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A concise overview of the work of designer Will Burtin, focussing on his ability to visually express complex concepts in a sophisticated yet aesthetically pleasing manner.This book explores the work of Will Burtin (1908-1972), designer, visionary, and teacher. Whether in advertising, exhibits, magazines, or other print material, his constant goal was to provide the audience with optimum communication of the content. Burtin designed visual training manuals for gunners during World War II, served as art director of
Fortune magazine, organized several ground-breaking design conferences, and worked as a design consultantfor the pharmaceutical giant Upjohn. Burtin had a unique ability to visually express complex concepts in a sophisticated yet aesthetically pleasing and accessible manner; this became the de?ning characteristic of his work. This chapbook, as well as the materials found in the Will Burtin Collection in the Graphic Design Archives, can be studied to give meaningful understanding to Burtin's design process.
R. ROGER REMMINGTON is the Massimo and Lella Vignelli Distinguished Professor of Design in the School of Design, Rochester Institute of Technology. He is the author of several books, including
Design and Science-The Life and Career of Will Burtin, co-authored withRobert S. P. Fripp, and
American Modernism: Graphic Design, 1920 to 1960.
About the author
R. Roger Remington is the Vignelli Distinguished Professor
of Design Emeritus and the former director of the Vignelli
Center for Design Studies at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester, New York. He was on the faculty at RIT for fifty-seven years. As a scholar, his critical interests are in graphic design history, research, and writing. His commitment to design history and preservation led him to bring the archives of designers of the American Modernist generation to RIT. In 2010, he was instrumental in the establishment of the Vignelli Center, which houses the career archive of designers Massimo and Lella Vignelli and other designers. He has written five books on designers and design history.
