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Tag: Hans Kuhn

Articles Featuring the Work of Hans Kuhn

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Drukkersweekblad en Autolijn Kerstnummer 1952, 1952 Jan Bons
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Drukkersweekblad en Autolijn: Compiling Dutch Design History

Each year, leading Dutch artists were commissioned to design the covers and inner pages of Drukkersweekblad en Autolijn. Including designers included Dick Elffers, Willem Sandberg, Jan van Toorn, Wim Crouwel, and Jurriaan Schrofer. The journal documented important design trends and developments in The Netherlands.

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9 jaar Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, 1945-54 designed by Willem Sandberg
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Willem Sandberg – Life and Legacy

This 1,500 word essay is about the life and work of Willem Sandberg and is illustrated with part of my collection of over 100 pieces of Sandberg’s work, including books, Stedelijk Museum catalogues, and various individual printed items.

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Sketches by Jan Slothouber and William Graatsmas for the Cubic Children’s Stamps of 1970. Scanned from nederlandse postzegels 1970, Staatsbedrij der PTT, 1970
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Jan Slothouber and William Graatsma’s Cubic Children’s Stamps of 1970.

The stamps for the 1970 editions were designed by Jan Slothouber and William Graatsma in collaboration with the Centre for Cubic Constructions (CCC) in Heerlen.  Every stamp displays a different corner point of the same block, highlighting eight distinct corner points, with four chosen for their unique identities.

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Holland Festival 72 Stamp Designed by Dick Elffers
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Dick Elffers and his 1972 Holland Festival and Floriade stamp designs

Dick Elffers, had been the chosen designer for the printed matter of the Holland Festival for much of the festival's years, he used a painterly style for his work with the festival between 1954 and 1965 and later a more abstract style between 1969 and 1972. As well as publicity design, Elffers was commissioned to design the summer stamps to promote the Holland Festival in 1972.

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Social Welfare Funds, Netherlands Maxi Card (Yellow), 1970. Designed by Ootje Oxenaar
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The Innovative Netherlands Stamps designed by Ootje Oxenaar in 1970

Ootje Oxenaar designed the summer stamps for the Netherlands using an assignment from De Nederlandsche Bank based on banknotes. The assignment resulted in the collaboration of Oxenaar, the printer, the laboratory and the banking specialist, in which they experimented with the design of securities on printed matter.

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De 8 en Opbouw, 8e jaargang No 13, 3 Juli 1937 designed by Paul Schuitema
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Typophoto. Paul Schuitema and his cover designs for De 8 en Opbouw

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Paul Schuitema emerged as one of the Dutch pioneers of new typography. This article features a selection of the cover designs and a few inner spreads from my collected issues of De 8 en Opbouw.

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"Kissho, Shofuku, Hanjo" Tadanori Yokoo's Silkscreen Poster Exhibition in 1997
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“Kissho, Shofuku, Hanjo” Tadanori Yokoo’s Silkscreen Poster Exhibition in 1997

In 1997 Tadanori Yokoo showcased 31 new silkscreens at the Ginza Graphic Gallery in Tokyo. Many of these works were previously unseen, and I was fortunate enough to discover a feature in a back issue of Idea magazine that showcased the full collection of silkscreen posters. 

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IBM, Traffic Planning Service Brochure designed by Banks & Miles. Scanned from Banks & Miles, Agency Portfolio Book, 1970s
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Banks & Miles. Designing Public Information

Banks & Miles, were founded in 1958 by Colin Banks and John Miles and became renowned for their design work with major British institutions and companies. They made significant contributions to type design and corporate identity.

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Bruno Schmidt Advertisement, 1962. Designed by Günter Heil. Scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik, 5, 1965
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Advertising 16mm Film. The work of Günter Heil

Little is known about the designer Günther Heil. he established his graphic studio in Berlin and designed many advertisements for 8mm and 16mm film distributor Bruno Schmidt in the 1960s. These were created in the same era as the film distributor Atlas Films was sending films to art-house theatres and were hiring designers Hans Hillmann, Hans Michel, Günther Kieser, Wolfgang Schmidt and Karl Oskar Blase.

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Poster for a kimono show designed by Yoshio Hayakawa. Scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik 06, 1953
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East Meets West. The advertising posters of Yoshio Hayakawa

Yoshio Hayakawa was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1917 and became a leading designer and artist in postwar Japan. His work was a harmonisation of traditional Japanese art with Western art.

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Gebrauchsgraphik, 4, 1936
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Gebrauchsgraphik – Almost a Century of Design Reference

The dedication of Gebrauchsgraphiks editors and publishers significantly influenced the spread and impact of graphic design, documenting countless designers who might otherwise have been forgotten over the last century since its first issue hit newsstands. Design magazines play a crucial role in supporting the design profession and remain vital resources for designers and historians alike.

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History of Physics, Leisure Arts Limited, 1964. Designed by Erik Nitsche
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The New Illustrated Library of Science and Invention designed by Erik Nitsche

Erik Nitsche's notable book series, the New Illustrated Library of Science and Invention comprised twelve volumes and they are a fantastic example of how to design a perfect non-fiction book!

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Artrosil B Advertisement designed by Franco Grignani in 1953. Scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik 03, 1956
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Franco Grignani’s Pharmaceutical Advertising Design

Franco Grignani’s ability to push design boundaries with his clients is a testament to his artistic eye and talent. His work on Bellezza d’Italia remains a fantastic example of how design can elevate and transform pharma goods.

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Alfieri & Lacroix Advertisement designed by Franco Grignani. Scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik 04, 1962
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Advertisements for Alfieri & Lacroix by Franco Grignani

Franco Grignani (1908-1999) was one of the twentieth century’s most important Italian graphic designers. Scanning the inner pages of Gebrauchsgraphik 04, 1962, I have managed to collate a selection of the advertisements created in the 1950s and early 1960s, showcasing his groundbreaking design work.
Penrose 1964-73: The Herbert Spencer Years
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Penrose 1964-73 – The Herbert Spencer Years

As a champion of graphic design history, I was thrilled to find the upcoming book "Penrose 1964-73: The Herbert Spencer Years," a captivating visual anthology dedicated to honouring Spencer's legacy as a trailblazer in modern typography. Spanning 288 pages, this book commemorates Spencer's influential editorship at the Penrose Annual from 1964 to 1973.

