Book jackets by alvin lustig

The back of the book has a portfolio of six designers including my favorites, alvin lustig and paul rand. 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. There is a designer and title index, someting that was sadly missing from the great american. See more ideas about alvin lustig, graphic design and book jacket. 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. Bookjackets by alvin lustig for new directions books, 1947 publisher. Lustig achieved so much in so little time, he lost his sight at age 39 due to diabetes and passed away only a year later. 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. Part of a big find this afternoon of several early alvin lustig covers, as well as a couple from elaine lustig and paul rand. Fifties designer alvin lustigs book jackets provide inspiration for painted walls and floors. I first met the artist and designer elaine lustig cohen through the website dedicated to her former husband, the legendary designer alvin lustig.

Alvin lustigs contributions to the design of books and book jackets. May 27, 2012 born modern by steven heller eye magazine 1993, vol. Book cover of illumination by alvin lustig using a very highbrightness color palette conveys a sense of shining to the audience that is fit to the book title. 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. Book cover, bookjacket by alvin lustig for exiles by james joyce.

Alvin lustig, modern american design pioneer books. His sense of color and ability to seamlessly weave simple and beautiful illustrations into his. The book jacket designs of alvin lustig rit press rit. In addition, the tensile illustration makes the composition impressive. Part of a big find this afternoon of several early alvin. Bookjackets by alvin lustig for new directions books, 1947. Alvin lustig biography alvin lustig was a renowned twentieth century graphic designer. 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, the book jackets of alvin lustig, print, vol. Alvin lustig, 1946 all book covers for new directions, unless otherwise noted. Each cover displayed an artistic unity where even the books title and author became. It is sure to trigger pangs of belletristic acquisitiveness and perhaps even launch you on a new bookbuying addictionyet even the most dedicated collector will find it difficult to match the quality of the books displayed in this design show. Preface by alvin lustig the opportunity to design this series of book jackets was an unusual one. The book jackets of alvin lustig by alvin lustig, paul spencer sternberger and ned drew 2010, paperback at the best online prices at ebay.

Lustig was most recognized for his works at new directions publishing, where he had designed countless book jackets. His dust jackets were minimal distillations of the spirit of a books contents, with. Formal compositional elements alluded to the content emotionally, never designing. The book jacket designs of alvin lustig by ned drew 20100901 ned drew. Modern american design pioneer alvin lustig messerwerferin. Updating a famous type anomaly from aiga medalists alvin. 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 design pioneer about alvin. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus.

Design by lustig for new directions books edition of the play by tennessee williams, featuring a minimalist depiction of a man and two women on a lilac ba alvin lustig book jacket for a streetcar named desire, 1947, from the alvin lustig papers, 19351955. 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. Included are books, architecture, interiors, ads, identity and print. Alvin lustig february 8, 1915 december 5, 1955 was an american book designer, graphic designer and typeface designer. Book cover, bookjacket by alvin lustig for the wanderer by alain. Lustig created monuments of ingenuity and objects of aesthetic pleasure. Nov 08, 2018 alvin lustigs book layout for the girl scouts of america in 1953. 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. From the book jackets of alvin lustig by james laughlin, print magazine, octnov 1956 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 vogue, but it scarcely hinted at the extraordinary flowering which was to follow. 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. Alvin lustig s restless curiosity during his short life was employed across many areas of art and design. Book cover, bookjacket by alvin lustig for exiles by james joyce, new directions books, 1947. See more ideas about alvin lustig, book cover design and book design. Included are books, architecture, interiors, ads, identity.

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 20, 20 with his first book for new directions, alvin lustig began a partnership that would revolutionize the art of book cover design. Rarely is the graphic designer given the chance to act upon what he considers his highest level upon a problem of serious intentions. Those jackets helped distinguish her more freeform style from alvin s lateperiod precisionist approach. His book jackets and covers in particular still influence the contemporary approach some 65 years later. Alvin lustig, revolutionary book jacket designer and recipient of a 1993 aiga medal.

As publisher of new directions, laughlin hired lustig in the early 1940s and gave him the latitude to experiment with personal graphic forms. He illustrated the book covers of eminent literary figures, for instance, james joyce, ezra pound, william carlos williams and gertrude stein. Aug 20, 2015 new directions is a series of small sculptures by mexican artist edgar orlaineta. She is a living link between designs modernist past and its continually changing present. Book jackets by alvin lustig for new directions books. Between 1941 and 1952, lustig produced one masterpiece after another stylized. Oct 21, 2017 alvin lustigs restless curiosity during his short life was employed across many areas of art and design. Bookjackets by alvin lustig gotham book mart, 1947. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. Between 1941 and 1952, lustig produced one masterpiece after another stylized, fragmented, some combining multiple photographs, others drawn by hand in glorious abstraction.

