– imagery by Italian graphic designer, and latter Olivetti chief designer, Marcelo Nizzoli from 1925 for Fabrique National F/N – Belgian arms manufacturers who also built motorcycles. A smooth ride indeed if the pillion lady can put on her lipstick whilst the shadowy rider tears along the lanes of Flanders
Men’s clothier Drake’s used Japanese artist Akita Sorimachi to create a number of illustrations for their advertising. Like pen and wash imagery from 50’s and 60’s magazines they evoke the seemingly relaxed sensibility of an age. The BSA Goldstar is an ideal foil for the gent in striped shirt and sleeveless vest.
Clear heavens over the Woodstock dealership at the weekend. Though there was snow piled in the edges of the parking lot the temperatures rose to the mid fifties; very unseasonably mild.
Paper Dart Avian | the Thunderbird name logo used by Triumph since the fifties was devised by Edward Turner whilst traveling between the UK and the Marques operations in the States.
Monster Truck | A couple of years ago Triumph USA toured their adventure bike Tiger models across the country using this heavy brute of a vehicle. Called the Atlak it drove from Atlanta to Alaska and parts between.
Wall Art | this would make a nice graphic for a cool warehouse apartment wall. High ceilings and brickwork with concrete floors. Indeed you could probably roll the Bonnie into the flat up on the freight elevator..
Blowing Bubbles | awesome sketch by Elsa Chang of some lass laying back sending soap bubbles into the sky. The grey wash with brushed ink work is fluid and inspired.
Joe | Needin’ a bit of lawman Judge Dredd and his Lawmaster bike ready to dole out justice in Mega City One; Twenty Second Century style.
The Future Was Here | The imaginative illustrations of Syd Mead spoke of a streamlined and slick world of cool architecture and knife-sharp cars. This Honda 3000 has hints of Kaneda’s bike from ’89 Manga animation Akira. Mead developed the feel of dystopian Blade Runner and the computer integration of Tron. Syd passed away yesterday at the age of 86.
Technical Tracker by Triumph | accurate linework in this engineering illustration of a fast looking oval dirt machine.
Book Week | one of the publications I managed to acquire from our vacation as proprietors of The Open Book was this glossy tome by legendary Moto-writer Mick Walker. Now added to my small library of all things two wheeled.
‘Zines | Whatever your interest there is a magazine for it. And, in the specialist topic of motorcycling, there are sub genres covering everything from custom, classic/vintage, off road, on road, Day-to-day riding, travel & adventure. We have a great magazine store in Evanston with a great selection.
Chi-Town Gangs | we had a day in west suburban Oak Park enjoying open house tours of Prairie Style homes from the early 20th Century. Here are some gang patches from this locality-such as the Road Runner MC. It’s a varied bunch much like the buildings we enjoyed today.
bauhaus 100 | 2019 is the centenary of the formation of the influential German design school based in Weimar and later Dessau. As well as founder Walter Gropius and later directors Hannes Meyer and Mies Van der Rohe there were numerous staff and students who were allowed to develop creative talent in the manufacturing arts – .Gesamtkunstwerk (Total work of Art ). Here’s one such alumni Heinrich Brocksieper, who worked on photography, painting and animation, enjoying great German motorrad engineering of the day in front of the workshop block at the Dessau building.
“Heinrich Brocksieper auf seinem Motorrad vor dem Bauhaus Dessau, 1930, Originalfoto 64 x 41 cm © Nachlass Brocksieper, Hagen.”
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