Keep Calm and Carry On

Exam weeks are quickly creeping up causing everyone to be in a frenzy battling against finals and final projects (depending on what you do). It may not be World War II but I'm sure everyone is in their own fight to conquer the crazy demand of university. In any case let's all remember to Keep Calm and Carry On (a change to my usual encouragement of fight on). Everything keeps on moving without stopping for you so it's best to just let it be and keep doing what you're meant to do. It's always a good reminder methinks.

I absolutely adore this version of the iconic poster by Tibor Kalman's wife (famous for his radical designs for Color magazine in the 90s), Maira Kalman, who illustrates, paints and photographs about everyday life. Some of her lovely and whimsical works can be found here and her website here.

A poster you're all probably familiar with its alarming red, bold (in terms of personality) white font and a graphic of the crown of George VI, these posters have in recent years become viral, exploding in a boom of parodies and merchandise. But what I find real interesting is the rich history behind the poster. Born during WWII in the spring of 1939, this poster was the third of a series of three posters the British government commissioned the Ministry of Information to design, and were to be displayed around England as propaganda to reassure the public of the chaotic times ahead. I love how one of the conditions in the brief was to use "a special and handsome typeface" (quoting from here). While most were destroyed when the war ended these posters emerged back into popular culture 50-60 years later when a bookseller came across a rare copy that was hidden in a box of old books bought from an auction. Apparently the booksellers loved it so much they framed it and placed in their shop where many customers fell in love with it also and honestly who wouldn't?! Ever since the discovery, the shop owners Stuart and Mary Manley have made reproductions of the poster proving to be a hit all over in shops and of course the internet, achieving its iconic status as we know today. 

You can read all about it here and here.