Liuba Beck

Lines form shapes (i.e. mathematically described spots), which may be considered surfaces, and surfaces build volumes. 

Then, here are some examples of characteristics that may be applied to line and spot: 

Textures follow the same formative logic. Precisely speaking, texture implies a surface, while surfaces build volumes, and altogether they result in a vast variety of our visual and tactile experiences.

 Her attitude became a new landmark in the global design world. 

“I used to make senseless charts and diagrams for satiric purpose —silly and innacurate information. Then I started measuring unmeasurable things, mainly laughing over my own appearance. Occasionally, those graphs would bear some sense, for example all my credit cards numbers, in order to show how many digits are bound to my name somewhere in a computer. Later on the message had become political or purposeless. And then it turned to my paintings”. 

Paula’s maps

Above all Paula was inspired by the modern culture. After graduating from Tyler School of Art she began to create album covers under CBS Record label, and in a matter of short time became famous among musicians, and soon — other influential people.  

Valuable ideas come during traffic jam in a taxi. “I let my subconscious to fully take possesion of me in order to make assotiations naturally. Design requires being in present. If you’re not in present, you won’t be able to create”.   

“I love leaving New York, but I can’t be away for a long time. If I’m not here, I won’t have any ideas” 

“Most often I work with symbolic systems. They must carry plenty of facets. In general I try squeezing out all the details — that’s the way I like it”. 

The identity of NY Public Theatre was remade three times, as long as after it was firs created all the city started imitating her fresh and dynamic visual language, and Paula sticked to not losing her ground: “I had an actual affair with Public Theatre”. 

Her style is mainly  influenced by Art Deco and Russian constructivism, which incorporated outmoded typefaces into her work that were rethought in a modern way. 

Posters for The Public Theatre of New York, where constructivist influences are especially visible

Since 80s Paula is married to Seymour Chwast, another significant person in the graphic design context, who together with Milton Glaser and Ed Sorel established then iconic Push Pin Studios. They developed a style of design and illustration that would combine modern colors, sharpness and intellectual thinking. Due to the close association with Chwast, Scher has discovered typography, a new marker to her own visual language that forever became an instrument with its own unique Scher's spirit. 

To end with, some motivating quotes:

The Greatest Risk Is Not Taking One. To move forward and not become reactionary, you have to take risks. Otherwise you will stand still. Not to do it is much more of a risk than doing it, because you risk everything by not developing and growing.

If you think something is really irritating or the end of all design as we know it, pay attention, because it’s probably good.

Most businesses that create any form of product make a huge investment in R&D, but graphic designers can’t because they’re always fulfilling some kind of contract. They really need to set aside the time to make a big sloppy failure.

And a must-hear podcast: