Top 10 Posts of 2018

Herewith, in no particular order, are Design Observer reader’s favorite posts of 2018.

The Design of Comfort
by Sean Adams
What I found in the typography of Disneyland was an incredibly dense design solution beyond typography with intentional choices to create a specific experience.

Fear Of Phallus
by Steven Heller
In my case, on average of twice a week, editors accused me of allowing one or more illustrators to include an unacceptable banana, kidney, or lozenge shape — and I’m talking about a plain old curvilinear-tipped graphic device that happened to be touching some other shape.

Just Keep Walking: An Interview with Paula Scher
by Julie Anixter
Called “the most influential woman graphic designer on the planet” by fellow designer extraordinaire Ellen Lupton, Pentagram partner Paula Scher has left an undeniable imprint on the American design psyche.

Questioning Graphic Design’s Ethicality
by Brian LaRossa
If designers take care during client selection, can they evade the type of intense ethical quagmire that’s only resolvable through radical action? Are particular modes of working within the field of design more conducive to sustaining a long term ethical practice?

The Women Behind the Black Panther Party Logo
by Lincoln Cushing
A tribute to the women who shaped the Black Panther Party Logo.

Better, Faster, Stronger? Design Thinking Gets a New Study
by Doug Powell
Better, Faster, Stronger? Proof of the value of design thinking is good news for practicing designers.

What We See When We See Google Design
by Connie Birdsall
While simplicity had lived at the heart of Google’s design and UX philosophy since day one, today, the company has mastered the art of identity and UX design.

Should A Designer Be Judged By Ideology?
by Steven Heller
Should designers and illustrators be judged harshly for choosing to make art on the wrong side of history?

Chain Letters: Jason Murphy
by Lilly Smith
“Inclusivity. That is the cliché. Where are they doing that?” Jason Murphy answers our Chain Letters questions.

Milton Glaser: Nine Posters
by Milton Glaser
“As a professional graphic designer for sixty years, I’ve produced more than five hundred posters that in a variety of ways inform, persuade, or decorate their subjects—that all comes under the heading of good professional practice.”