THE WPA

Background America in the midst of the Great Depression FDR’s New Deal Administration institutes work relief programs Works Progress Administration (WPA) creates jobs for citizens displaced from employment in every sector of the work force Artists were never considered “necessary” to the work force but welcomed the opportunity

WPA/FAP Work Progess Administration’s Federal Arts Program (WPA/FAP) Established 1935 Operated as the main employer of the nation’s artists Exists in all 48 states by 1938

WPA/FAP Poster Unit Originates in New York (as did most of the Federal Arts Projects) Begins with hand-drawn, “one-of-a-kind” posters Anthony Velonis introduces silk-screening process to the department The department distributes instructions to FAP art teachers and Poster Units

WPA/FAP Poster Unit Poster Unit artists were keenly aware of developments and trends in the fine arts and commercial design Often the work was stylistically ahead of commercial design firms, freely using abstract expressionism, constructivism and Bauhaus- influenced concepts of design Open and creative environment allows for experimentation and innovation

WPA/FAP Poster Unit In 1942, WPA arts efforts were transferred to the Department of Defense, then phased out in 1943 Among the artists, Bauhaus alumni Richard Floethe and Herbert Bayer

THE MODERN MOVEMENT IN AMERICA

Background Graphic Design in America during the 20s and 30s dominated by traditional illustration Modern approach slowly gained ground in: –Book design –Editorial design for fashion and business –Promotional corporate graphics

Background Tschichold’s elemtarie typographie was called: –“typographic fireworks” –“typographic revolution” –“insane jugglings of type by a band of crazy, foreign type anarchists” A few American designers understood the ideas and principles and put them into play

Lester Beall ( ) Self-taught designer with a doctorate in art history Contributor to the modern movement in America before the influx of immigrants Brought understanding of European avant-garde art movements, including Constructivism, Dada and Surrealism, to the practice of design

Immigrants to America Migration slow at first, reaches crescendo by the 1930s Brought their design languages with them American experience infuses their work

Harper’s Bazaar Reputation for innovative editorial design Employs the most gifted designers and photographers Overturned conventions in photography, typography and layout

Harper’s Bazaar Erté - exclusive contract from for covers and fashion illustrations Alexey Brodovitch - art director from Henry Wolf - takes over after Brodovitch, until 1961

CCA CCA = Container Corporation of America Founded by Chicago industrialist Walter J. Paepcke Paepcke chose to differentiate company by adopting an enlightening and highly innovative advertising policy which aligned CCA with experimentation and excellence in the visual arts

CCA Aligns with N.W. Ayer advertising “Great Ideas of Western Man” ad campaign Recognized as the first American company to establish a corporate identity program Artist who contributed to CCA over the years include: A.M. Cassandre, Fernand Leger, Laszlo Maholy-Nagy, Man Ray, Herbert Bayer, Herbert Matter

Alexey Brodovitch ( ) Born in Russian, works in Paris, moves to American in 1930 Editorial art director and photographer and graphic design teacher Established and directed the department of advertising design at what is now the Philadelphia College of art (1930-8) Freelanced for N.W. Ayer

Alexey Brodovitch ( ) Becomes art director of Harper’s Bazaar in 1934, remains for 25 years –Redefines the role of the art director –Introduces new ideas in editorial graphics and photography –Dynamic layouts combine bold typography with adventurous fashion and reportage photography –Ability to organize the sequential flow of magazine by controlling juxtaposed images in a spread

Alexey Brodovitch ( ) In search for innovation, commissions artists like Man Ray, Salvador Dali, Herbert Bayer Designed large-format, short-lived design magazine Portfolio

Joseph Binder ( ) Born in Austria, studies in Vienna, moves to American in 1934 Originally makes a name as a poster designer Moves on to design covers for Fortune and Graphis magazines Ability to refine and reduce pictorial elements, achieving a controlled geometric severity

Will Burtin ( ) Trains as typographer and designer at Werkschule in Cologne, Germany where he later taught Influenced by Bauhaus ideas Emigrates to U.S. in 1938 Design contributions include making scientific information more accessible

Herbert Bayer ( ) European political unrest leads to Bayer moving to New York in 1938 Through war years, acts as consultant art director to J. Walter Thompson and Dorland International (ad agencies) Designed and contributed to the influential Bauhaus exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art (NY) in 1938

Herbert Bayer ( ) Moves to Aspen, Colorado in 1946 to become a leading educator at the Aspen Institute Helps found the Aspen International Design Conference

Herbert Matter ( ) Moves to NY in 1936 Works as photographer for Harper’s Bazaar In 1940s begins contributing to CCA ad campaigns From works with Knoll International (furniture manufacturer) Goes on to be widely active in many visual related fields until his death in 1984

Ladislav Sutnar ( ) Czech-born graphic and exhibition designer, educator and writer Travels to American in 1939 as exhibit designer for the Czech exhibit at the New York World’s Fair - political unrest in Europe influences him to stay

Ladislav Sutnar ( ) Two decade association with Sweet’s Catalog Service results in the design of Sweet’s Files, annual catalogs of architectural and industrial products conveying complex information –Structures information in rational, systematic manner using the grid, sans serif types, color, contrast and lines –Produces functional design solutions will allow accessible flow of information

