One Minute Essay: The Influence of Graphics Design of Socialist Russia

Graphics Design in communist Russia sparked many new innovative techniques and styles that continue to influence graphics design today.

Influences of Russian Communist graphics design in the 20th century caused photos to become discussive. Constructivism also emerged in Communist Russia in the early 20th century. The graphics of the time, place, and political setting used hyperbole messages for the leninstate and also had the style of pureflat color - they had machine like spatial rhythms. Communist art and design expressed equality for all people, including women. Through advertisement, the graphic system of Communist Russia developed a standardized format closely intertwined with the economy.

Some of the important and influential designers discussed in class were Solomon Tellingster, the Steinberg Brothers, Rodchenko, and El Lissitzky. Solomon Tellingster created Exercise and Sports posters which combined text and image to serve the media.

The Steinberg Brothers merged phototgraphy with illustration. This technique was new and influenced the development of the usage of photomontage and montage. Rodchenko was an advertising constructor whose designs were like a missing link between older and modern packaging design.

El Lissitzky was a visionary designer of the 20th century. He invented Prouns Space, which is a synthesis of architectural concepts with painting. He is known for symbolic constructivist propaganda posters such as, "Beat the whites with the Red Wedge" and his childrens book "Of Two Squares", which could be understood by everyone, including illiterate peasants. El Lissiztsky's work displayed cinematic power of macro/micro, split images, repeating patterns, and dynamic crops. Lissitzky also was involved with the creation and publication with one of the most influential books on graphics design of the 20th century. It's called "The "Isms" of Art". It established typographic standar, pictorial spreads, elevation of numbers to concreate abstract forms, and asymmetrical balance. He used white space and silhouette halftones to create the illusion of 3D with 2D shapes. His influential posters were icons of the 20th century and explored montage, photomontage, and displayed socialist ideals of equality between genders.