There’s a reason Franklin’s cherubic face adorns the $100 bill. No one can deny that Washington, Lincoln or Jefferson made some serious contributions to America. However, Ben owns the top spot.
A designer from the word “go,” Ben understood concept. It’s why he preferred the moral fortitude of the turkey over the eagle on our Great Seal. He also understood the importance of being supportive once a design decision was made, which is why we still eat turkey instead of sporting them on our coinage.
He invented bifocals because he needed a way to see both near and far at a moment’s notice, which comes in handy for those of us working feverishly at our Macs. He ran a printing shop and a post office. Ben used cartoons and illustrations to get his point across to everyday readers, speaking in the language of the visual rather than the pseudointellectual.
When he wanted to track his postal routes, he invented an odometer! Hundreds of years later, freelancers all over the U.S. give thanks when they can claim their mileage during tax season. He served as the Creative Director and Production Manager for our Declaration of Independence, supervising John Dunlap on the finer points of print production.
Whenever Ben was presented with a problem, he came up with a unique and often unheard-of solution. That’s why Benjamin Franklin is my design inspiration of the month.
