Saul Bass is an American graphic designer who has created art designs for 60 films and the openings of 40 films, including Mr. Saturday Night, War of the Roses, the Man with the Golden Arm, etc., and has also designed logos for famous corporate organizations such as ATT, United Airlines, and International Rockwell Corporation.
While Saul Bass' design talent cannot be replicated, there are many other things we can learn from this artist, such as his old man's way of graphic design...
1. Take risks
Much of Saul Bass's work is adventurous. Because Saul Bass has not only changed people's design thinking, but also changed the way images are shot.
Saul Bass would create context by typographing the title, such as the opening credits of the movie "The Man with the Golden Arm", and the way the cut in the middle caused a sensation at the time. At that time, talking about drugs was seen as a taboo topic. The combination of blackboard cut patches of color and heroin addicts made it an art form and changed the way the film opened.
This poster design for The Man with the Golden Arm in 1956 was one of Saul bass's most famous works. Before this poster appeared, American movie posters were still composed of male protagonists, heroines, and large rows of supporting roles, but since then, the design of movie posters has entered a new era.
2. Minimalist style
Saul Bass feels that good design doesn't require as much information to be invested, and sometimes focusing on one factor can strengthen the impact. This is also a feature of Saul Bass's design, which shows very little text. Minimizing the use of elements and reducing the variety of colors can make the design more powerful and memorable.
Schindler's List (1993)
3. Maintain a good relationship with customers
Saul Bass has a great relationship with clients, which is especially important to him because it gives him more freedom and space to design. That's why Saul Bass produces so many good ideas, and why Tim Burton and Hitchcock both love to use his movie poster designs.
4. Own font design
Saul Bass didn't like to use fixed fonts, so he abandoned those stereotypes and created a text style himself. Since then, dramatic editing and a unique text style have become his distinctive hallmarks, which can be seen in the posters and logos he designs.
The following is a collection of Designs by Saul Bass
Exodus (1960)
The Sea of Fire (1964)
Horrors (1960)
《saint joan》（1957）
Hello, Sorrow (1958)
Afternoon Love (1957)
Ecstasy (1958)
North by Northwest (1959)
The Jade Girl (1961)
West End Story (1961)
Firefighter's Ball
"A Thousand Autumns in Washington"
San Francisco Film Festival
The Missing Bonnie
F1 Grand Prix
"Passion is Like Fire"
The Shining (1980)
The Human Factor (1979)
Such a Friend Such good Friends (1971)
Crazy World (1964)
The Cardinal (1963)