Category: art

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Icons Tell A Story

If there’s anything I like more than great writing, it’s great icons. These are from a website called the InfrastructureReportCard.org. (external link). It was produced by the American Society of Civil Engineers. It’s a well done site and I encourage you to visit.

The graphic artist who made these terrific images is not credited. That’s a shame. It takes real talent to make a United States’ map out of icons. Here’s something in black and white that I converted from a transparent .png file.

And an original from their site in color. Click on the image or click here for a full size image (internal link)

 

Other icons are similarly imaginative. See below and click for the full size graphic. Can you guess what each icon represents?

Upper row (From left to right)

Aviation, bridges, dams, drinking water, energy, hazardous waste, inland waterways, levees

Lower row (From left to right)

Ports, public parks, rail, roads, schools, solid waste, transit, wastewater

Click here for a larger image (internal link)

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Shorty Smith and LeRoy Neiman

While packing up things for my upcoming move, I came across a favorite photograph. Done on a color printer of dubious merit, it expresses the mad spirt embodied in camel racing. And it reminded me of LeRoy Neiman’s colorful style with horses.

The lead rider is Shorty Smith, a Tasmania resident, who I met in 2015 at the Virginia City Camel and Ostrich Races. Smith gave me the photo, eager for me to have something about him. It depicts him in a real race in his home country.

Smith was garrulous, a term I don’t use lightly. He could talk. And talk. And talk. Not only had he raced all over Australia, he had been to Saudi Arabia and recounted races there. Luxurious tents were set up in the desert, complete with trained falcons attending. All the while he talked I wished I had a tape recorder and some magazine to sell a story about him. And I wished that my breakfast wasn’t getting cold. Fascinating guy.

If you want to know more about Shorty Smith, just Google Shorty Smith and Camel racing. And check out LeRoy Neiman’s paintings anywhere on the web. I’m not sure Neiman ever painted a camel race but I bet he could have. And I am sure he would have liked Shorty Smith.

 

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A Book Without Words: Art Deco Borders by Ted Menten

I’ve always loved the Dover Clip-Art Series Books. You can still find them at your local used book store or at on-line book stores like Abe.com. (external link).

I bought three today: Advertising Art in The Art Deco Style, Art Deco Borders, both by Theodore Menten, and Art Nouveau Animal Designs and Patterns by M.P. Verneuil.

If you love clip art, line art, black and white illustrations, stenciling, or are just interested in Deco and Nouveau, order a few of these Dover Books. You’ll be very happy.