Nine Pioneers in American Graphic Design

Book excerpt: In this splendidly illustrated book, graphic designer R. Roger Remington and art historian Barbara Hodik profile the careers and contributions of nine men who shaped American graphic design from the 1930s to the 1950s: Mehemed Fehmy Agha, Alexey Brodovitch, Charles Coiner, William Golden, Lester Beall, Will Burtin, Alvin Lustig, Ladislav Sutnar, and Bradbury Thompson. The book explores each designer's milieu, education, personal philosophy of design, body of work, client relations, and problem-solving approaches. The more than 200 illustrations, 55 in color, are drawn from almost every medium of graphic expression, including posters, advertisements, magazines, book jackets, business graphics, and signage. Both authors teach at Rochester Institute of Technology. R. Roger Remington is professor of graphic design and Barbara J. Hodik is professor of art history.