Saul Bass

I had to make a post dedicated to one of my favorite artists of all time. If you don’t know/love Saul Bass already, you’re missing out on a world of inspiration. In fact, a lot of his work is probably familiar without having actually heard the name responsible for the genius, so allow me to introduce you. I was definitely surprised at what I learned just reading his wikipedia.

Saul Bass, (May 8, 1920 – April 25, 1996) is an American designer and filmmaker best know for his film poster and title designs.His career spans over 50 years, during which time he worked with some of the greatest directors of the age including Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick and Martin Scorsese. He also worked with companies like AT&T, Continental Airlines, and Kleenex, designing logos that would become recognizable the world over; some of which are still used today. Bass had a very iconic style and an eye for  creating subtly provokative images out of basic shapes. He was also one of the first people in the biz to recognize the potential for design in title sequences, which can be seen in his work on Psycho, The Man with the Golden Arm, and North By Northwest.

The AIGA has a much more comprehensive (and articulate) article on his style and accomplishments here, but here are some of his posters for you to check out.

P.S. If you’re an Art Director with an eye for movies, or anyone in advertising that needs positioning inspiration, check out IFC’s 50 Greatest Title Sequences. Although Saul Bass was one of the first to pay attention to this part of the movie experience, many others have taken it to whole new levels as an art form.