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Bundesministerium für Post und Telekommunikation, Poster, 1956 designed by Hans Schweiss. Scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik 06, 1956
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Posters from the 1956 Best German Posters Awards (Die besten Plakate des Jahres)

Gebrauchsgraphik 06, 1956 features a selection of the posters entered into the 1956 awards. It is unknown how many entries were submitted to the 1956 awards but a total of 21 posters were awarded.
Modern Man in the Making, Lars Muller Publishers, 2024
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Otto Neurath’s Pioneering Book. Modern Man in the Making

The book "Modern Man In The Making" (1939), is a fantastic example of Neurath's work. The book uses Isotype's principles with text to illustrate complex societal issues like globalisation and war's impact on economies, prioritising visual recognition through symbols to aid in memorability—a philosophy that remains paramount in design today.

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Süddeutsche Rundfunk, Brochures, 1959-60. Designed by Hans Geipe
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Hans Geipel’s Brochure Designs for Süddeutsche Rundfunk (SDR)

A collection of letterpresses German brochures from 1959/1960 designed by Hans Geipel for Süddeutsche Rundfunk (SDR), the South German Radio Network based in Stuttgart.

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Heart Anatomy, Function And Diseases, Dell, 1962. Illustrated by George Giusti
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George Giusti – Illustrating the Hearts Anatomy, Function, and Diseases

"Heart: Anatomy, Function, and Diseases" (Dell, 1962), by Rudolf Hoffmann and illustrated by George Giusti, demonstrates how illustrations effectively convey complex and emotional topics whilst providing valuable information.

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2000 PX
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The 1920s design work of Joseph Binder

Joseph Binder established his studio, Wiener Graphik, in Vienna. One of the first clients was the City of Vienna’s Music and Theater Festival, followed by many other posters and logos for clients in Austria and beyond.

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Ezio Bonini’s 1950s Advertisements for Linoleum scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik, 08, 1954
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Ezio Bonini’s 1950s Advertisements for Linoleum

Ezio Bonini's work for "Società del Linoleum" in Milan, showcasing advertisements designed for various Italian newspapers aimed at expanding the linoleum market

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Ads in trade journals for Bayer, Leverkusen designed by Wolfgang Bäumer c. 1962-1964. Scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik, July 1966
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Dynamic Form. The 1960s Advertising Design of Wolfgang Bäumer

Wolfgang Bäumer's advertising design for Bayer, Klöckner Works and the Lottery. His adaptable design aesthetic alongside his skills of convening messaging through visuals are fantastic examples of mid-century German graphic design.

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Nieuw Ensemble, Nieuw Ensemble 20 Jaar, Brochure, 2001. Designed by Jan Bons copy
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Designing History: The Legacy of Jan Bons

This 1,500 word essay focused on the work of Jan Bons. One of the most prominent figures in Dutch design history. For over three-quarters of a century, he crafted a mass of work with many long-time collaborators.

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Olympia Advertising, late 1950s - early 1960s. Desigend by A. E. Wuttke
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Advertising and Information. Design for Olympia-Werke AG

The collection of works I've gathered, designed for Olympia-Werke, showcases the height of mid-century German commercial artistry. The work was collated in a branded folder and contained forty brochures, advertisements and manuals.

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Bicycle Maintenance and Adjustment, Guide, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), c. mid 1970s
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The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the Cycling Proficiency Scheme

Collected examples of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Cycling Safety and Proficiency design output, a landmark initiative aimed at enhancing cycling safety.
Fred Troller Design on Volume
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The first comprehensive survey of Fred Troller!

Unit Editions launches Fred Troller Design on Volume – the first comprehensive survey of the work of a pioneering designer who brought Swiss modernism to America in the 1960s, via influential projects for clients including IBM, American Airlines and Geigy.

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Graphis 124, 1966. Cover design by Toshihiro Katayama.
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The Structured Forms of Toshihiro Katayama

Katayama worked in several art and design disciplines from graphic design and sculpture to environmental works and sculpture. His design work features rhythms and patterns and has a resemblance to modern jazz and the studies of Josef Albers.

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Hermann Rastorfer, VW 1500 Advertisment. Early 1960s. Scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik, 07, 1962 Cropped
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A New Visual Aesthetic. Hermann Rastorfer and the advertising for Volkswagen

Rastorfer transformed the advertising of Volkswagen and his work contrasted with that of the previously commissioned designers. It reiterates the importance of finding a designer who can transform your vision and adverting and how the significance of consistent messaging across advertisements, contributes to the creation of a memorable campaign 

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Kast + Ehinger (K+E) Advertisement. Back page of a 1960s issue of Gebrauchsgraphik. Designer Unstated
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The 1950s and 1960s Advertisements of Kast + Ehinger (K+E)

As part of their marketing strategy, Kast + Ehinger, commissioned a selection of German designers to produce advertisements aimed at the design industry. I have scanned in quite a lot of their advertising matter, all of which were back-page advertisements from three German design magazines. Der Druckspiegel, Gebrauchsgraphik and Graphik – Werbung + Formgebung.

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25 years of Swiss poster art, 1941 to 1965
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25 years of Swiss poster art, 1941 to 1965

“Der Druckspiegel” typographic supplement May 5, 1967, was focused on a selection of the winning entries from Die besten Plakate des Jahres featuring over fifty winning entries.

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Erberto Carboni’s Crociere 1937 “Italia” Brochure
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Erberto Carboni’s Crociere 1937 “Italia” Brochure

One of my standout collected pieces is Erberto Carboni’s Crociere 1937 “Italia” Brochure, created for the Societa di Navigazione’s 1937 cruise schedule.

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National-Zeitung SA Basel designed by Gerstner + Kutter, Basel in 1960
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Swiss Posters from the 1960 Best Poster Award (Die besten Plakate des Jahres 1960)

The 1960 awards presented 420 poster entries from Swiss designers. Notable winners included Robert Büchler's typographic poster for the Museum of Applied Arts Basel and J. Müller-Brockmann’s Der Film poster for the Museum of Applied Arts and Gerstner + Kutter's asymmetric typographic poster for National-Zeitung SA Basel.

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Olivetti (Suisse) SA Zürich designed by Ernst Hiestand, Zürich in 1961
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Swiss Posters from the 1961 Best Poster Award (Die besten Plakate des Jahres 1961)

As part of an ongoing series showcasing Swiss poster designs from the 1950s and 1960s, this article features 1961 poster entries of Die besten Plakate des Jahres (The Best Posters of the Year) 1961. Originating in 1941, Die besten Plakate des Jahres initially served as a platform for the evaluation and showcase of Swiss posters.

