I keep finding design inspiration in antique stores. It’s usually bonafied retro. Sure you may be able to browse the web and find digital images that inspire you, but nothing like holding an original printed piece of ephemera. Recently I wondered into a local antique store in San Jose, CA and saw a stack of digest (Reader’s Digest) sized magazine. Thought they might be vintage Popular Mechanic’s, which can have really futuristic cover design illustration. They were 1950’s era Galaxy Science Fiction. The cover art was pretty amazing. How can you not laugh at the July 1953 cover design of a spaceship landing on an alien farmer’s cow. Then there is the bad-ass robot for The Defenders in the January 1953 issue that screams sci-fi retro. Turn to the credits of both these illustrations and you see that they were designed by EMSH.

EMSH is Ed Emshwiller who was notable for his science fiction illustrations and his pioneering experimental films. EMSH experimented with a diversity of techniques, so no typical style defined his work. If you’re an creative design type of person you have to love this stuff.

Growing up in San Jose, a Creative Director life long fascination for Science Fiction and Robots

Classic 1960’s style Robot design. Got to love it! This was a Halloween costume my Dad and I designed. I don’t know what we were thinking, the meter placement is very interesting. This is before micro components.

More graphic design inspiration: Wonderful Space Art Collection

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