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Paul Rand: A Designer's Art
Graphic Design which fulfills aesthetic needs, complies with the laws of form and exigencies of two-dimensional space; which speaks in semiotics, sans-serifs, and geometrics; which abstracts, transforms, translates, rotates, dilates, repeats, mirrors, groups, and regroups is not good design if it is irrelevant.
Graphic design which evokes the symmetria of Vituvius, the dynamic symmetry of Hambidge, the asymmetry of Mondrian; which is a good gestalt, generated by intuition or by computer, by invention or by a system of coordinates is not good design if it does not communicate.
- Paul Rand
For the design student, teacher, professional designer, and, indeed, for anyone interested in the creative communication of ideas, Paul Rand: A Designer's Art is certain to be a book that is both provocative and enlightening.
253 pages, Paperback
First published September 10, 1985
43 people are currently reading
2098 people want to read
About the author
Paul Rand
47 books116 followersPaul Rand (born Peretz Rosenbaum) was an American graphic designer, best known for his corporate logo designs. Rand was educated at the Pratt Institute (1929–1932), and the Art Students League (1933–1934). He was one of the originators of the Swiss Style of graphic design. From 1956 to 1969, and beginning again in 1974, Rand taught design at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Rand was inducted into the New York Art Directors Club Hall of Fame in 1972. He designed many posters and corporate identities, including the logos for IBM, Apple, UPS and ABC. Rand died of cancer in 1996. He is buried in Beth El Cemetery in Norwalk, Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
May 6, 2023
A simple, effective, and clever approach book.
The author used his own design assignment as the reference to put forward his perspective on the graphic design principles.
WHAT WORKED FOR ME?
I liked his straightforward opinion and solutions on the current confusing design industry. Nowadays, social media users spread that artists and designers are two separate entities - Agree and it's fine. However author and designer Paul Rand emphasizes the painting vision for developing artistic approach while designing.
WHAT LOOKS LITTLE OFF FOR ME?
I felt that this book is just a printed portfolio or a substitute for the business card.
This is a great idea and executed well!
Actually I expected a comprehensive book because I am mediocre in the designing field, still I was able to understand his teaching because I read a couple of books (each on different design principles), thus I enjoyed it when I read on the same principles in Paul's perspective. Also I had some experience in the design industry, so I realised my falls which I will improve.
WHO CAN READ THIS BOOK?
New designers can expect to start with this book and quickly understand about design and its industry.
Honestly speaking, this is not a one-time read book.
Author mentioned some critical points where new designers have to experience the surroundings first, then they will understand what Paul wanted to say.
Thus, this book can work as a quick guide for professional designers in their hard time.
The author used his own design assignment as the reference to put forward his perspective on the graphic design principles.
WHAT WORKED FOR ME?
I liked his straightforward opinion and solutions on the current confusing design industry. Nowadays, social media users spread that artists and designers are two separate entities - Agree and it's fine. However author and designer Paul Rand emphasizes the painting vision for developing artistic approach while designing.
WHAT LOOKS LITTLE OFF FOR ME?
I felt that this book is just a printed portfolio or a substitute for the business card.
This is a great idea and executed well!
Actually I expected a comprehensive book because I am mediocre in the designing field, still I was able to understand his teaching because I read a couple of books (each on different design principles), thus I enjoyed it when I read on the same principles in Paul's perspective. Also I had some experience in the design industry, so I realised my falls which I will improve.
WHO CAN READ THIS BOOK?
New designers can expect to start with this book and quickly understand about design and its industry.
Honestly speaking, this is not a one-time read book.
Author mentioned some critical points where new designers have to experience the surroundings first, then they will understand what Paul wanted to say.
Thus, this book can work as a quick guide for professional designers in their hard time.
July 12, 2020
I've always found the "art vs design" debate exhaustive and formulaic, so to dive into Rand's mind is a treat. His views on graphic design remain relevant decades later due to their basis in truth, passion, and human nature. This book does a wonderful job both pushing the box that has been systematically created around graphic design and reminding the designer to create for themselves. All in all, his writing embodies the meaning of graphic design: a process that seamlessly code switches while also creating the code, playing both leader and follower.
January 12, 2010
very self-aggrandizing.
August 29, 2013
Paul Rand was a self-taught designer. That is what the core of this book is about. Learning through analyzing your own work and thoughts.
March 15, 2018
Considerado uno de los diseñadores gráficos y de la comunicación más trascendental del Siglo XX, sin duda Rand estableció las bases para la comunicación moderna.
