Steven Heller - Graphic Design Rants and Raves: Bon Mots on Persuasion, Entertainment, Education, Culture, and Practice

Copyright 2016 by Steven Heller

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Cover and interior design by The Collected Works

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Print ISBN: 978-1-62153-536-2

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-62153-539-3

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I have to rave about Tad Crawford, founder and publisher of Allworth Press, whose advocacy of design publishing earns him a place in any pantheon. A large percentage of all books devoted to design writing have come from Allworth with Tads enthusiastic leadership. Thank you, Tad.

A book is not a book without editors. Thanks to Zoe Wright and Kelsie Besaw, my editors on this project. And a book is made concrete through its design. Thanks to Justin Colt and Jose Fresenda of The Collected Works, for their splendid design and art direction.

This particular collection culls essays from various print and online outlets where I am a contributor. Gratitude to Print magazines Zachary Petit, who edits my print and Daily Heller copy; the Atlantic onlines Spencer Kornhaber and Sophie Gilbert; Wired s Robert Gonzales; Design Observer s Jessica Helfand, Eugenia Bell, and Betsy Vardell; Eye magazines John Walters.

For continuous support, I am indebted to David Rhodes, president of the School of Visual Arts (SVANYC).

Many colleagues have also contributed in so many ways. Lita Talarico, Esther Ro Schofield, Ron Callahan, Mirko Ilic, the late Dr. James Fraser, Jim Heimann, Seymour Chwast, Greg DOnofrio, and Patricia Belen; Veronique Vienne, Gary Taxali.

Finally, I would be nowhere without the love of my wife, Louise Fili, and son, Nick Heller.

Thanks so much.

INTRODUCTION

BON WHATS?

With the ripeness of old age, one has a modicum of maturity with a dollop of wisdom. As a consequence, recently my rants have become less frequent (and, as it turns out, so have my raves). I am experiencing a blossoming of tolerance and now appreciate design ideas that used to annoy melike geometrically rigid Modern design, which is now among my favorite formal methods.

Being a longtime critical fan of graphic design has fueled my work as a researcher and chronicler of the fielda field I chose to join when I realized that, with my drawing skills that were one step above those elephants that paint landscapes, Id never be a successful illustrator. I fell passionately in love with publication design, type and image, and art direction. Still, I had to do these things on my own terms, which involved refusing to attend any design school or take remedial classes of any kind. In fact, I never received an undergraduate degree in anything, though I do have two Fine Arts honorary doctorates.