Author Archives: Brian Lawler

About Brian Lawler

Brian Lawler is an Emeritus Professor of Graphic Communication at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and was a Guest Professor at Hochschule München from September, 2021 to September, 2022. He writes about graphic arts processes and technologies for various industry publications, and on his blog, The Blognosticator.

36 inches of missing sheetrock

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Brian Lawler

Lawrence Weiner, a fine artist born in 1940, has an incredible job: he designs museum displays that are stark, bold and simple. Lawrence Weiner’s exhibit, A Wall Pitted by a Single Air rifle Shot, on display at the Museum of … Continue reading →

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MOMA exhibits 23 digital fonts

Posted on October 2, 2011 by Brian Lawler

I spent the day at the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. It’s a delightful place, filled with paintings and sculptures dating from the late 19th century to the present. Famous for its industrial design displays and its graphic art, … Continue reading →

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On the ground floor of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Brian Lawler

This entry was updated on October 27, 2011 to add photos. Yesterday I got the tour of a lifetime at the Bureau of Printing and Engraving in Washington, D.C. I had an appointment at 10:00 a.m. I expected it to … Continue reading →

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A dream fulfilled

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Brian Lawler

The smokestack of the Hamilton Wood Type Manufacturing Company. This beautiful brick stack stands above the factory that once produced type and cabinets for printers. Today, the building houses the Hamilton Wood Type Museum. I spent an extra day in … Continue reading →

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Getting to say I told you so

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Brian Lawler

(without a nagging tone of voice) It is rare that a parent can enjoy the sheer thrill, the ecstasy of being able to revel in saying “I TOLD you so.” Heck, the more I think of it, it’s rare that … Continue reading →

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A moment of silence at GraphExpo 2011

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Brian Lawler

From GraphExpo 2011 in Chicago For a brief moment on Sunday, September eleventh, GraphExpo came to a very quiet halt; we all stood still, and we listened while the bagpipe played. Hundreds of GraphExpo visitors stood in the building just … Continue reading →

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Sleeping in the shadow of the Lakeside Press

Posted on September 10, 2011 by Brian Lawler

First of my reports from GraphExpo 2011: I awoke this morning in the Hyatt McCormick hotel in Chicago, adjacent to the McCormick Place, a convention center that is the legacy of the former Editor and Publisher of the Chicago Tribune, … Continue reading →

Posted in History | 6 Comments

Web-safe colors – time to move on!

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Brian Lawler

This entry appeared originally on What They Think in July, 2010. It has been updated. Back in 1987 when computers first started to have color monitors, the audience grew into two distinct groups, those with money (who could display a … Continue reading →

Posted in New technology, Web | 2 Comments

Lawler, Brian, reports on how to put last names first

Posted on August 21, 2011 by Brian Lawler

The original of this post appeared on What They Think in June, 2010. It was brought up to date today, August 21, 2011. In a recent blog I introduced the idea of GREP styles in Adobe InDesign; that’s a really … Continue reading →

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Three-color photography on a boat

Posted on August 21, 2011 by Brian Lawler

This entry originally appeared on What They Think in July, 2010. Fourth of July – afternoon. The conversation ranged from the oil in the Gulf of Mexico to the freshness of the guacamole. At some point someone made the mistake … Continue reading →

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