Book jackets by alvin lustig works

Alvin lustig s book covers i was killing some time in south congress books the other day and the clerk showed me some original new directions books with these alvin lustig covers and they really. A colorful history of judging books by their covers the. Lustigs jacket designs entered taboo marketing territory through his use of abstraction and small, discreetly typeset titles, influenced by the work of jan tschichold. Alvin lustig, modern american design pioneer about alvin. The book jacket designs of alvin lustig by ned drew 20100901 ned drew. I can read movies series alvin lustig book cover ned drew the plague. When elaine lustig cohen assumed ownership of her husbands midtown manhattan design practice after he died at the age of 40, most of.

Lawrences the man who died 1947, and tennessee williams cat on a hot tin roof 1955. Hyperallergic lushly illustrated, salisburys exciting visual history showcases the work of edward gorey, vanessa bell, alvin lustig, and many others. Designing book jackets helped her develop a more freeform style that distinguished her from alvins more precise aesthetic. They collect books, magazines, posters, and ephemera for inspiration just like many other graphic designers, but kind companys greg donofrio and patricia belen arent your average graphic design hoarders. A less fecund talent might have been content to work that vein for years, but not. Biography an introduction about alvin lustig and his lifetime. See more ideas about alvin lustig, graphic design and book cover design. Lacma makes commitment to graphic design eye on design. Book jacket cooper hewitt, smithsonian design museum. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. With his first book for new directions, alvin lustig began a partnership that would revolutionize the art of book cover design. 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.

The alvin lustig collection was donated to rit in 1986 by his widow, elaine lustig cohen. Modern american design pioneer alvin lustig messerwerferin. His method was to read a text and get the feel of the authors creative drive, then to restate it in his own graphic terms. His career highlights include numerous book jackets for new directions and noonday press. May 17, 2011 alvin lustig modern american designer pioneer posted by ehehr1955 on may 17, 2011 leave a comment 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. It is not surprising that lustigs early work would challenge the norm. Alvin lustig papers, 19351955 archives of american art.

Dec 18, 2017 a colorful history of judging books by their covers. By the time he died at the age of forty in 1955, he had already introduced principles. 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. Alvin lustig modern american designer pioneer ehehr1955s. With the current interest in american design history, it is fitting that alvin lustig be honored for his significant influence on american design and design education. Each of his allencompassing book covers had a life and character of its own, focusing on more than just one general image. A streetcar named desire, with modernprimitivist art by alvin lustig. This may, new directions will issue an alvin lustig postcard collection. Lustig did not believe it was necessary to design down, as he called it, to achieve better sales. Rit publishes new book on modernist designer alvin lustig. Book jackets by alvin lustig for new directions booksfrom the collection of letterform archive. The book jacket designs of alvin lustig graphic design archives chapbook at. He began to study design in california after high school and has contributed much to the design of books, book jackets, magazines, and textiles.

Alvin lustig was the original design strategist petrolicious. Penguin classics book covers designed and hand embroidered by jillian tamaki cover love book cover design alvin lustig book cover action. Included are books, architecture, interiors, ads, identity and print. This concise overview of the work of designer alvin lustig 191555 focuses on his book covers, vehicles for his bold graphic experimentation. I love the book jackets that alvin lustig designed for new directions, particularly the new classics series from the 1940s and 50s. It is obvious that the series of jacket designs which alvin lustig has made for my new classics books is a constant pleasure to the eye.

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. He was hired at the publishing house as a junior assistant in 1986. Alvin lustig s 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. At once seductive, informative, and ephemeral, a book jacket is designed to evoke and promote the contents of a book. Rarely is the graphic designer given the chance to act upon what he considers his highest level upon a problem of serious intentions.

