Visual Grammar, the language of working in design. many ideas in the book Visual Grammar by Christian Leborg, are ideas ive heard of and knew maybe a little about. But in the book you learn something new about each idea. Upscaling and downscaling is an idea or technique that i use often in my creative work. Mirroring is a technique or tool that i think i know some about, but as of now in my work, havent used much. Like i said before in the book for each idea or technique i think there was something new that i learned. And i think one can always learn more.
Here are a couple illustrators whos works I find beautiful…
John Tenniel’s illustrations from Alice in Wonderland are simple, complex, and beautiful all in one. They take the simplicity of black like drawings, and make them beautiful. But they are complex in that they have depth and dimension. 
In the 1930’s Switzerland for the art and design world, was the most logical, and smartest lets say for the expansion of the International Style of art and design. The reason Switzerland was the most logical place for the expansion of a style in the art and design world, is because Switzerland was and is renowned for its banking industry and for is political neutrality. Switzerland was perfect for the expansions of the art world because it kept its self neutral and stable.
During the 1930’s graphic design started to become “cutting edge.” During the 30’s the United States was in the Great Depression, and during this time President Franklin Roosevelt, sought to alleviate the crisis by increasing the federal workforce, making for many new jobs. Which from his efforts established the Works Project Administration or WPA. From WPA was the branch called the Federal Art Project or FAP. Which was given the responsibility to give government work to artist in different fields. Much of the work from FAP was murals in hundreds of new public buildings, and some poster designs. The FAP commissions over 35,000 designs, and published 2 million posters in an eight- year period.
Erik Nitsche
1908-1998
From Switzerland
Graduated from Munichs Kunstewerbeschele (School of Arts and Crafts)
1930’s
30- Paris- worked for two printing houses
- Draeger Freres
- Mazimilien Vox
Received Commision for illustrations from French and German magazines.
34- Moved to LA
36- Moved to NY
38- Art Director for Saks 5th Ave.
1940’s
- Freelance Work
- brief time as art director of Mademoiselle magazine
- art director in NY office of Durland International advertising agency
1950’s
- in Connecticut
- did movie posters like…
- “No Way Out” and ” All About Eve”
- Also began relationship with General Dynamics
- through Gotham Agency
- Hopkins gave GD’s identity to Nitsche to design
55-60- designed identity program (posters, ads, annual reports, etc.) for GD
- abstract and figurative imagery
- with scientific flair yet elegant and simple typography and layout
- “Dynamic America”- 420 page book of history of GD company
- ping ponged form Connecticut and Europe
1960’s
- early 60’s- moved to Geneva, Switzerland
- Where he established Erk Nitsche International SA
- designed a number of pictorial books
1970’s
- returned to Connecticute
- where he worked on childrens books and other projects
1980’s- till death
- Munich, Germany
- designed postage stamps for West German Ministry of Communication
- 96- returned to Connecticut for medical reasons
- 98- Passed Away
New Typography:
“The essence of the New Typography is clarity.” This is the complete opposite of what the essence of old typography. Typography was before used as decorative and beauty on the page. The essence of the new typography brought about the use of sans serifs. San serifs, were simplified texts, it was the literal taking away of serifs. It presented text that had less to look at. The text was simplified, to the skeleton of the letters. And on a page, shows a clarity and more negative space. Theres a plain line between the letters and the negative space.