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Schweiz. Konferenz für Sicherheit im Strassenverkehr Bern. designed by Hans Hartmann, Bern in 1963
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Swiss Posters from the 1963 Best Poster Award (Die besten Plakate des Jahres 1963)

Forward and a selection of poster designs entered to the Die besten Plakate des Jahres 1963. Featuring the work of Hans Hartmann, Jörg Hamburger, Jost Hochuli, and Armin Hofmann.

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Polizeidepartement Basel-Stadt designed by Moritz Zwimpfer, Basel in 1958
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Swiss Posters from the 1958 Best Poster Award (Die besten Plakate des Jahres 1958)

A selection of poster designs from Die besten Plakate des Jahres 1958 with a translated foreword by Maria Netter. Featuring the work of Müller-Brockmann, Celestino Piatti, Donald Brun and Armin Hofmann.

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BKG Basler Konsum-Gesellschaft Basel designed by Celestino Piatti, Riehen in 1957
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Swiss Posters from the 1957 Best Poster Award (Die besten Plakate des Jahres 1957)

The best poster designs from Die besten Plakate des Jahres 1957 with a translated foreword by Walter Kern. Featuring the work of J. Müller-Brockmann, Gottlieb Soland, Mary Vieira and Celestino Piatti.

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Genossenschaft USOGAS Zürich designed by Donald Brun, Basel, 1956
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Swiss Posters from the 1956 Best Poster Award (Die besten Plakate des Jahres 1956)

The best poster designs from Die besten Plakate des Jahres 1956 with a translated foreword by Jakob Rudolf Welti. Featuring the work of Herbert Leupin, Carl B. Graf, Carlo Vivarelli and Emil Ruder.

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Advertisement for Gebr. Sulzer AG, Winterthur Designed by Bernhard Lüthi, Basel
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Industrial Advertisements. A selection of works from the book, Swiss Industrial Graphic Design

A short essay and scanned advertising from Swiss Industrial Graphic Design. A rare book focused on effective industrial promotion authored by Hans Neuburg. The design of the book is credited to Hans Neuburg and Walter Bangerter.

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Poster for the University Ball, University in St. Gallen, Switzerland, 1961. Scanned from Der Druckspiegel 08, 1962.
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Advertising a University Ball at St. Gallen, Switzerland, 1961

Perusing an issue of Der Druckspiegel from 1962, I found these fantastic examples of Swiss Design, produced for the University Ball at the University in St. Gallen, Switzerland, in 1961. The advertising matter included posters, newspaper advertisements, cinema slides, invitation cards and a booklet. 

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Gregory Vines, Typographische Monatsblätter, issues 1-6, 1978 - Process
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Gregory Vines – Design and Process of the Typographische Monatsblätter 1978 Covers

Gregory Vines' design and process behind the Typographische Monatsblätter 1978 covers. From the initial inspiration drawn from Bellinzona's gate to the process of film montage, resulting in six stunning cover masterpieces.

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Designs for British Aluminium Company Ltd by Tom Eckersley. Featured on the back page of Design magazine, 1957 Cover
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Design from Post-War Britain: Advertising for The British Aluminium Company

Advertisements from post-World War II Britain for British Aluminium Company. Designs by Abram Games, Tom Eckersley, FHK Henrion, Pat Keely, and James Hart, who collectively crafted over 100 four-color and 300 black-and-white advertisements.

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Ballet 71, Staatsheater Kassel, 1971. Designed by Karl Oskar Blase
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The Poster Designs of Karl Oskar Blase

Blase’s long-term clients were Staatstheater Kassel (Kassel State Theater) and Atlas Films. Karl Oskar Blase produced countless posters for these two organisations. It’s not surprising considering Blase designed posters for the Staatstheater for twelve years between 1966 and 1978. 

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Record sleeve design by the typography class headed by Albrecht Ade, 1961
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Work of the Werkkunstschule Wuppertal typography class 1960-1961, headed by Albrecht Ade

Albrecht Ade's students produced some great typographic compositions and print work in his typography class, here's a selection of the work and information about Albrecht Ade.

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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. He 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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

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.
Radio Free Berlin, Concert poster designed by Hans Förtsch and Sigrid von Baumgarten C
  • Design Archive Feature

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
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

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
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

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.
Frank René Testemale’s IBM Advertising in France. Scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik, 4, 1964.
  • Design Archive Feature

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
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

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
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

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
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

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
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

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.
Toho Paper Company logo designed by Yusaku Kamekura
  • Design Archive Feature

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
  • Design Archive Feature, Ephemera, Illustrated Matchboxes, Members Only Content

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
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

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.
Armin Hofmann, Stadttheater Basel, 1961, Scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik, 4, 1962
  • Design Archive Feature

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.
Idea 81, 1967. Cover design by Yusaku Kamekura
  • Design Archive Feature

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.
Me (Matt Lamont) in front of a selection go the archive
  • Design Archive Feature

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.
Oskar Reiner, Automotive Publicity Cover
  • Design Archive Feature

Oskar Reiner’s, Automotive Publicity by Carl Heussner, 1962

Oskar Reiner advertisements for Opel distinguish themselves by clarity and visually appealing conception.
Hans Adolf Albitz und Ruth Albitz-Geiß, Subway boardings (3,80 × 2,50 m).
  • Design Archive Feature

Hans Adolf Albitz and Ruth Albitz-Geiß by Franz Hermann Wills, 1952

Among the young graphic artists of Berlin, who set to work after the war, Hans Adolf Albitz and Ruth Albitz-Geiß can claim special attention. In a short time, at a period when economic conditions were pretty unfavourable, they worked themselves so to the fore that their names came to mean something in Berlin publicity, and in western Germany their posters are known and appreciated, too.

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Hans Michel and Günther Kieser. Advertising for the German Federal Mail
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Hans Michel and Günther Kieser. Advertising for the German Federal Mail

The advertising has a certain contrast of hand-drawn and mechanical. Produced entirely in black, it reminds us that the absence of colour can be highly effective. Hans Michel and Günther Kieser's illustrations bring a sense of both playfulness and a stylistic approach to a corporate client.

