Canadian graphic artist and keyboardist Hugh Syme is known for his artwork and cover concepts for rock and metal bands
There may not be a person alive on this earth who hasn’t seen at least one of Hugh Syme’s 325 album cover designs. The Toronto-born graphic artist has designed for a wide range of musicians, from Canadian Pop Queen Celine Dion to American thrash metal forerunner Megadeth. Syme has been responsible for all of Rush’s album art since 1975’s Caress of Steel, as well as their famous Starman logo. Being a keyboardist, Hugh Syme has also played with Rush, Alice in Chains, Ian Thomas Band, Tiles, and Jim McCarthy.
(left) Power Windows by Rush, 1985, designed by Hugh Syme (right) Get A Grip by Aerosmith, 1993, designed by Hugh Syme
“A lot of people don’t know that’s a painting-[Rush’s] Power Windows-because I worked from several images. I found the room, found the guy, and found TV, then painted the final as acrylic on canvas.”
Hugh Syme
Syme was a big fan of Salvador Dali growing up. One of his friends was fortunate enough to meet Dali at his Port Lligat studio and came back with descriptions “about Dali’s floor being strewn with reference photos,” which is when Hugh realized there was no shame in utilizing photo reference.
(left) The X Factor by Iron Maiden, 1995, designed by Hugh Syme (right) Come What(ever) May by Stone Sour, 2006, designed by Hugh Syme
Implementing what he calls ‘improbable reality’, as well as ‘breaking the frame’ (ie. extending past the canvas limits) has led Hugh Syme to win 5 Juno Awards, as well as being nominated 18 times.
A collection of objects designed by The Memphis Group displayed in a living room setting
The Memphis Group (est. in 1980 by Ettore Sottsass) was an Italian design and architecture collective that aimed to evolve the future of design through eccentric pieces that have been described as “a shotgun wedding between Bauhaus and Fisher-Price”. Colourful and asymmetrical pieces of plastic laminate and terrazzo were often fit together for an abstract object meant to be used as decoration or furniture. Although very cheap to construct, The Memphis Group slapped hefty price tags on their works, designing them to sell to a luxury market.
Shiro Kuramata is considered one of Japan’s most important designers of the 20th century. He was born just before the start of WW2, one artist amongst a generation of creatives who changed the way Japan was viewed by the world. Towards the end of the ’80s, Kuramata was invited by Sottsass to join The Memphis Group; unfortunately, the collective was disbanded shortly after.
How High the Moon by Shiro Kuramata, wire steel mesh and nickel chrome finish, 1986
“My strongest desire is to be free of gravity, free of bondage. I want to float”
Shiro Kuramata
(left) Furniture in Irregular Forms by Shiro Kuramata, laminated plywood base and melamine board with steel-ball casters, 1970 (right) Miss Blanche by Shiro Kuramata, acrylic and artificial roses body with aluminum pipe legs, 1988
Shiro was often known for his usage of industrial materials, such as plexiglass and wire steel mesh, as well as the way he merged popular culture, Japanese aesthetic and the Western avant-garde.
Supergraphics in the ’70s referred to large scale geometric graphics on a wall or building, bringing movement and vibrancy to an otherwise minimalist space. Imagine the iconic Polaroid rainbow curving around one of your walls; that was the general concept of these 1970s murals.
Supergraphics at The Sea Ranch featured in Life Magazine, Barbara Stauffacher Solomon, 1966
Barbara ‘Bobbie’ Stauffacher Solomon was a front runner in supergraphics. Bobbie is a powerhouse of a woman who holds multiple degrees from some of the world’s top universities. At 23 years old, her husband, filmmaker Frank Stauffacher, died of a brain tumour, leaving her with their disabled 3-year-old child and no money. Young, beautiful and single, she reportedly fled San Francisco as all of her friend’s husbands were pining after her! Solomon took this opportunity to study at the Basel Art Institute. Being back in America with prestigious Swiss training and friends in high places, Barbara was immediately given an office and job after job. Her most famous job was actually her first: the multitude of supergraphics and painted signs featured at The Sea Ranch in California. Barbara is still living her best life in San Francisco at 93 years old.
“If Steve Jobs had known me back then, he probably would have hired me”
The 1960’s counterculture movement is known for its anti-establishment ideology, human rights advocacy, and psychoactive drug experimentation. The introduction and usage of mind-altering drugs, most commonly LSD, produced some of the most popular psychedelic artists of the ’60s, such as Wes Wilson, Victor Moscoso, and Rick Griffin.
