In his autobiography, “Q,” Quincy Jones explained how he composed “Suite to the Four Winds” by running all over Seattle, “working it out bit by bit on every piano I could find. That piece was the most valuable thing I owned. I carried it around with me every day, like money, scrawling on it, fixing it, changing it, carrying it under my sweater with a Blackwing No. 2 pencil in my pocket to make continual fixes.”

Discussing a stay in Los Angeles, converting “Lolita” from a novel to a screenplay, Vladimir Nabokov wrote of his days: “After a leisurely lunch, prepared by the German cook who came with the house, I would spend another four-hour span in a lawn chair, among the roses and mockingbirds, using lined index cards and a Blackwing pencil, for copying and recopying, rubbing out and writing anew, the scenes I had imagined in the morning.”

Igor Stravinsky at work, via Blackwing Pages

Add to this list of luminaries dedicated to a specific pencil the likes of composers Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Igor Stravinsky, Nelson Riddle, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein, writers Truman Capote, E.B. White and Eugene O’Neill, and perhaps the most renowned Blackwing user of all, Chuck Jones of Looney Tunes fame.

via Chuck Redux

So what’s the story behind this fabled writing utensil? According to Charles Berolzheimer, the CEO of CalCedar and the primary instigator behind the pencil being relaunched, “It had two distinctive features compared to most other graphite pencils used for art and writing purposes in its era. It had a special formulation for its graphite core, which provided for a very smooth writing performance that was marketed with the slogan “Half the Pressure, Twice the Speed.” The graphite performance was similar to Eberhard Faber’s premium Microtomic range of graded leads for artists and technical drawing purposes, but available only in one grade, which was never imprinted on the pencil or commonly disclosed. Additionally the Blackwing features a distinctive ferrule and eraser design with a removable and extendable block eraser that offered some improved utility vs. standard cylindrical erasers permanently fixed to the pencil.”

The new Blackwing, via Palamino

Eberhard Faber’s product left its mark, literally, on some of America’s most iconic 20th-century creative output, scrawled and smudged across scores, sketches and manuscripts. The company was bought and sold a couple of times starting in 1988 and while the Blackwing survived these transactions it eventually went off the market in 1998. On eBay, however, the pencils started selling for as much as $40. Fast-forward a few years: Enter Berolzheimer and Palomino, a division of CaliforniaCedar Products Co., “the world’s largest producer of wooden pencil slats,” according to the Palomino website.

Daniel Joseph, via Palomino

Copyright F+W Media Inc. 2012.

Salon is proud to feature content from Imprint, the fastest-growing design community on the web. Brought to you by Print magazine, America’s oldest and most trusted design voice, Imprint features some of the biggest names in the industry covering visual culture from every angle. Imprint advances and expands the design conversation, providing fresh daily content to the community (and now to salon.com!), sparking conversation, competition, criticism, and passion among its members.

Our conversation picks up with Joan describing her passion for cosmetics ephemera from the 1920s and 1930s.

Joan Renner: About twenty years ago I began to collect vintage face powder compacts. The compacts nicely dovetailed with my interest in classic film, fashion, and the history of women. A few years after purchasing my first compact – a souvenir from the 1939 New York World’s Fair with that exquisite trylon and perisphere design – I was searching an online auction site and a few commercial face powder boxes popped up along with the compacts. I was struck by the beautiful graphics. In subsequent searches I found that there were boxes in a dizzying array of designs. I was hooked. My extensive collection of over 500 pieces includes commercial face powder boxes, hair net packages, bobby pin cards, and print ads circa 1900-1950.

I love all of the eras that I collect, but my favorite designs were created during the Depression. Cosmetics companies were competing for every rare dollar of a woman’s disposable income. The inspired designs of cosmetics packaging in the 1930s demonstrates how fierce the competition was. Cosmetics ephemera from that era, such as the Sta-Rite hair pin card, reflected the continuing interest in Art Deco, and the designs mirror the glamorous images of popular Hollywood actresses from that period.

It’s unfortunate that most of the talented artists who created the graphics for cosmetics ephemera are uncredited. One of the rare instances in which the artist was named was during the 1920s, when Rene Lalique created the elegant powder puff motif which graces Coty face powder boxes to this day.

