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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.

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More graphic design articles

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FILM Quarterly, 05, 1970. Cover design by Kiyoshi Awazu
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Kiyoshi Awazu. Japanese Graphic Designer | 1929 – 2009

Kiyoshi Awazu (粟津) was a renowned Japanese graphic designer, known for his contributions across various creative fields including poster design, architecture, set design, filmmaking, and illustration. His unique style was commissioned by theatre groups, design and architecture magazines and various organisations for the covers of book covers and posters.

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Design (Japan), 61, 1964. Cover design by Kohei Sugiura
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Kohei Sugiura. Japanese Graphic Designer | 1932

Kohei Sugiura’s work spans an impressive range of mediums, including record jackets, publication covers, posters, exhibition catalogues, and stamps. He perfectly merged functionality and data visualisation with aesthetics. Drawing on his background in architecture, Sugiura applied a systematic, programmatic methodology to graphic design, similar to the approach of Swiss designer Karl Gerstner. 
Typografische Monatsblätter, 04, 1961. Cover design by Emil Ruder
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Swiss Design Principles Today

A short free-to-access feature on Swiss Design. The movement was influenced by Bauhaus and De Stijl, sought clarity and visual unity, making it a powerful force in global graphic design that remains influential today.

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Drawings for rhymes by Annie MG Schmidt, Netherlands Stamps, 1967. Designed by Wim Bijmoer
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A Visual History of the Netherlands Children’s Charity Stamps (Kinderpostzegels)

In December 1924, the Netherlands introduced children's stamps (Kinderzegels). Over the years, these stamps have featured designs by some of the most prominent Dutch designers, including Gerard Kiljan, P. Koch, Gerrit Noordzij, Otto Treuman, Robert Deodaat Emile ‘Ootje’ Oxenaar, Dick Bruna, Jan van Toorn, and Karel Martens.

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Playing Cards, Takenobu Igarashi, Museum of Modern Art, 1993
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Takenobu Igarashi. Japanese Graphic Designer | 1944

Takenobu Igarashi was born in 1944 in Tokyo and is best known for his typographic work as both a sculptor and designer. His work in over 30 permanent museum collections and continues to inspire designers today.

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Wayfinding - Olympics/Montreal Olympic Games Organising Committee. Art Direction - Georges Halle/Pierre Yves Berthier. Design - Pierre Fontaine/Raymond Bellemare 1976 Scanned from Graphic Elements of the World Vol 3, Kashiwa Art Publishing, 1984
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Navigating Public Spaces and the Principles of Good Design

Just like people, cities are complex systems. Planners and designers play a key role in making them function smoothly through well-designed signage systems and visual identities. These elements must not clutter the environment but instead serve to inform, direct, and warn the public effectively.  

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spoorboekje 1985-1986, Nederlandse Spoorwegen, 1985 Designed by Tel Design
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Network Maps and Timetable Design: Navigating the Complex Cityscape

Notes on transit and network map design, including the iconic London Underground map by Harry Beck, the importance of visual clarity, and the role of accessible design in timetable design.

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Postmodernism - Wet Magazine, Vol 4 Issue 2, 1979. Designed by April Greiman
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A New Visual Language: From New Wave to Postmodernism in Graphic Design

A 1,500 essay on the transformative era of graphic design from the 1970s to the 1990s. Moving beyond the constraints of modernism, designers like Wolfgang Weingart and April Greiman redefined visual communication through bold experimentation with type, colour, and early computer graphics. This essay highlights how postmodernism and New Wave design introduced complexity, individuality, and digital innovation in to graphic design.