Retro '71

 

Welcome back to another edition of Retro '71, the shirts we all want but can't have. 

This weeks post came about when I was talking to one of my friends about the vintage Mickey Mouse shirt that's currently floating around the parks. I was sad to find out that the DDG only offered it in a female cut.  My friend and I talked about the vintage shirt sold back in the day that incorporated the retro Mickey face, the classic WDW logo and the castle icon. I knew I had to recreate it for Designerland. 

What's even more interesting is that JUST today someone tweeted me asking if I could recreate the design for them. I told them to check the blog tonight. I hope I did it justice!?!?!?

I decided to offer up two versions of the design because I didn't feel right just recreating it..it only took 30 minutes to do so I had to challenge myself with a second concept where I slightly changed the colors and added some outer strokes and placed it on a new ground color. Let's face it, white tees are sometimes just blah (even if the design is amazing). I also added some vintage washing texture to complete the Retro '71 look. Personally I'd go with the original design, on a white tee with either red or black accenting neck and arm rings.

Well that does it for this weeks post. I have so many fun and interesting things in the works that I just can't find the time to get to those blasted typography case studies. Keep your fingers crossed and send some good vibes my way in hopes that a project I'm working on with a creative counter part get's the green light. Okay until next week, thanks for stopping by and see you soon!

Backstage Magic with Mickey Mouse

In this week’s case study we'll be looking at the magical typography used throughout the new Backstage Magic with Mickey Mouse character meet and greet.

On April 1^st of this year, the Main Street Exposition Hall changed its name to the newly renovated Town Square Theater. The Theater now includes two elaborate character meet and greets: one for the Disney Princesses and one for the main mouse. The new character meet and greets are the first to utilize Disney's FASTPASS ticketing system, which now guarantees guests an audience with the beloved mouse.

Imagineers designed this new experience to resemble a turn-of-the-century magic show, where Mickey is the main magician and the guests get to venture backstage to interact with him before his next act of people-pleasing prestidigitation. 

While in line, guests are treated to humorous and clever advertising bills for Mickey the Magnificent. The posters depict Mickey and some of his noteworthy feats of illusion. Using cutting edge technology mixed with some good old fashioned mathematical magic, a few posters actually interact with guests as they wait. 

These posters set the stage for some amazing type specimens. The designers of the various posters and signage really streamlined the font palette. Most of the typography comes from one particular type foundry, which is noted for producing turn-of-the-century, elaborate display fonts. Some of the classifications of fonts seen throughout the new meet and greet area are: Western, Victorian, Script, Late 1800's, Early 1900's, and Decorative. Main Street U.S.A. has a great many fonts used from this foundry, and if one were to ask me where to find Disney Park fonts with that Main Street feeling, I would recommend this one foundry right off the bat. What is this foundry you ask? Well . . . a true type magician never reveals his secrets.

I think that does it for this week’s typography case study. Tune in Monday for another Retro 71 concept and for those of you who have enjoyed the Haunted Mansion Soundboard app, I pleased to inform you that I have created 2 new soundboard apps and have a 4th one in the works, so tune in for these real soon! Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.