Mid-Century Modern Graphic Design

The up side to ‘meeting’ like-minded folk through my blog, occurs when somebody gets in touch to ask me a question, or better still, to say that they like my blog or admire the artists that I also admire. This happened with Theo Inglis who contacted me back in August last year.. when his opening line went a little like this :-

” Hi Craig, I hope this email finds you well! I’m currently writing and designing a book about Mid-Century Modern graphic design and illustration, your blog keeps coming up in my research about some of the illustrators whose work I’m showing. It is such a fantastic collection. ”

Needless to say I was hooked from that moment and consequently we swopped numerous emails where I would recommend how he could contact an artist he wanted to feature or suggest one he perhaps didn’t know and Theo did the same for me. So now, some 8 months later, what should arrive at my door, but a preview copy of Theo’s book in all it’s glory. Fishink Blog is even mentioned in the Acknowledgements!       How kind and boy what a book.

Beautifully bound in a square format from Batsford and available here direct from Theo himself for a mere £20. With over 250 pages it’s definitely one of those volumes that will take a fair few days to really absorb and visually consume.  Theo gained an M.A. in Critical Writing In Art and Design from the Royal College of Art back in 2017, and he’s clearly not been slow to get moving with his project since then.

I really like the way that he’s created the chapters on Book Covers, Record Sleeves, Posters and Promotions, Magazine Covers, and Illustrated Books   with numerous illustrations to show examples in each section. It’s a visual smorgasborg!

Featuring work from many of my favourite artists Bill Charmatz, Abner Graboff, Jim Flora, Richard Erdoes, alongside the list that Fishinkblog readers will already be familiar with, illustrators such as Aliki, Bernice Myers and Helen Borten.

A beautiful book that every designer interested in Mid-Century artwork should have on their shelf.

When I asked Theo what his next plans for writing might be he remarked ” No concrete plans for another book, hoping to do something but might need a bit of a break haha. Maybe more on illustration as that chapter could have been a whole book by itself.”

Now that would be worth waiting for… watch this space !!