This page gathers our blog articles on the great names of graphic design. We present there the great figures of graphic design and typography through excerpts from old publications which are part of our library and which are no longer marketed. It is about making you discover (or rediscover) those who have marked the history of our profession.
#1 - Rolf Rappaz, "C'est de la Bâle", 1914/1996
The work of this swiss artist and graphic designer is based on the permutation of basic geometric shapes (circle, square and triangle) and the three primary colours (red, blue, yellow).
#2 - Franco Grignani, "Grafica cinetica", 1908/1999
Italian graphic designer of the 70s. Very influenced by optical and kinetic art. He signed many posters and logos (including Woolmark's).
#3 - Josef Müller-Brockmann, "Swiss style", 1914/1996
Probably one of the most influential graphic designers of the 20th century! Considered as one of the main creators of the swiss style, a style borrowed from rigor and simplicity where the grid acts as religion!
#4 - Roger Excoffon, "Coup de Mistral", 1910/1983
French graphic and font designer. Creator of the world known fonts "Mistral", "Banco"...
#5 - Alexander Girard, "the color-fool", 1907/1993
Textile designer, graphic designer, furniture designer... nothing is colorful enough for this Italian-American!
#6 - Edward Bawden, "Great Illustration from Great Britain", 1903/1989
Painter, graphic designer, and british illustrator...
#7 - Martin Sharp, "Sydneydelic", 1942/2013
Portrait of an australian graphic designer under LSD...
#8 - Herb Leupin, "a great swissman", 1916/1999
Prolific swiss graphic designer, he will leave more than 1000 advertising posters, and will be the creator of the Milka cow!
#9 - Hans Hillman, "poster art without fuss", 1925/2014
Hans Hillman, german graphic designer, illustrator and designer, forerunner who re-invented in the 50s the art of film posters in Germany for Godard, Bunuel, Eisenstein, Kurosawa, or Bergman.
#10 - Hans-Peter Hort, "bon vivant and unknown", 1924/2010
Graphic designer, swiss illustrator. Far from being a major figure of graphic design, his work remains very confidential. Here is an attempt to catch up...
#11 - Peter Gut, "sketches real life", 1959/...
Peter Gut enjoys international recognition as one of the most renowned and prominent swiss german designers. His multiple works navigate between caricature, press cartoons and illustrations for children, with humour in the background.
#12 - Jacno, "Five capital letters!" 1904/1989
Marcel Jacno, known as Jacno, is a french graphic designer, famous notably for having designed the NPT logo, as well as the Gauloises cigarette pack, which will be at the time one of the most popular logos for the French and is a kind of world record in the distribution of a signed creation.
#13 - Pierre Bernard & Grapus, "Graphic design of public utility", 1942/2015
Collective and individual itinerary of a committed graphic designer, tireless defender of the notion of public utility in graphic design.
#14 - Shepard Fairey, "the worm that shone with the stars", 1970/...
Portrait of a street artist, illustrator and activist graphic designer.
#15 - Ben Bos, "the big 'Bos' of dutch graphic design!" 1930/2017
Portrait of a giant of dutch graphic design who worked for Total Design for 3 decades.
#16 - Vasarely, "The father of optical art", 1906/1997
Did you know that Vasarely was a graphic designer and advertiser before he became the father of optical art?
#17 - Cassandre, "The Magnificent", 1901/1968
Cassandre, the man who burned his wings against typography...
#18 - Karel Martens, "the impression that matters", (1939/...)
Portrait of Karel Martens, the man with multiple motifs and lovers of constraints, reference in the world of graphic design and plastic research.
#19 - Dick Bruna, "The father of the most famous rabbit's on the planet", 1927/2017
Before becoming the father of the most famous rabbit on the planet with Miffy, Dick Bruna was the son of a dutch publisher, a rebellious hair, who did not want to "do like Dad"!
#20 - Étienne Robial, "Decoded!", 1945/...
Every day, millions of french people see Étienne Robial's work. In this article we decode, in plain language, a long career in graphic design, from Canal+ to Inrockuptibles.
Others
Charles and Marie-Laure de Noailles, "A life of philanthropy", 1892/1981 (Charles) et 1902/1970 (Marie-Laure)
It was in 1925 that they built one of the very first modern style villa built in France. This villa will then welcome the most illustrious artists of the 20th century! This is the story of Charles and Marie-Laure de Noailles, a life of patrons!
The secrets of the Rencontres de Lure
For more than 60 years, strange eccentrics meet every summer in "Lurs-en-Provence" to redo typography in particular and the world in general. In a climate of camaraderie, under the Provencal sun, perched on a rock, all the faces of typography are disserted. Let's try to unravel the mysteries!
A short history of book covers (IIIrd c. to 1860) – 1/4
From codex to color printing! First part of this series of articles on the graphic evolution of book covers, from jewel-books to first colour prints.
A short history of book covers (1935 to the 70's) – 3/4
From Penguin Editions to the birth of graphic design, the cover is an open book on the social mores of a country and an era. In this episode, American paperbacks, pin-ups, photography and abstraction rub shoulders.
A short history of book covers (1870 to 1930) – 2/4
Under the influence of Japan, France, the War or Russia, book covers are constantly changing with technical progress and crises.
A short history of book covers (1953 to nowadays) – 4/4
Last chapter on the French publishing houses, the split between Poche and Folio, the graphic inventors, and the return of the beautiful independent book. Where we look at Gallimard's influence and the graphic liberation of the book.