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Lester Beall 2

Though he later became a pioneer of American

Graphic design, Lester Beall (1903-1969) began school with strong interests in science and engineering. He graduated from Lane Technical School.

Prior to his studies in art, he underwent practical training in radio, electrical engineering, metalworking, chemistry, physics, and math. Later, he began studying at the University of Chicago with plans to major in physics, all the while taking additional classes in painting, color, and life drawing courses.

It wasn’t until his junior year that he switched majors to Art History. Over time, he built up a phenomonal reputation as a commercial artist in New York.

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“A good designer has to be by nature a Advertisement for Chicago Tribune, 1934

When Beall started out in the field of graphic

design, his body of work seemed rather conventional. It wasn’t until after the year 1929 that a drastic change in his style was apparent. Beall took inspiration from the work of many Avant-garde European typographers, notably those of El Lissitzky. That inspiration was evident in his use of symbols, flat colors, angular type, and shaped photographs.

Photo engraving No. 2 promotional poster, 1938

student and an experimenter.�

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Inspired by painters like Matisse and Dufy, Beall tried to bring that freedom and energy into his own work.

There were no unnecessary frills to his art, it

was just meant to effectively communicate one idea. While his art was first and foremost functional in conveying its message, it was far from boring. Beall thought that the majority of American commercial art had become heavily dependent on solely representational form. He was very excited by painters like Dufy and Matisse, whose work was expressive and spontaneous. He tried to bring his own kind of freedom and energy to his design, which he did well with his use of bold and textured strokes, as well as positive and negative script lettering. Experimentation was a large part of Lester Beall’s mentality as a designer. He felt that artists should always be searching for new ways to experiment and finding different forms to explore. He considered himself to be an absorbent artist, possessing an eagerness to learn, and to draw inspirations from as many different sources as possible.

Henri Matisse figures, 1952 and 1932 Pharmaceutical promotion for Abbott Laboratories, 1939

Pages 8 & 9: Fortune magazine spread, 1946 CCA Missouri Ad,1946

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Lester Beall was told that he would have difficulty

in the art world because he did not specialize in any particular style, and art buyers like to pigeon hole every artist. This was the moment when he decided to “specialize in non-specialization.” One of his many strengths was being able to effectively combine his own visions of a project with those of the owner/user. He worked to create a unique identity for each of his clients. He showed a contempt for the anonymity within art, which he felt surrounded by. He felt part of his duty as an artist was to give each commissioned piece its own fitting and individual voice. He was determined to explore different form with each new assignment. Beall’s work was “consistently clear, direct, and communicative.”

He was known for being the type of designer who focused on information oriented work. Every piece contributed to the greater message, no unnecessary frills.

Spread from a promotional book designed for Hiram Walker & Sons liquor products.

“Good modern design in typography, as in other arts, reflects the times in which we live, and because it does, it is firmly entrenched and is here to stay.�

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It was evident that American graphic design was

stuck in a pattern of monotony and tastelessness in the 1930s; there was a lack of variety throughout the entire field. Lester Beall was significantly responsible for pulling graphic design out of this rut and incorporating not only aesthetically pleasing work but, more importantly, effective visual communication. He went beyond the derivitave forms and current conventions of his time. There was a certain expressiveness in Beall’s work that people had never really seen in the design field. He is rightfully recognized today as changing the way we think about design.

One of 18 screen printed posters designed for the Rural Electrification Administration

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Sources: 9 Pioneers in Graphic Design - R. Roger Remington Lester Beall: Trailblazer of American Graphic Design - R. Roger Remington Megg’s History of Graphic Design - Philip B. Meggs Written and designed by Madeline Mayor Composed in Helvetica and Bodoni Seventy-Two Copyright Š Madeline Mayor Portland, ME Maine College of Art