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Siegfried Odermatt advertisment designs for Grammo Studio
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Siegfried Odermatt and the Swiss Design for Grammo Studio

A fantastic example of Swiss design for brand systems is the brand and advertising by Siegfried Odermatt commissioned by Grammo Studio in Zurich.
Glorious Devon, S.P.B. Mais, Great Western Railway Company, 1934. Cover design by Edward McKnight Kauffer
  • Design Archive Feature

The E. McKnight Kauffer 1955 Exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum by F.H.K Henrion

A review of the memorial exhibition of Edward McKnight Kauffer at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1955 by F.H.K. Hernion
Scan 47 copy 2
  • Design Archive Feature

House Style – Why it important? by Alec Davis

House style can give identity to the diverse products or activities of a firm. It stimulates loyalty, helps to reduce costs, and has advertising value.
Inspiring-the-students-at-Arts-University-Bournemouth--1024x723
  • Workshops and Lectures

Inspiring the students of Arts University Bournemouth

My lectures and workshops also help bridge the gap between academia and industry. Through my lectures and collecting, I strive to promote design as a ever-changing dynamic industry that has the power to shape and improve the world we live in.
Poster for the film «The Little Truant» designed by Hans Hillmann, 1960
  • Design Archive Feature

German Posters 1960 by Erich Pfeiffer-Belli

Every year the 20 best posters are selected in Germany and once more brought to the attention of the public. We do not publish all the twenty posters today; instead we add some which failed to be distinguished and which nevertheless are distinguished.
Newspaper ads for the metal works Siam di Tella designed by Guillermo Gonzalez Ruiz
  • Design Archive Feature

Guillermo Gonzalez Ruiz by Sigwart Blum, 1964

A few years ago the publicity department of Siam di Tella found a collaborator who early in his studies of architecture was attracted by the problems of visual art. His name is Guillermo González Ruiz he was born in Chascomus (Province of Buenos Aires) in 1937. Between 1957 and 1960 he received 18 awards in poster competitions, some of which were of particular importance.
Full-page ads for the newspaper «Stuttgarter Nachrichten» designed by Herbert W. Kapitzki
  • Design Archive Feature

Abstract Publicity – Self-Advertisements of the Stuttgarter Nachrichten by Fritz Seitz, 1963

The graphic designer had to create a series of ads whose new publicity effects were to confirm or accentuate the already existing • image • of the paper. In this case, the planning was not based on a would-be psychological analysis of the reading public.
Almanaque, July 1960 designed by Sebastião Rodrigues
  • Design Archive Feature

Covers of Portuguese Periodical, Almanaque by Franz Hermann Wills, 1963

The covers of the periodical ALMANAQUE, which was published in Lisbon, are perfect examples of this pleasure in the unusual and the force of with which all sorts of foreign influences are assimilated.
Graphis 148, 1970 deisgned by Gottschalk + Ash
  • Design Archive Feature

Gottschalk + Ash by Bill Bantey, 1970

When Fritz Gottschalk and Stuart Ash joined forces in Montreal, it was a partnership ideally suited to the city's hybrid environment. Gottschalk's training in graphic design in Switzerland, Paris and London was rigid, his background European; Ash, Canadian born and educated, was trained in the North American fashion, though he was influenced by his work with European designers
Typographical Poster for an Exhibition of Present Day Photography by Walter Dexel
  • Design Archive Feature

New Paths in Poster Work, 1931 by Jan Tschichold

In minor printed matter we constantly meet the new typography, but it is relatively rare to find posters designed on the new lines. And yet poster-designing is a field where new typographical methods might be employed with great effect.
Poster designed by Ernst L. Franke
  • Design Archive Feature

The Inventive Publicity of Austria, 1930 by John Harrison

A country is never dead so long as it has an art. Austria is a proof of this maxim. Its liveliness since the war is liveliness which has displayed itself in the arts to a remarkable extent : it deserves the world's admiration and respect.
Pharmaceutical Ad Design by Hans Jürgen Rau
  • Design Archive Feature

The Design and Photography of Hans Jürgen Rau by Hans Kuh, 1962

In Rau's case, the combination of graphic design and photo produces a particularly positive result, since he uses the photo not so much as an object of representation but rather as a suggestive means of expression.
Taxilan Adverisment designed by Atelier Theo Häussler
  • Design Archive Feature

Atelier Theo Häussler – Designing for the Pharmaceutical Industry by Carl Heussner, 1963

Theo Häussler's commercial art is distinguished by its clear and disciplined form and its distinct advertising message.
Scan 143 copy 5
  • Design Archive Feature

Geigy Chemical Corporation, USA. An Example of Integrated Advertising by William B. McDonald

An advertising programme is fully integrated only when its effect is powerful enough to play a major part in determining a corporate image. Geigy advertising is an example of this successful integration.

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What has been said about the styling of advertisements goes for the field of publicity for chemical and pharmaceutical products as well. Whether it is a soporific, an analgetic or a protein remedy for defects of malnutrition - nearly without a single word, the efficiency of the product in question is symbolically characterized in the composition and the choice of colours equally to the point, on the covers of these prospectuses. Suppositions for such achievements are the highest level and a freedom of artistic means which our businessmen, when employing commercial artists, are only too seldom ready to grant. Designs Matthew Leibowitz
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Advertising Pharmaceuticals, A Comparison of German and American Advertising in 1950

As a chemist, I have an obligation to be curious – I grab a stack of our chemical journals and start with the advertising section. I start it, the walk through the sand. I don’t want to deny some oases. But soon I’m bored and tired.
Kew Gardens Poster deisgned by George Plante
  • Design Archive Feature

The Aims of Young Designers: George Plante, 1934

“They’ll never stand for that” and “It’s too modern” are, as George Plante aptly puts it, the restraintive thoughts which beset a commercial artist who tries to let himself go.
Front and back pages of the cover of a catalogue designed for Brann of Zürich by Ch. Vohdin
  • Design Archive Feature

Advertising the German Store by Jan Tschichold illustrated with design by Brann, 1931

An article by Jan Tschichold illustrated with examples of publicity produced by Brann of Zürich.
Analysis of Paris Poster Hoardings - Photograph by Maywald, Paris
  • Design Archive Feature, Design Outlook

A 1938 Analysis of Paris Poster Hoardings by Dr. E. G. Paulus

The Paris Poster Hoardings of 1938. Posters gleam forth accentuating the melody of this city as they direct the eye to articles of everyday use and above all to people who are the talk of the hour.
Publicity for Higher Education in the USA by J. J. De Lucio-Meyer
  • Design Outlook

Publicity for Higher Education in the USA by J. J. De Lucio-Meyer

The first American university to accept graphic designers as members of the faculty was the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, called M. I. T, for short. The work created by the design group reflects the high level of instruction, the realistic setting of the training and the progressive philosophy of this institute.

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Typografia, ročník 61, 01. Cover design by Oldřich Hlavsa.
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Oldřich Hlavsa and his design for Typografia magazine

Oldřich Hlavsa worked primarily in publication design and typography and played a major part in Czech graphic design history. He designed over 2000 book covers and published a series of his own books related to typography.

