Josef Müller-Brockmann

'I would advise young people to look at everything they encounter in a critical light . . . Then I would urge them at all times to be self-critical'

“The grid system is an aid, not a guarantee. It permits a number of possible uses and each designer can look for a solution appropriate to his personal style. But one must learn how to use the grid; it is an art that requires practice.”

Josef Müller-Brockmann

Josef Müller-Brockmann is one of the most important twentieth century designers because of his crisp, clean style and memorable, significant poster designs. He was born in Switzerland in 1914 and studied art history, architecture, and design at the University and "Kunstegewerbeschule" in Zurich, which is the name for advanced school for applied arts in German-speaking countries. He began his career as an apprentice and then later established his own graphic, photography, and design studio.

Brockmann quickly became a leader in the modern Swiss Style, which emphasized cleanliness, readability, and objectivity. He also popularized the grid-based design or the modular grid, which has consistent horizontal divisions from top to bottom as well as vertical divisions from left to right. This system allowed him to organize his subject matter and create the most effective designs. This style of design is unique to Brockmann because of his use of clean and simple typography. He used the recognizable attributes in the designs of numerous concert posters and reinforced them in his design books and articles.

Brockmann stands out in importance because of his clean and simple designs, but also because of his consistency in producing great work. He is almost the opposite of Jan Tschichold in that he more classic and traditional and less avant-garde. This is a respectable attribute and one to take into consideration when working with design subject matter and typography. Brockmann seems to take the less is more, straightforward approach, which has a certain charm and appeal. He is not afraid to be clean and simple, which is not an easy road to take.