Drawn and quartered
Five design concepts for the California quarter have been sent to the U.S. Mint for consideration. I’m not that crazy about any particular one, but had I to choose among them, I’d go with John Muir at Yosemite. It’s simple and not too busy. Even just from a purely technical standpoint, I think it’s well-drawn. Though, I assume the ultimate design will be given a standardized line and shading treatment suitable for stamping on a coin. Like, I don’t think they’d be able to recreate the detail of the Golden Gate Bridge drawing, for example. I don’t like that one, anyway. I mean, I get the whole “look, it’s all of scenic California!” vibe, but maybe it’s a little too realistically drawn. No, the real Bridge doesn’t lead off into the Hollywood hills, but that’s the impression you get. And what about the “Waves and Sun” one? Those Hokusai-like crests don’t look particularly inviting. Who needs to worry about sharks when you have waves like that? (Calif. quarter link via kottke.org.)