MARCEL THE SHELL Becomes A Book!

There’s no doubt in my mind that Marcel The Shell With Shoes On is the best stop-motion animation video I’ve ever seen.  If you’re not familiar with this Youtube sensation, I won’t even bother to explain – just do yourself a favor and watch the film (above)!

Now, I’ve been itching to announce for awhile now that Marcel will star in his own picture book, the first from YA imprint Razorbill.  When Marcel made a video guest appearance at work, to talk about how excited he was to be part of the Penguin family, we couldn’t be more excited for him (and his creators, Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer-Camp).

How will Marcel The Shell translate to a picture book?  I initially pictured it as a photographic Chronicle-style gift book, but turns out, the images will be traditional oil paintings instead.  Now… who is the artist going to be, I wonder??  And if you’re worried about this style of humor losing its touch without Jenny Slate’s hilarious voice, don’t be.  The press release assures us that there will be an interactive audio version to add the voice of Marcel to the reading experience.

Can’t wait for November 1 to see Marcel pulling his lint “dog” around by a hair!

“Sometimes people say that my head is too big for my body, and then I say, ‘Compared to WHAT?'”

For Book Designers, Type Matters

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Obsessed with typefaces?  Then go watch the cutest set of videos made about Penguin’s book designers at Type Matters. It’s entertaining for graphic designers, but relatable for those just starting out (I want to share it with all my family members who ask me the question, “So, what is graphic design, exactly?”).

I especially love the first video, where you can see my walk to work!  They even critique the type on the side of my favorite food vendor at 345 Hudson (run by this little hilarious Russian couple).  And I thought it was adorable that they gave lower-case g’s a bit of personality.  Makes me proud to be a Penguin book designer.

Best of all, designers give a smart take on their opinions of favorite and least-favorite typefaces.  I was pleased that they didn’t state the obvious (yes, everyone hates Comic Sans and Papyrus… it need not be said), and you can always tell something about a person from the typefaces towards which they gravitate.

My personal typeface?  Archer by Hoefler and Frere-Jones, designed for Martha Stewart Magazine in 2001.  This 20th-century European look gives the slab-serif a bit of sweetness, quirkiness and charm, while still keepin’ it classy and professional (and isn’t that just so… me!?).  Now, I use it for everything – business cards, resumes… it even was the perfect choice for That’s Like Me!

Last spring, I was freaking out about finding “my typeface”, and it took me many a false try before I found Archer for my own branding.  It was as though if I couldn’t identify myself with a font, I had no right to have a personality as a designer.  While now I see how ridiculous that is, if you’re feeling the same way, you can take Pentagram’s What Type Are You? (the most amazingly-designed online quiz I’ve EVER seen).

Who knows… maybe you’ll be emotional, understated, progressive and disciplined… just like me and Archer Hairline!