As a graphic designer, you may know how to create. However, do you know the most notable designers that paved the way for you to succeed? Read below to find out more about them and what these great people did for us creatives, today. 

Paul Rand (1914-1996)

From Brooklyn, New York, Paul Rand was mainly a self-taught designer. He attended the Pratt Institute and Parsons the New School for Design. He created many famous corporate logos throughout the 1950s and 1960s which earned him the reputation he has today. Logos for IBM and UPS, for example, are Rand’s work. However, before his logo design notoriety came about, Paul had become extremely proficient in page layouts. He turned them into interesting dynamic compositions. His modernist philosophy makes his work even relevant to today. 

Milton Glaser (1929-Present) 

Also from New York, Milton Glaser was one of the few who created Push Pin Studios in 1954. Together with his team, he created designs that reinvigorated older traditional styles into the modern age. Glaser is well known for his poster designs, logo work and designing over 50 magazines. From creating the “I Heart New York” logo to coming up with the New York Magazine (which became a model for others in the future), Milton Glaser lent his creativity on behalf of the people he serviced. An extremely important mentality to this day when designing for your audience. 

Ruth Ansel (1938-Present)

Ruth Ansel was born in New York and became a co-director of Harpers Bazaar in the 1960s. After making a name for herself at Harper’s, she left in 1974 to become the very first female art director of the New York Times Magazine. Ten years later, she became an art director at Vanity Fair. She now manages her own studio and continues to design today. She paved a path for women, and we will always be thankful for her. 

Alexander Rodchenko (1891-1956)

Rodchenko was not only a graphic designer but dabbled in photography, sculpture and fine art. He is well known for being a founder of the design trend Russian Constructivism, compositions made of geometric, industrial abstraction that served more on a socio-political front. His work also showed Cubism and Futurism. Alexander’s abstract pieces are still used to this day as works of reference for all kinds of media.

Saul Bass (1920-1996)

Saul Bass is one name a designer has to know. Bass was a graphic designer with over 40 years in the field. He created many title sequences for films such as Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho and Vertigo, to Goodfellas and Cape Fear. Saul and his wife Elaine (a designer in her own right) crafted such amazing new title sequences that captured the eye of the audience. Through their innovative methods of production and thoughtful graphics, Saul and his wife will be revered by designers for quite some time into the future. 

Chip Kidd (1964-Present)

Kidd, born in Pennsylvania and now residing in New York, is best known for his designs for book covers. He is an associate art director at Knopf and has been said to be the best book jacket designer to date. His thought that the book itself will sell depending on if it connects to the public may downplay his own dedication to the sale of the book itself, yet tells us that he cares about what his work is about; not just how it’s designed. 

Carolyn Davidson (1943-Present)

Carolyn Davidson is best known for creating the Nike swoosh logo. Initially, she didn’t go to school for design but rather journalism, switching later on. In a bind for cash, she accepted a job at Blue Ribbons Sports which is now known as Nike. She drew the Nike swish logo in her last year in college at Portland State University. Nike never saw just how big her design would become and paid her 35 dollars for it. After some years, Phil Knight (her former boss) presented her with 500 shares of the company as a thank you. What this story can teach us designers is to never underestimate yourself and what can become great in the future. 

Morag Myerscough (?-Present)

Morag was born in London and is well known for her giant neon structures that display some type of positive message. Her personal mantra, “make happy those who are near and those who are far will come,” drives her in her designs. She has made several collaborations with hospitals, schools, and libraries that have become permanent installations. If you are a designer that yearns to work more with sculpture and installations, she is someone we recommend to look at for inspiration. 

Paula Sher (1948-Present)

Paula Sher is an American Designer and educator. She is known to be the first female principal designer at Pentagram, joining in 1991. Before then, she worked at Random House and CBS Records where she created 150 album covers in a year. For a long period of time, she worked in branding, logo design, crafting identities, packaging, and advertisement at her own firm called Koppel & Sher. She found some of her inspiration from previous art design movements that weres Constructivism and Art Deco. Her life of design achievements is an inspiration for all new, upcoming creatives. 

To find some current designers making their way up, visit this site! If there is any information on the design needs you have, Burkhart Marketing has those answers ready and waiting for you!