Carolyn Porter | Carolyn Porter: Blog

Learn more about the book "Marcel's Letters" and the font P22 Marcel Script, which is based on the handwriting of conscripted WWII laborer Marcel Heuzé

Carolyn Porter, Marcel Heuzé, Marcel's Letters, Graphic Design, Font Design, P22 Marcel Script

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July 3, 2015

July 2–5, 1881: “President Garfield shot by an assassin…”

As you may know, I collect handwritten ephemera: letters, cards, invitations, etc. I bought this pocket-size diary from 1881, thinking the writing might be a good reference source for a font […someday!]. I looked to see what the entry was for the 4th of July, hoping it would mention a parade or fireworks or a summertime luxury such as a drink with ice. It turns out the entry from July 2 is more interesting because it captures the day’s disastrous news: “President Garfield shot by an assassin twice at Depot in Washington. He got very near death…”

June 28, 2015

An Important Question from White Bear Lake (1912)

I collect old cards and letters the way others might collect shoes or recipes. And speaking of recipes, this card — which has a charming photo of White Bear Lake on the front — has a funny (and urgent!) message on the back:

June 25, 2015

A Reunion with my Letterform Instructor

A few months back, the Director of the School of Art & Design at UW-Stout in collaboration with the AIGA student board, asked me to give a presentation on my design career. I was happy to oblige. Part of the presentation was on graphic design work, but I also talked about the development of the font P22 Marcel. I was thrilled that my Letterform instructor, Bill DeHoff — the person who first introduced me to the beautiful art of typography — attended the presentation.

June 22, 2015

Joys of the French Language

I’ve come across delightful phrases in French. Have you studied French? If so, are there any favorites you’d like to add to the list?

French phrase: Les carottes sont cuites
Literal translation: The carrots are cooked
Meaning: The outcome of the situation cannot be changed

June 21, 2015

Typeface Choice and Publishing

Last week, I had the pleasure of having coffee with White Bear Lake author David LaRochelle. He primarily writes children’s books, so our genres couldn’t be more different. But he has a 20+ year career as an author, and I had questions only an industry veteran would be able to answer.

June 15, 2015

Sneak Peek!

Here’s a sneak peek at my next font! I’m trying to retain a more rough and rugged look than “Marcel.” But, it still emulates the ink-on-paper look I love so much. What do you think?

June 15, 2015

Interesting Copyright Issue

Here’s an interesting legal issue. I just learned it’s illegal to take and show photos of the Eiffel Tower at night (yes, like the image above, which I snapped in 2012). Why? Photos taken during the day aren’t an issue; the tower is considered to be in the public domain. However, the design of the tower’s light show is protected by copyright. Read the details here.

As they say at the end of the article, good luck enforcing that.

June 1, 2015

So long, locks of love

Starting tomorrow, officials are going to begin the process of cutting the “locks of love” off the bridges in Paris. The first locks began appearing in 2006 or so, and the practice got into full swing in 2012 (which is the year I took the photos, above). There are now so many locks on these bridges the sheer weight has become a safety hazard. Apparently the combined weight of the locks on one of the pedestrian bridges is the equivalent of 20 elephants — a weight the bridge was not built to hold.

May 29, 2015

If I had just gotten it right the first time…

After 10 or more rounds of revisions on the laptop, I went old school and took the red pen to the hard copy draft of Chapter 11.

May 15, 2015

In Marcel’s own words:

My little darling, all I have left to do tonight is to ask you to kiss my little ones very tenderly for me... Your big guy who loves you, kisses you with all his strength and with all his heart.

May 14, 2015

Book Review: Motherland by Maria Hummel

This book is set in Germany in the dangerous last months of World War II. Liesl is newly married to a widowed surgeon who has been summoned to work at a hospital far away; she is responsible for the care of her husband’s three young boys amid dwindling food supplies and refugees being assigned to their home. One son has a mysterious illness and faces the prospect of being sent to Hadamar, a destination for ill and unfit children; Hadamar was a destination that would mean certain death.