Lustig used the book cover as a vehicle of his bold graphic experimentation that was enhanced by a lifelong collaboration with james laughlin, founder and publisher of new directions books. See more ideas about alvin lustig, book design and book cover design. His career highlights include numerous book jackets for new directions and noonday press. Alvin lustig is one of our alltime favorite designers. Collection features explore the stories behind our collections through thematicallyrelated items.

This concise overview of the work of designer alvin lustig 191555 focuses on his book covers, vehicles for his bold graphic experimentation. Gazing at the bold and colorful use of art and typography in each cover, i found myself wanting to read all of the books in the collection. Alvin lustig papers, 19351955 archives of american art. The alvin lustig archive includes over 400 designs from this important modern american design pioneer. He leaves behind a significant legacy of graphic design and interior design. Lustig, alongside paul rand, greatly furthered the american modernist school of design, albeit in a highly personal and individualist way. Pioneering graphic designer, artist and archivist, elaine lustig cohen 19272016 is recognized for her body of design work integrating european avantgarde and modernist influences into a distinctly american, midcentury manner of communication. Alvin lustig gets an impressive eightyeight page look at his book jackets for new directions. The book jacket designs of alvin lustig is a colorful and wel. His dust jackets were minimal distillations of the spirit of a book s contents, with. May 14, 2012 alvin lustig introduced principles of modern art to graphic design that have had a longterm influence on contemporary practice. May 17, 2011 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.

Published by the gotham book mart press 1947 with statements by james laughlin and alvin lustig artist. These started in 1939 when he met publisher james laughlin, they became good friends and lustig designed dozens of covers through the forties and fifties for laughlins imprints, fiftyfour, in color, are included in the book with six covers for other publishers. James laughlin in the book jackets of alvin lustig had this to say about lustig. Lustig used the book cover as a vehicle of his bold graphic experimentation that was enhanced by a lifelong collaboration with james laughlin, founder and. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Alvin lustig modern american designer pioneer ehehr1955s. The alvin lustig collection was donated to rit in 1986 by his widow, elaine. Book cover, bookjacket by alvin lustig for the wanderer by alain fournier, new directions books, 1947. Around the same time, arthur cohen, book publisher and the lustigs best friend, insisted that elaine design meridian books new line of paperbacks. The book jacket designs of alvin lustig is a colorful and wellresearched representation of lustigs book cover designs that were created primarily. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel.

Jan 16, 2016 explore faceoutstudios board book covers. While particularly admired for his book jacket designs, lustig designed many other items, including invitations for the several beverly hills high school commencements. The opportunity to design this series of book jackets was an unusual one. 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. With his first book for new directions, alvin lustig began a partnership that would revolutionize the art of book cover design. Lustig was a modernist designer who partook in nearly all disciplines of design we, of course, focus on the book jackets. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Alvin designed the first 25 and elaine went on to do more than 100 more. Bookjacket by alvin lustig for tennessee williams camino. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Book jackets by alvin lustig for new directions booksfrom the collection of letterform archive. 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, wrote james laughlin in the book jackets of alvin lustig print, vol. Other repository surveys artrelated archival materials located in other libraries and repositories. Alv i n l u s t ig was a midtwentieth century designer, whose work ranged from textiles and advertisements to interiors and furniture.

See more ideas about alvin lustig, book jacket and graphic design. Alvin lustig book jacket for a streetcar named desire. 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. The book jacket designs of alvin lustig graphic design archives chapbook 9781933360485. There is nothing in the book world today which compares with them for color, for variety, for life, for appeal to the intelligence. 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. Some of the works that feature lustigs artwork include, orpheus descending, cat on a hot tin roof. By the time he died at the age of forty in 1955, he had already introduced principles of continue reading. The alvin lustig archive 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.

Back in 2006, i had been asked to get in touch with the estate regarding his jacket designs for new directions. The book jacket designs of alvin lustig graphic design archives chapbook at. In contrast the covers in jackets required are bursting with creativity, the chapter on nonfiction has some particularly striking designs. Jun 17, 2015 instead of making book jackets that tried summarizing the book, he would read it and gain a sense of what the writer was trying to portray and put that in an image. Elaine lustig cohen, wife of alvin lustig, is a book and jacket designer and artist. Alvin lustig from the book jackets of alvin lustig by james laughlin, print magazine, octnov 1956 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. Lustig wanted to be seen as a diverse designer, but.