Alvin lustig s book layout for the girl scouts of america in 1953. Alvin lustig s restless curiosity during his short life was employed across many areas of art and design. The alvin lustig collection was donated to rit in 1986 by his widow, elaine. The illustrated dust jacket, 19201970 by martin salisbury, chronicles how this once disposable object became a major creative force in publishing. A few months later, i remember, he was showing me how he made extraordinary forms by exposing raw film to different kinds of light in a friends darkroom. The opportunity to design this series of book jackets was an unusual one. Book jacket modernism art director packaging layout type books design livros. Aug 20, 2015 new directions is a series of small sculptures by mexican artist edgar orlaineta. Click to enlarge written by steven heller and elaine lustig cohen, the book details the many aspects of the life of alvin lustig including his work in both graphic and interior design, how he evolved as a designer, his interest in education and his. Alvin lustig, modern american design pioneer books. 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. Alvin lustig believed in the power of design when applied to all aspects of life. Alv i n l u s t ig was a midtwentieth century designer, whose work ranged from textiles and advertisements to interiors and furniture. Case in point, the new exhibition vitality of new forms.

How one couple turned a graphic design hobby into a major. The book jacket designs of alvin lustig is a colorful and wellresearched representation of lustig s book cover designs that were created primarily for new directions books and noonday press, among others. May 27, 2012 born modern by steven heller eye magazine 1993, vol. 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. Book cover design by roy kuhlman 1957 the makers of modern literature series, e. His dust jackets were minimal distillations of the spirit of a books contents, with handrendered lettering. In a 1995 article for eye magazine, graphic designer, writer, and. Besides, kidd freelanced for various firms and produced more than 70 book jackets per year. Alvin lustig february 8, 1915 december 5, 1955 was an american book designer, graphic designer and typeface designer. Preface by alvin lustig the opportunity to design this series of book jackets was an unusual one. The book jacket designs of alvin lustig is a colorful and well researched representation of lustigs book cover designs that were created primarily. A student of frank lloyd wright, among others, alvin lustig had a very successful career in graphic design and art direction. Jason gabbert 1 the book jacktes of alvin lustig by james laughlin, new directions print magazine, octnov 1956 2 born modern by steven heller eye magazine 1993, vol. Alvin lustig graphic designer vv published in us in 2014 by studio art ff.

The book jacket designs of alvin lustig is a colorful and wellresearched representation of lustig s book cover designs that were created primarily for new directions books. New directions publishing published several of tennessee williams plays and lustig was the one who designed the book jackets for the first edition of williams work. May 20, 20 with his first book for new directions, alvin lustig began a partnership that would revolutionize the art of book cover design. A oneman exhibition of lustig s work was mounted by new yorks ad gallery in 1949 and traveled to walker art center in minneapolis. As a tangent from our normal interview posts, today were showing off some of the alvin lustig covers we collect courtesy of charles brock and tim green and can you blame us. Foster by lionel trilling, book jacket by alvin lustig american graphic designer and typeface designer. Lustig was ultimately responsible for developing a distinctive style of dust jacket that served as a new directions hallmark for many years. Between 1941 and 1952, lustig produced one masterpiece after another stylized, fragmented, some combining multiple photographs, others drawn by hand in glorious abstraction. There is nothing in the book world today which compares with them for color, for variety, for life, for appeal to the intelligence. He began the journey as a book jacket designer in 1937.

A less fecund talent might have been content to work that vein for years, but not lustig. The book jacket designs of alvin lustig rit press rit. People who judge a book by its cover would be impressed with the work of alvin lustig 19151955, who designed book jackets for notable works such as f. Pioneering graphic designer, artist and archivist, elaine lustig cohen is recognized for her body of design work integrating european avantgarde and modernist influences into a distinctly american, midcentury manner of typographic communication. Lustig wanted to be seen as a diverse designer, but. Jun 03, 2018 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. Alvin lustig alvin lustig s restless curiosity during his short life was employed across many areas of art and design. Lustig was most recognized for his works at new directions publishing, where he had designed countless book jackets he had designed over seventy dust jackets for the new classics literary series, coming up with various approaches for the typeface design and integrating modern design along the way. May 14, 2012 alvin lustig introduced principles of modern art to graphic design that have had a longterm influence on contemporary practice. Sep 17, 2010 people who judge a book by its cover would be impressed with the work of alvin lustig 19151955, who designed book jackets for notable works such as f. Sep 22, 2015 each of his allencompassing book covers had a life and character of its own, focusing on more than just one general image. Announcement, exhibition invitation for alvin lustig. The first jacket which lustig did for a new directions book the one for the.

