My friend Rick Detorie, the cartoonist of the syndicated comic strip One Big Happy, has a collection of vintage produce labels originally intended for the sides of crates back in the day. They are all gorgeous old designs in immaculate unused condition. Rick doesn’t like them the way they are, though. He asks his cartoonist buddies if they would draw all over them.
So, Rick let me choose one, and this one with three big apples just spoke to me. I immediately could see their potential. First of all, I was amazed at the magical apple tree that could grow three different types of apples, so that impressed me. Secondly, I could tell those were bad apples that needed to be exposed.
So, with a little white gouache and some black ink, this produce label takes on a much improved form…
I especially like the touch of the small print that came on the label which says….
