Lance Hidy

Graphic artist Lance Hidy of Merrimac, who teaches art and design at Northern Essex, will highlight the career of photographer Ansel Adams from noon to 1 p.m. He'll show slides of Adams' work and explain the effect his work had on environmental legislation and as a wake-up call for the environmental movement in the 1960s.
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Hidy worked with Adams in 1977-78 on the book "Yosemite and the Range of Light" and is designing a new book, "Ansel Adams: 400 Photographs," due out this fall.

LAWRENCE - Lance Hidy's artwork has received the stamp of approval from the U.S. Postal Service.

Hidy, an art professor at Northern Essex Community College and owner of Lance Hidy Associates studio for arts and design in Merrimac, has designed three stamps for the Postal Service - the latest of which was put into circulation in September.

That stamp - 40,000 of which were printed - showcases the importance of jury duty in a democratic society.

"I feel great knowing that my work of art is being loved, preserved and cared for by people all over the world," Hidy said yesterday at a lecture at Northern Essex Community College, Amesbury Street campus.
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Hidy said he chose to focus on the diversity of jurors.

Models for the profiles included his wife, Cindia Sanford; his daughter; friends; and co-workers and students at Northern Essex.

"All I had to do was look in the classroom for different facial shapes," he said.

This is the third stamp Hidy created for the Postal Service.The first was about mentoring and reads, "Mentor a Child."His second stamp was "Special Olympics," which is similar to the jury duty stamp in that it also highlights diversity.On the stamp is an athlete wearing a medal, holding his hands high in the air while holding the hands of fellow competitors.

"I'm not so much interested in art, but in communication," Hidy said."By working with images, I have the advantage of not being limited by language.The images don't have to be translated; they are understood immediately."

Raised in Portland, Ore., Hidy credits his father's fly fishing photography as his inspiration for becoming an artist

Hidy has also taught at Boston University, University of Kansas and Mary Baldwin College in Virginia.

Hidy has been doing illustration and art for as long as he can remember and has worked with famed photographer Ansel Adams in "Yosemite and the Range of Light."The typeface he created and called penumbra was used as the lettering on "The Da Vinci Code" movie poster.

MERRIMAC - Lance Hidy can say with all honesty that he worked side-by-side with the late Ansel Adams, who is considered a legend in the field of wilderness photography and an early leader of the environmental movement.
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Hidy's own typeface design, which he calls Penumbra, will be featured in the titles and captions in the new Adams book.The Hidy typeface has also appeared on posters for "The Da Vinci Code" and other Hollywood movies.

The book on Yosemite was published in 1978.Hidy said it was the publisher's best-selling book that year and continues to be a favorite among fans of Adams' stunning black-and-white wilderness images.

About 100 people who attended a recent presentation by Hidy at Northern Essex were treated to anecdotes about his relationship with Adams, along with a slide show on some of Adams' best-known images of America's national parks.
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"That's the kind of man he was," Hidy said of Adams, "always willing to help a fellow photographer."
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Hidy talked about Adams' work as a champion of the environment and how Adams brought national attention to maintaining America's wilderness for future generations.
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Hidy first saw Adams in 1973 when the photographer spoke at MIT on environmental issues as president of the Sierra Club.
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"I was very impressed with how serious he was about the environment," Hidy said.
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Hidy - who studied art at Yale, was experienced in printmaking and photography, and had a deep understanding of the mechanics of book design - was chosen for the job.

Because of Hidy's experience, Adams invited him to spend three days with Adams and his wife, Virginia, at their ocean-bluff home in Carmel, Calif., where Hidy helped Adams select 100 photos for the Yosemite book.
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"He was very engaged and very much focused on whoever was in the room," Hidy said."He cared about the earth, and he had this tremendous talent.I think the reason he went into photography was that it gave him a vehicle for sharing the experiences he had in the mountains."

After selecting the best images for Yosemite, Hidy worked on what sequence the photos would appear in for the book.

"Then we did the typography and design of the binding and dust jacket," Hidy said."We also did a boxed deluxe edition.It was the most high-profile job I'd ever done, and the work was inspiring.His pictures were inspiring."

When the project was complete, Hidy and Adams still communicated, but Adams was having health problems and their correspondence eventually dwindled off before Adams died.
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Last year, Adams' publisher contacted Hidy again and asked if he'd be willing to design "Ansel Adams: 400 photographs."
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Hidy said the images for the new book were selected by Adams' assistant, Andrea Stillman, and that much of the design work was done long distance by phone, mail or by e-mail.
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"An interesting dimension of this is the team is scattered," Hidy said.
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Lance Hidy, a graphic design instructor at Northern Essex Community College, gives a talk about his work as a designer of books on photographer Ansel Adams.

LAWRENCE - Lance Hidy's artwork has received the stamp of approval from the U.S. Postal Service.

