MARYLAND INSTITUTE COLLEGE OF ART (MICA)
Douglas Thomas is a graphic designer and type historian. He believes that research and strong conceptual thinking create the best design. Testing that theory, he holds a MA in History from the University of Chicago and is completing a MFA in Graphic Design from the Maryland Institute College of Art. He has taught graphic design at Brigham Young University and the Maryland Institute College of Art. His design work has been featured in CA, Print, and Graphis. He is the author of “Recasting Franklin as Printer” in Benjamin Franklin’s Intellectual World, (Fairleigh Dickinson University Press). He is currently writing/designing a book, “Never Use Futura, Unless … ” to be published by Princeton Architectural Press, which will explore the full constellation of typographic meanings embodied in the historical and contemporary uses of Futura.
FAVORITE COLOR?
Prussian Blue
FAVORITE TYPEFACE?
It’s impossible to name just one, but I love reading Fournier when printed from metal foundry type.
FAVORITE TV SHOW?
The West Wing, Sherlock
FAVORITE BOOKS?
Brothers Karamazov by Dostoyevsky, Who Owns the Future? by Jason Lanier, Ill Fares the Land by Tony Judt.
FAVORITE MOVIES?
All the Presidents Men, Lawrence of Arabia
FAVORITE MUSICIAN OR BAND?
John Adams
FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA?
Instagram
FAVORITE FINE ARTIST?
John Heartfield, Wassily Kandinsky, John Singer Sargent
YOUR DESIGNER HERO?
Peter Mendelsund
TALENT YOU WISHED YOU POSSESSED?
Painting
IF YOU WERE NOT A DESIGNER, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
Hard to imagine not designing ‒ but I would either be in film or politics.
A MANTRA OR SAYING YOU LIVE BY?
Nothing can come of nothing. He who has laid up no materials can produce no combinations – Joshua Reynolds
