Milton Glaser

The Art of Success

By : Mike Flaman

Milton Glaser born in New York City on June 26, 1929 is one of the most

celebrated graphic designers in the world. The awards and achievements he’s has

accumulated over the years are numerous and matched only by the number of logo,

architecture, newspaper and interior designs he has created.

From early on in life Glaser’s drawing ability was apparent. At first he expressed no interest in art

but as he grew older and he became more involved with design through school he grew fond of it and

visual art became his life's passion and he attended high school at the High School Of Music

and Art in New York City (now known as Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and

Performing Arts).

A plaque located inside Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts commemorating the former school name and

establishment.

Upon completion of primary school Glaser enrolled in New York’s Cooper Union art school and graduated with a degree in graphic design.

Later on in life Glaser furthered his education and took a scholarship program at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna, Italy

Cooper Union art school at around the time Glaser attended.

Milton Glaser cofounded and founded multiple graphic design firms in him career.

In 1954 Glaser along with Edward Sore, Reyonld Ruffins and Seymour Chwast founded Pushpin Studios

where Glaser and Chwast directed the organization for 20 years. During that time Pushpin was known for exerting a strong influence on the direction of graphic

design around the world.

The entire Pushpin Studios staff while Glaser was co-director

Glaser is standing in the center of the back row

In 1974 Glaser started his own Design firm, Milton Glaser, Inc. The Manhattan based studio is still in business today and is know for its identity programs for corporate and institutional marketing purposes where they produce print graphics such as brochures, signage, logos, annual reports and stationary. It is also known for its environmental and interior design. The firm has created and site-supervised the fabrication of a number of products such as, interior and exterior restaurants, supermarkets, shopping malls, hotels and exhibitions, just to name a few.

The Milton Glaser, Inc. logo, designed by Glaser

himself of course.

Milton Glaser is also know for his successes in the publication industry.

In 1968 Glaser along with Clay Felker founded the New York magazine, a publication that became the model for city magazines in the United States. Glaser remained president and design director of the company until 1977. The first issue the New York Magazine,

published April 8, 1968.

In 1983 Glaser and Walter Bernard formed WBMG (Walter Bernard & Milton Glaser), a

publication design firm located New York City. Since its beginnings the firm has designed more than 50 newspapers, magazines and periodicals around the world. WBMG has worked with the likes of the Los Angeles Times, “Time” magazine, the Washington

post, the National Post (in Canada) La Vanguardia (in Spain) and O, Globe (in Brazil).

Walter Bernard on the left, Milton Glaser on the right.

The creative minds at WBMG hard at work.

Glaser is probably best know for his “I ♥ NY” logo which has been frequently considered the most imitated logo in

human history. He also created the DC comics bullet logo (used from 1977 to 2005), the Brooklyn Brewery logo, his Bob Dylan poster as well as over 300

other posters for clients in the areas of institutional and civil enterprise,

publishing, theater, music, film and commercial and product services.

Some of the environmental and interior designs Glaser has done are, the complete graphic and decorative

programs for the restaurants as well as the design of the observation desk of the World Trade Center, a 600-

foot mural for the New Federal Office Building in Indiana and Sesame Place, a children’s educational play park in

Pennsylvania.

Joe Baum and Milton Glaser’s The Big Kitchen.

Located underneath the World Trade Center in 1976.

Milton Glaser's art has been displayed and observed by millions all over the world.

He has held one-man art shows at the Museum of

Modern Art in New York, the Centre Georges Pompidou in France, the Vicenza Museum and the Galleria Communale

d’Arte Moderna in Italy. In 1995 he exhibited a show in

Japan, then again in 1997 when he and other Pushpin

studio past and present artists held a major representation of

the firm in Japans Creation Gallery. These are just some

of the many shows Milton has put on over the years.

Various pieces of Glaser’s art work displayed on either side.

Glaser has permanent collections displayed in the Cooper Hewitt

National Design Museum and the Museum of Modern Art (in New York

City), the Victoria and Albert Museum (in London) and The Israel Museum

(in Jerusalem)Some more of Glaser’s designs.

Glaser has received the Prix Savignac for the World’s Most Memorable Poster, The Society of Illustrator’s

Gold Medal, the St. Gauden’s Medal from The Cooper Union, the Honors Awards from the American Institute of Architects, the Lifetime Achievement Award from

the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum for his profound contribution to the

contemporary practice of design and just recently the National Medal of Arts, a medal that's only ever been

awarded to ten recipients.

Milton Glaser being presented the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama

himself.

From the beginning of his career Milton Glaser has been an active member of the education and design

communities.

He has been a Board Member at the School of Visual Arts since 1961, is on the Board of Directors and has

instructed at The Cooper Union (in New York City). From 1990 to 1991 he was the president of The International Design Conference in Aspen and was vice-president and

co-chair of the 1989 National Convention at the American Institute of Graphic Arts.

The original letter sent to Glaser confirming him as an instructor at the School of Visual Arts.

Glaser is also an elected member of the Pinocateca in Bologna, Italy and a member of The Art Director’s Club Hall of Fame. He holds

honorary doctorates from the New York University at Buffalo, CUNY, Queens College, The

Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Philadelphia Museum School, Moore College, the School of Visual Arts and London’s Royal College of Art.

Other interesting facts about Milton Glaser

He has taken part in the writing of numerous books and written 3 himself, all on the topics of graphic design as well as written and illustrated several children's books with his wife Shirley Girton Glaser.

Milton Glaser’s third book ‘”Art is Work”.

He is the subject of the 2009 documentary film “To Inform and Delight: The World of Milton Glaser”

Remarkably at the age of 84 Milton is still an active designer at his design firm Milton Glaser, Inc.

The documentary film of Milton Glaser’s

life.

My Reflection

Before this assignment I knew some of Glaser’s work, but knew very little about the man behind it. I realized that people regularly take some of their favorite logos and designs for granted, never stopping to think about who made them. Even some of the worlds most talent artists go unnamed to the masses. However you can always trust that the art community will recognize and appreciate the brilliance and hard work that went into making such beautiful designs and in the end its not about the appreciation but the satisfaction that should drive designers to do what they do.

Milton Glaser is one of the most accomplished graphic designers in history and is now a source of inspiration to me. Like Milton I consider myself a talented drawer and am interested in the field of design. Milton proves to me that an artist is not confined by the style he/she chooses and all forms of visual art, no matter how different in technique are all still art created by artists. On the flipped side to that Glaser’s story also reminded me of how diverse the different fields of visual art are and how each one is a different possible career path.

Milton has dedicated his entire life to his passion for art and has expressed it in many different forms. It is my hope that some day I can become as successful as he has in many different forms of art, not just visual. I would like to thank Milton Glaser for everything he has done for the design community and sharing his brilliant mind with the world.

Thanks for watching

Referenceshttp://www.miltonglaser.com/milton/

http://www.miltonglaser.com/milton/c:history/

http://www.miltonglaser.com/milton/c:history/

http://www.miltonglaser.com/the-work/

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