Sunday, April 21, 2024

Ed Fella's 1980s vernacular






(born 1938) Fella is an artist, educator and graphic designer whose work has had an important influence on contemporary typography. his work is in the National Design Museum and MoMA in New York.



Fella dabbled at many different techniques, such as found typography, scribbles, brush writing, typesetting, rubdown letters, public domain clip art, stencils and more. his work made it to the right people and he was given the moniker "king of zing" because of his whimsical illustration style and sense of humor. 

so, in 1985 Fella retires from comercial design and decides to go back to school! 


he attends Cranbrook Academy of Art and graduates in 1987. at Cranbrook, Fella refined his already amazing craft and became a lecturer at CalArts, until he retired in 2013.

Fella has received the title of GRAPHIC GODFATHER by Emigre magazine.    



what's Fella's secret? 


1- deconstructing lines of copy, modifying typefaces, drawing,
2- turning Bembo into Bimbo,
3- cut & paste
4- hacking off the serifs,
5- eye-bending effects,