Milton Glaser (age 86)

Milton Glaser is known as one of the most influential and acclaimed graphic designers in the United States. Starting his study of art at a young age, he was educated at the High School of Music and Art and the Cooper Union Art School in New York. After his education, his list of accomplishments has been flourishing. He co-founded the graphic design firm Pushpin Studios in 1954, founded New York Magazine in 1968, established Milton Glaser, Inc. in 1974, and formed the publication design firm WBMG in 1983. Aside from his hobby in forming businesses, Milton’s art has been featured in exhibits all around the world.

One of Glaser’s most influential pieces of work was his psychedelic poster of Bob Dylan for Dylan’s album in 1966. Six million or more of his Bob Dylan posters were distributed with Dylan’s album. Glaser’s design was so beloved that the poster is now a collectible item that sells for hundreds of dollars. Many of Milton Glaser’s designs have personally impacted me, whether it is the logo for the Franklin Mills Mall that I go to, or the logo for Barron’s, a line of textbooks that I buy for school.

This is the logo for the Franklin Mills Mall that i go to frequently. It is amazing knowing that such a huge part of my daily life is influenced by Glaser.     Citation: Milton Glaser, Franklin Mills, http://www.miltonglaser.com   

He also designed the logo for New York Magazine, Esquire Magazine, the logo for the show Mad Men, and the “I Love NY” logo. All of these designs are pieces of art that I encounter on a daily basis. It is fascinating knowing that the culture around my everyday life has been greatly influenced by Milton Glaser. It gives me great optimism by seeing those logos everyday because it makes me feel as though I could be the next great designer when I grow up.

This is logo is an iconic logo throughout the entire world and is plastered on all types of merchandise.
Citation: Milton Glaser, I Lover NY Campaign, http://www.miltonglaser.com

I have a passion for graphic design because I love creating something that makes the world seem simpler. Milton Glaser has a very similar outlook on art: “Drawing can be considered a form of meditation. Meditation involves looking at the world without judgment and allowing what is in front of us to become understandable. Art, in fact, may be the best way we have to experience truth or what is real” (Milton 11). Glaser’s words are the words to always remember when one is designing. Like meditation, creating understandable artwork will bring peace and relief to the viewer, which will create success within the design. Milton has lived by this outlook on art, and has therefore become incredibly successful.

Sources:

http://www.miltonglaser.com

Glaser, Milton. Drawing Is Thinking. Woodstock, NY: Overlook, 2008. Print.

Oloizia, Jeff. “Milton Glaser’s Legacy.” NY Times. N.p., 27 Mar. 2015. Web. 27 July 2015. <http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/27/milton-glaser-by-the-numbers/&gt;.

Winsor McCay

Winsor McCay influenced the world in many ways and was even acknowledged by Walt Disney. However McCay started small; he began as a talented young man who studied art in Michigan. He began to develop the skills needed to succeed in the art world and by 1891 moved to Cincinnati to began his career as an artist. McCay had an amazing ability to draw at an abnormally fast pace. It perplexes me how he was able to depict at such a quick rate, but the public loved it. This led to his practice being publicly displayed and McCay gained an astonishing amount of popularity. His publicity resulted in countless magazines swarming in from all over the country to hire him as an illustrator.

McCay’s career as an illustrator really took off and led to the creation of many renowned comic strips at the time. His first breakthrough was the comic “Dream of the Rarebit Fiend, first published by the New York Evening Telegram in 1904″(Canemaker 11). This comic depicted the surrealistic dreams of an adult that exist in a mundane setting. McCay soon became a household name and I really admire his recognition at the time, especially because his art was still a novel concept. McCay’s success grew even more just a year later when he published the comic Little Nemo in Slumberland for the New York Harold (Canemaker 11). Similar to his first publication this was also depicted in a dream state however now from the point of view of a young boy named Nemo. The popularity of this work pushed McCay to try something new, which led hime into the film industry.

McCay’s contributions to the film industry vastly effected the majority of animators and was even praised by Walt Disney himself. Winsor McCay moved into a new frontier animating original cartoons and comics. His career led to the creation of a total of six animated films. However his most famous one Gertie the Dinosaur was the first animation to include dynamic backgrounds that simultaneously change with the subject. This innovation pushed the limit of animation at the time that allowed companies like Disney to produce the kind of films they are most known for. His impact has influenced many illustrators, including me, but in 1934 Winsor McCay died of a sudden paralysis that spread from his right arm to his face in a matter of days.

most of the information was gathered from Winsor McCay by John Canemaker

images:

a segment from Little Nemo in Slumberland 1905-1925 by Winsor McCay

a segment from Dream of a Rarebit Fiend from 1904-1913 by Winsor McCay

Paul Rand: Great American Graphic Designer (1914-1996)

ABC logo, Paul Rand, 1962
This iconic logo was designed by Paul Rand in 1962. While slightly tweaked, it is still in use today.
Source: http://www.logo designlove.com/all-about-paul-rand

The thing that drew me in most to Paul Rand’s work was his ability to create logos that not only define businesses, but also invoke meaning for everyone that sees them. For example, his original ABC (American Broadcasting Company) logo does more than represent a company; it stands as a recognizable image for all those drawn to the drama of “Grey’s Anatomy”, the humor of “Modern Family”, and the edge-of-your-seat news stories on “20/20”. But his knack for advertising wasn’t the only fascinating thing I discovered about Paul Rand…

Paul Rand is still recognized as one of the best graphic designers of all time, having paved the way for marketing and logo design.
Source: http://www.paul-rand.com/assets/portraits/portrait09.jpg

Along with marketing, he was a whiz in the business of design and editorial communication. It is so cool to me that a single person was behind such distinguishable designs such as the IBM logo and many covers of magazines like Esquire and Portfolio. I am very inspired by Rand’s work. His use of color, shapes, and typography clearly portray messages, but make something as simple as a poster a visually appealing and mesmerizing work of art. His colleague, Allen Hurlburt, described Rand’s paving the way for future design: “Most contemporary designers are aware of Paul Rand’s highly successful and often compelling contributions toadvartising design. What is not well known is the significant role he played in setting the pattern for future approaches to the advertising concept.”

Paul Rand was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1914. Being raised in a strict Orthodox Jewish household, but having an early interest in art, Rand was scolded by his father at a young age to pursue more academic opportunities. Even while following his father’s orders and attending prestigious schools, Rand felt he was not satisfied without art as a major part of life and became, as he said, “self-taught as a designer”. I found this to be very interesting and relatable to myself. Coming from an extended family of hard-working businesspeople, I have often wondered if art is truly a fulfilling path for me. I feel that I can learn a lesson from Paul Rand, however, in believing in myself and working hard to be successful and achieve great results.

IBM poster, Paul Rand, 1962
Paul Rand’s iconic striped-letter logo is still in use today. This IBM poster gives a glimpse into Rand’s whimsical advertising style.
Source: http://www.phaidon.com/agenda/graphic-design/articles/2012/november/13/paul-rands-greatest-hits/

Works Cited:

Nunoo-Quarcoo, Franc. Paul Rand: Modernist Design. Baltimore, MD: Center for Art and Visual Culture, U of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2003. Print.

“Paul-Rand.com.” Biography. N.p., 11 Apr. 2007. Web. 26 July 2015.

Welcome!

This blog is a space for students to share their research and thoughts on various influential designers and illustrators. Enjoy!