After the horrors of WW1, artists and designers set out to look at the world in new ways. Rejecting the style that came before (art deco and nouveau) let the world move on from the war and begin to rebuild the world. The desire to see the world in a new way lead the way for modernism. Modernism was the rejection of traditional shapes and decorative factors that were found in art and instead focussed on geometric shapes, primary colours, sans serif fonts and the idea that form follows function in a way to find solutions that are simple and direct. While Modernism began after WW1, it gained popularity following WW2, as the European designers who pioneered the movement were spread across the world due to them being forced out of Europe by the Nazi party.
Paul Rand is an American graphic designer who is considered one of the most important designers of all time. Described by Steve Jobs as “the greatest living graphic designer”, Rand is synonymous with the modernism movement. His work features bold colours and shapes in a uniquely playful style which defines his work. Rands most notable work is his corporate logo work, which a lot of is still seen today. What I find most interesting about Paul Rand is his approach and philosophy to design. When Steve Jobs approached Rand for the Next computer logo, Jobs asked Rand to come up with a few options, to which he responded, “No, I will solve your problem for you and you will pay me. You don't have to use the solution. If you want options go talk to other people.”. This signifies to me how Rand design solutions were always uniquely his. His personal style unifies his work and it’s clear to see that Rand would not compromise his personality for clients when designing, believing the design he would produce was an extension of himself. This was really useful to see as it’s very easy as a designer to follow trends and loose your own personality in your work, and it’s good to recognise the importance of inserting yourself into your work.
Otl Aicher was a German graphic designer and was the co-founder of the Ulm design school. Aicher’s most notable work is his pictogram designs for the Olympic games. Designed first for the Munich Summer Games of 1972, the pictograms are designed using simply points and lines to form shapes that clearly represent the sports of the olympics. These designs were extremely important as the had to be understandable to the various countries and cultures that were present at the olympics. The designs are simple and elegant and are still used today which is testament to Aicher’s skills. Aicher also designed the logo and branding for the German airline Lufthansa. This branding features a distinctly Swiss style to the design which is really interesting to see being used in a corporate setting. For me, Aicher’s work is so interesting as it utilises design styles that are really most pleasing to designers themselves, and implants them into corporate and public design.
Saul Bass is an American graphic designer most well known for his work on movie title sequences and posters. Bass’s work often features bold colours and slightly “wonky” shapes and text. I personally love Bass’s style as it has a playful quality which never trivialises the movie, but rather adds intrigue and mystery from the unorthodox and quirky visuals. The striking visuals works on a aesthetic level and also really sticks in the mind which is particularly useful for the posters. Bass’s use of one solid colour and black or white makes the designs really bold and I think it would be really interesting to see on a proper cinema screen to get the full effect. Bass used title sequences to set the tone for the film and create immediate involvement with the audience which hadn’t really been done before. I found it really interesting to see where the routes of modern title sequences come from as they are such an integral part of cinema.
I’ve really enjoyed seeing the diversity in the styles of modernism, while a lot of work features similar styles of colours and shapes, the amount of different individual styles from designers associated with this movement is phenomenal. The amount of styles is testament to importance of this movement, as it’s influence can still be seen today. It’s been fascinating to research into a movement that spans such a wide utilisation, and it’s clear to see that due to how wide spread modernism was it is basis for graphic design today.