Hidy, an art professor at Northern Essex Community College, has designed three stamps for the U.S. Postal Service - the latest of which was put into circulation in September.

That stamp - 40,000 of which were printed - showcases the importance of jury duty in a democratic society.

"I feel great knowing that my work of art is being loved, preserved and cared for by people all over the world," Hidy said yesterday at a lecture at Northern Essex Community College's Amesbury Street campus.
...
Hidy said he chose to focus on the diversity of jurors.

Models for the profiles included his wife, Cindia Sanford; his daughter; friends; and co-workers and students at Northern Essex.

"All I had to do was look in the classroom for different facial shapes," he said.

This is the third stamp Hidy created for the U.S. Postal Service.The first was about mentoring and reads, "Mentor a Child."His second stamp was "Special Olympics," which is similar to the jury duty stamp in that it highlights diversity.On the stamp is an athlete wearing a medal, holding his hands high in the air while holding the hands of fellow competitors.

"I'm not so much interested in art, but in communication," Hidy said."By working with images, I have the advantage of not being limited by language.The images don't have to be translated; they are understood immediately."

Raised in Portland, Ore., Hidy credits his father's fly fishing photography as his inspiration for becoming an artist.

Hidy also has taught at Boston University, University of Kansas and Mary Baldwin College in Virginia.

He owns Lance Hidy Associates studio for arts and design in Merrimac.Hidy has been doing illustration and art for as long as he can remember and has worked with famed photographer Ansel Adams on "Yosemite and the Range of Light."The typeface he created and called penumbra was used as the lettering on "The Da Vinci Code" movie poster.

Hidy's own typeface design, which he calls Penumbra, will be featured in the titles and captions in the new Adams book.The Hidy typeface has also appeared on posters for "The Da Vinci Code" and other Hollywood movies.

The book on Yosemite was published in 1978.Hidy said it was the publisher's best-selling book that year and continues to be a favorite among fans of Adams' stunning black-and-white wilderness images.

About 100 people who attended a recent presentation by Hidy at Northern Essex were treated to anecdotes about his relationship with Adams, along with a slide show on some of Adams' best-known images of America's national parks.
...
"That's the kind of man he was," Hidy said of Adams, "always willing to help a fellow photographer."
...
Hidy talked about Adams' work as a champion of the environment and how Adams brought national attention to maintaining America's wilderness for future generations.
...
Hidy first saw Adams in 1973 when the photographer spoke at MIT on environmental issues as president of the Sierra Club.
...
"I was very impressed with how serious he was about the environment," Hidy said.
...
Hidy - who studied art at Yale, was experienced in printmaking and photography, and had a deep understanding of the mechanics of book design - was chosen for the job.

Because of Hidy's experience, Adams invited him to spend three days with Adams and his wife, Virginia, at their ocean-bluff home in Carmel, Calif., where Hidy helped Adams select 100 photos for the Yosemite book.
...
"He was very engaged and very much focused on whoever was in the room," Hidy said."He cared about the earth, and he had this tremendous talent.I think the reason he went into photography was that it gave him a vehicle for sharing the experiences he had in the mountains."

After selecting the best images for Yosemite, Hidy worked on what sequence the photos would appear in for the book.

"Then we did the typography and design of the binding and dust jacket," Hidy said."We also did a boxed deluxe edition.It was the most high-profile job I'd ever done, and the work was inspiring.His pictures were inspiring."

When the project was complete, Hidy and Adams still communicated, but Adams was having health problems and their correspondence eventually dwindled off before Adams died.
...
Last year, Adams' publisher contacted Hidy again and asked if he'd be willing to design "Ansel Adams: 400 photographs."
...
Hidy said the images for the new book were selected by Adams' assistant, Andrea Stillman, and that much of the design work was done long distance by phone, mail or by e-mail.
...
"An interesting dimension of this is the team is scattered," Hidy said.

Joining these distinguished guests on the stage will be designer Lance Hidy of Merrimac, Mass.The Mentoring stamp is Hidy's first effort for the Postal Service.

The Postal Service states that the new Mentoring stamp pays tribute to "mentors who volunteer their own time to offer friendship, guidance and support to young people."

Pictured here is the preliminary design of the Mentoring stamp, taken from a USPS publicity photograph.The stylized design is set against a black background and shows a profile view of a man resting his hand on a child's shoulder while pointing out something of interest to the youngster.
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Hidy told Linn's in a mid-December phone interview that he received a Postal Service commission to design the Mentoring stamp in summer 2000."I completed the design in November 2000," Hidy said.

Aside from some general design guidelines from the Postal Service, Hidy didn't have much to go on."I was told that the stamp should depict a man and boy, and that the figures should not bear a direct resemblance to living people," Hidy said."Then one morning, as I was lying in bed, the image of the man and boy as it appears on the stamp popped into my mind."Hidy ultimately used a photograph from a modeling session as a reference to create the design image on his computer.

