Alan Fletcher (1931 – 2006) British Graphic Designer
Alan Fletcher, a British graphic designer who lived from 1931 to 2006, attended Yale’s School of Architecture and Design and London’s Royal College of Art. He was his generation’s most highly regarded British graphic designer and probably one of the most prolific.
Embed from Getty ImagesEarly Life
He was born in Nairobi, Kenya, but moved to London when he was five and was raised by his widowed mother and grandparents. During the war, he was sent to Christ’s Hospital boarding school in Horsham, but he didn’t like the traditional way of life there, so in 1949, he went to art school.
United States Experiences
After early training at the Central School of Arts and Crafts and the Royal College of Art in London, he attended Yale University’s School of Art. At Yale University, he studied under renowned graphic designers Paul Rand and Josef Albers. This period also involved visits from prominent figures in the field, including Robert Brownjohn, Ivan Chermayeff, and Tom Geismar. His time at Yale wasn’t solely academic; a fortuitous event—the launch of Sputnik—led to Fletcher being commissioned to design a cover for Fortune magazine, a pivotal moment that secured him a full-time position there. He also met future business partners Colin Forbes and Theo Crosby during his time at Yale’s art school. After his stint on the East Coast, he moved to Los Angeles, working for Saul Bass as an assistant. This experience provided further immersion in American graphic design before he ultimately returned to London. A local revolution thwarted his initial plan to establish a design studio in Venezuela, leading him back to his native country.
In 1959, he moved back to London and started Fletcher, Forbes & Gill, a company that made graphics as fashionable as Mary Quant’s clothes. Fletcher, Forbes & Gill acquired a third of the design firm in 1972 and called it Pentagram.
Pentagram
The company prospered, and it became even more significant. More clients followed, including Reuters, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Lloyd’s of London, Daimler Benz, and the Victoria & Albert Museum. Many designers would have rested on their laurels and forgone being practitioners. However, Fletcher preferred to be involved in the creative process. In 1992, he left Pentagram to work alone in his studio. Again, he attracted large clients, but perhaps the one that gave him the most satisfaction was Phaidon Press, where he was the art director.
Fletcher says he is interested in visual ambiguity and adds, ‘Function is fine, but solving the problem is not the problem. The problem is adding value, investing solutions with a visual surprise, and above all, with wit. To misquote: ‘‘A smile is worth a thousand pictures.”
The Birth of the Art of Looking Sideways
This extraordinary compendium of “the workings of the eye, the hand, and the imagination” His book took at least 18 years to write. The manuscript used to accompany him on his travels, tucked into a black canvas attaché case. He would rarely let it out of his sight. A comprehensive 1000-page work, it’s filled with inspirational quotes, creative typography, and illustrations from hundreds of artists, designers, and thinkers. The book’s unique design allows it to be opened sideways at random, encouraging serendipitous discovery and fostering curiosity in the reader. The concept originated from Fletcher’s habit of carrying a notebook and pencil, constantly jotting down observations from a design perspective, which he later compiled into this extensive library of creative ideas. Fletcher was incredibly proud of this book and frequently showcased and discussed it. It served as a culmination of his lifelong approach to design, demonstrating his creative process and thoughtfulness.
Recognition
Fletcher was a modest man despite being awarded the Prince Philip Prize for Designer of the Year. He was elected to the Hall of Fame of the American Art Directors’ Club and as a senior fellow of the Royal College of Art. His work has been shown in exhibitions around the world.
Sources
Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing. https://amzn.to/3ElmSlL
Graphic Designer Who Championed the Art of Looking Sideways. (2006, September 29). The Daily Telegraph 29 Sep 2006, page 27 – Newspapers.com. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.newspapers.com/image/753346771/?terms=%22Alan%20Fletcher%22&match=1
Rodriguez, George, “Alan Fletcher” (2021). Communication Design: Design Pioneers. 2.
https://research.library.kutztown.edu/designpioneers/2
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