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Gene Gable
Gene Gable has spent a lifetime in publishing and the graphic arts and is currently a technology consultant and writer. After a decade in commercial typesetting and design services, he chronicled the desktop-publishing revolution from his post as publisher and president of Publish magazine. With nine international editions, Publishbecame the leading global resource on the use of digital technology for print and Web production. Gable served on the operational boards of International Data Group's PCWorld and PC Games magazines and was earlier publisher of Sporting Times magazine.
During his tenure at Ziff-Davis Gable was on the executive team responsible for major business events such as Comdex, Networld+Interop and JavaOne. As president of Seybold Seminars and publisher of The Seybold Report from 1999 to 2002, Gable managed a global slate of conferences, trade shows and other graphic-arts educational products. During his leadership Seybold events featured prominent speakers such as Arthur Sulzberger Jr., publisher of the New York Times, Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer, Christie Hefner, president of Playboy Enterprises, Bruce Chizen, CEO of Adobe Systems, and Daniel Carp, CEO of Eastman Kodak.
Gable has spoken at events around the world and currently serves as chair for the automated-publishing track at the Gilbane Conference on Content Management. Gable has written extensively on graphic design, intellectual-property rights, and publishing production in books and for magazines such as Print, U&lc, ID, Macworld, Graphic Exchange, AGI, and The Seybold Report. Gable's interest in graphic design history and letterpress printing has resulted in his columns Heavy Metal Madness and Scanning Around with Gene here on CreativePro.com.
Scanning Around with Gene: Jules Verne Meets Terry Gilliam
Blog: Written by Gene Gable on May 8, 2008
The Steampunk movement is bringing Victorian fantasy to the digital era. The results are often stunning.
Scanning Around With Gene: Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Fun
Blog: Written by Gene Gable on May 2, 2008
The Wrigley Company built its chewing gum empire in part by using striking graphics and clever slogans.
Scanning Around with Gene: The Islands and Bridges of Stencils
Blog: Written by Gene Gable on April 24, 2008
Stencil lettering may seem like the crudest form of marking there is, but at one time cutting attractive stencils was a true art form.
Scanning Around with Gene: When Families Licked Together
Blog: Written by Gene Gable on April 17, 2008
Pasting trading stamps into redemption books was once an important family activity, right up there with watching Ed Sullivan and playing a rousing game of Clue.
Scanning Around With Gene: Old News is Good News
Blog: Written by Gene Gable on April 10, 2008
Browsing old newspapers can be a great way to put current issues in perspective.
Scanning Around With Gene: Front-of-the Napkin Wisdom
Blog: Written by Gene Gable on April 3, 2008
From billion-dollar business plans to life-altering phone numbers, all sorts of important and trivial things have been written on the backs of cocktail napkins. Here’s a look at the other side, where the real art resides.
Scanning Around With Gene: How to Look Presidential
Blog: Written by Gene Gable on March 27, 2008
In this election year, candidates are all scrambling to look more "presidential." Could a printing process be the ultimate solution?
Scanning Around With Gene: And a Trophy for the Winner!
Blog: Written by Gene Gable on March 20, 2008
In the world of trophy art, over the years the materials have gotten cheaper and the gold even shinier. But one thing remains constant: Big winners get big trophies, like it or not.
Scanning Around With Gene: The Apple Brand You May Not Recognize
Blog: Written by Gene Gable on March 13, 2008
Back when Apple computers were still homemade, the company’s graphics were anything but slick. For one brief year, Apple Computer projected a style entirely different than the one we know today.
Scanning Around With Gene: Dymo-Mite! The Art of Labeling
Blog: Written by Gene Gable on March 6, 2008
Fifty years ago, the first embossed white letters came out of a Dymo label maker and on to a small strip of colored plastic. Millions of labels later, we're still trying to get organized.
Scanning Around with Gene: Happy Birthday, Peace Symbol!
Blog: Written by Gene Gable on February 27, 2008
This month, the venerable peace symbol turns 50. Here's a look at the symbol and its surprising origins.
Scanning Around With Gene: Pay Up, or Else!
Features: Written by Gene Gable on February 20, 2008
The current economic slowdown has resulted in many people having to stall on paying some bills. Gene Gable takes a look at collection stickers from days gone by and wonders just what motivates someone to break down and actually mail that check.
Scanning Around With Gene: Five Years on a Flatbed
Features: Written by Gene Gable on February 6, 2008
On the occasion of five years writing his column for CreativePro.com, Gene Gable looks back on what he's learned scanning everything from dirty cocktail napkins to old record-albums. That, and the difference between a quail and a pheasant.
Scanning Around With Gene: Oh Yeah? Then Show Me Your Badge.
Features: Written by Gene Gable on January 11, 2008
There was a time when many professions, from elevator operator to society reporter, came with a badge. Gene Gable takes a look back at badge design and wonders what themes might emerge if graphic designers were to revive this lost art. Submit your customized badge and you may win an Amazon.com gift certificate!
Scanning Around With Gene: One Ringy-Dingy, Two Ringy-Dingies
Features: Written by Gene Gable on October 12, 2007
If people think Apple is overly controlling of the iPhone, they must not be old enough to remember Ma Bell. Gene Gable takes a graphic look at a time when the most exciting phone on the market was called a "Princess," and "phone manners" were not about talking at the opera.
Pantone 2.0: After 45 Years, the Sequel to PMS
Features: Written by Gene Gable on September 5, 2007
The new Pantone Goe spot-color matching system has a lot going for it compared to the venerable Pantone Matching System: It nearly doubles the number of unique colors, adopts a logical naming scheme, and comes with innovative color-palette software. But will Goe replace your current PMS swatch book? Only your wallet knows for sure.
Scanning Around With Gene: Part 2 of That '70s Type!
Features: Written by Gene Gable on August 22, 2007
Gas was in short supply during some of the 1970s, but not so great type designs. Several new companies and technologies emerged that made that period the decade of display type. While good headlines were still set one letter at a time, new technology gave both designers and typesetters almost unlimited options. The results, says Gene Gable, while not always readable, were at least nice to look at.
Scanning Around With Gene: Part 1 of That '70s Type!
Features: Written by Gene Gable on August 15, 2007
The decade from 1970 to 1980 stands out for many reasons, from sideburns to Richard Nixon to disco. But the things Gene Gable remembers most fondly are the decorative, bold, and sometimes goofy type designs.
Why the Adobe/FedEx-Kinkos Deal is the Best Thing that Could Happen to the Printing Industry
Features: Written by Gene Gable on August 1, 2007
Gene Gable is a man with strong opinions. This time, his opinion is that it's time for printers to grow up and get off Adobe's Back.
Scanning Around with Gene: When Sparks Fly
Features: Written by Gene Gable on July 2, 2007
Of the many images associated with the Fourth of July in America, it is those related to fireworks that bring back the best memories for many. In this installment, Gene Gable looks at the graphic art of fireworks and things that go boom.