Rand fue sin duda un visionario, un adelantado a su tiempo. A lo largo de su fructífera carrera creo icónicas campañas publicitarias y magníficas imágenes gráficas de empresas de gran envergadura como Westinghouse, IBM, Olivetti, y la televisora ABC. Sus propuestas rompieron paradigmas y crearon nuevos arquetipos.
Este volumen reúne escritos e imágenes que resumen la manera de ver su quehacer, no se trata de una biografía o de un trabajo monográfico normal, el enfoque es todo otro. El libro presenta su manera de pensar desde un punto de vista muy personal, explicando lo que él considera ser el arte de ser diseñador.
La colección de ideas y sobre todo de imágenes es deliciosa, el resultado es sólido. A través de las páginas se descubre la manera de ser y pensar de este ícono del diseño gráfico.
El trabajo de Rand, condensado se convierte en un manifiesto que ningún diseñador debe perderse. Sus bases son sólidas, el éxito está más que probado. Lectura obligada para creativos en todas las disciplinas del diseño.
Por cierto, el libro mismo está diseñado por... Paul Rand!
Rand fue sin duda un visionario, un adelantado a su tiempo. A lo largo de su fructífera carrera creo icónicas campañas publicitarias y magníficas imágenes gráficas de empresas de gran envergadura como Westinghouse, IBM, Olivetti, y la televisora ABC. Sus propuestas rompieron paradigmas y crearon nuevos arquetipos.
Este volumen reúne escritos e imágenes que resumen la manera de ver su quehacer, no se trata de una biografía o de un trabajo monográfico normal, el enfoque es todo otro. El libro presenta su manera de pensar desde un punto de vista muy personal, explicando lo que él considera ser el arte de ser diseñador.
La colección de ideas y sobre todo de imágenes es deliciosa, el resultado es sólido. A través de las páginas se descubre la manera de ser y pensar de este ícono del diseño gráfico.
El trabajo de Rand, condensado se convierte en un manifiesto que ningún diseñador debe perderse. Sus bases son sólidas, el éxito está más que probado. Lectura obligada para creativos en todas las disciplinas del diseño.
Por cierto, el libro mismo está diseñado por... Paul Rand!
March 13, 2020
Гарна базова світоглядна праця по графічному дизайну. Хотілося б більше новітніх зразків дизайну, але з історичної перспективи дуже круто.
January 15, 2022
The book is written by Paul Rand, an American art director and graphic designer… I learnt that he is best known for his work on corporate identities (logo designs, packaging etc.), and that he is often credited for demonstrating the power of design as a business tool and hence for bringing graphic design into mainstream…
his designs show that ideas do not need to be esoteric to be original or exciting… he advocates a minimalistic approach with focus on functional-aesthetic perfection…
it is a tribute to the simplicity and functionality of his designs that the logos - created many decades ago - are still as relevant and appealing, some like those of IBM, NeXT, abc, Westinghouse are iconic, have good consumer recall, and have also set benchmarks for impact and efficacy… the book includes some of his other work (like the cover designs for magazines such as Direction) and these reflect the same philosophy.
I happened to read the book by chance, but it was interesting to see the perspective of a designer… written as a collection of short essays, he shares his theories and philosophy on visual design - he suggests that anything related to visual manipulation of words and/or pictures comes under the umbrella of graphic design and he touches some interesting ideas, such as lines and stripes in relation to typography (explaining it thru the IBM logo, he shows how the stripes draw the letters together and lead them into each other, whilst also building dynamism due to the increasingly-sized letters) - I never thought it that way when I looked at the logo and it was interesting to see the thought process behind each element of the design…he talks of repetition and how it creates rhythm and a kind of reassuring movement… he talks of the versatility of symbols and how by juxtaposition, association and analogy, a symbol can represent different ideas… he talks of collage and montage as tools to integrate seemingly unrelated ideas or objects in a single picture… he shares his own views on how under-utilised black as a colour has been, the use of rebus as a mnemonic device to engage the reader and add a bit of fun, the role that humour plays…
he provides an insight into the design process and says that a designer is confronted with three classes of material - the given (product, copy, slogan, media, production process etc), the formal (space, texture, proportion, rhythm, colour, shapes etc), and the psychological (visual perception, optical illusion, spectators instincts, emotions etc) - and since all this material is often inadequate, vague, uninteresting and unsuitable for visual interpretation, the designer’s task is to restate the problem…
the book has interesting reflections and enables you to see design with fresh eyes and look beyond visuals into the ideas behind!
his designs show that ideas do not need to be esoteric to be original or exciting… he advocates a minimalistic approach with focus on functional-aesthetic perfection…
it is a tribute to the simplicity and functionality of his designs that the logos - created many decades ago - are still as relevant and appealing, some like those of IBM, NeXT, abc, Westinghouse are iconic, have good consumer recall, and have also set benchmarks for impact and efficacy… the book includes some of his other work (like the cover designs for magazines such as Direction) and these reflect the same philosophy.
