proclamation stamp

Anderson worked with art director Antonio Alcalá to produce the 2013 Emancipation Proclamation stamp—the first in a new civil rights set from the US Postal Service. To evoke the look of broadsides from the Civil War era, they employed Hatch Show Print of Nashville—one of the oldest working letterpress print shops in America. Afterwards, Anderson entered the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee that evaluates and makes recommendations on potential subject matter for US stamps.

Emancipation Proclamation 150th anniversary stamp, 2013

Emancipation Proclamation 150th anniversary stamp, 2013. Design: Gail Anderson, art direction: Antonio Alcala.

Postcard show book for Masters Series exhibit at the School of Visual Arts, New York

Postcard show book for Masters Series exhibit at the School of Visual Arts, New York. Design: Gail Anderson, Brian E. Smith.

Postcard show book for Masters Series exhibit at the School of Visual Arts, New York
Postcard show book for Masters Series exhibit at the School of Visual Arts, New York
Created with Sketch.

my design heroes were all women—paula scher, carin goldberg, louise fili, henrietta condak and all of the other fabulous women doing book jackets, magazines, and album covers. at the school of visual arts, my classmates and i were fortunate to come of age in an era where we had strong female role models who were doing amazing work. —gail anderson

Image form Gail Anderson’s collection of New York city type

Image form Gail Anderson’s collection of New York city type.

passionate collaborator

For much of her career Anderson has been a passionate collaborator. In her words, “it's more fun to work with other designers and art directors; I really enjoy the back and forth.” Working with design historian Steven Heller for over twenty years, she has co-written dozens of books on graphic design including New Modernist Type, New Ornamental Type, and New Vintage Type. Her attitude to type design is that “the process has to be fun and you need to be willing to step outside your comfort zone.”

Cover sketch for a now-shuttered design magazine Step Inside Design
Cover of a now-shuttered design magazine Step Inside Design

Cover sketch for a now-shuttered design magazine Step Inside Design made by Gail Anderson.

 

Cover of a now-shuttered design magazine Step Inside Design made by Gail Anderson.

Poster for a local block association in Greenwich Village
Thank You, We are Terrible poster for New York Times, 2014

Thank You, We are Terrible poster for New York Times, 2014. Design: Gail Anderson, Joe Newton.

 

 

Poster for a local block association in Greenwich Village. Design: Gail Anderson, Joe Newton.

 

 

 

Poster for a local block association in Greenwich Village

Poster for a Type Directors Club auction. Design: Gail Anderson.

Created with Sketch.

be the first one in the office in the morning, and the last one to leave at night. never send an angry email, and read malcolm gladwell’s outliers.—gail anderson’s advice to young designers

 

Image form Gail Anderson’s collection of New York city type

Image form Gail Anderson’s collection of New York city type.