Design Literacy: Understanding Graphic Design

of the single most important lessons he taught through the example of
Inspirationswas that type could be made expressive, emotive, personal, and
still be part of a tasteful composition. “There is no creative aspect of
graphic design more enjoyable or rewarding than the indulgence in play,”
he once wrote.
Thompson was also smitten by French and German poster art of
the 1930 s, which integrated type and image as one entity. He saw these
word and picture compositions as the signpost to future design possibilities.
“In working on Westvaco InspirationsI just naturally applied all these
forms,” he explained. Yet he did not merely mimic existing forms.
Thompson never possessed a style per se, rather an attitude. His
magazine layouts were void of artifice, but decidedly modern. His book
design was based on classical models. How did he reconcile the two
sensibilities? “Appropriateness,” he explained. “You can’t get away from
tradition, if you want to bridge past, present, and future.”