Articles

A selection of graphic design articles based on the design artefacts in the archive. Articles discussing aspects of design such as logos, advertisements, posters and book covers. Explore historical context and its impact on the field of graphic design.

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The Graphic, no 1892, 1905
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The Birth of the Advertising Agency

The advertising agency played a crucial role in shaping consumer culture by acting as a bridge between businesses and the media and was stated to have started in the mid-19th century.
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Pino Tovaglia’s Advertisements for Finmeccanica, 1950s. Scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik, 10, 1955
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Pino Tovaglia’s Advertisements for Finmeccanica

His distinctive style echoes the artistic expressions of fellow Italian designers Giovanni Pintori and Erberto Carboni. Tovaglia's mastery in taking concepts and translating them into visually compelling narratives is evident in this selection of advertisements I have scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik, 10, 1955.
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Poster for Nikon 1954, designed by Yusaku Kamekura. Scanned from Creation No.21, Yusaku Kamekura Issue, 1998
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Yusaku Kamekura and his Design for Nikon

Nikon commissioned Yusaku Kamekura to design numerous posters, packaging designs and advertisements for Nikon. His used abstract forms, an impactful use of colours, along with his skilful reduction of messaging.
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Design Coordination and Corporate Image, Studio Vista, 1967. KLM - Henrion
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A Brand Evolution for KLM by Henrion Design Associates

KLM's brand evolution by Henrion Design Associates. Founded in 1919, KLM is the world's oldest operating airline. In 1961, Henrion Design Associates redesigned the iconic brand, overcoming challenges of standardisation and outdated aesthetics.
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Wolfgang Weingart - Pioneer of Swiss New Wave
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Wolfgang Weingart – Pioneer of Swiss New Wave

Wolfgang Weingart's artistic design delved into the intricacies of Swiss typography, skillfully dissecting its elements while venturing into texture and type experimentation. His layered montages radiated dynamic kinetic energy, standing in stark contrast to the minimalist approach of his instructors, embracing a more maximalist aesthetic.
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Nobuyoshi Yamada Poster (Kriemhild's Revenge) 1925. Scanned from Modernism on Paper 1920s-30s Japanese Graphic Design, Rikuyosha, 2003
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1920s Publicity Design of the Shochikuza Theatre

Japan's first foreign film venue, Shochikuza Theatre (1923) is an icon of Modernism. Its Art Deco-influenced advertising, showcased in the 1925 Shochikuza News magazine, offers a glimpse into Japans influences from the West.
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Norman Granz presents Kid Ory, Programme, 1959. Designed by Hans Michel + Günther Kieser. Art Director Horst Lippmann
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Jazz Programmes designed by Hans Michel and Günther Kieser

After researching further into the work designed by their practice, I found ten programmes designed between 1958 and 1960. These programmes were designed for a variety of live jazz events in Germany and all followed the same format.
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Process Drawing for Design, December 1964 by Kōhei Sugiura
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Kōhei Sugiura’s Design Systems for the 1964 issues of Design

In 1964, Sugiura was commissioned by the magazine Design to design each of their twelve monthly cover designs. Creating a series of systems which set the foundations for the design.
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Systematic Surface Design
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Systematic Surface Design by Tobias Christoph, 1980

Systematic Surface Design eliminating the hindrance of searching for strategies and starting points, allowing designers to quickly find optimal solutions.
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Banco do Estado de São Paulo Logo designed by Aloísio Magalhães, 1969
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The Logos and Symbols of Brazilian Designer, Aloísio Magalhães

Magalhães developed over 180 brands and in addition to developing visual identities, he also developed designs for Brazilian notes and coins.
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Andy Warhol’s Commercial Art for Interiors Magazine
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Andy Warhol’s Commercial Art for Interiors Magazine

Before ascending to fame within the contemporary art scene, Warhol enjoyed a thriving career as a commercial artist. His illustration work was commissioned by various magazines, including The New Yorker, Vogue, and Harper's Bazaar.
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Monografieën over filmkunst 01 – Het linnen venster by C. J. Graadt van Roggen Designed by Piet Zwart.
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Piet Zwart and the series Film, 1931 – 1933

1930s periodical 'Monografieën over filmkunst' designed by dutch designer Piet Zwart remains a pinnacle of Dutch avant-garde design.
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Advertisements for Bol spirits designed by Atelier Engelmann and Klaus Oberer in late 50s : early 60s Cover
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Bols. Advertising Matter from 1958 to 1961 by Engelmann, Mendell and Oberer