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max-huber
  • Designer Profile, Members Only Content

Max Huber

Max Huber worked across advertising, packaging, design and industrial design. He had a distinctive style that skillfully blended bright hues with photomontage.

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Interiors, February 1969. Cover design by Harper & George
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

The Mid Century Cover Designs of Interiors Magazine

Interiors was an American magazine published by Whitney Publications, New York and ran from 1940. Before being relaunched as Interiors, the magazine was originally called The Upholsterer which ran from 1888 until 1940.

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Olivetti, advertisement, 1962. Designed by Walter Ballmer. Found on the back of Graphis 115, 1964
  • Design Archive Feature, Design Inspiration, Members Only Content

Walter Ballmer’s Mid-Century Italian Graphic Design

Walter Ballmer was a Swiss graphic designer born in Liestal, Switzerland in 1923. He worked across various design disciplines including advertising design, packaging, typography and exhibition design.

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Publimondial 75, 1956. Cover design by Guy Georget
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The Illustrative Covers of French Journal, Publimondial

Publimondial was founded André Roulleaux in 1942 and remained in circulation until 1960. The French journal was published by Art et Publications and was subtitled ‘The Magazine of Graphic Arts and Advertising Technique’.

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Greeting Cards designed by Stephan Kantscheff. Scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik, 2, 1958
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Stephan Kantscheff (Kanschev) – A Bulgarian Master of Illustration

Stephan Kantscheff (Stephan Kanschev) was a Bulgarian artist born in Kaefer, Todental. His colourful palette and joyous, folk-esque illustrations won him many commissions and his work was celebrated for both its quality and social significance.

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karl-oskar-blase-design-graphic
  • Designer Profile, Members Only Content

Karl Oskar Blase

Karl Oskar Blase was born in 1925 in Cologne, Germany. He was a prolific painter, designer, sculptor and exhibition curator. His work included magazine covers, for publications such as Form and Gebrauchsgraphik, stamp designs for the German Postal Service and film posters for companies such as Atlas Films.
Radici, Graphic Design from Hypertextuality to Hyperknowledge (Radici, La Grafica dall’Ipertestualità all’Iperconoscenza), 2021.
  • Designer Interview

Katia Pecoraro: The dualism between system and freedom, design and life.

"Talking about myself as a designer is something that requires a powerful dialogue with my life experiences. In a radical way, I apply an exercise in which design forms become projections of life, extensions of meaning that constantly involve senses."

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Gebrauchsgraphik, 5, 1961 copy 3
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

The selected poster designs for the Swiss Posters of 1960 award

The Best Swiss Posters Award was an annual competition, judged by a Swiss Jury. They selected a range of posters, showcasing a range of poster styles from completely typographic designs such as the work of Robert Büchler, to the illustrated posters of Donald Brun.

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Unimark International and the visual identity of South-African manufacturer, DEFY.
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Unimark International and the visual identity of South-African manufacturer, DEFY.

The identity manual consisted of 130 pages of information and brand usage with Arie J. Geurts heading up the project as design director, (who later headed up his own design studio in Los Angeles). The identity uses minimal colour and focuses on a consistent brand blue in all communications.

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pintori-olivetti
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Giovanni Pintori and his definitive visual language for Olivetti

Giovanni began his work with Olivetti in March 1938, and his work was showcased in various exhibitions and had a clear distinctive style that amplified the Olivetti brand image. His design defined the company’s visual image, and the iconic geometric designs are still as powerful and engaging today as they were in the 1950s.

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Otl Aicher - The Waters of Badgastein Poster
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

The Publicity Design for Gastein Valley by Otl Aicher

One of Otl Aicher's lesser-known works was the identity and publicity for the Gastein Valley. Gastein valley was a resort for the elderly, an Austrian Alpine village in the Austrian state of Salzburg

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IBM, Federal Systems Division Brochure designed by Arthur Boden
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

The Mid Century Graphic Design of IBM

Many designers played an important role in IBM's graphic identity and implementation including Arthur Boden, Clarence Lee, Charles Keddie and Mary Beresford.

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Juan Carlos Distefano, Ruben Fontana and Carlos Soler, Poster, 1969
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Further examples of the collaboration of Juan Carlos Distéfano, Ruben Fontana and Carlos Soler

In my previous article about the design work produced for Insituto di Tella, I touched upon the artists Juan Carlos Distéfano, Ruben Fontana and Juan Andralis. After further research, I found a suite of other designs they had produced, including exhibition posters, concert programmes and record sleeves.

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Wolfgang Bäumer, Singular Graphic Composition, the advertisements of the Klöckner-Werke AG
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Wolfgang Bäumer, Singular Graphic Composition, the advertisements of the Klöckner-Werke AG

Bäumer gave the company a unique brand image amplifying its graphical image after a time of post-war economic recovery. This style of advertising composition can be seen across many 1960s campaigns, especially from other German designers such as Anton Stankowski.

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Juan Carlos Distefano, Exhibition Catalogue
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Juan Carlos Distefano and the Design and Publicity for the Instituto di Tella, Buenos Aires

Jean Carlos Distefano is an Argentinian artist, designer and teacher. He designed a range of posters, programmes brochures and book covers alongside Juan Andralis, Humberto Rivas and Roberto Alvarado for the Instituto di Tella, Buenos Aires.

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Scan 482 copy
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Posters and Publicity by Ken Briggs and Ian McLaren

Ian McLaren and Ken Briggs produced exceptional work for a range of clients in the arts and culture sector. Their client included CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament), The National Theatre and the Arts Council.

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Posters for the Shell Service Stations by Frank Eidlitz
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Arrows of Advertising – An Australian Shell Poster Campaign designed by Frank Eidlitz

A total of 24 posters were created for the campaign during 1964, using the arrow symbol as a key features, representing power, motion and speed. The handmade lithographs use up to 19 colours, which were individually printed at large scale. The posters also utilise the brand colours red and yellow from Shells corporate identity.
Rudolph de Harak - Rational-Simplicity
  • Design Books

Rational Simplicity, the first major monograph of Rudolph de Harak by Richard Poulin

"Rudy is one of the unsung pioneers of American mid-century modernist graphic design. He had a unique and definitive point of view that was really never celebrated. This may have been attributed to his strict adherence to the formal principles of modernism and the International Typographic Style."
Graphic Design History Workshop
  • Workshops and Lectures

Inspiring students from Leeds Beckett University

Last month (March 2022), I spoke to over fifty Graphic Design undergraduates about the archive and my passion for design history, after which the students had full access to items in the collection and participated in discourse amongst their peers and lecturers. As part of their critical studies unit, the students will be producing essays and content related to the impact, history and aesthetics of selected artefacts.
On_Bramante_PR
  • Design Books

A new interpretation of the work of Bramante, suggesting an agenda for contemporary architectural practice.