(left to right) New Year Bash by Wes Wilson, 1966-67, Peacock Ball by Victor Moscoso, 1967, Hawaiian Aoxomoxoa by Rick Griffin, 1969
A wave of technological advances in the 1990s gave birth to the Digital Age, which allowed an even broader scope of artistic expression, thanks to computer programs. These new tools gave way to a psychedelic revival, as well as a boom in graffiti art, raves, and the production of a new drug: MDMA (Ecstacy). Here’s where Alex Grey comes in. Although he wasn’t active until the ’70s, he’s listed second on the recommended list when looking up ‘psychedelic artists’, even before Wes Wilson!
(top, left, right) Net of Being by Alex Grey, oil on linen, 2002-2007, Kissing by Alex Grey, oil on linen, 1983, Over Soul by Alex Grey, oil on linen, 1998-1997
Alex Grey was introduced to LSD by his professor at a party. Since that night, he has dedicated his life to studying and depicting every layer of the human experience: metaphysical, tangible, emotional, and spiritual. His studying went as far as preparing cadavers for dissection at Harvard Medical School’s anatomy department. Although much of his early art was created while on psychedelic influence, he and his wife rarely partake nowadays.
Herbert Bayer’s experimental typeface, Universal (Sturm Blond), notable for its bold, geometric form and lack of capital letters.
An artistic polymath best known for his creative contributions while studying and teaching at the Bauhaus school, Herbert Bayer is one of the most important names to know in terms of graphic design history. Bayer is credited with designing the experimental sans serif typeface Universal (Sturm Blond) that consisted of only lowercase letters. The differences between this and the germanic blackletter typefaces he grew up seeing were drastic.
The Menstrual Cycle brochure, 1939, commissioned by Schering Corporation, to promote a hormone-based drug that helped ease period discomfort, such as cramping and irregularlity in bleeding
Bayer’s biology-based illustrations, as well as his architectural plans, are my personal favourites from the prolific artist. Pharma companies had started hiring artists to promote medicinal information and medications shortly after Bayer moved to the United States. The Menstrual Cycle brochure both informed readers of female* reproductive organs, the ovulation cycle, and a new hormone-based drug the commissioning company was selling. This illustration is unique compared to his usual advertising work, that of which was reminiscent of neoplasticism; primary colours, geometric shapes, and abstract while maintaining legibility.
*female in this context is referring to those who were assigned female at birth, but does reflect the thousands of transgender men and non-binary individuals who also have this anatomy
(left) Design for a Cigarette Kiosk, 1924 (right) Design for a Newspaper Stand, 1924
Information citations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Bayer https://www.cooperhewitt.org/2019/11/25/herbert-bayer-master-of-the-universe/
I love taking the opportunity to delve further into my German heritage and so this project was more than just an assignment; it was a personal passion project. Germany has been the centre for many turning points in both the design and engineering world-think Bauhaus and the Gutenberg press-and their innovations with typography marry both of those elements together. I had many ways I could approach this infographic, but I decided to take the most important document from each pivotal typeface and stick them together as one. For Textura, we have the Gutenberg Bible, Schwabacher is a page from the Nuremberg Chronicle, Fraktur from Durer’s Triumphal Arch, and Antiqua from a German newspaper in 1941. The Eszett is just a bonus! I tried my best to match the style of each document, even bringing a lighter to my page (scary!), and I think it turned out pretty good. If I had created it over a longer period of time rather than in two sittings, I may have come out with something even better though. I definitely had to cover a couple of ink smears with white acrylic…That being said, I am still proud of the project and would give it a solid 9/10.
Dutch Post-Impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh painted “Bedroom in Arles” in 1888, when he was renting a room in Arles, France, at a home dubbed the Yellow House. Van Gogh explained:
“Colour must be abundant in this part, its simplification adding a rank of grandee to the style…suggest[ing] a certain rest or dream.”
He deliberately skewed the perspective and flattened the interior, hoping to resemble a Japanese print. He believed colours expressed something beyond the description.
Tobin Eckstein
Miniature dioramas have always been a point of child-like fascination and respect for me. The ability to compose a location or moment in time within a ~1:24 scale is highly commendable. When I lived in Victoria, I unfortunately never got the chance to visit Miniature World, but one day I will get there! When reading the Historical Artifact brief I thought it would be a great chance to explore my love for tiny architecture. After weighing my options, I decided to recreate “Bedroom in Arles” by Vincent Van Gogh.
