Paul Rand was an American graphic designer, and would have been 100 years old today. Best know for his corporate identity designs. Some of his famous logo designs include IBM, UPS, Enron, Westinghouse, and ABC.
Mr Rand pulled inspiration from multiple field including art, design, architecture, literature, and philosophy. By having such a vast pool of thought, by experimenting, and by confidently not being original, the work he produced was considered ground-breaking. He also understood the importance of humour in his work, the easiest way to make a client happy is to make them smile.
Mr Rand’s work and words still resonate today. A brilliant place to find both is paul-rand.com. I will leave you with a couple of Mr Rand’s quotes, as one is just never enough.
“Providing, meaning to a mass of unrelated needs, ideas, words and pictures – it is the designer’s job to select and fit this material together and make it interesting.”
“Without aesthetic, design is either the humdrum repetition of familiar clichés or a wild scramble for novelty. Without the aesthetic, the computer is but a mindless speed machine, producing effects without substance. Form without relevant content, or content without meaningful form.”
Happy birthday and thank you, Mr Rand.
