Stay safe and take cover inside.
Heads up, Union Station has apparently lost power.
How the WMATA Rush+ Maps Are Printed
Many thanks to Matt Johnson for telling me about this amazing photoset on Flickr that details the process involved in printing the new Rush+ station maps for Washington, DC’s Metro system. Click through to see the whole set!
Even as an experienced graphic designer, I was amazed to see that the maps are screen printed - each colour on the map is printed one after the other, each using a separate screen with its own spot colour ink. With a map as complex as this, that means that there are a whopping twelve different colours to print! These being: river blue, park green, National Mall green, Blue Line, Orange Line, Yellow Line, Green Line, Red Line, Silver Line, District/County border grey, Beltway grey, and finally, black.
I would have thought with the advances in digital printing and stochastic (micro) screening, that these could be produced digitally in one step instead of twelve, but maybe these are special long-lasting UV inks that will withstand many years of use without fading - an important consideration for station maps! In any case, these photos are a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at a process that many people may not even think about.
EDIT: A tweet from a Metro representative confirms that there are THIRTEEN colours used in the printing: 4 greys (Silver Line, Beltway grey, county border grey, and icon grey), 3 greens (parks, Mall, Green Line), 2 Blues (river, Blue Line), Black, Red, Yellow and Orange.
CAN WE KEEP IT? This fuzzy newborn is one of the Smithsonian National Zoo’s new cheetah siblings. She’s a lucky little lady, one of only two cubs who survived a rare, arduous, 2-day C-section.
It’s a sad day here.Photo: Avie Schneider
A GOOP Guide to DC. Turns out, it’s been awhile since Gwyneth Paltrow has made it to the District. But after gooping it (her words, not mine), she did offer her assessment on where to go:
A previously hot Georgetown seems to now have more cupcake shops than restaurants, while an edgier U Street and the urban Chinatown/Penn Quarter area boom.
Ooooh, G-town slam! But it looks like she’s too beige for H Street NE. Oh well, check out her picks for places to eat, sleep and drink (mainly along U Street).
(h/t Rising)
oh me oh my
What makes some Capital Bikeshare stations more used than others?
Open trip data lets researchers analyze bike sharing systems in detail. They are making useful discoveries about how culture and urban spaces affect the way people use bikeshare. These conclusions can help cities refine their bikeshare systems as they grow and mature.
Easter sunrise, as viewed from the Lincoln Memorial.
Photo by Bill O’Leary (The Washington Post)
Spring blooming in DC
Washington D.C. Tumblr Meetup!
WHERE: The National Mall in Washington D.C. (Address: 900 Ohio Drive SW, Washington, DC 20024-2000)
WHEN: Saturday, April 14th, 2012 at 1:00 PM
After the meetup is approved and posted on the meetup page I’ll post the link here publicly for you guys.
For further information leave me a message!
#TrayvonMartin #DCMillionHoodies
Trayvon Martin Rally Washington DC March 24
[Description: a flyer for the march in Washington DC for Trayvon Martin it prominently features his face with the words: Stand Up for Trayvon Justice Rally: Freedom Plaza 14th Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington DC - March 24, 2012 2pm -4pm. ]
It’s the first official day of spring! We caught a glimpse of the pretty cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin in Washington D.C. embracing the season’s change. For the full 360 degree view click here.
Photo by Kris Connor for The Daily
Full moon over Lincoln Park
What are your thoughts on Kegs and Eggs?
Have you ever gone?
If you haven’t, would you like to?
If you have gone, was it worth it?