In the late 1950s, Hans W. Brose agency, with designers Pierre Mendell, Michael Engelmann, and Klaus Oberer, crafted a compelling, colourless campaign for Bols.
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Why Graphic Culture Matters by Rick Poynor. Published by Occasional Papers
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Why Graphic Culture Matters by Rick Poynor

Why Graphic Culture Matters is a compilation of 46 thought-provoking essays by renowned design critic Rick Poynor, delving into the realms of art, design, and visual communication.
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Cinderella - Stuttgart, Bundesn Gartenschau, 1961
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Cinderella. A selection of Publicity Stamps and Stickers

I have a real passion for collecting Cinderella stamps and other ephemera and love the artistic and historical value of these items. The scarcity of some Cinderella stamps, especially those associated with significant historical events or rare advertising campaigns, makes them highly sought after in the philatelic world.
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Engineering, British Job Centre Postcard, mid to late 1970s
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Friendliness and Efficiency. 1970s Postcards for the British Job Centre

The designer is unstated on these postcards, which were designed during the mid to late 1970s, but these playful illustrations alongside what looks to be Frankfurter Bold definitely fit the criteria of friendliness and efficiency
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Logo Rewind_Cover
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New book to focus on Norwich’s medieval logos

The stories of Norwich’s medieval merchants’ marks is being told in a new book and exhibition.
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Showcard for Harris Co., Ltd. Designed by Hiroshi Ohchi Scanned from Idea 11, 1955
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Advertising that Sticks. Examples of 1950s Chewing Gum Advertising

Advances in production and 1950s chewing gum marketing. From Wrigley's iconic "Spearman" ads to Hiroshi Ohchi's designs for Harris Chewing Gum.
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The Swiss designer Adrian Frutiger (1928–2015) created some fantastic typefaces such as Univers, Avenir, and Frutiger, alongside posters, catalogue designs and architectural lettering. He began his career at Deberny & Peignot in Paris as a type designer and set up his own studio in 1960 in Paris focusing on typography and advertising design. Working alongside André Gürtler and Bruno Pfäffli, Frutiger designed many logo designs. Here is a selection of the designs which were featured in Der Druckspiegel, December 1961. I have also translated and rewritten the descriptions to provide more depth. When describing the work of Adrian Frutiger, Kurt Weidemann states, “We live in a time of increasing abstraction,” says Frutiger, in a time of visual, intellectual symbols. If a miller wants a company logo, then a windmill or watermill does not provide a sufficient symbol of his profession. Rather, its job is to crush grains between two masses. Finding a pictorial metaphor for this process might be more difficult, but also more expressive, more apt and timeless. Memorable shapes are simple. A mark that can be immediately drawn in the sand by a child is good. The accompanying typography must not compete with the brand; it must be brought into harmony with it, supporting its expressiveness.) - Der Druckspiegel, October, 1961 (Translated from German) Logo for the advertising agency Arma Publicité. The symbol is based on the letters A R and M. The logo has an emphasised flatness that corresponds to the essence of advertising thanks to its black and white contrast. The triangle shape is a symbol of advancement and dynamism. The embossed form is used in cases requiring discretion. Lettering for the title of a scientific journal. The letterforms are made of straight lines and circles in the spirit of the exact measurements and structures in science. Small and capital letters are mixed together as a deliberate move away from tradition. Business brand for the Brancher Frères paint factory. On the one hand, it is based on the letters B and F, and on the other hand, the silhouettes of the paint can, seen from the side and from above (square and circle). The logo is designed more to the colour than to the formal expression. Original colours: grey, green and blue. Lettering for a printing company. The close sequence of circular elements makes one think of printing cylinders and ink rollers. Logo for the Scripta pantograph milling machine. The arrangement of the arms and joints of the machine have resulted in this S-shape. Right angles were avoided to evoke mobility. The contrast of the strong arms to the fine white space indicates the solidity of a precision device. Company lettering and signs for the Hermann scientific bookstore. The basic element that provided the impetus was the construction plan for the new business facility. Monogram for Jacqueline Iribe, designer of modern decorative fabrics. Irish favourite motifs are rectangles and triangles; the symbol attempts to symbolize this style in the letterform. Original colours: cobalt blue for j, broken cobalt blue for i. Two designs for a sign for the Prache bookbindery. The speciality of this house is spiral and ring binding. The first draft is a name made up of wire, interlocking letters in a circle shape. The second draft follows the same principle but is only based on the P. The rectangle (book, sheet of paper) was included. Monogram for the French architect Georges Johannet. Its architecture is strictly based on geometric elements, in very finely coordinated spatial proportions. Ipreig is the official abbreviation for the Institut professionel de recherches et d'études des industries graphiques. With a view to serving professional progress, it seems justified to give the symbol of this institute the character of an experiment that could be renewed from time to time. (Design not executed).
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Logos and Lettering by Adrian Frutiger, André Gürtler and Bruno Pfäffli

