When I entered the graphic design field, many years ago, we would 
have scads of clip art books around the office. Some of the books were quite large and I doubt if you could find many copies today. We used the clip art to create camera ready pages (mechanicals) in the production of printed pieces. Sometimes the art was used for reference to draw line art with Rapidograph pens. My specialty was creating line drawings using these pens. My work area was usually very messy, but I was meticulous with the drawings. I enjoy finding old clip art books at vintage book stores and library book sales. I have a small clip art book, Overture to “Line Art,” produced by Volk Corporation, Pleasantville, N.J. in 1959.
The artwork from Overture to “Line Art” takes you back to a simpler time where everyone had milk delivered to their doorstep and a gas station attendant pumped your gas and you never had to get out of your car. Don’t you wish that was still an option on rainy days? Best of all, there wer
e no cell phones back then; the mode of communicating was a big black phone. I wish I had a phone like my grandmother’s. I would much rather talk on an old fashioned phone than on a cell phone.
I was considered a mechanical artist when I first entered graphic design. I was very fortunate to work with Anne DiFrancesco. Anne was the art director at one of my first graphic design jobs. She would give me increasingly more difficult assignments. I had minimal experience in creating logos or using Rapidographs. I had only a few pieces in my portfolio from my classes at Fairfield University. Anne routinely put design projects on my desk an
d would say, “give it a try.” I absolutely loved creating logos and doing the technical drawings. Here are a couple of my early drawings.
Anne decided to break away from company that we both worked for. She invited me to join her in the creation of A & M Studios. The A was for Anne and M for Mary Ann. She regretted using that name when I left A & M to do freelance graphic design as Graphic Support Services. I believe she changed its meaning to Advertising and Marketing, which works well with A & M. Anne continues to be in business today as A & M Studios in Westport, CT. I would not hesitate giving Anne my highest recommendation, she is a consummate professional and a wonderful designer.
Eventually I had to learn marker techniques to mock up designs to give clients an idea of what their finished printed piece would look like. This was very challenging for me, especially the lettering. Here is comp (mock-up) of a proposed marketing piece for a client, The Bodine Corporation, and the finished piece. The idea was to use a metallic ink, since we were illustrating machinery. The client loved it and Anne and I continued to do design work for The Bodine Coporation for many years.
One of my favorite people to work with, in the graphic design world, was Kerri Iserman at Designs by K & G in Fort Collins, CO. Kerri was a joy to work with; always an upbeat attitude and so creative. When I began working with Kerri, I was an Apple-Mac person. Kerri patiently taught me how to use PC’s for design work. I would love to watch Kerri switch between an early version of Windows to the MS-DOS side, for troubleshooting computer issues.
A side benefit to working at Designs by KG was the membership they provided to PULSE, a local fitness center, where would be play racquetball after work. Kerri was a fierce athletic competitor and we had a ton of fun. I haven’t played racquetball with Kerri for many years, maybe it is time for a re-match.