A new interpretation of the work of Bramante, suggesting an agenda for contemporary architectural practice.
Slanted-Publishers-American-Bauhaus-Kickstarter-Mockups_01
  • Design Books

American Bauhaus – Enriching the legacy of Black Mountain College

Support American Bauhaus on Kickstarter to pre-finance the project and its production: www.kickstarter.com/projects/908813786/american-bauhaus
Martin Lorenz
  • Designer Interview

Designers and Books Series – Martin Lorenz

Marin Lorenz has had an amazing career, designing for clients such as ESPN and Nike, teaching at some of Europe's leading design schools and publishing books, such as Flexible Visual Sytems, documenting his research and approach to design practice.
12-Flexible-Visual-System-Martin-Lorenz
  • Design Books

Flexible Visual Systems By Dr. Martin Lorenz

Flexible Visual Systems is the design manual for contemporary visual identities. It teaches you a variety of approaches on how to design flexible systems, adjustable to any aesthetic or project in need of an identifiable visual language.
Cubansk Filmuge 1982 Artist: Reboiro, 1982 50,5x76 cm
  • Design Inspiration

The Danish Film Institute’s collection of Cuban Film Posters

The Cuban film poster conveys the spirit and ideals of the Cuban revolution. A time of political change, an uprising that ended the brutal dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. The Danish Film Institute have a collection of Cuban Film Posters from the past 50 years.
Parallel Public Experimental Art in Late East Germany By Sara Blaylock
  • Design Books

Parallel Public – Experimental Art in Late East Germany By Sara Blaylock

Parallel Public is a new publication by Sara Blaylock, published by MIT Press. The book documents the East German artists pioneering work that made their country’s experimental art scene a form of (counter) public life.
Mark_Bloom_landscape copy
  • Designer Interview

Designers and Books Series – Mark Bloom

Mark Bloom has designs for globally recognised brands, produces some of the finest, most accessible modern typefaces and heads up Mash Creative and CoType Foundry. His type foundry has always been a port of call for our studio's brand projects and he continues to develop these, each with a fantastic print specimen.
Triest_Verlag_Repros_2020
  • Designer Interview

Publishers and Books Series – Triest Verlag

Triest Verlag für Architektur, Design und Typografie are a Swiss independent publisher producing specialist design books in the realms of typography, graphic design and architecture. Their books provide valuable insights and the print production is of exceptional quality. I interviewed the founders, to find out more about their books.
Yusaku Kamekura Poster Exhibition
  • Designer Interview

Publishers and Books Series – Counter-Print

I have long been a fan of Counter-Print, as a student, I would order their newsprint publications, peruse their Flickr albums and now, over a decade later I still buy their latest releases and their site provides our staff with great giftse throughout the year. I interviewed one of the founders, Jon Dowling to find out more about setting up Counter-Print, their favourite books and which publishers inspire them.

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The design work of Olle Eksell
  • Designer Profile, Members Only Content

Olle Eksell

Olle Eksell is well known for his advertising illustration, book jackets and playful packaging design. He first studied engineering and later decided to become a graphic artist. He began his career as a window decorator in 1935, and studied under Hugo Steiner between 1939 and 1941.
mlfineart-matteolampertico-franco-grignani-dissociazione-al-bordo-n.-145-1967 copy
  • Designer Interview

My Grandfather Franco Grignani, with Emiliano Grignani

Emiliano Grignani is the grandson of Franco Grignani, one of the most versatile and influential Italian designers. Well-known for his advertising, painting and the way he could visualise motion in such a unique way. I interviewed Emiliano to find out more about Franco and his influence on graphic design and the great resource, https://www.francogrignani.info.
Untitled-1_0002_Screenshot 2022-02-17 at 14.57.52
  • Design Books

Visual identity and branding at Olivetti published by Triest Verlag

I have always loved the design work created for Olivetti. The colourful midcentury designs by Italian designer Giovanni Pintori, the minimal typographic poster by Swiss designer Walter Ballmer and my personal favourite the 1959 poster for Olivetti designed by Herbert Bayer. I recently found out Triest Verlag released a new book, Visual identity and branding at Olivetti which contains further work by Xanti Schawinsky, Renato Zveteremich, Ettore Sottsass, Hans von Klier, Egidio Bonfante and Walter Ballmer.
Elizabeth Resnick_studio book collection_7
  • Designer Interview

Designers and Books Series – Elizabeth Resnick

Elizabeth Resnick is a Professor Emerita, former chairperson of the Graphic Design Department, and current part-time faculty at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston, Massachusetts, since 1977. She ran her own independent Boston design studio from 1973 to 1996, working with many high-profile clients and is a passionate design curator who has organized seven comprehensive design exhibitions. I interviewed Elizabeth about her journey in the field, her early influences and some of the many items in her collection.
IMG20220210120614
  • Designer Interview

Designers and Books Series – Sébastien Hayez

I have been reproached for this, and I will surely be reproached again. I have also been reproached for reading more and more obscure works whose readership must be limited to a handful of specialists and a few hobbyists like myself. It’s a heavy passion or a passion that sucks.

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Omnibus 9, University of Braunschweig, 1964. Designed by Udo Zisowsky in collaboration with Peter Riefenstahl, Manfred Bremeler, Ralf Dierig
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

The Advertising and Design of Omnibus – The University of Braunschweig’s 1960s Publication

Omnibus was Published by the journalism working group of the Technical University of Braunschweig. A square publication measuring 290mm. The publication included features on politics, arts and culture. With advertisements carefully selected to be in keeping with the visual aesthetic. Content also included exhibition information and a fine example of concrete poetry, among artists such as Schröder-Sonnenstern and Sine Hansen.
DOT Volume 3 Swissair
  • Design Books

Direction of Travel, an inspirational newspaper by Christian Nolle

Direction of Travel is a project by Christian Nolle, a half Danish/half German London based artist and map collector. He has spent decades creating work, often in photographic form, that looks at the interplay between aviation, politics and the cities we live in. Christian is also the Founder and Head of Good Caesar, a design and technology studio.
Design after Capitalism Transforming Design Today for an Equitable Tomorrow By Matthew Wizinsky
  • Design Books

Design after Capitalism: Transforming Design Today for an Equitable

How design can transcend the logics, structures, and subjectivities of capitalism: a framework, theoretical grounding, and practical principles. A new book published by MIT Press written by Matthew Wizinsky.