Working alongside André Gürtler and Bruno Pfäffli, Adrian Frutiger designed many logo designs. Here is a selection of the designs which were featured in Der Druckspiegel, December 1961. I have also translated and rewritten the descriptions to provide more depth.
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Herbert Bossin - Typographic Compositions with Folio
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Herbert Bossin and his Typographic Compositions with Folio

The typographic supplement from Der Druckspiegel, October, 1961 features typographic compositions designed by Herbert Bossin. Bossin has solely used the typeface Folio, to illustrate its flexibility and versatility alongside imagery provided by Lothar Blanvalet Verlag.
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Helmut Schmid Typography, Lars Müller Publishers, 2023
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Helmut Schmid Typography – A new monograph published by Lars Müller Publishers

Helmut Schmid Typography explores the typographer’s oeuvre in its entirety. The book’s generous design allows each image to breathe, and the accompanying texts narrate Schmid’s life and career in an informative and pleasant manner.
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Karl Otto Goetz - Sprengel Advertisements. Scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik 06, 1954
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Sprengel, a Comparison of Advertisements from the 1950s

When perusing vintage publications, I often stumble upon forgotten or undocumented gems. In this article, I compare two remarkable advertisements designed for Sprengel Ltd byHerbert Zumpe and Karl Otto Goetz
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Kupka, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, 1968 designed by Wim Crouwel (Total Design)
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Wim Crouwel and the Stedelijk Museum

Crouwel was the successor to Willem Sandberg who used an avant-garde approach in his work, utilising torn-paper montage, mixing of sans serif and old Egyptian typefaces and often off-center positioning. Crouwel steered away from this artistic approach and implemented a cohesive design system and a strong identity that emulated the corporate identity boom of the 1950s and 60s.
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The Student Work of The Polytechnic School of Printing, London, 1910
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Student Work (1907 – 1910) from The Polytechnic School of Printing, London

I came across two sample books containing printed examples of the work executed by the students in the Composing and Machine Departments of the Polytechnic School of Printing, between 1907 and 1910. I couldn't resist adding these to the archive.
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Advertisements for Radio Italiano designed by Erberto Carboni Scanned from Publimondial 29, 1950
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Erberto Carboni and his work for Radio Italiana, 1940s and 1950s

These one-colour forms have a playful but structured aesthetic through their geometric forms, they remind me of the abstract line drawings of Picasso blended with Jan Tschichold and the New Typography.
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Radio Free Berlin, Concert poster designed by Hans Förtsch and Sigrid von Baumgarten C
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The Publicity of Radio Free Berlin, Text by Franz-Hermann Wills, 1966

The transformation of Radio Free Berlin's publicity from dark and provincial to striking and imaginative. Cultural announcements and radio programs designed by Hans Förtsch, Sigrid von Baumgarten, and Reinhart Braun
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Ad design by Michael Engelmann
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Advertising the Beetle. Volkswagen Advertising in the 1950s

Volkswagen commissioned a fantastic range of graphic designers, including Wolf Zimmermann, Hans Looser and Michael Engelmann. The designers amplified the brand image of Volkswagen with strikingly modern designs.
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FIP München 1966. The client supplied several motifs. The solution shown was meant to be poster-like and also resemble an old engraving. Unpublished, 1965. Karl Oskar Blase scanned from Novum Gebrauchsgraphik 08, 1982
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Karl Oskar Blase and his Stamp Designs for Deutsche Bundespost

He designed stamps from around 1955 and in the book Karl Oskar Blase, Briefmarken-Design, Verlag für Philatelistische Literatur, 1981, he was described as one of the most influential stamp designers in Germany.
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Frank René Testemale’s IBM Advertising in France. Scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik, 4, 1964.
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Frank René Testemale’s IBM Advertising in France by Alexandre Alexandre, 1964