THE INTERNATIONAL TYPOGRAPHIC STYLE

Background Also known as Swiss Style Develops in Switzerland after WWII Built on innovations associated with Constructivism, De Stijl, the Bauhaus and The New Typography Early influence on the style comes from Ernst Keller, Théo Ballmer, Max Bill and Max Huber

The Style Seeks to present complex information in a structured and unified manner Characterized by: –A reliance upon the typographic grid –Sans serif typeface designs –Narrow text columns with flush-left setting –Photography as opposed to illustration

The Style Detractors of the style complain that it is based on formula and results in the sameness of solution Proponents argue the style’s purity of means and legibility of communications enable the designer to achieve timeless perfection of form –Point to innovative range of solutions by leading practitioners as evidence that neither formula or sameness is intrinsic to the approach, except in the hands of lesser talents

THE NEW YORK SCHOOL

Background Term applied to New York-based designers from 1940s onwards Develops distinctly American graphic language Absorbs the formal vocabulary of European Modernism Reflects competitive values, cultural and ethnic diversity of the U.S.

Most Influential Practitioners Paul Rand Alvin Lustig Bradbury Thompson George Tscherny Alexey Brodovitch Herb Lubalin George Lois Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) - ad agency

Paul Rand Educated in NY at: –Pratt Institute ( ) –Parsons School of Design (1932-3) –Art Students League (1933-4) Major force in editorial design, advertising and corporate graphics Work characterized by wit, simplicity and a Bauhaus approach to problem solving

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Alvin Lustig ( ) Trained at the Art Center School of Design, Los Angeles ( ) Studied architecture under Frank Lloyd Wright (1935) Career alternates between NY and LA Design approach utilizes abstract shapes and symbols to express the essence of the product Helped establish design program at Yale U.

Bradbury Thompson ( ) Graduated from Washburn College in Topeka, Kansas in 1934, Art director with Capper Publishers (1934-8) Moves to NY in 1938 Designer and Editor of Westvaco Inspirations - arts journal published by West Virginia Pulp and Paper Co ( )

Bradbury Thompson ( ) Experiments with photographic reproduction, typography and color Adopts and eclectic approach which combines the best of traditional design with modernism

NEW YORK SCHOOL/ EDITORIAL REVOLUTION

Background Spurred on by Brodovitch –Taught at home –Later at the New School for Social Research in New York

Cipe Pineles Graduated from Pratt Institute (NY) Becomes assistant to Dr. Mehemed Fehmy Agha at Condé Nast in 1930s for Vogue Later Becomes AD of Glamour, Seventeen, Charm and Mademoiselle At Seventeen, introduced well-known fine artists like Ben Shahn, Lucille Corcos and Andy Warhol, to fiction Illustration 1st woman member of NY AD’s Club

Otto Storch Working as AD at Dell publishing house –Brodovitch tells him to quit; says portfolio shows promise, but position does not Joins McCall’s as AD for Better Living In 1953, named AD for McCall’s Innovations include –Unified type and graphcs –Effective use of scale/proportion –Double-page layout

Henry Wolf Born in Vienna Gains experience in studios and ad agencies Becomes AD for Esquire in 1953 Replaces Brodovitch at Harper’s Bazaar when Brodovitch retires in 1958 Strives for exquisitely simple cover images

NEW YORK SCHOOL/ ADVERTISING REVOLUTION

Background 1940s = lackluster decade for advertising Mainstays –Hyperbolic slogans –Movie star testimonials –Exaggerated claims

Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) Opens in NY in 1949 with a staff of 13 and less than 1/2 million dollars in accounts Copywriter Bill Bernbach was partner responsible for creative product, along with AD Bob Gage and CW Phyllis Robinson DDB “took the exclamation mark out of advertising” and talked intelligently to consumer

DDB (cont.) Evolved visual/verbal syntax: word and image fused into a conceptual expression of idea where elements are completely interdependent

George Lois Passes through the halls of DDB in the 50s Becomes enfant terrible of American mass communications –Once climbed out on a 3rd story ledge to demand a poster proposal be approved –Pushed concepts to limits of propriety

George Lois (cont.) At 28 forms Papart, Koenig and Lois Grows to $40 million in seven years In 1960s creates Esquire covers to help with growing competition from Playboy (started by Esquire alumnus Hugh Hefner)

NEW YORK SCHOOL/ CONTINUING THE DESIGN TRADITION

Herb Lubalin Graduated from Cooper Union in 1939 Joins Ress Advertising in early 1940s Later joins Sudler & Hennessey –AD for 20 years –Leaves as VP and CD Set up his own studio in the early 1960s

Herb Lubalin (cont.) In Demand as magazine designer Responsible for Eros, Avant Garde and Fact Created several popular typefaces, most notable=avant garde Expert ability to manipulate letterforms and handle positive/negative spaces in type

SAUL BASS Born in NYC Studies at Art Students League w/ Howard Tefton and Gyorgy Kepes Moves to LA to found Saul Bass & Associates in 1946 Majority of early work = film-related Fashioned title sequences into art

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