Ikko Tanaka (Tanaka Ikko) had more room for playfulness than the generation that preceded him. Working amongst the rubble of Japan's WWII defeat, his precursors advanced with heads of steam in urgent attempts to solidify their status among the world's elite. Born in 1930, Tanaka came on the heels of

Bright, Elegant, Ethereal, Pristine, Sophisticated

The 1964 Tokyo Olympics represented more than just toned athletes and gold medals for Japan. For the first time since the WWII defeat, the world turned its gaze back upon the Land of the Rising Sun. And Japan was intent upon living up to expectations by dazzling its foreign guests with its technologi

Elegant, Geometric, Mathematical, Spectral

The Designers Republic creates images that make the most jaded consumer a sucker for packaging. The work is playful in every sense: bright, candy-colored compositions with anime cartoon children running rampant; it's like Hello Kitty playing laser tag. Yet these images play snidely with branding, cor

Bright, Citational, Cool, Playful, Pop, Psychedelic design, Rebel

The eminence of Saul Bass is visual rather than verbal, much like his ubiquitous imagery. Controversial when they first appeared, Bass' stunningly spare graphics define the potent, hip, and harsh aesthetic of the '50s and '60s. In his 50-year career Bass left a clear imprint on the communications ind

Clean, Corporate, Illustration, Minimal, Witty