Graphic designers both draw on and are drawn to paper. Here are some modern artifacts neatly showing different designers’ approaches and personalities, representing a few of the 39 issues of the promotional series “Design & Paper,” published by Marquardt and Co. from around 1935–1950 (the issues are undated).
Each stapled, stitched or thread-bound issue is a small brochure that shows the work of leading, mostly American, practitioners. There were two by Ladislav Sutnar (No. 13, “Controlled Visual Flow,” and No. 19, “Shape, Line and Color”) as well as an issue devoted to cartoonist and illustrator Saul Steinberg. Others focused on themes, like George Loewy’s industrial design, Edward Bernays’ (the “inventor” of public relations) philosophy, and the history of the Art Directors Club. Special features showcased design and typography by Alexey Brodovitch, Erik Nitsche and McKnight Kauffer, and each booklet was custom designed, most with essays.
Together they comprise evidence of the Midcentury American Modern approaches that are invaluable to both scholar and practitioner today.
Robert M. Jones: “His visual caprices have a merry verve.”
(Left) Raymond Loewy Associates: “Industrial design means much more than mere ‘styling.'” (Right) George Krikorian. There are some that say The New York Times is a conservative newspaper. There are some, indeed, who say it is a dull newspaper. There are none, however, who would apply either term to the New York Times advertisements created by George Krikorian.
Despite a few period stylistic quirks, the type, typography and overall design of many of these “Design and Paper” brochures could easily have been conceived and produced today. It is interesting that humor, scale, gesture, simplicity and white space is so contemporaneous. Although the tools of composition and reproduction regularly change, the aesthetic qualities do not.
(Left top) Paul McPhailin: Between boooks and architecture there is a marked analogy. Both serve useful functions, both are built from basic units, letters or bricks. (Right top) Charles C.S. Dean merges good design with sound merchandising principles. (Bottom left): It is no mere fancy, then; of the booklover or of the decorator, that lettering is worthy of its place in ornament. (Right bottom): Erik Nitsche . . .belongs to no school, no period — he maintains his fluent faculties in free play — unaffected by outer influences that would deflect the integrity of his responses.
(Left and right top): Charles C.S. Dean package design. (Left and right bottom): Spread on lettering Number 15.
(Left top): Issue Number 32 on Clarence John Laughlin, the New Orleans photographer. (Right Top): Issue Number 22 on Robert A. Schmid, advertising and research Vice-President for Mutual Broadcasting Company. (Left second row): Arnold Roston’s cover for the Art Directors Club edition. (Right second row): E.McKnight Kauffer makes posters . . . that have the status of exhibition pieces. (Left third row): George Krikorian’s cover of issue on Edward Bernays and the American mind. (Right third row): Gene Moore, display director for Bonwit Teller, New York. (Bottom): Title page Number 15, lettering issue.
