The purpose of this research is to examine the work of graphic designers Piet Zwart and April Greiman, the former a Dutch designer who died in 1977 and the latter an American who was born in 1948. The plan of the research will be to set forth each designer's background as well as an overview of the education, experience, and influences on each, and then to discuss the philosophy and style of design, and the use of type, photography, and color media, with a view toward showing the similarities and differences in the content and execution of their work.
It is possible to trace a direct line of generational influence from the European Zwart to his much younger American contemporary, Greiman, simply by looking at the work of each and pointing out similarities. However, that line would not be clear or supported by evidence, and the content of those similarities would not be explained. That is why it is important to look at how Zwart and Greiman evolved their styles, based on both their personal backgrounds and their professional influences.
With this in mind, let us explore how the professional career of Zwart, born in 1885 in an industrial region north of Amsterdam, Holland, developed. Although the fact that the region of Zaandijk is industrial is mentioned by a number of sources (Spencer, Pioneers, 1987, p. 117 and Liberated, p. 151; Purris, p. 61; Luidl, 1986, p. 33; Broos and Hefting, 1993, p. 67), the source who finds a significance in the kind of birthplace that Zwart had is Monguzzi, who mentions that Zaandijk was "one of the first industrial settlements north of Amsterdam" (p. 5). The reason that the industrial source of Zwart's work is important is the same reason that early environmental influences are always important in the formation of first preferences and selections in art. Furthermore, this generalization is directly supported by Monguzzi's footnote citing the origin of Zwart's artistic thinking. The note cit...