I was lucky enough to come across a couple of miniatures other people had made, which gave me a nice point of reference in regards to ratio and materials. Minus the clay, popsicle sticks, sponge, and Weldbond glue, I already owned all of the items I needed, so the project was inexpensive and accessible to create. The materials I used are listed here: scissors, hobby knife, cutting mat, cardboard, popsicle sticks, Weldbond glue, rubber cement glue, twine, acrylic paint, toilet paper, cardstock, pencil crayons, clay, a sponge, and fine liner. Cardboard is a pretty obvious choice for the framework; it’s flexible, yet structurally sound with some light reinforcement. Cardstock paper was able to handle a light coat of paint without warping for the walls and floor, and when crinkled it worked perfectly as fabric. I wanted to use popsicle sticks for the furniture because, for one, the furniture portrayed in the painting is wood, and secondly, it is lightweight and easy to glue. I used a sponge for the mattress, to give some height and a surface to place the pillows and blankets on. The pillows are made of toilet paper, as it was the plushiest material I could think to use that easily rolled up. The clay items on the table give some nice texture and dimension, as well as provide me with a chance to try a new medium! Everything else, such as the paintings and doors, were mainly a stylistic choice.
I would give myself full marks for this project. I am incredibly proud of both my effort and the final product. Moving forward, I would like to explore this art form further, and maybe I’ll even get a comission at some point!
Vladimir and Georgii Stenberg working in their shared studio
Vladimir Stenberg (1899-1982) and Georgii Stenberg (1900-1933-he died in a motorcycle accident) were born in Soviet Russia to a Swedish father, who worked as a painter, and a Latvian mother. The Stenberg Brothers were initially active as sculptors, theatre designers, architects, and draftsmen; even designing women’s shoes and rail carriages. They made their biggest mark as radical poster designers during the Constructivist graphic design movement, specifically in propaganda and film posters.
(left to right) Assemblage Polytechnique (1920) by Vladimir Stenberg, costume design from Night and Day (1926) by Vladimir Stenberg, Idol of the Public (1925) by the Stenberg Brothers.
According to communist Russia, fine art was useless. Many artists worked around this by creating avant-garde posters. Posters and film became important tools for the state because they were able to convert illiterate citizens through government-sanctioned imagery. The Stenberg Brothers started studying at the State Free Art Workshops (SVOMAS) at the beginning of the civil war (1917), which highly informed their visuals. They founded the Society of Young Artists (OBMOKhU) with some of their comrades in 1919, which aimed to design compelling posters for the Bolshevik cause. In fact, the distribution of propaganda was considered a desirable and honourable practice in Russia at the time, and the Stenbergs excelled at this.
Our primary device is montage…[but] we do not neglect Construction. Ours are eye-catching posters which, one might say, are designed to shock. We deal with the material in a free manner…disregarding actual proportions…turning figures upside-down; in short, we employ everything that can make a busy passerby stop in their tracks.
Vladimir Stenberg (1928)
The Stenberg Brother’s first film poster, for a film called The Eyes of Love (1923)
A BROTHERLY BOND In the book “Stenberg Brothers: Constructing A Revolution in Soviet Design” written by gallery curator and Professor of Design History and Theory, Christopher Mount, it is stated that Georgii and Vladimir Stenberg “shared from an early age an unusually strong fraternal bond.” They would work on their posters simultaneously, rushedly alternating positions around the piece until it was completed. All of their joint works featured the signature 2 Stenberg 2, supporting the idea of the collective rather than the individual, as proposed by the Bolsheviks.
(Left to right) The Death Loop (1929), The Last Flight (1929) and The Sold Appetite (1928) film posters by the Stenberg Brothers
The Stenberg Brother’s posters are defined by an exaggerated use of scale, a sense of movement, and dynamic use of colour and typography. They would often base the visuals on stills from the films. Many of their peers and other artists in the field ended up imitating them due to the effectiveness of their designs. When Josef Stalin declared socialist realism as the official artistic medium, the brothers became little known and almost lost to history.
Information Citations: https://thecharnelhouse.org/2015/08/05/the-stenberg-brothers-and-the-art-of-soviet-movie-posters/ https://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/1997/sternbergbrothers/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism_(art)#Constructivist_graphic_design https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stenberg_brothers https://tumblr.austinkleon.com/post/134238069611 https://www.moma.org/documents/moma_catalogue_250_300063174.pdf
(left) ‘The Kiss’ carved by Peter Behrens (right) ‘Mucha inspired candelabra for Rebecca’ tattoo by Hannah Flowers
With the recent development of reliable and accessible transportation, the Art Nouveau period was one of the more interconnected movements. While artists from earlier periods, like Da Vinci and Michaelangelo in the Renaissance, met frequently, it was because they had been born in the same country. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Vincent Van Gogh were born over 1000km apart, and yet they ended up taking art lessons together in France. Ukiyo-e prints from Japan, and the resulting fetishization of their culture referred to as Japanism, was a crucial influence on the Art Nouveau movement, as well as movements that followed, such as Impressionism, Cubism, and Neo-Traditionalism.
