Graphis Master Paul Rand Leaves a Legacy of Timeless Work

This week’s Graphis Master is Paul Rand, an American graphic designer who created a multitude of logos for corporate businesses. He had a lengthy and successful career making a name for himself as one of the most creative thinkers in the design industry. Many of his logos are inspired by the Swiss style of graphic design.

Rand’s design for IBM (above left) utilizes familiar icons to create a fun brand image that drives readers to actually try, read, and comprehend the meaning of the logo. His work for NeXT computers (above right) brings the letters to the forefront and highlights them against the black cube. The name of the company stands out to the viewer and the colors harmonize with each other. These simple approaches are effective in creating long-lasting brand logos.

Though the average person may not know his name, they’ve certainly seen and recognized his work. He designed logos for Accent Software International (1), ABC (2), Enron (3), Alfred A Knopf Inc. (4), Ford (5), and Thomas-Creighton CO (6).

For over 50 years, Paul Rand cultivated a keen eye for geometric shapes and memorable typography. His graphic designs are known worldwide and have been used as examples and inspiration for many young and up-and-coming graphic designers. Along with his design career, he taught Graphic Design at Yale University and wrote many books on the art of design. His legacy is well-remembered by the design industry and the many admirers of his craft.

Check out Paul Rand’s exemplary work in his Graphis Master Portfolio.