Visual Tropes, Parodies, Thefts, Gimmicks, Stereotypes, and Cliches

Steven Heller, co-author of Anatomy of Design, recently spoke about pictorial influences and origins of graphic design at the Paul Rand Lecture Series. I found the lecture to be quite entertaining and would like to share some of the imagery he discussed.

St Sebastion

X-Rays

Skulls

Open Mouths

Type on Bodies

Bodies Made of Type

Graffiti Mustache

Eyes, Flags, and Blinds

Legs

Some are done well, others not so much. Heller's message is to keep in mind the quality at which a design has been reconstituted.