Josef Muller
Brockmann
Josef Müller-Brockmann (May 9th, 1914 – August 30th, 1996) is considered one of the key players in the Swiss School of international Style. When one considers the time of his career, which included the Second World War, the Cold War and the growing influence of a Europe on the mend from destruction and fear, he certainly influenced not only a design style that influenced designers on a global scale. It was a time of rebirth for many nations that lay in ruins, rebuilding and rethinking centuries of tradition that were forced to change due to the brutality of war and cruelty. Müller-Brockmann was more than just a man who sought to form what is now labeled the Swiss School; Constructivism, De Still, Suprematism and the Bauhaus, all of which pushed his designs in a new direction that opened doors for creative expressions in graphic design, influenced him. Among his peers he is probably the most easily recognized when looking at that period.
Perhaps his most recognized work was done for the Zurich Town Hall as poster advertisements for its theater productions. The work is graphic, rather than illustrative. Some critics say these posters created a mathematical harmony, which reflected the harmony of music. If one studies posters before that time, they would probably all agree that these are a bold and different way to play to visual messages dealing with music. Who would think of such a graphic? Who would dare execute such work at that time? If you look at the jazz and fusion albums in America at the time, you can see Mülle¬r-Brockmann’s influence.
“They dissapproved of the abstract nature of these posters, criticizing them for being hostile to public taste. On these posters, rhythmically arranged geometric elements symbolized the musical program. I tried to interpret musical themes such as rhythm, transparency, weightlessness, etc. with definite, abstract forms, brought into a logical context. Also it was important for me to bring the composition of the geometric elements in line with the typography arrangement, both formally and proportionally.â€? - Josef MĂźller-Brockmann
The grid was the prioritization and arrangement of typographic and pictorial elements with the meaningful use of color, set into a semblance of order, based on left-to-right, top-to-bottom. According to Wikipedia, the grid system is, “a two-dimensional structure made up of a series of intersecting vertical and horizontal axes used to structure content. The grid serves as an armature on which a designer can organize text and images in a rational, easy to absorb manner.�
The KISS Method (Keep It Simple, Stupid). M端ller-Brockmann is recognized for his simple designs and his clean use of typography, notably Akzidenz-Grotesk, shapes and colors, which inspires many graphic designers in the 21st century. As with the French posters in the 1890s, M端ller-Brockmann and his peers also attempted to attract customers and sell products with bold, simplicity.
Following are few posters from the World War II that I’ve re-created using the grid system and the KISS method.
In this poster, i’ve used the golden rectangles as my grid.
In this poster, i’ve used the golden rectangle as my grid.
In this poster, i’ve made a grid of my own as an exploration and used it in the poster.
In this poster, i’ve made a grid of my own as an exploration and used it in the poster.
In this poster, i’ve used the golden rectangles as the grid.
"We Can Do It!" is an American wartime propaganda poster produced by J. Howard Miller in 1943 for Westinghouse Electric as an inspirational image to boost
worker morale. The poster is generally thought to be based on a black-and-white
wire service picture taken of a Michigan factory worker named Geraldine Hoff.
WE CAN DO IT
I WANT YOU FOR
U.S. ARMY Nearest recruiting stations