Meridian books, seventh printing january alvin lustig biography alvin lustig was a renowned twentieth century graphic designer. In 1944 he became director of visual research for look magazine. This original first edition book cover designed by alvin lustig was taken straight. Penguin classics book covers designed and hand embroidered by jillian tamaki cover love book cover design alvin lustig book cover action. The first jacket which lustig did for a new directions book the one for the 1941 edition of henry millers wisdom of the heart was quite unlike anything then in. Book jackets by alvin lustig for new directions books. Occupation, graphic designer, interior designer, typographer.
The august, september, and october advertisementsthough similar in style to lustigs workwere not made by him, the november advertisement was attributed to rj wolff, and the december issue repeated a previous lustig design. Then i write little snippets of rhyme and, like putting a puzzle together, figure out how each part connects to another. Meggshistoryofgraphicdesign2 by arachne zhao issuu. Jan mlodozeniec, 1956 alvin lustig, beautiful book design charley harper illustration from a biology book edward and the horse olle eksell vintag. In 1937, lustig initiated his professional career designing book jackets. He also studied design independently with american architect frank lloyd wright at his taliesin studio. Its a book that pays tribute, in word and form, to all that a book is and can be. New directions in new york gave him book and jacket designs. In addition to its promotional role, the dust jacket protects the book covers from damage. The current preference among american book jacket designers for fragmented images. The rochester institute of technology maintains an alvin lustig collection.
This group welcome all photos and scans of work from the lustig offices. He passed away in new york city on december 4, 1955. Alvin lustig was an american book designer, graphic designer and typeface designer. Even though lustig passed away at an early age he left a huge footprint in the graphic and industrial design world. Cool cover art still exists, but as the 25 best book jackets of 2012 show, theyre trending toward bold simplicity, with highcontrast colors and giant, graphic. From the book jackets of alvin lustig by james laughlin, print magazine, octnov 1956. Used book stores colorado springs clausen books, book. Book jackets by alvin lustig for new directions booksfrom the collection of letterform archive. Alvin began his career designing book covers, and is most widely known for the over 70 dust jackets he designed during his time with new.
However, since it is itself relatively fragile, and since dust jackets have practical, aesthetic and sometimes financial value, the jacket may in turn be wrapped in another jacket, usually. Book collecting 101 buying, selling and collecting rare, used, outofprint, antiquarian and collectible books. For his valuable contribution to graphic minimal typography w colored shapes. A visit with chip kidd the new antiquarian the blog of.
Jacobs, marshall lee, paul rand, alvin lustig, herbert bayer et al. Oct 31, 2008 this group is to celebrate and display the design work of alvin and elaine lustig. Usually i start with a topic and decide how the story should end. Oxford university pressshowcased work by merle armitage, s. Magazines, interiors, book jackets, packaging, fabrics, hotels, mall signage, the opening credits of the cartoon mr. Presentation on the career of graphic designer alvin lustig.
From business cards to book covers to office buildings, alvin lustig was. During a design career in a life cut short by illness, alvin lustig 191555 incorporated his. In denver, colorado on the year of 1915, alvin lustig was born. The result was the jacket i wear in the snow, the first in our series of rhymeandrebus books. Lustig was an american graphic and industrial designer. Alvin lustig 1915 1955, a talented and masterful graphic and industrial designer, was born in denver, colorado to a family that he said had absolutely no pretensions to culture. Alvin lustig, creator of the lustig chair, would have been one of architectures most famous graphic designers if he had not passed away before his time. Rarely is the graphic designer given the chance to act upon what he considers his highest level upon a problem of serious intentions. The jacket was a very well written book my only problems were that their were several typos.
He always felt the title graphic designer was too limiting, and its clear why. Alvin lustig february 8, 1915 december 5, 1955 was an american book designer, graphic designer and typeface designer. A bibliography of the archaeology of southwestern coloradocounties. Anatomy for interior designers by julus panerowhitney library of design, 1954illustrator. Alvin lustigs contributions to the design of books and book jackets, magazines, interiors, and textiles as well as his teachings would have made him a credible candidate for the aiga lifetime achievement award when he was alive. Lustig has been honored by the american institute of graphic arts and the art directors club hall of fame for his significant contributions to american design. See more ideas about alvin lustig, book cover design and cover design. His dust jackets were minimal distillations of the spirit of a book s contents, with handrendered lettering. Chip kidd has produced iconic book covers for some of the most collected authors of the past three decades. Alvin lustig was an american graphic designer from denver, colorado, born in 1915. The book jacket designs of alvin lustig graphic design archives chapbook 9781933360485.
