“There are three responses to a piece of design − yes, no, and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for.” milton glaser
In a previous Musing, I spotlighted legendary designer Milton Glaser and his book Drawing is Thinking. As an early influence on my own graphic design, I studied his work and followed his career. One of the first graphic design books I bought was Milton Glaser Graphic Design, published in 1973 and featuring his famous portrait of Bob Dylan on its cover.
Throughout his long and diverse career, Glaser imparted his wisdom in speeches, interviews and writings. His advice is relevant not only for designers but for anyone who practices creativity in work or at play. Some of Glaser’s most beloved quotes get to the heart of what it means to embark on a life shaped by creativity, exploration, risk and design. He emphasized the need for relentlessly practicing to hone your craft, and perhaps most importantly, never being afraid of failure. He encouraged us to “fail more often in order to find out what you’re capable of learning.” By accepting that not everything will be successful, you won’t hesitate to try something new.
Here are eight more of my favorite Milton Glaser sayings.
“Certainty is a closing of the mind. To create something new you must have doubt.”
“The real issue is not talent as an independent element, but talent in relationship to will, desire, and persistence. Talent without these things vanishes and even modest talent with those characteristics grows.”
“Design is simply planning. My definition of design is this: It is going from an existing position to a preferred one.”
“Computers are to design as microwaves are to cooking.”
“I think what I feel fortunate about is that I am still astonished − that things still amaze me. And I think that that’s a great benefit of being in the arts, where the possibility for learning never disappears; where you basically have to admit you never learn it.”
“I have become increasingly interested in words, because I think words are images. I don’t see a separation between words and images. I think the right three words can create as much imagery as any motion picture.”
“The next time you see a 16-color, blind-embossed, gold-stamped, die-cut, elaborately folded and bound job, printed on handmade paper, see if it isn’t a mediocre idea trying to pass for something else.”
“Just enough is more.”