Barney Bubbles’ copy of the groundbreaking graphic design book which inspired his work for decades
This is Barney Bubbles’ copy of one of the books which not only advanced graphic design practice in the 1960s but was also to leave a major mark on him and his future output.
++ ‘Type can talk’ ++
++ Poster which uses typographic word-play for unreleased spoken-word album, 1982 ++
Graphic Design: Visual Comparisons was produced by graphics pioneers Alan Fletcher, Colin Forbes and Bob Gill in 1963, by which time the-then Colin Fulcher was about to embark on his career at the central London design studio Michael Tucker + Associates.
++Left: ‘Graphics, should be able to evoke an emotional response’ Right: ‘A trademark for a sentimental film’ ++
++ Rejected sleeve for Generation X’s debut single, 1977 ++
++ Music press ad for 1981 single by Clive Langer & The Boxes ++
The book gathered together design solutions by 50 of the best-known European and American designers working across advertising, books, education and media.
Produced for the imprint Studio Books as part of a series put together by John Lewis, head of graphic design at the Royal College of Art, the publication left a strong impression on the 23-year-old Fulcher.
++ ‘Conventional graphics can be used to make unusual backgrounds’ ++
++ Double page spread, JCC Directory, 1979 ++
He was to channel its approaches to graphics, typography and photography across his work in the ensuing years, as these examples deomnstrate.
Read more about Graphic Design: Visual Comparisons at the Alan Fletcher Archive.