THE DESIGN ARCHIVES
1939 – 1952
1940s Utility Style
RATIONING, SIMPLE & STURDY
Sparing, pragmatic, and highly functional. Influenced by wartime rationing, CC41 utility symbols, simple sans-serif typography, typewriter instructions, and sturdy, unornamented cardboard designs.
● CURATED COLOUR PALLETTE
Ration Book Brown
#8E7051
Utility Khaki
#787D62
Airforce Blue
#4B6175
Government Cream
#ECE7DC
Steel Grey
#51585E
● TYPOGRAPHY & FONTS
Primary Display Font
Bold, clean geometric headlines. Evokes early industrial print directories and state-sanctioned utility signs.
Secondary Text Accents
Highly legible standard sans-serif. Simulates typewritten office registries, ration card values, and simple stamps.
● ERA DESIGNED BLUEPRINT
Motifs & Elements
☐ CC41 utility stamp design
☐ Wartime parcel rubber stamps
☐ Typewriter identification numbers
☐ Simple shipping tags & ties
☐ Concentric circular stamps
☐ Stark typewriter instructions
Layout & Styling
☐ Stark, functional grid frames
☐ Multi-column ledger divisions
☐ Irregular framing lines
☐ Clean block lines without margins
☐ Numbered instructions columns
☐ Symmetrical, unadorned typography panels
Paper & Texture Traits
☐ Rough unbleached grey backing boards
☐ Heavy fibrous brown kraft paper
☐ Heavy watermarked sheets
☐ Lightweight yellowed ration sheetss
☐ Porous newspaper-print inserts
☐ Office green hanging file folders.
An utilitarian collaged mood board postcard for you to download for use in your journals(Actual Size 5 x 3 3/8″)
DESIGN ERAS
Explore the foundational design elements, typography, and motifs defining each historical era.