Another instance in which the artist was identified was during the early 1940s, in an ad campaign for Jergens face powder. The artist was Alberto Vargas, who is best known for his iconic pin-ups for Esquire magazine.

The Jergens face powder box and accompanying ad speak volumes about the concerns of women during wartime. The women wanted to be sexy and desirable without sacrificing their girl-next-door innocence – all of this while supporting the war effort!

In my blog, Vintage Powder Room, I draw inspiration from my collection or from articles that reveal something to me about cosmetics. I combined my twin passions of historic crime and vintage cosmetics after reading a 1947 Los Angeles Times interview with Linda Rohr, one of Elizabeth Short’s former roommates. The interview inspired me to develop a personality profile of Short based upon her choice of makeup.

Rather than following the post-war vogue for a natural looking makeup, Elizabeth Short used a heavy hand to create a dramatic contrast between her complexion and her hair color. If anything, her look leaned more towards Goth girl than glamour girl.

Max Factor photo courtesy LAPL.

Elizabeth Short

Linda Rohr worked in the Rouge Room at Max Factor, so she was well acquainted with makeup application and current trends. Rohr stated in an interview that she was fascinated with the way in which Short applied her makeup, and said this about her former roommate: “She was always going out and she loved to prowl the boulevard. She had pretty blue eyes but sometimes overdid with makeup an inch thick. She dyed her brown hair black, and then red again.”

It occurred to me that Short, who was described by her acquaintances as difficult to know, was creating a mask with her makeup. She may have been subconsciously seeking a way to keep people at arm’s length. When a woman wears makeup it may be to correct flaws she believes she has, or to enhance her best features, but it’s invariably a way for her to become the person she wants to be when she’s out in public. Makeup always says something about the wearer. It’s my contention that Elizabeth Short created the character she would become in death, The Black Dahlia.

I believe that collecting vintage cosmetics ephemera and uncovering crimes in historic Los Angeles are valid undertakings for a social historian. Crimes and cosmetics; each may reveal a fundamental truth about human nature in the context of a place and time.

Michael Dooley: What future criminal activities do you have planned?

Nothing as daring as a daylight bank robbery, that’s for sure! I’m strictly an armchair felon, which means that I’ll continue to research, write, and lecture about historic Los Angeles crime. This year I plan to finish my true crime book, as well as complete a book project with the Los Angeles Police Museum.

The work that I do at the museum is challenging and gratifying. My project, the archiving of Police Daily Bulletins, is phenomenal. I’ll also be involved in future exhibits that are in the queue at the museum.

I’ll give a lecture at the central branch of the Los Angeles Public Library in October. I have several more historic crime themed lectures churning around in my brain; I never tire of introducing Angelenos to the sordid underbelly of their city.

Most weekends you’ll find me riding shotgun – naturally – on the Esotouric crime bus. We have a “Real Black Dahlia” tour coming up on April 14th [tomorrow].

My collection of vintage cosmetics ephemera continues to be the inspiration for my blog, Vintage Powder Room. I also maintain a VPR page on Facebook.

In my free time I’ll scour flea markets, estate sales, and online sources to add to my collection of vintage cosmetics ephemera.

Photos © Joan Renner.

Copyright F+W Media Inc. 2012.

Salon is proud to feature content from Imprint, the fastest-growing design community on the web. Brought to you by Print magazine, America’s oldest and most trusted design voice, Imprint features some of the biggest names in the industry covering visual culture from every angle. Imprint advances and expands the design conversation, providing fresh daily content to the community (and now to salon.com!), sparking conversation, competition, criticism, and passion among its members.

Anyone reading comic books from their inception and throughout the 20th century could count on the JSC full-page advertisements that used every micro inch of printable space to list and announce their merchandise. Coming across their ad was like encountering an intricate wallpaper sample, but it was also like a friend that you could count on to appear in every issue with your favorite superhero or comic book character. As early as 1955, Harvey Kurtzman’s #21 issue of Mad (they were still in comic book format and hadn’t become a “magazine” yet) employed a Johnson Smith Co. design for its cover. This may be the first time anyone was inspired to actually read the entire contents of a Johnson Smith Co. (in this case a “Smith Johnson & Co.y”) advertisement! Interestingly, Johnson Smith has an actual ad in the same issue. (When Mad became a magazine with issue #24 they discontinued actual ads and continued as an ad-less publication until 2001.) During the 1980s I became aware of the work of graphic designer/archivist Charles S. Anderson from Minneapolis. His work resurrected the old advertising graphics of the 1930s-1950s and swung them around for re-presentation in a modern (postmodern?) way. He took old dusty and bankrupt stock art and illustration and made it seem cool. I can’t help but feel the presence of Johnson Smith in a lot of his work. The cartoonist and graphic designer Chris Ware has clearly been influenced by the Johnson Smith ads as well as other pop culture iconography. His “Acme Novelty Library” has been a remarkable leader in the alternative comics realm.

