Design Forages

Random pickings from the design world

Design Icons: Paula Scher

It took me a few seconds to draw it, but it took me 34 years to learn how to draw it in a few seconds – Paula Scher

Today I’d like to to celebrate another design hero of mine. Paula Scher.

Not only blessed with great talent and insight, she is an wonderful communicator who speaks and writes and written at length, expressing the processes and ideas behind her work.

Even at the top level, graphic design is not an exact science and takes careful planning and sketching to get to the good stuff. Paula’s openness to talk about her failures as well as her many successes, has inspired designers across the to be realistic and not always expect to hit a home run at the first stage of a project.

Her straight talking approach allows designers to understand in real terms what constitutes great work and allows clients to grasp the importance of design and the design process.

A designer for over 40 years, she has been a partner at Pentagram since 1991, and has designed brand identities and promotional materials for clients all over the world. Setting trends, breaking boundaries and communicating with warmth, insight and charm, Paula Scher exemplifies what a designer should be, here is a sample of some of her work.

 

Bob James H Cover

paula-scher-bob-james

 

Oola Candy Store

paula-scher-oola-candy-store

The Joseph Papp Public Theater / CBS Records Posters

paula-scher-posters

Truvea Identity

Truvea Identity

Cohen Media Group

Cohen Media Group

New Jersey Performing Arts Center 

New Jersey Performing Arts Center

Paula Scher Maps 

Paula Scher Maps

Starchitect Logo

Starchitect Logo

Achievement First Endeavor Middle School Interior Graphics

Achievement First Endeavor Middle School

New Windows Identity

paula scher windows identity

High Line Logo

High Line Logo

Further Reading

Paula Scher Bio

Paula Scher Maps (SIte)

Paula Scher Maps (Book)

Make It Bigger (Book)

Design Icons: Alan Fletcher