“Bitmap graphics are like mosaics and needlepoint and other pseudo-digital art forms, all of which I had practiced before going to Apple,” recalled Kare. Though Kare had little experience in computing she drew inspiration from her deep knowledge of art history. Creating graphics was simply a matter of deciding which bits to turn on and off. The Macintosh featured a bit-mapped display in which each point of light, or pixel, on the screen was individually controlled by a single bit of data. When Kare joined Apple in January 1983, Hertzfeld tasked her with designing the icons and typefaces for the Mac’s operating system and applications such as MacPaint. "I went into it totally green." Kare aced the interview and in January 1983 she started a job at Apple designing fonts and icons for the Macintosh her business card read “Macintosh Artist.” 3 Icon Design "I even brought them to my interview to prove I knew something about type, if anyone asked!" she remembered. 2 There was only one problem: Kare had never worked in computer graphics and she admittedly “didn't know the first thing about designing a typeface.” Undaunted, Kare went to the Palo Alto public library and checked out a number of books on typography. Hertzfeld needed some images and typefaces for the new Macintosh and asked if Kare would be interested in interviewing for a graphic design job. ![]() ![]() Hertzfeld worked at Apple Computer in Cupertino he had been recruited by co-founder Steve Jobs to serve as the lead software architect for Apple’s latest product, the Macintosh personal computer. She was working on a commission-“welding a life-size razorback hog” for an Arkansas museum-when she received a phone call from Andy Hertzfeld, an old high school classmate from the Philadelphia suburbs. In 1982, Kare was living in the Bay Area and working as a sculptor. ![]() As a preview, here are some details about Kare’s work on the Apple Macintosh. Admission is free, but please visit our Events page to reserve your ticket and learn about the Lemelson Center’s other upcoming programs. After the program, guests will have the opportunity to examine some relevant objects from the museum’s collections and enjoy a light reception. After a short presentation by Kare, she and I will talk about her fascinating career, followed by Q&A with the audience. On Tuesday May 8, the Lemelson Center will host Kare as part of the Lemelson Center’s Innovative Lives speaker series. Visitors learn about Susan Kare and design their own icons in the Silicon Valley section of the Places of Invention exhibition.
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