I want everything we do to be beautiful. I don’t give a damn whether the client understands that that’s worth anything, or that the client thinks it’s worth anything, or whether it is worth anything. It’s worth it to me. It’s the way I want to live my life. I want to make beautiful things, even if nobody cares.
–Saul Bass
Saul Bass is not a name that probably jumps to the mind of many people. It’s a name that was employed in a Seinfeld episode but that’s not the Saul Bass and his work that I’m sharing here today. No, the Saul Bass I’m talking about lived from 1920 until 1996 and is considered a groundbreaking graphic designer, best known for his work in the movies. The three movie posters at the top feature Bass’ signature work. If you watched many movies over the years, you no doubt have seen his work in the opening credits or in movie posters.
He was also served as a visual consultant on many well-known films (Spartacus, for example) and was an acclaimed filmmaker. He made a short film called Why Man Creates which won the Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject in 1968. The film featured a series of vignettes on creativity. You can watch the entire film on YouTube. It is about 22 minutes long so today I am sharing the opening segment, called The Edifice, which basically summarizes the entire history of man’s creative endeavors in the form of a rising building. I thought I’d share it because it’s a fun piece and you might recognize Bass’ signature style. But I also wanted to share it because creates a rising continuum in which our own creative endeavors have a place and purpose.
That’s important to remember.
Take a few minutes to enjoy this then check out the photo below of Bass and another designer laying out the animation artwork alongside a segment of it.
Redtree Times 