Here are some examples :

Since 1914 - The 1940 #403 Johnson Smith & Co. catalog.

Cover 1940 #403 catalog

Inside front cover

Spine

Inside back cover

Back cover

Johnson Smith Co. has been a part of comic book history since the beginning – there’s a JSC ad on the back of Action #1, Superman’s first appearance in 1938.

Back cover of Action Comics #1 1938

1950 JSC ad

Inside front cover of Charlton Comics "Blue Beetle" #1 (Steve Ditko) 1967

Their ads are so much a part of the culture that they’ve been parodied for at least 55 years.

Harvey Kurtzman's "Mad", cover #21 March 1955

They’ve gone on to even influence modern graphic design.

Chris Ware's "Acme Novelty Library" #10 cover, 1998

Inside front cover and page 3 of Acme Novelty Library #10 1998

Fold-out inside front cover "Old Advertising Cuts From A-Z" Charles Anderson/French Paper Company-Niles, Michigan 1989

Page 2 "CSA Line Art Catalog #1" Charles S. Anderson Design Co. 1995

1959 JSC catalog cover

1989 CSA "Advertising Cuts" cover

Here are some examples from the 624 page 1940 Johnson Smith Catalog :

As an example of what you received when ordering something from Johnson Smith Co., below is the ad for item # 1264 “The Science Of Ju Jitsu” from the 1940 catalog, .

The following pics are from the actual book.

Front cover

Always use that ad space ! ("The Science Of Ju Jitsu" back cover)

You didn't have to tell JSC how to remind a customer of its offerings - especially on an inside front cover.

"The Science Of Ju Jitsu" takes up 64 pages - the first third of the book. The remaining 2/3rds is taken up with the JSC "Supplementary Catalogue". Again - never miss an opportunity to market yourself. . .

Reverse of 1940 order form

Here’s F+W Media Inc. 2012.

Salon is proud to feature content from Imprint, the fastest-growing design community on the web. Brought to you by Print magazine, America’s oldest and most trusted design voice, Imprint features some of the biggest names in the industry covering visual culture from every angle. Imprint advances and expands the design conversation, providing fresh daily content to the community (and now to salon.com!), sparking conversation, competition, criticism, and passion among its members.

Age: 26

Senior Designer, Louise Fili Ltd.

From: Louisville, Ky.

Lives in: Brooklyn, N.Y.

Website: www.johnpassafiume.com

The Louisville, Ky., native garnered attention with his senior-thesis project at Indiana University, (Process), a massive, hand-drawn homage to, well, the entirety of aesthetic history. In his senior year, Passafiume suffered a rough bout of carpal tunnel syndrome, which led him to rely on a single 0.5-mm Bic mechanical pencil―the only tool he used to create the piece. At its center is a Paul Rand quote (“Without aesthetic, design is either humdrum repetition of familiar clichés or a wild scramble for novelty. Without the aesthetic, the computer is but a mindless speed machine, producing effects without substance”), which Passafiume says he chose because it “highlights the relational significance of form and content, and warns against a passive reliance on the computer.” (Incidentally, Passafiume received a congratulatory package of art supplies from Bic headquarters when they learned of his Adobe Design Achievement Award.)

Book designs for Rizzoli (art director: Louise Fili), 2011

(Process) poster, 2007

In his current position as senior designer at Louise Fili Ltd. he produces work―packaging, subway-poster campaigns, book jackets―that aligns seamlessly with the house style. “When I first looked at John’s portfolio, I was impressed by his fine-tuned lettering skills, obsessive attention to detail, and keen understanding of classical letterforms,” Louise Fili says. “I was convinced that he had the right head and hands for the job.”