The design of the 32¢ Helping Children Learn stamp is similar to the Mentoring stamp.

According to Hidy, who teaches computer illustration and graphic design at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill, Mass., his original design submission was used without changes or modifications."USPS art director Derry Noyes thought the black in the stamp border and in the selvage might be a problem, but I think it strengthens the design by accentuating the light on the left side of the stamp," Hidy said.

Hidy also told Linn's that he once received congratulations for a stamp he didn't design."Shortly after the 32¢ Helping Children Learn stamp was released in 1997, I began receiving phone calls from people all over the country, telling me what a great job I did on the stamp," Hidy stated."Some folks thought my work looked very much like Van Allsburg's."A Helping Children Learn stamp is illustrated nearby.It was designed by Chris Van Allsburg, a friend of Hidy's.
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Hidy added that he felt gratified to be recognized for a stamp that he did design."This time, when the calls come, they'll be acknowledging the right person," he laughed.

Taken as a whole, the Mentoring design is similar to the 33¢ Adoption stamp of 2000, illustrated here.Like the Mentoring stamp, the Adoption stamp features phrases applicable to the stamp's subject: "Adopting a Child," "Shaping a Life," "Building a Home" and "Creating a World."

Another stamp that champions a cause for children: the 33¢ Adoption stamp of 2000.

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DESIGN: designer, illustrator and typographer -- Lance Hidy, Merrimac, Mass.; art director -- Derry Noyes, Washington, D.C.; engraver -- Armotek Industries; modeler -- Donald H. Woo.

The new 34¢ Mentoring stamp, Lance Hidy's first design for the Postal Service, will be released Jan. 10 in Annapolis, Md.

The Postal Service said that panes may be broken apart by postal clerks so that stamps may be sold individually.This practice, ostensibly to promote over-the-counter sales of stamps, has become quite common for new U.S. stamps during the past two years or so.

According to the Postal Service, an official first-day ceremony for the 34¢ Mentoring stamp is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, 801 Chase St., in Annapolis.
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Joining these distinguished guests on the stage will be designer Lance Hidy of Merrimac, Mass.The Mentoring stamp is Hidy's first effort for the Postal Service.

The Postal Service states that the new Mentoring stamp pays tribute to "mentors who volunteer their own time to offer friendship, guidance and support to young people."

Pictured here is the preliminary design of the Mentoring stamp, taken from a USPS publicity photograph.The stylized design is set against a black background and shows a profile view of a man resting his hand on a child's shoulder while pointing out something of interest to the youngster.
...
Hidy told Linn's in a mid-December phone interview that he received a Postal Service commission to design the Mentoring stamp in summer 2000."I completed the design in November 2000," Hidy said.

Aside from some general design guidelines from the Postal Service, Hidy didn't have much to go on."I was told that the stamp should depict a man and boy, and that the figures should not bear a direct resemblance to living people," Hidy said."Then one morning, as I was lying in bed, the image of the man and boy as it appears on the stamp popped into my mind."Hidy ultimately used a photograph from a modeling session as a reference to create the design image on his computer.

The design of the 32¢ Helping Children Learn stamp is similar to the Mentoring stamp.

According to Hidy, who teaches computer illustration and graphic design at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill, Mass., his original design submission was used without changes or modifications."USPS art director Derry Noyes thought the black in the stamp border and in the selvage might be a problem, but I think it strengthens the design by accentuating the light on the left side of the stamp," Hidy said.

Hidy also told Linn's that he once received congratulations for a stamp he didn't design."Shortly after the 32¢ Helping Children Learn stamp was released in 1997, I began receiving phone calls from people all over the country, telling me what a great job I did on the stamp," Hidy stated."Some folks thought my work looked very much like Van Allsburg's."A Helping Children Learn stamp is illustrated nearby.It was designed by Chris Van Allsburg, a friend of Hidy's.
...
Hidy added that he felt gratified to be recognized for a stamp that he did design."This time, when the calls come, they'll be acknowledging the right person," he laughed.

Taken as a whole, the Mentoring design is similar to the 33¢ Adoption stamp of 2000, illustrated here.Like the Mentoring stamp, the Adoption stamp features phrases applicable to the stamp's subject: "Adopting a Child," "Shaping a Life," "Building a Home" and "Creating a World."

Another stamp that champions a cause for children: the 33¢ Adoption stamp of 2000.

...
DESIGN: designer, illustrator and typographer -- Lance Hidy, Merrimac, Mass.; art director -- Derry Noyes, Washington, D.C.; engraver -- Armotek Industries; modeler -- Donald H. Woo.

When Lance Hidy was asked by the United States Postal Service to design a stamp for the Special Olympics, he attended a competition to study his subject, taking hundreds of photos of the athletes.

