Summer Olympic Emblems

With the games of the 30th Olympiad set to open in exactly three months, we're in full Olympic mode over here at Duckpin HQ. The hurdles are set up, the cauldron is lit, and we're giggling every time we hear the term "coxswain". Over the next three months, we're gearing up to provide both our readers with design-related Olympic coverage.

First things first. Below we've assembled the official emblems from the past 19 summer games, plus this year's London 2012 logo. Pretty much every design trend from the 20th century is represented here, from the heraldic '30s to the Op Art '70s to the abomination that was the '80s. Share your personal favorite(s) in the comments section.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hammering it Home

Jeff Holmberg has found an inventive way to use the metal type he bought at an antique store. Above is one in a series of wooden posters he produced using stencils, rubber stamps, paint, ink, and reclaimed wood. For a unique finish, he pounded the type into the wood fibers to leave a blind impression.

There are more photos of the posters here, as well as a lively comment thread on whether roughing-up type in this manner is a desecration. Why not weigh in?

Spring Cleaning

Spring's renewal is evident in the Duckpin Press printshop. A weekend spent cleaning has eradicated a winter's worth of dust, clutter, and loneliness. That was good. However, after we cleaned off the ol' type cabinet (above), its top was looking awfully lonely.

In day's of yore, the cabinet top was a popular repository for strip material or forms in progress. Explore the background in this photo as an example of the former, and the righthand side of this photo as the latter.

Compared to these cabinets, ours has an regrettably underutilized top. That needs to change. Currently we have our hellbox, string to tie up forms, and our printers cap. Oh, and our official shop clock and non-duckpin-sized pin. But there's something missing that we can't put our finger on. Do you have a suitable tchotchke that would be at home in the shop? The requirements are minor:

• it's gotta inspire or make us laugh
• it's gotta be able to spend the winter alone under a coat of dust and not get lonely

Any suggestions that fit the bill?