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Trademarks of the World, Yusaku Kamekura, 1958
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Paul Rand on Japanese Trademark Design

Paul Rand, one of the most acclaimed American designers is known for his iconic corporate identities, playful illustration and commercial art. Paul wrote the preface for Yusaku Kamakura's book, Trademarks of the World, 1958. He states his influence of Japanese art and design, trademarks as a universal language and his struggles with English grammar.

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Scan 415
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Manifestos on Kinetic Art

Kinetic art refers to art the depends on movement for its desired effect and is closely related to op art. Upon scanning a few of the inner inserts from the Kinetics exhibition catalogue from the Hayward Gallery, London, 1970, I came across these five small manifestos on kinetic art.
To Have and To Hold: A visual collection of paper bag ephemera from a bygone era.
  • Design Books

To Have and To Hold: A visual collection of paper bag ephemera from a bygone era

To Have and To Hold, contains hundreds of bag designs collected during over half a century. The book is a must-buy for anyone interested in ephemera, the history of design or British high street history.

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Graphis Magazine - Graphic Design History
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Graphis – An inspiring magazine from cover to cover

Graphis is one of the industries most long-standing magazines. It was first published in 1944 and founded by Walter Herdeg and Walter Amstutz in Zurich, Switzerland. It was released bimonthly and was trilingual, with articles in English, French and German.

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Theo Crosby and Architectural Design Magazine
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Theo Crosby and Architectural Design Magazine

Theo Crosby was born in South Africa in 1925 and moved to Britain in the late 1940s. He was a highly skilled designer, architect and sculptor. He became the technical editor of Architectural Design magazine in 1953 and remained in the post for almost a decade. The large format magazines feature an array of content including information on buildings, materials and architectural plans.
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  • Designer Profile

Ken Garland

Ken was born in 1929, in Southampton and grew up in a small market town in North Devon. He was a principled man, with strong values and views against the hyper-consumerism we live with today. Ken studied at the London Central School of Arts and Crafts in the 1950s and was taught by Herbert Spencer, Anthony Froshaug and Jesse Collins. Whilst at the School he studied alongside designers Ken Briggs, Alan Fletcher and Colin Forbes.
Outdoor Recreation Archive
  • Designer Interview

The Outdoor Recreation Archive

The Utah State University (USU) houses a vast collection of Outdoor Recreation Catalogues and magazines, You can browse and search records of more than 8,000 catalogues and magazines from over 500 companies, including manufacturers like Lowe Alpine and Sierra Designs to retailers like Eastern Mountain Sports and REI.
Harriet and Sylwia, Projekt26
  • Designer Interview

Projekt 26. An online store dedicated to vintage Polish posters

Projekt 26 is a fantastic online store dedicated to vintage Polish posters, as well as operating online, both Harriet and Sylwia also run poster markets, social accounts full of the vibrant works and have a radiating passion and knowledge of the subject.
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  • Designer Interview

Rob Walker (Signs by Umberto)- Precision, Craft and the Love of Letters

I have known Rob for over a decade and I have been a huge admirer of his work. He specialises in reverse gilded glass sign making, typographic murals and traditional sign-writing.

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Design, Council of Industrial Design, 91, July 1956. Cover design by Ken Garland
  • Design Archive Feature

Ken Garland and the Industrial Magazine, Design

Before setting up Ken Garland & Associates in Camden, London, Ken was art editor of Design magazine in 1956. The magazine was published by the Council of Industrial Design, which was set up in 1944 with the prime focus of supporting Britains economic recovery.

Members Content

and-so-to-the-Needlework-Development-Scheme
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

And So…the Needlework Development Scheme

Both the And So To Embroider & And So to Sew bulletins were published by the Needlework Development Scheme. Established in 1934 and operating until 1961, the scheme was a partnership between educational establishments (Scottish art schools, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow) and industry.
Ghost-Signs-A-London-Story-Cover-banner-1
  • Design Books

Ghost Signs: A London Story

The most comprehensive account of ghost signs ever published, focusing on London’s hand-painted relics of advertising past

Members Content

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  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Industrial Design Magazine – American Modernist Inspiration

Industrial design was an American design magazine featuring furniture, ceramics, housewares, appliances, automobiles, buildings, radios, projectors, televisions, and many other objects designed for the postwar middle class. First published in the 1950s by Charles Whitney with Alvin Lustig as art director.
Gallery-wall-2
  • Events

London – New vintage poster fair ‘Projekt Mkt’ brings soulful sustainability to the affordable art market

The UK’s first vintage poster market is to launch as a 3-day pop-up at the Copeland Gallery in Peckham 14-16 May. Entry is free.
design-book-recommendations-copy-1
  • Design Books

Graphic Design Books for Students Part 1

From time to time members of the Graphic Design History group and others have asked for a number of recommendations for books related to design history, theory and specific areas of graphic design. This is the first of a series of articles from educators, designers and archivists featuring book recommendations and resources.
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  • Designer Interview

Simon Dixon: Influences, Technology and Creating Work You Love

Simon Dixon is the co-founder of DixonBaxi and has been at the forefront of exceptional design from the start of his carreer. This year, DixonBaxi, celebrated twenty years in business, and their team of forty work with clients such as WWE, MAX, Premier League, Channel 4 and Netflix.
a-history-arab-graphic-design_0008_Background copy
  • Design Books

Documenting a Century of Design Inspiration – a History of Arab Graphic Design

Both educators have a keen interest in multiscriptual design, Arabic type design, and graphic design and recently released A History of Arab Graphic Design. I contacted Bahia and Haythem to find out more.

Members Content

Jazz Journal, 8, 1966. Cover design by Cal Swann
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Jazz Journal. Britain’s longest enduring jazz magazine.

