I HEART MILTON
What comes from being the longest working graphic designer in the industry to date (Glaser started in the 50s and continues to work today)? Well, a strong skepticism of the power of computers (“the computer clarifies things too quickly") and a sharp understanding on what it takes to produce quality design work over a lifetime (“you can only work for people you like”). You will definitely know of Milton Glaser’s work, even if you haven’t heard of his name before. He is best-known for his I [heart] NY campaign from the 70s, and much of his best known work is from that period (hence why I am putting him the 1970s week, even though his work is VERY relevent today).
I am inspired both by Glaser’s enormous body of work and equally by his brilliant words on the design process. His “Ten Things I Have Learned” essay should be a staple in any designer’s workspace. It speaks to a lifetime of experience, hard work, and dedication. I admire his stress on working with your hands, sketching first, until you have a tested and true design before even approaching a computer. Glaser is a modern day renaissance man, and we are lucky to have such a gem still actively working in the design world.