Indeed, Passafiume’s drawings and lettering have absolute precision without snuffing out their liveliness. “For as long as I can remember, I have been sensitive to the quality of a line,” he says. Zoom in on the utterly analog (Process) and that much is obvious. He might as well be reflecting on the start of what promises to be a long and fruitful career when he says, “(Process) extends the question: Why? It’s about beginnings.”

Poster design for School of Visual Arts (designed with Dana Tanamachi; art director: Louise Fili), 2011

Postcard design for School of Visual Arts (art director: Louise Fili), 2011

See the other 2012 New Visual Artists:

• Sang Mun
• Erin Schell
• Berton Hasebe
• Drea Zlanabitnig
• Casper Heijkenskjöld
• Kelsey Dake
• Jerome Corgier
• Tracy Ma
• Olimpia Zagnoli
• Ryan Thacker
• John Passafiume
• Lisa Hedge
• Jungyeon Roh
• Dafi Kühne
• Jing Wei
• Caleb Bennett
• Naz Sahin
• Serifcan Ozcan
• Brendan Griffiths
• George Michael Brower

Copyright F+W Media Inc. 2012.

Salon is proud to feature content from Imprint, the fastest-growing design community on the web. Brought to you by Print magazine, America’s oldest and most trusted design voice, Imprint features some of the biggest names in the industry covering visual culture from every angle. Imprint advances and expands the design conversation, providing fresh daily content to the community (and now to salon.com!), sparking conversation, competition, criticism, and passion among its members.

Age: 28

Illustrator from: Reggio Emilia, Italy

Lives in: Milan

Website: www.olimpiazagnoli.com

Raised in the midsize city of Reggio Emilia (and now living in Milan), Zagnoli credits her creative core to an artscentric kindergarten, as well as a high-school curriculum that focused on Latin and Greek classics. Art school, she says, held less helpful lessons than those she received from her parents, both artists.

"Mano a Mano," cover illustration for American Illustration, 2011

"We Are the 99%," illustration for Internazionale, 2011

Her influences and interests are obvious ― Matisse, Munari, Bass, Haring ― and she declares her style as “Graphic! Sixties! Europe!” Still, she’s grounded in this day and age. “It’s really important to speak the language of your time,” she says. “I’m always looking for something that doesn’t belong to this era, but not when it’s just nostalgia.”

Appearing regularly in the New York Times, the Guardian, the New Yorker and Vice, Zagnoli’s work has an old-fashioned kindness and sensitivity; these are illustrations you want to be friends with. “I think that shapes and colors help me a lot,” she says. “They have a history behind them. If you use a red, red is already a message. If you use a circle, that is something everyone can recognize. I am hanging out with them for a bit, and at the end of this encounter I start working.”

"Poo!", illustration for Internazionale, 2010

Illustration for the book "The New York Times, 36 Hours" (Taschen), 2011

Following the accolades she has received from her work on the Times’ iPhone app the Scoop, as well as her cover for American Illustration, Zagnoli hopes to spend more time this year on personal projects, expanding her approach to ideas and materials. “Now is the time for me to experiment with new stuff,” she says. “I’m learning how to become less literal.” And this year she got to celebrate her actual, magical birthday.

Illustration for Rolling Stone Italia, 2011

See the other 2012 New Visual Artists:

• Sang Mun
• Erin Schell
• Berton Hasebe
• Drea Zlanabitnig
• Casper Heijkenskjöld
• Kelsey Dake
• Jerome Corgier
• Tracy Ma
• Olimpia Zagnoli
• Ryan Thacker
• John Passafiume
• Lisa Hedge
• Jungyeon Roh
• Dafi Kühne
• Jing Wei
• Caleb Bennett
• Naz Sahin
• Serifcan Ozcan
• Brendan Griffiths
• George Michael Brower

Copyright F+W Media Inc. 2012.

Salon is proud to feature content from Imprint, the fastest-growing design community on the web. Brought to you by Print magazine, America’s oldest and most trusted design voice, Imprint features some of the biggest names in the industry covering visual culture from every angle. Imprint advances and expands the design conversation, providing fresh daily content to the community (and now to salon.com!), sparking conversation, competition, criticism, and passion among its members.