calvert is very much with us and is the graphic design fraternities National treasure. Margaret still hand draws everything she designs, sitting at her desk at her cosy North London studio. And that is exactly where I recorded an hour-long conversation with her in 2015. In it, she talked about her childhood in South Africa, her design education and the story behind our classic motorway signage system, and a lot more besides. She told me she hated being interviewed, but as you will hear she tells a fascinating story. Listen to it HERE

Things I Like...

A beautiful Ben Shahn. The artist responsible for inspiring so many illustrators in the 1950's and 60's, both in the USA and here in the UK. He drew effortlessly, with such a distinctive character.

Nostalgic treasure trove

Smells can instantly transport you back to a long-forgotten time. For me, it’s coal. As a boy, I would stand by the delivery lorries that would arrive weekly in my street and inhale that special natural coal smell. I loved it, but you rarely smell it today.

The other thing was ‘Evening in Paris’, a perfume that my grandmother wore. That takes me right back to her in the 1950s.

The other memory-tugging area is graphics via packaging, comics, magazines and TV commercials.

Stepping inside the Museum of Brands is like taking a trip in the TARDIS – your life is rolled back to a seven-year-old as you walk through a labyrinthine series of shop-like windows filled with wonders organised in chronological order. As you stroll through the curving passageways, you are suddenly pulled up in an instant moment of childhood nostalgia.

This was the first piece that founder Robert Opie brought back in 1963 from a vending machine in Inverness. How he didn’t eat them I don’t know, but it was to be the start of a passion that has driven him ever since. Over 50 years, he has amassed an astonishing and important collection of social history through these historical brands and packaging.

Victorian craft based maximalism.

I am always astonished when looking at the maximalism that the Victorians lavished on their advertising and the sheer craft in its execution.

Above the good old Radio Times using some great illustrators back in the 1930's, something that continued right up to the 1980's before it took a nose dive.

And in a bleak, post-war, bomb-damaged and rationing Britain, the colourful packaging and advertising promoted a new, optimistic future to keep the spirits up. And for me, the best thing was the futuristic ‘Eagle’ comic, so ahead of everything else at that time, with Dan Dare’s stories of adventure and space travel.

My bedtime passion, The Eagle.

And above and below the perfect bedtime warm drink.

And a mouthful of Fruit Gums.

The wonderful thing about the Museum of Brands is that while I am transported back to my childhood (with an ear to the radio listening to ‘Journey into Space’), others in the labyrinth are enjoying the memories of their own childhoods, be it in the ’60s or the ’00s. There is something for everyone, no matter their age.

When leaving the main collection area, you are led through to a space for viewing television commercials, from 1956 when they first aired on our TV screens, starting with “tingling fresh SR toothpaste” in glorious black and white.

See the very first British SR toothpaste TV commercial broadcast in 1956 

For schools, it is a wonderful history lesson. For any graphic designer, it should be compulsory. I loved it, was moved by it and wanted the whole collection.

Followed by Murraymints 'There too good to hurry mints'.

Alongside the packaging, you can see toys, TV tie-ins, posters, advertisements, books and all sorts of written ephemera in this delightful little museum. For more information click here.

Time Out: 50% below par.

Time Out 50: 50 years, 50 covers exhibition is on display at the Museum of Brands until 3 March 2019. 

To quote Jacob Rees-Mogg (and I wouldn't under normal circumstances) this show is extremely "thin gruel". Considering the output of 'Time Out' over the last 50 years just featuring 50 covers is a bit pathetic.

Illustration by Bill Sanderson

The show is confined to a tiny corner of one of The Museum of Brands gallery spaces and will set you back £9 to see it. But more importantly, 50% of the selected covers are not very good. The remaining 50% are all designed and art directed by Pearce Marchbank and are brilliant.

This is another classic example of how the creative input to a magazine often stops, when a really talented art director departs, (the David Driver period at Radio Times being another example). Obviously, the editor at Time Out, James Manning, who curated this exhibition, had to be 'diplomatic' in his selection, in order to span the 50 years. But boy, does it show.

Illustration by Mick Brownfield

I would have simply filled the whole wall with Marchbank's work, it would have been so much better. Covers under his creative hand were ballsy, inventive, political, provocative, witty and wonderful, plus he often collaborated with great illustrator like Mick Brownfield, Peter Brooks, Bill Sanderson and more.

All covers shown above designed and art directed by Pearce Marchbank

I made a recorded interview the Pearce Marchbank some time back and he talked about his period at Time Out. Listen to it here.

But I have nothing but praise for The Museum of Brands, it is absolutely fantastic and packed to the hilt with all aspect of advertising, magazines and graphics from the Victoria period to the present. Every graphic designer needs to spend time there. It is wonderful and well worth the £9.

Things I Like...

Galt Toys catalogue, 57 years old and still looking rather wonderful. Designed by Ken Garland in1961.