HERB.

July 26, 2021

HERB.

Basics.

"Lubalins constant search for something new and his passion for inventiveness made him one of the most successful art directors of the 20th century." http://www.designishistory.com/1960/herb-lubalin/

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. Herbert F. "Herb" Lubalin, "pronounced Loo-ball-in, accent on the loo"

. American type designer, graphic designer, typographer, and teacher.

. Born March 17, 1918, New York.

. Died May 24, 1981, at New York University Hospital. He was 63 years old.

. Known as “The father of conceptual typography.”

Lublin's typography style.

"His work incorporated tight letter-and-line spacing, extreme kerning with acute attention to every typographic detail" https://creativepro.com/herb-lubalin-and-expressive-typography/

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. Expressive.

. Detailed.

. Elegant.

. illustrative.

. Experimental.

. Decorative.

. Humanistic.

Typefaces Lubalin designed.

"You can do a good ad without good typography, but you can't do a great ad without good typography." (Herb Lubalin)

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. ITC Avant Garde Gothic (with Carnase, Gschwind, Gürtler, Mengelt, 1970–77).

. Ronda (1970).

. Lubalin Graph (1974).

. ITC Serif Gothic (with Tony DiSpigna, 1974).

(linotype, 2021).

Interesting Facts.

Pissed off "republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, with an article from his magazine, Fact. Titled “The Unconscious of a Conservative: A Special Issue on the Mind of Barry Goldwater. Goldwater sued the magazine repeatedly and put it out of business eventually." (PRINT, Ellen Shapiro, 2012).

His life and work were honored at a two-day celebration held at "the Cooper Union in New York City. It was a free public event, a family reunion, a party, and a book launch—the book being Herb Lubalin, American Graphic Designer, 1918-1981 by Adrian Shaughnessy."

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. Lubalin was color-blind and ambidextrous.

. Supporter of human rights. Strong political convictions. Not a fan of politicians' antics.

. Loved to paint. Wanted to devote his life to the craft after he retired.

. Famous for sketching all his ideas on tissues.

. Collaborated with friend Ralph Ginzburg" three of Ginzburg'smagazines: Eros, Fact, and Avant-Garde, and was responsible for the creative visual beauty of these publications." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herb_Lubalin

. Lubalin and Ginzburg's 1960's magazine Avant-Garde was so dynamic and controversial it sent Ginzburg to jail for “violating federal obscenity laws”

https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/lubalins-radical-60s-magazines-are-giving-us-a-lesson-in-archiving-on-the-web/

What I dig about Lubalin.

"As an employer, he hired African American women at a time when this was not common. And for Ebony magazine, he produced one of the most effective advertising campaigns, exposing discrimination amongst US corporations, reluctant to spend ad dollars in a magazine for black readers."

https://www.uniteditions.com/blogs/news/ten-things-you-should-know-about-herb-lubalin

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. Quiet. Didn't say much but made a powerful impact.

. Humble. Acknowledged the contribution made by his employees and partners.

. Passionate about his work and life.

. Experimented with type.

. Designs were thought-provoking.

. Lubalin and his work made an impression.

. Confident.

. Attention to detail.

. Cared about people, his family, friends, and co-workers-Showed in his work.

. Teacher. Took younger folk under his wing.

. Forward-thinking.

How do Lubalins designs make you see things differently?

. The possibilities for creativity in graphic design are endless.

. There's more beauty in Typography than I ever realized.

. Creativity and wit are vital in design.

. Confidence =conviction in your work= taking creative chances= success.

. Not everyone is an asshole. Artists could be our only hope of evolving as humans(also, I'm very dramatic).

. The written word is a powerful communication tool.

The British designer David Pocknell recalls going to see Lubalin in New York in the 1960s with a “Beatles haircut, a velvet suit and few posters,” and Lubalin offered him a job on the spot. It was the same with Alan Peckolick, who eventually became Lubalin’s partner—he was hired on the spot. It’s clear that—despite the grunts and his reluctance to say good morning when he entered the studio—Herb Lubalin was a kind man and a generous supporter of young talent.

Inspiration & Cool Resources

Stefan Kjartansson, 2016: Herb Lubalin talks about creating his PBS logo