50s Graphic Design: The Age of the Graphic Designer

The 1950s was a transformative decade for graphic design. As postwar economies flourished, designers shaped consumer culture’s visual language, marking the beginning of modern 50s graphic design trends. During WWII, graphic designers, illustrators, and artists used their talents to disseminate information and propaganda. This period is a crucial part of design history as later, instead of promoting countries, the same strategies were used to promote products and enterprises. Understanding this shift is essential when studying design history.

Embed from Getty Images

Power of the Poster

During the war, posters encouraged people to enlist in the army or provided directions, such as wearing a gas mask. Others were propaganda aimed at instilling patriotic hate of the adversary in the public. Abram Games was the official poster artist in the United Kingdom (1914 – 1996). He was a big fan of catchy phrases and created the renowned ‘Careless Talk Costs Lives’ posters, which have since become a milestone in the history of poster design.

Postwar Poster Influence

Designers continued to employ symbols to communicate concepts interestingly after the conflict. This evolution marks a significant chapter in design history. For example, the Festival of Britain emblem (1951) was meticulously crafted to instil pride in the United Kingdom by showcasing Britannia’s Union Jack colours and head.

Raymond Loewy – Father of Design

Working in the United States, French-born designer Raymond Loewy (1893 – 1986) pioneered the concept of ‘good design’. He recognised that consumers had grown more sophisticated. He advised manufacturers to woo their customers with elegant and streamlined designs. His work plays an integral part in the narrative of design history.  
Read More

Simple Text

You’re reading ‘Open Sans,’ a sans serif typeface designed by Steve Matteson. The clean lines of sans serif typefaces, such as Univers, were considered modern in the 1940s and 1950s, contributing to the overarching trends in design history.

Long-Term Logos

Companies commissioned expert designers to create logos that would last a lifetime as they grew more aware of the significance of branding. They sought to recruit devoted customers who would stick to a single, well-known brand. One of the most successful and long-lasting corporate identification emblems was Paul Rand’s logo for IBM (1956). Rand’s ability to break the logo into simple, timeless shapes contributed to his design clarity, which is a key study point in design history.

FAQS

Sources

Jones, H. (1999). 20th-Century Design: 40s And 50s: War and post-war years. Heinemann Library.

More Graphic Designers

Related Articles

• 12 Russian Propaganda Posters
• Hans Gugelot: Influential German Designer and Braun Consultant
• Raymond Loewy: Influential American Industrial Designer
• The 8 types of Graphic Design
• Logos that Last: How to Create Iconic Visual Branding