The New York School

As I have already tackled in the previous blog, when Europeans moved to America in order to escape political totalitarianism, they brought along the avant-garde style with them.  Americans were influenced by these worked and added to their principles creating a new approach to American design.  This new approach was less formal when it comes to organizing space.  Perhaps the most influential American Designers that worked during that time were Paul Rand and Saul Bass.

Paul Rand

Saul Bass

Paul Rand Cover for Direction
Magazine

Paul Rand was one of the first graphic designers that utilized this American approach to modern design.  Rand was very much influenced by Klee, Kandinsky the cubists, as well as Moholy Nagy’s book ‘The New Vision’. His work was very clear, legible and without excessive decoration which reflected the modern Tschichold legacy. Furthermore, Rand disregarded traditional narrative illustrator and substituted symmetrical layouts with asymmetrical ones. A genius in finding new and innovative ways in order to make use of different visual forms such as space; shape, value, colour, line. He is also known as the designer of lyrical beauty. His works were mostly logos and trade mark. In the direction magazine cover, Rand put across an image of a Christmas gift enfolded with barbed wire with a small card at the side with the words ‘Merry Christmas’ written on itby hand which contrasts greatly with the mechanical stencil lettering of the logo. Contrasting the white in the background, there are dots in red which may represent splattered blood.  Rand was well aware of the power of symbols and signs and so he utilized them in his work in order to visually put across a message to the viewers. In this cover he is reminding the viewers of the spread of global war. The colors used reflect the influence of constructivism – red. It is a very interesting and intelligent design. Paul Rand has inspired many contemporary designers including Henry Steiner which was also his student. 

Left: Original EF logo by Paul Rand
Right: New logo by Henry Steiner (2007)

Saul Bass brought the principles of the New York School to Los Angeles. Paul Rand`s work very much influenced Saul Bass especially the use of shape and asymmetrical layouts, however, Bass used a single dominant image set in space. In his work, Bass often cut out irregular shapes with a scissors or painted with a brush. Letterforms were freely drawn which was combined with handwriting and typography.   Saul Bass`s title sequences and promotional pieces for films are perhaps the most well known works produced. The first design that combined media graphics and print for film was for ‘The Man with the Golden arm’.  The movie was about drug addiction which is represented as bold pictorial arm which is forming a rectangle. There is a great use of flat block of colours. This poster was very innovative at that time and it is still interesting to see today. The title sequence was also very innovative. After a white bar moves across the screen three more bars follow. When all four are in centre part of the screen, typography with the names of the performance appears. Had it not been for Saul Bass, title sequences would have not been as they are today. Bass also produced corporate Identity logos for companies such as the United airlines, Quaker Oats and Warner communications.

The man with the golden arm
movie poster

The man with the golden arm title sequence

Greenday 'American Idiot
album cover (2004)

Bass has inspired many other contemporary artists including Chris Bilheimer, the person who had created the album cover for ‘American Idiot’ by Greenday. When one looks at the cover one can immediately notice Saul Bass`s influence. In addition he has also inspired people like Leo Burnett that has created works for a blood donation campaign in the same style as Bass.

Work By Leo Burnett

Work by Leo Burnett

I have found these works quite astonishing and captivating. I also found it facilitating the extent to which these artist still influence others today. I very much like the flatness in Saul Bass`s work and how he plays around with geometrical shapes. I also loved the way these artist use space.
References:

Philip B. Meggs, 2011. Meggs' History of Graphic Design. 5 Edition. Wiley.