IBM puts a premium on functional design, forms and colours which make it far easier for the potential customer to gain an insight. In this respect the IBM methods are exemplary. The IBM already opened studios of artistic and graphic design for its German and Italian offices and a few years ago another such studio was established in Paris. Frank René Testemale was entrusted with its organisation and was appointed its business and art director.
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A Collection of Japanese Ephemera from the 1930s and 1940s
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A Collection of Japanese Ephemera from the 1930s and 1940s

Beyond being mere artefacts of design, these examples encapsulate the dynamic changes Japan was undergoing during this period. The design output of this era not only served commercial purposes but also became a powerful medium for expressing these societal shifts.
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Gebrauchsgraphik, 11, 1958. Cover design by Günther Gluckert
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The Magic and Work of Günther Glückert

Little is known about the talented designer Günther Glückert. Born during the 1930s, a period that proved less than conducive to nurturing youthful artistic endeavours, did not halt Glückert's path of becoming a talented designer.
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RAT, June 26 - July 10, 1970
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1960s Counter-Culture Publications: Voices of Change, Rebellion, and Liberation

The 1960s was an era characterised by political, social, and cultural shifts. The counterculture movement emerged as a response to the perceived failures of the mainstream establishment, sparking a wave of activism and alternative ideologies. And with these an array of printed matter. Counterculture publications, often referred to as the "underground press," became powerful platforms for dissent, expression, and the exploration of new ideas.
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FUN, October 16, 1869
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Victorian Graphic Design in Britain and America

Victorian Graphic Design left a mark on both British and American design history. In Britain, the ornate embellishments served as a symbol of prosperity and cultural values. Meanwhile, America embraced the combination of various design elements to navigate the complexities of a rapidly changing society driven by industrialisation and consumerism.
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Toho Paper Company logo designed by Yusaku Kamekura
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Yusaku Kamekura and his Mark Design by Masataka Ogawa

The background of Kamekura's mark designs is his boldness in eliminating all the waste, combining simplification derived from Japanese traditional family crests and Western intellectual mechanics of formation with a sharp modern sense of composition.
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Japanese Ephemera from the 1920/30s
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A Collection of Japanese Ephemera from the 1920s and 30s

Collected Japanese ephemera From the late 1920s to the mid-1930s, from Japan's transformative period, with its robust industrial force accompanied by an increase in consumer culture.
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Design, Council of Industrial Design, 116, August 1958. Cover design by Ken Garland copy
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Ken Garland and the British magazine, Design

Many influential British designers have made their names in the history books. Abram Games, Alan Fletcher, Tom Eckersley and Derek Birdsall, to name a few. But one designer that has always influenced me, not only as inspiration from their design output, but as an example of the role of a designer and the importance of having strong ethics, is Ken Garland. He is known for his innovative and socially responsible approach to graphic design and his involvement in the design community through his teaching, writing and activism. In the second instalment of this series, I will discuss Ken Garland's magazine work from my collection.
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Armin Hofmann, Stadttheater Basel, 1961, Scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik, 4, 1962
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Armin Hofmann and the Stadttheater Basel by Jürg Federspiel, 1962

Armin Hofmann's publicity for the Stadttheater Basel. The client, in this case, the Municipal Theater of Basel, refused to listen to narrow-minded critics, in spite of the fact that as a state-subsidized enterprise it is accountable to public opinion.
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Idea 81, 1967. Cover design by Yusaku Kamekura
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Elements of Idea “The Arrow” by Shigeo Fukuda, 1973

The versatility of the arrow sign knows no bounds – from thin lines exuding delicacy to thick, heavy-set lines conveying stability and weight. Depending on its construction, the arrow sign can speak with individuality, even possessing psychological and emotional expression.
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Me (Matt Lamont) in front of a selection go the archive
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Collecting Graphic Design History and Design Reviewed

Graphic design continues to be documented and an increase in individualised documentation and curated social media accounts are furthering our knowledge of design from a worldwide historic standpoint. I would not feel complete without the collected design that spans the shelves of my archive. It’s my identity, my passion and my hobby.
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Oskar Reiner, Automotive Publicity Cover
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Oskar Reiner’s, Automotive Publicity by Carl Heussner, 1962

Oskar Reiner advertisements for Opel distinguish themselves by clarity and visually appealing conception.
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