Product Description

Just as film, art, music and literature have the power to move people, Stefan Sagmeister's innovative work shows that graphic design, too, can cut to the emotional core. His desire is to transform stale thinking--Sagmeister Made You Look will do just that. Fully illustrated, with a red PVC slipcase, this monograph covers twenty years of his graphic design and features images from the studio archive as well as specific influences and reference points for his projects and ideas. Stefan Sagmeister, born in Austria, received his MFA in graphic design from the University of Applied Arts in Vienna and, as a Fulbright scholar, a master's degree from the Pratt Institute in New York. Following stints at M&Co. in New York with Tibor Kalman and as creative director at the Hong Kong office of the advertising agency Leo Burnett, Sagmeister formed the New York-based Sagmeister Inc. in 1993. Text by Peter Hall. Designed by Sagmeister Inc., New York.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1348233 in Books
• Published on: 2001-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Amazon.com Review
Another self-indulgent design monograph (practically everything we have ever designed including the bad stuff) is Stefan Sagmeister's hand-scrawled subtitle for the first book about his work, Made You Look. This, and the book's clear red case and silver-gilded pages, seem contrary to the raw, handwritten style he is known for, already setting us up for a wild and very personal ride through almost the entire corpus of the 39-year-old designer's work. Sagmeister once scratched words into his skin for his own lecture poster at Cranbrook, and this is the book version--sometimes enlightening, sometimes embarrassing, always self-conscious, and ultimately touching. The story is a conversation between Peter Hall's text and Sagmeister's handwritten commentary, a perfect and believable device for an absorbing dialogue. Self-indulgent as Made You Look may be, Sagmeister lays himself open with idealism, irony, and humor, creating one of the most moving books about design. --Juliette Cezzar

Review
Sagmeister's work reveals a design schizophrenia: one moment, he's creating traditional designs that would make Massimo Vignelli nod in assent, -- Radical Graphics

About the Author
Stefan Sagmeister, born in Austria, recieved his MFA in graphic design from the University of Applied Arts in Vienna and, as a Fulbright scholar, a master's degree from the Pratt Institute in New York. Following Stints at M&Co. in New York with Tibor Calman and as creative director at the Hong Kong office of the advertising agency Leo Burnett, Sagmeister formed the New York-based Sagmeister Inc. in 1993.

Customer Reviews

The Sucker
I've been suckered and wowed into a few design monographs, some of which were refreshing, some way to analytical and some just too abstract for any earthling to grab meaning from it.

Although no book/theories/processes can save anyone's design soul, seeing/understanding Stefan's work has helped me understand that all elements humor/angst/beauty/finesse/distress/ugliness/cynicism can be mashed into this design work we do and can be done without all of this pontification.

This isn't any sort of epiphany, it's just a reaction to all the pretty, high-style fashion driven stuff with no heart/no sense of self that has been floating around for some time.

From most of what I've read, humorous yet always self aware, I feel the connection of rock-n-roll/punk ethics expressed more than just see it. I think this example of pure self expression gives reason for anyone to continue to do this type of work.

Yummy! yummy!
What a dilicious book. I savored every bite and thought about its unique flavor for days afterwards. If you buy only one book on graphic design in your life, thats the one.

I never review books BUT...
I actually READ this one! You know, not just look at the pictures. What a courageous, talented, outragous guy. His handwritten notes throughout the book were so incredibly easy to relate to, especially if you've worked in this business long enough to know what a "mechanical" is. I have admired this designer via other design annuals for years and I am thrilled he finally shared some of his design journal and work with us- all in his own words. Thank you, Stefan, for having the "balls"!