"It was the best weekend of my life," said Hidy at a local unveiling of his stamp on Monday, June 16 at Northern Essex Community College's Haverhill Campus.Hidy, who lives in Merrimac and teaches at Northern Essex, was inspired by the athletes, especially their competitive spirit and the joy they expressed whether winning or losing.

One particular athlete, who raised his arms, creating a "V" for victory after his competition, caught Hidy's attention and provided the inspiration for his stamp design.

To this exultant figure, Hidy added the Special Olympics logo and hands linked together, representing diversity.

At the local unveiling, Hidy shared the progression of this stamp as well as the first stamp he designed 18 months ago commemorating mentoring.
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Hidy, who teaches graphic design and illustration at the college, is known for his work in poster design, printmaking, photography, typography and illustration.As art director and designer, Hidy worked closely with Ansel Adams on his last book, Yosemite and the Range of Light.
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Hidy has taught in the graduate program at Boston University, at Mary Baldwin College in Virginia, and was the Hallmark Professor of Graphic Design for a semester at the University of Kansas.He currently teaches one day a week at Mass College of Art.

HAVERHILL - Lance Hidy and his artist wife, Cindia Sanford, were at the movies last winter when Hidy noticed a poster advertising "The Da Vinci Code," a major motion picture based on the best-selling novel by Dan Brown.
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Hidy barely noticed the actors on the poster.Instead, his eyes were riveted on his own handiwork.The lettering on the poster was in a typeface he created years ago and named Penumbra.

"It was a little bit of a thrill for me," Hidy said."They chose my typeface out of thousands that are available."For Hidy, a renowned graphic designer and faculty member at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill, seeing Penumbra used so publicly, even to advertise a motion picture, was nothing new.Although, up to that time, Hidy had no idea the movie producers planned on using it.

Penumbra was made available to the world in 1994 by Adobe Systems, a company that contracted with Hidy to create the new font style.Since its release, it has been used in title logos and posters for three major movies: "The Thin Red Line" in 1998, as well as "The Da Vinci Code" and "World Trade Center," both of which were released this year.

Hidy receives royalty payments from Adobe, though he doesn't necessarily know who's paying to use the typeface."They only tell me the number of units sold per quarter in Europe, Asia and North America," he said."I got the same royalty for 'Da Vinci' as when a design student buys the typeface.That's the way design is, sort of an invisible profession."

Hidy, 60, of Merrimac has been fascinated by the written and printed word ever since taking an after-school workshop in calligraphy when he was in the seventh grade in Portland, Ore. Hidy says the designers at the forefront of creating typography are probably trained in calligraphy - the art of handwriting - where skills such as spacing and understanding letter form are perfected.

Hidy has experienced many successes as a graphic designer.He's created more than 50 poster designs for such noted institutions as the Library of Congress.He has two U.S. postage stamps to his credit, one honoring mentoring children and another for the Special Olympics.He's got a third stamp in the works, and it has to do with jury duty.

He has worked with respected graphic designers and artists, such as the late landscape photographer Ansel Adams, whom he helped create a photographic book, "Yosemite and the Range of Light."He has also written extensively on graphic design for organizations such as the Boston Society of Printers, the first graphic design organization in America.

But it is the royalties from Penumbra that have brought Hidy the most financial reward, though he would not discuss the actual amount he is paid for its use."The royalties from this font have brought a greater income to me than I've earned teaching," he said."It has allowed me to pursue my interest in research and writing about typography."

Penumbra came to be on a design table where Hidy worked with an India ink pen between 1977 and 1990.Hidy initially drew the letters by hand.
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Hidy had been dabbling with ideas for this typeface for years and used earlier versions when lettering posters."My friend Sumner Stone, a famous type designer with Adobe Systems, admired the letters in my posters and suggested I turn this into a typeface," he said.

Anyone with the right software can design a font.If you counted all of the fonts available, Hidy said, the number could be in the tens of thousands.But the number of well-made fonts is probably under 2,000, said Hidy, who estimates that only a few hundred serious fonts are created in any given year.

"And of those, there's a real difference between text faces and display faces," he said."The number of fonts that you would use to compose a novel, or even a newspaper, are very few.But the number of display faces used for advertising and titles can be in the thousands.They don't have to be as readable and tend to have more style."

Hidy says Penumbra bridges the two worlds that have divided graphic design - classical design and modernism.It is available in 16 different fonts.You can choose from four serifs, or what he calls the "feet at the end of a stroke," and four weights, which range from bold to regular to light.

Penumbra has been used for wine labels and in books, including "The Joy of Cooking."
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But no matter how big the movie, Hidy says he gets more satisfaction from the use of his typeface by artists he knows."A friend of mine uses my typeface to promote her own portrait photography," he said.