My last lecture from Capilano University professor, Judy Snaydon, focused on the years 1895 to 1905. If I took anything away from that class, it was that everything is more intertwined than we realize. As a tattoo art enthusiast, I immediately recognized the similarities between Art Nouveau and Neo-Traditional designs. The gallery at the top of this post features Peter Behrens ‘The Kiss” (1898) and a tattoo design “Mucha inspired candelabra for Rebecca” (2018) by Neo-Traditional artist Hannah Flowers. One hundred and twenty years between these artworks, and yet the whiplash curves and muted palette makes it look like they could be from the same artist. Below is the hand-rolled cigarette ‘Job’ poster (1898) that gave Alphonse Mucha his first taste of fame. Beside Mucha’s piece is one by Arielle Gagnon portraying a woman adorned in black glass jewels, pearls, and a pink feathery hood that frames her stoic face (2019). This blonde woman gently caresses the neck of a polar bear wearing matching ornaments. Although Neo-Traditional designs often have more developed shading and elaborate outlines, the likeness to its influencer is undeniable.
(left) Tattoo of a woman with a polar bear by Arielle Gagnon (right) ‘Job’ poster by Alphonse Mucha
Art Nouveau and Neo-Traditionalism celebrate the empowerment of women and their bodies through sultry yet normalized portrayals, often framed by flowing locks, sumptuous jewellery, and botanical decoration. When women aren’t the main subject, animals and flowers are their replacements. Cool pale blues and greens with adornments of gold, purple, and red are what I’ve personally noticed as the most common palette for both of these styles. Another teacher of mine, Jeff Burgess, told my class that “You stand on the shoulders of giants” and “Art is your heritage-own it and be proud of it”. Movements such as Neo-Traditionalism shed light onto Jeff’s words, and display how they reign true. Each creative movement throughout time has been intrinsically intertwined, with the movement before disapproving of the next. The beauty and individuality that flowers with each new artistic development proves to be worth the effort, and we are left with another powerful genre to add to the list and learn from.
Definition of Art Nouveau
A style of decorative art, architecture, and design prominent in western Europe and the US from about 1890 until World War I and characterized by intricate linear designs and flowing curves based on natural forms.
Summary of Neo-Traditional
Although very different, visually, from American Traditional, Neo-Traditional still uses the same base of techniques to complete the tattoos such as outlining in dark black ink. Ukiyo-e Japanese prints, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco are all art movements that influence Neo-Traditional tattoos. Neo-Traditional tattoos are known for their dense and richly sumptuous aesthetic that often depict flowers, portraits of women, animals, and more.
(from left to right) ‘Rajah Coffee’ by Henri Privat-Livemont, tattoo of woman with rose done by Debora Cherrys, ‘Bitter Oriental’ by Henri Privat-Livemont, Klimt inspired tattoo by Hannah Flowers
Front and back cover for “William Caslon: When In Doubt” zine
I chose to create a zine about William Caslon and his still successful serif typeface: Caslon. Serifs and ‘exotic’ (Gothic, Coptic, etc.) fonts are favourites of mine, and Caslon employed both of these elements in his typographic designs. I’m consistently searching for new information in my daily life, and this made the process of researching for this project enjoyable. I learned a lot about British and American history, as well as typography. William Caslon was born in 1692, which means not a lot of colours made it to the shelves. I decided to follow a limited colour palette for my composition, and instead focus on the geometric and informative aspects of the typeface itself. The colours I did use are reminiscent of traditional printmaking colours. Using a micron pen, I was able to give a similar feel to printing press pages. This assignment took me a lot longer than I anticipated, but I am satisfied with the result. I would give myself a 9.5/10, losing marks for the messier areas of colouring, although this is mostly due to marker colour bleeds and smooth paper not taking pencil crayon well. The formatting of my pages is engaging and full of information. Almost every illustration is accurate to historical documents.
My first two pages focus on William Caslon’s background and the beginning of his typeface career.These two are my favourites; a comparison of Janson, Caslon, and Baskerville typefaces, and my rendering of a print of the original Caslon Foundry building.The last couple pages show the original and modern uses of the Caslon typeface.
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