While discussing Saul Bass I made reference to Kyle Cooper for directing the fabulous opening sequence to Se7en - the company he used to work for is Prologue Films, who have made amazing opening sequences/titles for many modern day (big budget) movies - here are just a few - find more at www.prologuefilms.com
Bang Bang Kiss Kiss
The Reaping
Rock N Rolla
We were fortunate to hear Danny Yount, creative director of Prologue Films, speak last year at Melbourne’s AGIdeas conference - his presentation seemed to scream out of the stage with so many impressive examples.
Here’s an except of an interview with him:
Q: You are a self-taught designer. In today’s world, artists are emerging everywhere from their own ability & trained by their curiosity. Tell me your opinion on this differentiation of designers impacting the industry as a whole.
A: I was self-taught in that I learned how to use the computer efficiently and make things look like good design rip-offs, but the art of visual communication was developed by learning from mentors in the workplace, which took years to development. The problem with a lot of design today is that our self-enabling computers have made us “digital artists” and “mo-graphers” - drunk on technology and ability but lacking in originality and good storytelling and design problem-solving, which many times is a product of restraint, not technique.
If we’re going to start this blog featuring designers who influence then we’d better get this one out of the way - Saul Bass. Considered a legend of the graphic design world with his contribution to film credit sequences and film posters. If you have seen any of the classic 50s movies you will recognise his work.
Designers of this generation always inspire me - it’s not about where they fit now, but where they fitted then and where they sit in the evolution of visual design - what came before them, what inspired them - to realise that they were innovators of thier times, little of this type of work had been done before them, the resources they had to make their art was limited (paper, ink, scalpel), and with Saul Bass - no one had created credit sequences like this before - his work added a new element to a movie that has set the standard for so many movies that have come after it - one of note is the movie Se7en, created by Kyle Cooper.
This first video is lengthy but worth the watch as Saul discusses his work, next is a reel of film credits he has created over his years and below is Se7en.
Advancing rapidly is the way designers will work conceptually - there are technological promises that will make the process more intuitive and less restrictive with the use of the computer. Mice and tablets have certainly had their place but time is calling for a new approach. We’re all familiar with touch screens and now the iPhone, and in the last 2 years we have seen the increased development of the multi-screen monitors - where the user can manipulate the content on the screen with their fingers to scale, move and colour objects.
It is now a matter of time before developers create the ultimate user interface for designers with this very fast moving technology. Below is an example of the technology demonstrated for use in architecture. Find out more on how this technology works at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-touch also see http://www.multitouch.fi
The internet appears to be one of those curious devices that evolved from apparently no where and now is the one thing that binds the world together - some would say the most impressive and important invention of the 20th century - and no where is design more prevalent than here - it has truly opened up the world for design and advanced it beyond anyone’s imagination.
But where did it all begin? This video will shed light on the world wide web’s evolution.
Keeping with history, some of the best designers of the early 1900s were actually artists themselves. Many would create their own books, with hand type, colour, compositions and page layout.
Another example of Russian design work that came out of the Avant-Garde period of 1910-1934 - a fold out book insert from 1919 that used letterpress and collage - a fabulous use of colour, shape, form and type - not seen before this time and which we are far more familiar seeing today
These playful, dynamic and expressive illustrations (the first 3 illustrations) would find a place in today’s design world, and in fact you can see their influence on several illustrators today. These are illustrations are from a Russia set of placards, illustrated in 1923.
We have a fascination with the early 1900 design and art world and their relationship with the birth of modern visual design. throughout this blog we will bring to you several examples of work from this period - without a computer in sight, this work is all hand crafted and painstakingly prepared for print - it truly is an inspiring time.
Below these 3 examples from “The Russian Avant-Garde Book” are 2 examples from the work of illustrator Craig Fazier (USA) created in 2008
What design blog would be complete without something on the designer Paul Rand – if you’re a designer, of the graphic kind, you will be well aware of who he is, but others may not have been introduced to his lively and colourful work and his contribution to the visual design culture. Here is an excerpt from the film Conversation with Paul Rand, where he gives us an insight into his design mind.
I have such fond memories of this fabulous car from my childhood, where I would get so excited in spotting one driving around the streets of Bristol, where I spent my childhood. What happened to this wonderful, environmentally advanced car of the 50s? Yes, sure, not so safe and would probably need one of those bicycle flags attached to the bumper, but this was joyful, playful design, with thinking beyond the conventional. Here’s to the bubble car!
Bubble cars became popular in Europe at that time as a demand for cheap personal motorised transport emerged and fuel prices were high due in part to the 1956 Suez Crisis. Bubble cars were superseded by a new wave of ‘proper small cars’ like the 1959 Austin Mini, which gave far more functionality for their owners for only slightly higher costs - Wikipedia
One of the most exciting times for design was in the 1950s, this would have been one of the most exciting time to be a designer - a new world of hope was opening up and so much prosperity and the possibilities that were out of this world - quite literally, with the excitement of interstellar travel, rocket inspired cars. The influence of design flourished around the world, from America, Europe right through to Australia.
Throughout this blog we will endeavor to present to you the fabulous design work from the last, highly influential, 100 years in graphic design and present the work of many celebrated designers, and the work we have come to love.
