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it

a designer’s guide to raising the bar

Quirk Books | Philidelphia

KATIE JOY BLANKSMA

Quirk Productions, Inc. 215 Church Street Philadelphia PA 19106

Distrubuted by Chronicle Books680 Second Street San Francisco, California 94107

Text and Illustrations © 2012 by Katie Joy Blanksma

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or

electronic form without permission.

ISBN 971-5-87322-000-1Printed in the United States of America

The recipes contained in this book are to be followed exactly as written. The publisher is not responsible for your specific health or allergy needs that may require

medical supervision. The publisher is not responsible for any adverse reactions to the published recipes.

ablecontents

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introduction

press me a classic

spare me the critique

draft me another

pass me a knock out

spot me a color

cocktail (pre)flight

4 5mix it up

ntroduction

So, you’re a graphic designer, eh? What’s that you say? Sometimes you would much rather be a cocktail? Not a bad idea, really. After all, they are very nearly the same thing. Your best ideas are blurred sketches on napkin bits from your local watering hole, anyway. You take scraps of creativi-ty and pair them with shots-in-the-dark all the time. You mix and match, slice and peel, add and take away - just to pour your love-child right back into a goblet-sized problem soon to be emptied by the insatiable client, leaving only sad little uncoated zest-remnants behind. Intoxicating stuff, your life.

Oh, come now. Don’t look at me that way. Being a graphic designer isn’t all that bad. You’re simply looking at prob-lems from the wrong side of the bar. Let’s fix that shall we?

Form and content are necessary bed-fellows, as you know. Let’s start with form before tackling the details. On the following pages, you will meet a few different glass types. Don’t be shy. They’re all here to help. Each, in their own way, has been where you are – they’ve made the jump from rational, creative problem solver to pour-me-another-before-this-project-kills-me all the way into their own glass of bal-anced enlightenment.

After a few pages, we will venture into a few recipes, add-ing content and mixing it just so. By the time you reach the Cocktail (pre)Flight at the end, I promise you’ll be all cheered up and ready to tackle your next grandiose idea.

Now, if you don’t mind, I daresay that I am few drinks ahead of you and this project has been a bit of a doozy. Do you mind if I leave you to your own exploring from here? You are in good hands, I promise.

introduction

6 7mix it up

choosetypeyour

introduction

OLD FASHIONED

FLASK

HIGHBALLER

MARTINI

CHAMPAGNE FLUTE

Don’t let the fruit garnish fool you. This gal is a hard-hitter - all business and no fluff. You can find her with inked fingers sketching on napkins on the far end of the bar. If you don’t get all the huff about Helvetica, prefer the legacy of letterpress to the ease of an offset 21st century, and have a penchant for making impressions, then inch in her direction.

Despite the screen-printed graphic tee, laced-up boots and smirking glances – this rock star is a bit more unsure than she first appears. She’s mastered the basics but isn’t sure how to put her style into action. When she’s not in the classroom you might find her in a slightly dusty garage, squeegee in hand. She’s brim-ming with ideas. So go ahead, introduce yourself, and take her with you everywhere.

“Socialite” can’t do this darlin’ justice. She’s a Pantone all her own. Together, you’re on top of your game, throwing high volume parties, play-ing matchmaker and pairing the perfect types. You never miss a link, always check your marks and are the guide to style. You two just might be bet-ter than ink on paper.

Or, with a slight varia-tion, the Pilsner glass. She’s more than meets the eye, however. Don’t expect mediocre brews and cheap refills. This woman is committed to draft, after draft, after draft until perfection is the obvious result. Like you, she understands that process is more than a means to an end; it’s the best part – agonizing, infuriating, intoxicating – but so satisfying. Hit her up with another, bartender.

Don’t worry, dear. We’ve all been here before – you can’t find your fonts folder, the client wants to change this, that, or another, you may have forgotten to back up that draft and the pressman isn’t understanding your perfectly clear hyster-ics. Well. Now that your deadline has come and gone, join lady luck here for a morale boost.

8 9mix it up press me a classic

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp. sugar

splash of water

2 dashes of Angostura bitters

1 maraschino cherry

2 oz. bourbon

MIX IT UP

Mix sugar, water and bitters in an

old-fashioned glass. Add cherry and

orange wedge. Muddle into a paste.

Top with bourbon. Fill with ice and stir.

You’ll fill the difference soon enough.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 pear

2 oz. single malt whiskey

1/2 oz. star anise sugar syrup

1 oz. lime juice

MIX IT UP

Muddle pear. Shake with

whiskey, syrup and juice. Strain into

old-fashioned glass over crushed ice.

Garnish with slice of pear and lime.

Present flawlessly to client.

INGREDIENTS

1 oz. scotch whiskey

1 1/2 oz. Drambuie

MIX IT UP

Pour whiskey and Drambuie

into an old-fashioned

glass with ice. Simplicity is

sophistication, after all.

CLASSIC LETTERPRESSPEN AND PAPER GENTLEMAN’S PROPOSAL

pressclassic

me

a

Work is the curse of thedrinking class.”Oscar Wilde

“

10 11mix it up spare me the critique

INGREDIENTS

1 lime

1 oz. Aperol

1/2 oz. dark rum

2 tsp. lychee liqueur

splash of apple juice

basil leaf

MIX IT UP

Slice lime into quarters and

mix with Aperol, rum, li-

queur and ice. Garnish with

basil leaf. Cry if you must.