Alvin lustig, cover for three lives by gertrude stein. To hire lustig was to get more than a cosmetic makeover, art director and historian steven heller writes. The current preference among american book jacket designers for fragmented images. Amazing illustrative and colorful book covers by one of our favorite designers. Alvin lustig, modern american design pioneer 19151955. Oct 03, 2017 alvin lustig is a known graphic and typeface designer.

Book jackets by alvin lustig for new directions books. New directions, 20142015 this series of sculptures departs from alvin lustigs book jackets for new directions books, the sculptures are nonliteral interpretations of the original designs and the books contents, every sculpture features an original book design by alvin lustig in the late 40s and early 50s. If you would like to look deeper into his life and work, visit the alvin lustig archive, dedicated to him. Their collection of book jackets by american designer alvin lustig, ads for milanese tire. It is sure to trigger pangs of belletristic acquisitiveness and perhaps even launch you on a new book buying addictionyet even the most dedicated collector will find it difficult to match the quality of the books displayed in this design show. This book was wrapped in a black and white montage of five symbolic photographs and would go on to change the american publishing industry. Many of new directions classic titles now proudly wear their original lustig jackets. Yet over the years, elaine and i have teamed together in promoting the legacy of alvin lustig. Alvin lustig, revolutionary book jacket designer and recipient of a 1993 aiga medal, models how personal vision wedded to modern form can significantly impact the public sphere. Some of the works that feature lustig s artwork include, orpheus descending, cat on a hot tin roof. While his recognition lies mainly in the realm of book jacket design, lustigs work in advertising and brand identity drew from the same modernist influences. His wideranging work from the 1940s and early 1950s included book and book jacket design. From the book jackets of alvin lustig by james laughlin, print magazine, octnov 1956. Alvin lustigs book jacket designs part 3 on behance.

Some of the works that feature lustigs artwork include, orpheus descending, cat on a hot tin roof and a streetcar named desire. Alvin lustig, revolutionary book jacket designer and recipient of a 1993 aiga medal. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. He was in the vanguard of a relatively small group who fervently, indeed religiously, believed in the curative power of good design when applied to all aspects of american life. Lustig was a modernist designer who partook in nearly all disciplines of design we, of course, focus on the book jackets. Each new classics book jacket lustig created had its own unique character. By the time he died at the age of forty in 1955, he had already introduced principles of continue reading. Legacy throughout his career, alvin lustig designed book jackets using his personal vision and modern forms.

Such is alvin lustigs 1953 paperback cover for lorca. Bookjackets by alvin lustig for new directions books, 1947. The book is separated into three stories, the good anna, melanctha, and the gentle lena. He also studied design independently with american architect frank lloyd wright at his taliesin studio. Formal compositional elements alluded to the content emotionally, never designing. His graphic design is heavily influenced by modern art. Anatomy for interior designers by julus panero whitney library of design, 1954illustrator. Born in 1915, alvin lustig grew up in denver, colorado. Alvin lustig, book cover design for monday night by kay boyle, new directions books, usa. Pioneering graphic designer, artist and archivist, elaine lustig cohen is recognized for her body of design work integrating european avantgarde and modernist influences into a distinctly american, midcentury manner of communication. Lustig immersed himself in all aspects of design, including architecture. See more ideas about alvin lustig, book cover design and book design. Alvin lustig died in new york on december 5, 1955, survived by his widow elaine firstenberg lustig, whom he had married in 1948.

In denver, colorado on the year of 1915, alvin lustig was born. Some of the designs are abstract, others are representational, but all of them are beautiful. Alvin lustig project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. James laughlin in the book jackets of alvin lustig had this to say about lustig. After the time of world war ii, new directions developed a close relationship with the artist alvin lustig, who designed modernist abstract book jackets.