Jazz Journal was first published in 1946 by Sinclair Traill, who also had some of his photographs used on the covers. The magazine is now online but remained in print for several decades, as Britain's longest enduring jazz magazine.
THE IBM POSTER PROGRAM VISUAL MEMORANDA Robert Finkel and Shea Tillman
  • Design Books

The IBM Poster Program: Visual Memoranda

In the late 1960s, IBM was one of the world’s pre-eminent corporations, employing over 250,000 people in 100 countries. While Paul Rand’s creative genius has been well documented, the work of the IBM staff designers who executed his intent outlined in the IBM Design Guide has often gone unnoticed.
The Complete Film Posters of Hans Hillmann
  • Design Books

Moving Pictures – The complete film posters of Hans Hillmann

This book shows, for the first time, all of Hans Hillmann’s film posters. Unpublished sketches and drafts from his estate along with commentary from conversations and interviews provide an insight into the creative process of the award-winning designer.
Online Archive - Hans Hillmann
  • Design Inspiration

Rediscover Hans Hillmann digitally

A new online archive makes the complete works of the famous graphic designer accessible
hilately · Bicycle Lane System · Martín Azambuja · 2019.
  • Design Inspiration, Designer Interview

Gabriel Amijai Benderski Perez and the Uruguayan Graphic Design Archive

Gabriel sent me a link to his amazing Uruguayan Graphic Design Archive when I launched Design Reviewed. The content was so amazing, I ended up spending a good hour looking through the content and it has definitely made it to my bookmarks.
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  • Design Books

Volume launches the first major retrospective of American graphic design polymath and mid-century modernist master, Rudolph de Harak

In the ambitious new monograph Rational Simplicity: Rudolph de Harak, Graphic Designer, Volume shines a light on the complete arc of the exceptionally rich and varied career of Rudolph de Harak, showcasing his vibrant, graphic, formally brilliant work, which blazed a colourful trail through the middle decades of the twentieth century.

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Artefacts designed by Ken Garland
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Ken Garland and Galt Toys

I first came across Kens work in the Unit Edition’s superb monograph, Structure and Substance, published in 2012. Although I had owned a few of the British industrial design magazines, Design, for a few years before, in which Ken had designed numerous covers for.

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  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Ken Briggs and his iconic designs for the National Theatre

The typographic designs produced for the National Theatre by Ken Briggs are not only iconic and depict the Swiss typographic style of the time, but remain a key example of the creation of a cohesive brand style.

Members Content

Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 opus 35 & No. 2 opus 102. Record 2 Rudolph de Harak.
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content, Music Artwork

Rudolph de Harak and Westminster Records

Rudolph de Harak designed over 50 record covers for Westminster Records as well as designing covers for Columbia, Oxford and Circle record labels. His bright, geometric graphics can easily be distinguished and recognised.

Artefacts Featuring the Work of Hans Kuhn

Graphic Designers in the USA, Volume 2, 1971
From the design archive:

Graphic Designers in the USA, Volume 2, 1971

  • Format: Book
  • Year: 1971
View Artefact
Perspektiven, Literatur, Kunst, Musik, 12, 1955. Cover design by Rudolph de Harak
From the design archive:

Perspektiven, Literatur, Kunst, Musik, 12, 1955

  • Format: Book
  • Designer/s: Rudolph de Harak
  • Year: 1955
View Artefact
Perspektiven, Literatur, Kunst, Musik, 7, 1953. Cover design by Rudolph de Harak
From the design archive:

Perspektiven, Literatur, Kunst, Musik, 7, 1953

  • Format: Book
  • Designer/s: Rudolph de Harak
  • Year: 1953
View Artefact
Graphis 70, 1957. Cover design by Rudolph de Harak
From the design archive:

Graphis 70, 1957

  • Format: Magazine
  • Designer/s: Rudolph de Harak
  • Year: 1957
View Artefact
Holiday Magazine, July, 1963 designed by Rudolph de Harak
From the design archive:

Holiday Magazine, July, 1963

  • Format: Magazine
  • Designer/s: Rudolph de Harak
  • Year: 1963
View Artefact
Print: America's Graphic Design Magazine - May/June 1961 designed by Rudolph de Harak
From the design archive:

Print: America’s Graphic Design Magazine – May/June 1961

  • Format: Magazine
  • Designer/s: Rudolph de Harak
  • Year: 1961
View Artefact
Dance Magazine 1, 1959 designed by Rudolph de Harak
From the design archive:

Dance Magazine 1, 1959

  • Format: Magazine
  • Designer/s: Rudolph de Harak
  • Year: 1959
View Artefact
Nothing but percussion, Westminster records Design by Rudolph de Harak
From the design archive:

Nothing but percussion

  • Format: Record sleeve
  • Designer/s: Rudolph de Harak
  • Year: 1961
View Artefact
VivaldiGloria-Westminster-records-Design-by-Rudolph-de-Harak--2048x2048 copy
From the design archive:

Vivaldi/Gloria

  • Format: Record Sleeve
  • Designer/s: Rudolph de Harak
  • Year: 1963
View Artefact
Hermann Scherchen conducts Trumpet Concerti Haydn / Vivaldi Handel / Torelli designed by Rudolph de Harak
From the design archive:

Hermann Scherchen conducts Trumpet Concerti Haydn / Vivaldi Handel / Torelli

  • Format: Record Sleeve
  • Designer/s: Rudolph de Harak
  • Year: 1961
View Artefact
Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 opus 35 & No. 2 opus 102. Record 2 Rudolph de Harak.
From the design archive:

Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 opus 35 & No. 2 opus 102.

  • Format: Record Sleeve
  • Designer/s: Rudolph de Harak
  • Year: 1961
View Artefact

More from Design Reviewed

Members Content

Drukkersweekblad en Autolijn Kerstnummer 1952, 1952 Jan Bons
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Drukkersweekblad en Autolijn: Compiling Dutch Design History

Each year, leading Dutch artists were commissioned to design the covers and inner pages of Drukkersweekblad en Autolijn. Including designers included Dick Elffers, Willem Sandberg, Jan van Toorn, Wim Crouwel, and Jurriaan Schrofer. The journal documented important design trends and developments in The Netherlands.

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9 jaar Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, 1945-54 designed by Willem Sandberg
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Willem Sandberg – Life and Legacy

This 1,500 word essay is about the life and work of Willem Sandberg and is illustrated with part of my collection of over 100 pieces of Sandberg’s work, including books, Stedelijk Museum catalogues, and various individual printed items.

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Sketches by Jan Slothouber and William Graatsmas for the Cubic Children’s Stamps of 1970. Scanned from nederlandse postzegels 1970, Staatsbedrij der PTT, 1970
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Jan Slothouber and William Graatsma’s Cubic Children’s Stamps of 1970.

The stamps for the 1970 editions were designed by Jan Slothouber and William Graatsma in collaboration with the Centre for Cubic Constructions (CCC) in Heerlen.  Every stamp displays a different corner point of the same block, highlighting eight distinct corner points, with four chosen for their unique identities.