My designs, 1962-1978

This is probably shameless of me, but I can't resist adding my own work to this web log. I've rationalized it this way: as so many have remarked in so many words, "You probably haven't heard about this guy . . . ." and a few articles have favorably mentioned my work, which you can find at my other blog: The Branding of Polaroid 1957-1977. I feel I really should enlighten my viewers to what it was like working in the great post World War II environment before the accursed bean-counters took over and polluted the world visually as well as physically by their insane preoccupation with the "bottom-line." You can view it all and read about it in detail by clicking the hot link above.

The first collection of Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera family of a high-quality camera and accessories as introduced in 1972. Below is an enlarged version of the "god's eye" which I used to identify the product line of cameras.

The Polaroid Pronto! Land Camera line of products introduced in 1976.

 

The Polaroid Square Shooter Land Camera, introduced in the early 1970s to capture the market for instant photography at lower price points in department and discount retail outlets. Square format film sold for less than the traditional rectangular format film.

The Polaroid Square Shooter Land Camera line used both square- and rectangular-format film. This was also a down-market one-piece camera made of plastic to sell for low prices in discount stores. Click on image to enlarge.

 

My original design for Polaroid sunglasses sold only internationally and not in the USA. The date was 1962 and it was one of my favorite designs. The image eventually became generic for sunglasses throughout the world and was discontinued by Polaroid for that reason in the late 1970s. Click on image to enlarge.

My favorite design for the Boston-Kyoto Sister City Committee done pro bono in 1972. More, later.

 

Comments

[d galbraith]

found your site while looking for information on raymond hosford but got lost in your work instead. really enjoyed it thanks

[giam]

Mille grazie, Elena, per la sua gentilezza. Tante belle cose.

[Elena F.]

This is an etraordinary blog, I am really impressed!
Thanks a lot for sharing with us all these beautiful images,

Elena (an italian librarian)

[Mark]

Very cool. Thanks for sharing. It really does add another dimension to your blog.

[mcb]

Definitely show more mid-century stuff! I for one would love to see it. I have a whole lot of old design annuals from the 50s and 60s and I love them, especially the packaging design.

[Paul Giambarba]

Thank you very much mcb and Khoi. I invite viewers to click on their links to see their excellent work, which, as you can imagine, is a lot more current than mine. You encourage me to continue with more examples of design from mid-century. I thought at first it went over like a lead balloon. All the best to you.

[Khoi Vinh]

Paul: this is really, really wonderful work. I'm a big fan of this site already, but it's terrific to see you post your own samples here. It adds a new dimension to your writing. It also helps that the work is really phenomenal. Those Polaroid Square Shooter packages are fantastic!

[mcb]

Beautiful work, thanks for writing about it. I've always loved the Polaroid design.