Journal #7

 Flo from Progressive Insurance commercials 

Portrayed by Stephanie Courtney

2008-present

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itDejkU20Ig 

Flo from the Progressive commercials is a fictional character used repeatedly for advertising. Earnest Elmo Calkins, the "Dean of Advertising," was the first to use a fictional character to advertise a product, during the time of American Modernism. Phoebe Snow, who wore all white, claimed that cleaner materials used for railroads would keep your clothes clean. Calkins created short poems to capture the audiences' attention, similar to how Flo uses her peppy and upbeat personality. This idea of using the same fictional character as a spokesperson for a product began with Calkin's Phoebe Snow and this idea is used today in many company's advertising. 

Apple iPhone 6

Released October 2014

Another idea introduced by Earnest Elmo Calkins that we discussed in class this week is the idea of planned obsolescence, that he referred to as "styling goods" or "consumer engineering", meaning people replace their belongings when fashion changes, rather than when things break. An example of this is the release of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus. People rushed out to get the larger phone just because it is a new style over phones with smaller screens, even if their current, smaller phone worked perfectly fine. We mentioned in class that this was also popular in the 1950s when appliances would come out in many different colors, and when they became out of style, people would upgrade to a different style before the appliance broke. 

Journal #6

Hotel Cortez - American Horror Story Hotel

Directed by Ryan Murphy, 2015

On this week's episode of American Horror Story Hotel, the history of Hotel Cortez was revealed. It was built in 1925 by James Patrick Marsh, played by Evan Peters, and resembles characteristics of Art Deco and total design. The character is described as an "art deco freak, oil tycoon millionaire, and murder fetishist". He designed every aspect of the hotel - the architecture, carpeting, light fixtures, furniture, etc. even the sign outside has sans serif Art Deco type.  In class, we've seen Art Deco characteristics from the 1920's to 1930's when it was upcoming, as well as it's long lasting style that lingered into the Bauhaus School designs.

The White Stripes - Artwork for the album De Stijl from 2000

This White Stripes album titled De Stijl reflects aesthetic characteristics from the De Stijl movement that we studied in class this week, a combination of Synthetic Cubism, Constructivism, and Dada. This CD case uses lines, rectangles and a limited color palette of primary colors (red, white and black which are used in all White Stripes albums).  The simplicity of shapes is intended to appeal to everyone through it's abstraction, similar to Mondrian's work that we looked at in class - Tableau No. 2 with red, blue, black and gray from 1925. I find it interesting that Jack White, the band's lead singer chose this style for an album because their music alternative/punk rock and is far from simple and clean cut, like De Stijl. 

Journal #5

John Fredrick Peto, For the Track 1895, oil on canvas

Found in the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC.

This painting shows equipment for horseback riders in a barn, as well as bits of tickets and a flyer/poster in the center. This flyer, stating "Oakley Race Track Six Great Races", uses a woodblock typeface on the word "Oakley", which we looked at earlier in the semester. It also shows early characteristics of synthetic cubism, that began a few years following this painting. Picasso's synthetic cubism, as seen in his painting Still Life with Chairs Caning, uses different mediums and textures to create collages. Although Peto's painting is not physically collaged, it resembles one because of the overlapping objects.

Pret a Manger- Organic Coffee & Natural Foods Logo and Packaging.

Found in Washington DC

As seen in many restaurants today, Pret a Manger uses an Art Deco, Sans serif typeface. The popcorn bag uses this type as well and sticks to a limited color scheme of white, red and yellow. The bag itself is designed with vertical stripes, which is seen throughout Art Deco period of the 1920s and 30s in design and packaging. 

Journal #4

Bosch Vintage Auto Spark Plug Advertisting Reproduction on Canvas 24x33.  Found on ebay from seller thecreativeforest, who sells posters and canvas reproductions of vintage advertisements, maps, and prints.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BOSCH-Vintage-Auto-Spark-Plug-Advertising-Reproduction-CANVAS-PRINT-24x33-in-/181884276579?hash=item2a5925cf63

This advertisement was estimated to be from 1900-1949 and shows simply the name, Bosch, and an image the product, a spark plug. Similar to Lucian Bernhard's advertisements for Manoli cigarettes and Stiller shoes that we looked at in class, this poster shows qualities of German advertising known as plakatstil or "object posters". 





Olivetti Typewriter, 1956 Vintage Advertising Reproduction Canvas Print 24x30 in.  Found on ebay from seller thecreativeforest, who sells posters and canvas reproductions of vintage advertisements, maps, and prints. 

This poster is an advertisement from 1956 reflects ideas that were developed during the Art Deco period. The poster features a figure whose illustration is not complete, but we still recognize it, like The Beggarstaff's Harper Magazine and Kassama corn flour advertisement. It also shows qualities plakatstil as well because the only information is gives is the image of the product and the name, Lettera 22. 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/OLIVETTI-TYPEWRITER-1956-Vintage-Advertising-Reproduction-CANVAS-PRINT-24x33-in-/171949401549?hash=item2808fba5cd