I happened to read the book by chance, but it was interesting to see the perspective of a designer… written as a collection of short essays, he shares his theories and philosophy on visual design - he suggests that anything related to visual manipulation of words and/or pictures comes under the umbrella of graphic design and he touches some interesting ideas, such as lines and stripes in relation to typography (explaining it thru the IBM logo, he shows how the stripes draw the letters together and lead them into each other, whilst also building dynamism due to the increasingly-sized letters) - I never thought it that way when I looked at the logo and it was interesting to see the thought process behind each element of the design…he talks of repetition and how it creates rhythm and a kind of reassuring movement… he talks of the versatility of symbols and how by juxtaposition, association and analogy, a symbol can represent different ideas… he talks of collage and montage as tools to integrate seemingly unrelated ideas or objects in a single picture… he shares his own views on how under-utilised black as a colour has been, the use of rebus as a mnemonic device to engage the reader and add a bit of fun, the role that humour plays…
he provides an insight into the design process and says that a designer is confronted with three classes of material - the given (product, copy, slogan, media, production process etc), the formal (space, texture, proportion, rhythm, colour, shapes etc), and the psychological (visual perception, optical illusion, spectators instincts, emotions etc) - and since all this material is often inadequate, vague, uninteresting and unsuitable for visual interpretation, the designer’s task is to restate the problem…
the book has interesting reflections and enables you to see design with fresh eyes and look beyond visuals into the ideas behind!
February 8, 2014
I just opened this, but it may become my bible. The first chapter is "the beautiful and the useful" and there is a section on art for art's sake.
July 13, 2025
remember, remember, remember (quotes)
"Similarly, there are badly stated problems in basic design that stress pure aesthetics and free expression without any restraints or practical goals. Such a problem may be posed in this fashion: arrange a group of geometric shapes in any manner you see fit, using any number of colors, to make a pleasing pattern. The results of such vagaries are sometimes pretty, but mostly meaningless or monotonous. The student has the illusion of creating great art in an atmosphere of freedom, when in fact he is handicapped by the absence of certain disciplines which would evoke ideas and make playing with those ideas possible, work absorbing, and results interesting."
"...economy of means—making the most of the least."
"To function creatively, the artist must have the courage to fight for what he believes. Courage in the face of a danger that has no element of high adventure in it—just the cold, hard possibility of losing his job. Yet the courage of his convictions is, along with his talent, his only source of strength. Frank Lloyd Wright put it this way:
I'll work as I'll think as I am
No thought of fashion or sham
Nor for fortune the jade
Serve vile Gods of trade
My thought as beseemeth a man"
"The artist's sense of worth depends on his feeling of integrity. If this is destroyed, he will no longer be able to function creatively."
"Similarly, there are badly stated problems in basic design that stress pure aesthetics and free expression without any restraints or practical goals. Such a problem may be posed in this fashion: arrange a group of geometric shapes in any manner you see fit, using any number of colors, to make a pleasing pattern. The results of such vagaries are sometimes pretty, but mostly meaningless or monotonous. The student has the illusion of creating great art in an atmosphere of freedom, when in fact he is handicapped by the absence of certain disciplines which would evoke ideas and make playing with those ideas possible, work absorbing, and results interesting."
"...economy of means—making the most of the least."
"To function creatively, the artist must have the courage to fight for what he believes. Courage in the face of a danger that has no element of high adventure in it—just the cold, hard possibility of losing his job. Yet the courage of his convictions is, along with his talent, his only source of strength. Frank Lloyd Wright put it this way:
I'll work as I'll think as I am
No thought of fashion or sham
Nor for fortune the jade
Serve vile Gods of trade
My thought as beseemeth a man"
"The artist's sense of worth depends on his feeling of integrity. If this is destroyed, he will no longer be able to function creatively."
April 20, 2023
If you are looking for a thorough examination of Paul Rand’s process, philosophy, and works, this is not it. This book is part portfolio and part excerpts from various essays on design written by Rand throughout his career. This book is more of an abridged desktop quick reference book on Rand. To see a full portfolio of his work you will want to get the Paul Heller book on Paul Rand. If you want to read his essays on design philosophy and process, you want Rand’s book Thoughts on Design.
