Lisa Frank Gumball Machine Birthday Card

This Lisa Frank birthday card from the 1980s features a brightly colored gumball machine with floating bubbles and candy. It was designed in the heightened fantasy hues that the eponymous brand was known for. The printing inside the card uses only one color. The dramatic back shadows of “Have A Ball!” allude to the 1960s; the typefaces throughout are updated, but their lack of uniformity suggested a playful, nonconformist attitude. Frank’s designs drew clear references to the 1960s psychedelic period with bold shades and multiple fonts. Her later motifs display an interest in imaginary playful worlds and space travel. Her work evokes artists like Peter Max, the legendary psychedelia artist, who is said to also be a fan of Frank’s work. Lisa Frank Incorporated opened in 1979, and the gumball machine was the one of the first motifs that the designer created. Her first logo was a gumball machine, based on a gift she received from her father when she was a child. In 1987, the company’s success exploded when they sold school supplies, marketed to young children. 

Urban Outfitters. “The World Of Lisa Frank” - A Short Film. Image, 2014. https://vimeo.com/73328418.