Nothing irks me more than overly styled, photoshopped, shiny, over the top tech-y design. I guess that's why I never read Fanstasy and Sci-Fi books - I couldn't stand the cover art!
A lover of period art, illustrator's and designers from the 50s and 60s like Miroslav Sasek and Saul Bass remind me of how simplicity in good design can win my heart everytime. In a style called "minimal realism", Charley Harper captures the essence of his subjects with the fewest possible visual elements. It took a view into the bedroom of one my favorite bloggers to remind me how timeless his art is.
Charley was born in West Virginia in 1922. He graduated from, and taught art at, the Art Academy of Cincinnati where he met wife, Edie, also an artist. The two married in 1947 after graduating. In the 1950's Harper gained acclaim as a commercial illustrator with "The Golden Book of Biology" and "Betty Crocker’s Dinner for Two cookbook."
When once asked to describe his art style, Harper replied, "When I look at a wildlife or nature subject, I don’t see the feathers in the wings, I just count the wings. I see exciting shapes, color combinations, patterns, textures, fascinating behavior and endless possibilities for making interesting pictures. I regard the picture as an ecosystem in which all the elements are interrelated, interdependent, perfectly balanced, without trimming or unutilized parts; and herein lies the lure of painting; in a world of chaos, the picture is one small rectangle in which the artist can create an ordered universe."
For about 50 dollars, you too can own his art. He also has an ABC book and a numbers book for babies. Genius!