The production quality is nice, high quality paper and presentation. Overall it is a quick read that repeats what can be found in other more thorough books. You would be better off getting the other books and skipping this one deposit it’s critical acclaim.
If you are buying this book it’s not worth more than $20-25 even in new condition.
The production quality is nice, high quality paper and presentation. Overall it is a quick read that repeats what can be found in other more thorough books. You would be better off getting the other books and skipping this one deposit it’s critical acclaim.
If you are buying this book it’s not worth more than $20-25 even in new condition.
March 17, 2024
Probably the best book I've read on design to date. This is not just a monograph on Paul Rand's work, but an entire design philosophy that encompasses the technical aspects of design, art history, business politics, culture, and life. Chock full of quotable excerpts. A few of my favorites...
"A trademark is created by a designer but made by a corporation"
"Originality is related more to the unexpected idea than to some flamboyant or peculiar technique"
"Unless the design function in a business bureaucracy is so structured that direct access to the decision maker is possible, trying to produce good work is very often an exercise in futility"
"Black is the color of death, but by virtue of the same psychological fact it is also the color of life - it defines, contrasts, and enhances life, light and color."
"A trademark is created by a designer but made by a corporation"
"Originality is related more to the unexpected idea than to some flamboyant or peculiar technique"
"Unless the design function in a business bureaucracy is so structured that direct access to the decision maker is possible, trying to produce good work is very often an exercise in futility"
"Black is the color of death, but by virtue of the same psychological fact it is also the color of life - it defines, contrasts, and enhances life, light and color."
Read
November 24, 2021The alchemy ♾ of visual mastery.
“Simply brilliant, brilliantly simple mastery of “refining that single idea to its most perfect visual form and content (with)..no sketches, no meetings with the client, no midway reviews, just the most serious investigation, development and design resolution of an idea imaginable.”
The Assistant, Jayme Odgers
©
https://www.printmag.com/daily-heller...)
“Simply brilliant, brilliantly simple mastery of “refining that single idea to its most perfect visual form and content (with)..no sketches, no meetings with the client, no midway reviews, just the most serious investigation, development and design resolution of an idea imaginable.”
The Assistant, Jayme Odgers
©
https://www.printmag.com/daily-heller...)
June 9, 2024
3.5/5
Read for my anthropology class The Corporation. Paul Rand was a pioneering graphic designer in the ~1950s and was responsible for the creation of many famous logos + giving the graphic design field legitimacy in the business world. I'm not sure I agreed with him on everything in here, but it was nevertheless interesting and insightful to take a little peek into his mind! I particularly enjoyed the very first and very last chapters, which focus more on the politics of design.
Read for my anthropology class The Corporation. Paul Rand was a pioneering graphic designer in the ~1950s and was responsible for the creation of many famous logos + giving the graphic design field legitimacy in the business world. I'm not sure I agreed with him on everything in here, but it was nevertheless interesting and insightful to take a little peek into his mind! I particularly enjoyed the very first and very last chapters, which focus more on the politics of design.
May 12, 2020
Very worthwhile book. No doubt Paul Rand is a legend of design world, and in many ways his work attitude became modern classics; though, nowadays some matters he describes here, especially the imagery, are quite dated, and may be read only as an evidence of once used to be, as well as analysed and deconstructed - and only thus employed.
September 4, 2018
A nice overview of the work of Paul Rand with a selection of his opinions and advice for the commercial designer. Not a lot of specific, actionable advice, but a nice read nevertheless, due to Rand's clear voice and uncompromising positions on how to be an artist as well as commercial designer.
March 12, 2019
Loved this one. I always loved symmetry, consistency in design.
But this book has led me to realise that graphic design is all about being whimsical. Standing out.
Rand plays with fonts, color, space , humour and creates stuff which can be recognized from a mile as his work.
But this book has led me to realise that graphic design is all about being whimsical. Standing out.
Rand plays with fonts, color, space , humour and creates stuff which can be recognized from a mile as his work.
March 27, 2025
Evaluating how we can turn design into art and art into design, starting to bring down if there really is a division between the two. How it may help us develop and evolve newer and more adaptive design practices.
June 21, 2025
It’s definitely not for a beginner who has no idea about art or design. He refers to alot of artists and their style. The book has interesting takes but I couldn’t enjoy it more as it was difficult for me to comprehend
April 29, 2020
simple design advice from the great paul rand. well designed book too
January 5, 2023
Read this before you read any design-related book.
July 5, 2024
This classic still has relevance for designers today.
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October 17, 2013i must to read this book
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews