The Push Pin Way – The Interdisciplinary Work of Seymour Chwast

A list of contemporary graphic designers would be incomplete without Seymour Chwast. As co-founder of Push Pin Studios with fellow graphic designers Milton Glaser, Edward Sorel, and Reynold Ruffins, he worked on different projects that included poster designs, book illustrations, and magazine covers. His illustrations are characterized by his playful and expressive style. Critics haven’t been able to categorize his different works because of the different influences seen on each piece. It was eventually called the Push Pin Style — the diverse union of illustration and design derived, according to Chwast, not from premeditation but from the requisites of the assignments themselves. In 1985, he was awarded the AIGA Medal which is given to individuals for their outstanding contribution to the field of design. Museums such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York and the Library of Congress, Washington D.C. have his posters in their collections.

Here are samples of his simple yet brilliant designs. His influence on graphic design spanned decades of his hard work, it’s no wonder that most graphic designers know and try to imitate his style.

Packaging Design

Posters and Illustrations

Book and Magazine Covers

Type Design

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