INGREDIENTS

2 oz. rum

2 1/2 oz. pineapple juice

1 oz. passionfruit juice

MIX IT UP

Shake and strain all ingredi-

ents into a flask or tumbler.

Garnish with lime or pineapple

slice if desired. Take to class.

INGREDIENTS

1 oz. brandy

1/2 oz. light rum

1/2 oz. triple sec

splash of sweet n’ sour mix

MIX IT UP

Pour brandy, rum and triple

sec into chilled flask. Fill with

sweet and sour mix. Await

call from the press. Again.

A DAY OFF (SET) STUMBLING STUDENT MISREGISTERED INKS

sparecritiqueme

the

The good thing about bad taste is that you don’t know you have it.”

“

12 13mix it up pass me a knock out

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 raspberry puree

1 1/2 oz. heavy cream

1/2 oz. creme de framboise

4 tsp. superfine sugar

2 oz. rose-infused tequila

dash of rose syrup

rose petals to garnish

MIX IT UP

Heat puree, cream and creme de fram-

boise with sugar in a frying pan for 30

seconds on a high flame. Add tequila.

Stir. Pour into martini glass. Add rose

syrup. Return to the drawing board.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 oz. gin

1 tsp. dry vermouth

cocktail olive (or two)

MIX IT UP

Stir gin and vermouth with

ice cubes in a mixing glass

until chilled. Strain into

a chilled martini glass.

Garnish with olive. Forget

and move on.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 oz. Scotch

3/4 oz. Cherry Herring

3/4 oz. sweet vermouth

splash of fresh orange juice

orange zest to garnish

MIX IT UP

Combine all ingredients in a

mixing glass with ice. Shake until

chilled. Strain into martini glass.

Garnish with flamed orange zest.

Not every finish works out.

TO KILL A CONCEPTDROP A DEADLINE FOILED AGAIN

passknockoutmea

Practice safe design, use a concept.”“

14 15mix it up draft me another

INGREDIENTS

2 oz. gin

1 1/2 oz. lemon juice

2 tsp. sugar syrup

splash of soda water

MIX IT UP

Combine gin, juice and

sugar syrup in highball

glass. Stir. Add ice. Fill

with soda water. Thirty-

more and you might have

something to work with.

INGREDIENTS

2 oz. vodka

3 oz. tomato juice

1/2 oz. lemon juice

salt & black pepper

3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

2 drops of Tabasco sauce

wedge of lemon and celery stalk

MIX IT UP

Shake all ingredients with ice.

Strain into a highball glass over

crushed ice. Garnish with a lemon

wedge and celery stalk.

Breathe a sigh of relief.

INGREDIENTS

2 chunks of lemon

5 chunks of orange

1 oz. vanilla-infused Rosso

1/2 oz. Cointreau

2 tsp. vanilla liqueur

1 oz. Twinings red fruits tea

2 tsp. sugar syrup

slices of lemon

MIX IT UP

Muddle fruit and combine with other

ingredients. Shake. Strain into pilsner

glass. Garnish with lemon slices.

Drink slowly and repeatedly.

32 THUMBNAILS STROKE OF GENIUSROUGH START

draftanotherme

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Design is knowing which ones to keep.”Scott Adams

“

16 17mix it up spot me a tint

INGREDIENTS

2 oz. sour mix

1 1/2 oz. cognac

5 oz. Champagne

MIX IT UP

Combine sour mix and

cognac in Champagne flute

with a little ice. Stir. Fill

with Champagne.

INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 oz. Champagne

1 oz. creme de fraise des bois

1 tbsp. cognac

MIX IT UP

Combine iingredients in a

Champagne flute and serve.

Appropriate for large parties.

INGREDIENTS

1 oz. fresh peach puree or

nectar

3 oz. Champagne

peach slices

MIX IT UP

Pour peach puree into a

Champagne flute. Gently top

with Champagne. Garnish with

peach slice. Repeat.

PANTONE 75 FRAISE DE GRAVURE PRINT ME ANOTHER

spottintme

a

When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading.”Henny Yougman

“

1918 mix it up

ocktail Fli ht(pre)ocktailc

cocktail (pre)flight

Well. Look at you. Positively beaming. I take it you not only finished those drinks but are ready to put that project to rest? Excellent!

A few minor details before you leave - your pressman will thank me later.

First, a glass of water. Second, have you checked, double-checked, perhaps even triple-sec-ed (excuse me, checked) all your digital files? Remember, no RGB. I always forget that one. And what about those printer’s marks? Good, good. All the correct file formats, I see. Resolution: check. Links: check. Widows and Orphans: check, check. Splendid! Let’s give them all proper names, package them up, and send them off. Doesn’t it feel wonderful?

Oh don’t worry, dear. You are so very welcome. And please, don’t hesitate to visit again. I’m only one crazed idea away.

Cheers.

20 21mix it up

Many thanks to:

The writers, creators and drinkers behind “The Cocktail: 200 Fabulous Drinks” and “Old Man Drinks” for their tasty recipes

and inspiring copy.

Mr. Aaron Shurts for his patience and chill-ness as teacher, editor and, on occasion,

listener-through-freak-out-moments.

Peers and colleagues for their insight, saavy design eyes, and bringing me wine

(thanks Evy).

bottoms up

22 mix it up