Such is alvin lustigs 1953 paperback cover for lorca. Book jackets and sleeves can be supplied in a range of materials, including paper, board, acetate, and vinyl. Alvin lustig is a known graphic and typeface designer. Alvin lustig 1915, denver, colorado december 4, 1955, new york was an american book designer, graphic designer and typeface designer. I can imagine something like this on a fantastic blouse or skirt. As a book jacket designer, its imperative that the illustrations and the title and text is able to connect. With the rise in ereaders, book jacket design is rumored to become a lost art.
Alvin lustig brought modern art into american bookshops alvin lustig believed that painting was dead and that design would emerge as a primary art form. Alvin lustig february 8, 1915 december 5, 1955 was an american book designer, graphic. Book jacket is arguably the most famous of all typefaces done in the typositor era. Magooeven a helicopteralvin lustig designed all of them. Alvin lustig was born in denver, colorado in 1915 to a family that he.
His work will surely continue to be recognized, putting him in that small pantheon of book designers whose work is instantly recognizable alvin lustig, arthur hawkins, george salter, milton glaser. At the time, lustig was experimenting with nonrepresentational constructions made form slugs of metal typographic material, revealing the influence of frank lloyd wright, with whom he studied for three months at taliesen east. From margaret atwoods hagseed to han kangs the vegetarian, the most eyecatching and imaginative cover art of the year. He began to study design in california after high school and has contributed much to the design of books, book jackets, magazines, and textiles. We proudly offer six different styles of covers, including center slit book jacket covers, multifit book jacket covers, open edge book jacket covers, polyjac book jacket covers, processor book jacket covers and profit book jacket covers. Alvin lustig was the original design strategist petrolicious. This is one of over 350 book jackets designed for mcgrawhill publishers in the 1960s. Born in 1915, alvin lustig grew up in denver, colorado. Preface by alvin lustig the opportunity to design this series of book jackets was an unusual one. In his poetic book covers of the 1940s, he remade the visual languages of dada, the bauhaus and. Alvin lustig alvin lustig s restless curiosity during his short life was employed across many areas of art and design. Jan mlodozeniec cover design for john steinbecks the pearl poland design.
Jan 23, 2020 todays book jacket designs featuring abstract ideas, minimal text, and realistic illustrations can be traced directly to american designer alvin lustig s mediumbreaking cover for the 1949 paperback lorca. Lustigs first jacket for laughlin, a 1941 edition of henry millers wisdom of the heart, eclipsed the jacket designs of previous new directions books, which laughlin described as conservative and booky. He reached the zenith of his incredible career in the early 1950s before his tragic early death. Designed by ursula suess over an entire year, and published in 1972, book jacket became an instant success story that lasted well into the 1980s even though it was copied by phil martin who published it under the name bagatelle shortly after its release. Tls is the leading manufacturer in highquality book jacket covers. Lustig has been honored by the american institute of graphic arts and the. Chip kidd has become one of the bestknown graphic artists in the united states, designing book covers for. Included are books, architecture, interiors, ads, identity.
I would suggest some of his other books but overall it was an okay book. We dont think so, but the game is certainly changing. Lustig states, the designer is not a singleminded specialist, but an integrator of all the art forms and simultaneously a spokesman for social progress. Whether you require a conventional dustjacket or a bespoke book sleeve, codex solutions can arrange to supply and apply to both hardback and paperback books. History of graphic design graphic design fall 2017. Alvin lustig s influence on american design and design. Jacket designers were not usually afforded much freedom. High school varsity letterman jackets high school and college varsity letterman jackets. P rotect your dust jackets with archival dust jacket covers duralar, mylar. Alvin lustig, book cover design for monday night by kay boyle, new directions books, usa. The alvin lustig archive includes over 400 designs from this important modern american design pioneer. Alvin lustig was a design generalist with work spanning the genres of industrial, graphic, and interior design. Lustig achieved so much in so little time, he lost his sight at age 39 due to diabetes and passed away only a. He is perhaps most well known, however, for his book jackets.
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