Paul Rand

Paul Rand was probably one of the most well known and successful graphic artists of his time. His fame began in his twenties and his acclaim only spread and increased as he aged. He continued to produce designs until his death in 1996. Even though Rand is widely known for the work he produced (such as the logos for IBM, ABC, and Westinghouse), I believe his greatest achievement is showing the world what design meant to him and why it is important. Although many of his designs are still in use today, years after he conceptualized them, I think his other efforts will last even longer. One of the cornerstones of Rand’s work was his belief in simplicity. The aforementioned corporate logos reflect this. They are simple without being simplistic. By using this technique, Rand created images that are appealing and iconic. He also attempted to incorporate styles into his work that were against the established norm. One of the biggest influences in his work was the Swiss style of design. This style of design relies on grids, photographic (instead of illustrated) pictures, and new styles of typography. In this way, Rand managed to merge new style into an industry that had fairly cut and dry rules at the time.

Examples of his work:





Sources:

http://www.areaofdesign.com/americanicons/rand.htm
http://www.paul-rand.com/biography.shtml
http://www.logoblog.org/wordpress/paul-rand/
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5326/is_200605/ai_n21390338



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