On Aesthetics is a look at the details of design and the things around us.
When discussing graphic design, to say you are a fan of Saul Bass and Paul Rand is like talking about golf and referencing Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. It is a given. Not having a huge amount of knowledge about the field, I can still appreciate their timeless American designs. The blogger, artist and graphic designer James White has two very cool features on his exquisite blog Signalnoise, showcasing the mid-century logos of the great Saul Bass and Paul Rand. The iconic designs created by Rand and Bass are still recognizable and loved by layman (read: me) and professionals to this day.
Paul Rand
1. American Broadcasting Corporation (ABC): 1962
2. IBM: 1972
3. United Parcel Service (UPS): 1961
4. Ford Motor Company (unused): 1966
5. Westinghouse: 1960
6. Yale University Press: 1985
7. Consolidated Cigar Corporation: 1959
8. Atlas Crankshaft Corporation: 1964
Saul Bass
1. Bell, 1969
2. AT&T, 1984
3. United Airlines, 1973
4. Avery International, 1990
5. Continental Airlines, 1968
6. United Way, 1972
7. Minolta, 1978
8. Girl Scouts, 1978
9. Quaker Oats, 1971
10. Kleenex
11. Dixie, 1969
12. Warner Communications, 1972
All images and numbered descriptions are from the designers and Signalnoise.
more on bass: http://www.notcoming.com/saulbass/index.php
i bought a westinghouse tv because i like the logo.
like Mobil too
http://www.logoblog.org/mobil-logo.php
Saul Bass is my favorite for all of his film intros, especially for Hitchcock: “North by Northwest”, “Psycho”, “Vertigo”… but who could forget the little man with a globe for “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World”, or the hauntingly cool look of “The Man With the Golden Arm”? (Sorry, TCM super-fan here.)
I recently posted this little clip from a film on Paul Rand which I loved – great dose of inspiration!: http://www.poeticandchic.com/home/2008/8/25/small-dose-of-paul-rand-wisdom.html
Ms.P&C I love love love what Bass did for “The Man With the Golden Arm”. These two men were genius. Their designs are classic. When I look at their logos, I try to think of what modern day brands have achieved the same level of timelessness. Maybe it is too early in the morning for me, but I can’t think of any off hand.
I just got back from the UPS store, where I was thinking how much better the original Rand logo was. It’s too bad they felt the need to update it. The new version doesn’t do much for me.
Saul Bass was incredibly multi-talented. He storyboarded much of Hitchcock’s Psycho, including the shower scene. In fact, he was on set for most of the film and when it came time to shoot the shower scene, Hitchcock said something like, “It’s your scene you direct it.”