Late Saul Bass Designer Still Influences

By Janet Dodrill

A recent Google Doodle honoring the late graphic designer, Saul Bass, really started me looking at his body of work. An American graphic designer and filmmaker, he is best known for his motion picture title sequences, film posters and corporate logos. I googled his name and looked at the results in Images. In his work, I love the dramatic overall effect, and the use of solid color and cut-out shapes. With minimal elements, representational imagery and text, he tells a story. There is movement and energy in his work – many have a jarring effect.

Images results in Google with ‘Saul Bass’ keywords, but don’t be fooled as some of these results were designs created after Saul Bass in his style.

Since his death there have been graphics and movie posters seemingly designed with his influence. Articles have been written about it and included are Buried and Burn After Reading, Tron, Game of Thrones and others produced after his death in 1998.

Still, a great graphic designer influences a lot of other designers and causes many followers. Since I have always liked printmaking and utilizing an energy with the use of cut-out shapes and solid color primarily black in my work, his design style influences me as a graphic designer and I hope to research more of his work and that of other graphic design greats in the future.

New JCPenney Logo Unveiled in 2012

By Janet Dodrill

Have you seen the new J.C. Penney retail store logo? It rolled-out February 1st along with new pricing, store layouts, monthly promotions and low price days.

The new design features red, white and blue to utilize the colors of the American flag and emphasize an American brand. The square shape is to push their motto to treat customers ‘fair and square’, and the frame suggests that the customers remember to frame the things they love, a theme which is evident throughout their marketing.

Penney’s previously attempted to redesign the logo in 2011, however it was not received well and said to be like the GAP logo disaster (after social media backlash, Gap pulled their new logo design in 2010).

I favor their ambition and idea of a branding makeover, and personally adore their supporting TV commercials featuring Ellen Degeneres. However, in my opinion, I would tweak the new logo design, making the tiny blue box in the upper left corner larger. Why all the big empty white space inside the red frame? When the logo is reduced the company name initials nearly disappear (Also, see their favicon in their web site URL).

Will calling it by the JCP initials catch on? Anyone I know has always referred to the store as Penney’s.

Sources:

Jcpenney Gets All Patriotic With Its New Logo Square design reminds customers to ‘frame the things they love’, Adweek

New Gap logo ignites firestorm, CNN Money

Logo property J.C. Penney Company, Inc.

JCPenney on Facebook