20 of the Best Documentaries on the Art of Graphic Design

Table Of Content

• Eero Saarinen: The Architect Who Saw the Future
• Ilse Crawford: Interior Design
• Watch all eight episodes of Netflix's Abstract: The Art of Design series
• Michael Bierut on How to Think Like a Designer
• Floyd Norman: An Animated Life
• In a collection of 40+ interviews, author Adam Moss tries to find the key to creation

Many of the castle’s incredible antiques and original artworks are featured on the show. And with three lakes, rolling hills, and 56 Lebanese cedars within the grounds, the show’s outdoor scenes are as enjoyable as those shot indoors, partly because it’s when you’re truly able to appreciate the exterior architecture of this grand home. A well-respected art dealer in England, Mould is most well known for being half of the detective team of the popular Fake or Fortune? In this new series of short videos, he takes viewers around his house and discusses the various works he has on display, including pieces by Cedric Morris and Vanessa Bell. But the real star of Art in Isolation is actually Duck End, his restored 17th-century manor house in Oxfordshire.

Eero Saarinen: The Architect Who Saw the Future

For the Decimal typeface, inspired by the lettering on wristwatches, viewers get a close-up look at primary sources, captured directly through the lens of a stereoscopic microscope. For Parliament, a visit to Green-Wood Cemetery involved a survey of inscriptional lettering — and captured a genuine, unscripted discovery on camera. Both projects involved research with secondary sources, one in Hoefler’s own reference library, the other at the map room of the New York Public Library, guided by the curator of one of the library’s most distinctive special collections. From issues such as missing “soul” to a lack of a “big idea” and emotional connection with viewers, this video will help designers address their potential shortcomings and explore the ways they can take their design skills to the next level. In this Netflix-produced documentary, Paula Scher talks about graphic design and the importance of typography in conveying messages through design.

Ilse Crawford: Interior Design

The book has 43 chapters, each one dedicated to a single artist, and their process of creating a single work. There are poets, painters, chefs, sand castle sculptors and crossword puzzle makers. He describes his photography as “arranging chaos”, whether we’re looking at street scenes with kids playing or feminists protesting, or celebrities bringing that same disruptive energy to hotel room photo shoots. According to the “Yes I’m a Designer” channel’s recent video, these are some of the hottest graphic design trends for the year 2022. In this 6-minute video, he breaks down some of the advice he’s found to be helpful. This documentary tells the story of the journey to ubiquitous  3D printing and what it means for the world of design.

Watch all eight episodes of Netflix's Abstract: The Art of Design series

"A shoot with General Colin Powell provides a window into his process." "His award-winning designs have steered the brand into the future with a sleek new sports cars and a self-driving electric van," said Netflix. "Over the last two decades of working, one of the things I've discovered is that often, things are made to fill voids," said Devlin to open the episode. Season one was released in 2017, with season two following in 2019 – this series is not yet available on Youtube.

Barn-like house

Netflix design documentary series to feature Bjarke Ingels - Building Design + Construction

Netflix design documentary series to feature Bjarke Ingels.

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The show had enormous influence on interior design while it was on air, and the buzz has yet to wear off. In fact, many designers report that they still field requests for offices and lairs in the spirit of Don Draper—whose sharp TV penthouse features exact replicas of the Danish modern design style made famous by designers like Knoll, Miller, and Thayer Coggin. This documentary by Bayonet Media explores the modern printers and graphic designers working to preserve this historic craft.

Film Review: Recommendations -- Architecture and Design Documentaries for the Housebound - artsfuse.org

Film Review: Recommendations -- Architecture and Design Documentaries for the Housebound.

Posted: Sun, 29 Mar 2020 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Each image is accompanied by a quote from Sillman, explaining what step that particular draft represented in her process. The chapter contains 39 images, demonstrating the full evolution from first draft to finished product of her work, Miss Gleason. In one chapter, Moss speaks with Amy Sillman, an abstract painter who Moss admires for her unique use of color and shape. When Adam Moss gave up his job as editor-in-chief of New York Magazine five years ago, he started painting. “Another building’s blocking the view of the Empire State,” says Hamilton, describing the shifts.

Running at 1 hour 45 minutes, the film makes you really think, especially about what creative legacy you might leave yourself. It's important to note that this documentary, which runs to 1 hour 18 minutes,  doesn't actually talk about the use of minimalism in graphic design. But it will help you reach a deeper understanding of where the minimalism trend comes from and why it has a cultural resonance in today's society. "Paula Scher paints with words as an American graphic designer, artist, and educator," said Netflix. "For more than three decades she has been at the forefront of graphic design and developed identities for esteemed institutions such as The Public Theater in NY, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Target, Bloomberg, and Microsoft." This episode focuses on how graphic designer Scher, the first female principal at Pentagram, shaped the face of New York.

In a collection of 40+ interviews, author Adam Moss tries to find the key to creation

But life was far from easy for an African American working at a time when racism was entrenched in American life—this is the story of how Williams persevered by dint of his sheer talent and determination. Shot in 80 scene-stealing locations throughout Paris, this quirky visual masterpiece was named the one of the best shot movies of the decade by American Cinematographer magazine, and offers a chance to revel in the architecture of the French capital. The plot centers on a young woman, played by Audrey Tautou, who is determined to bring happiness and cheer to whomever she meets, despite her rocky past, and predominantly takes place in the Montmartre neighborhood. Look out for Rue Lepic—a picture-perfect, ancient street filled with butcher shops, flower stands, and quintessential French brasseries—which features as Amélie’s daily runway. “This is James Stewart in Rear Window,” says director Wes Anderson, when recalling his first impression of Hamilton, and his apartment, in Uncropped, the documentary he executive-produces.

The 10 Best Art Documentaries to Watch on Netflix Right Now

Sometimes great ideas happen when you stop thinking and let the creativity flow naturally through feelings and based on your past encounters, experiences, and references. As a titan in the industry of marketing design, Michael Bierut has worked with brands and clients like Saks Fifth Avenue, The New York Times, various museums, and major city projects. In this documentary, he shows us how each individual project utilizes different aspects of design theory and imagination. Brilliant design is about creating work that blends seamlessly into the medium or environment AND jumps out (just enough) to grab our attention. Part collaborative space, part play space, part educational space, part local hangout, the Lego House in Billund, Denmark, is a whimsical, futuristic edifice meant to inspire and awe. Some of its many unusual features include the Tree of Creativity—made of 6.3 million Lego bricks!

"I really wanted to be good, and it made the act of making art so frustrating for me," said Moss. "This [studio] is where I come many days and wrestle with trying to make something." Hoefler’s storyboards demonstrating typographic principles, for the episode’s These Are Letters! It’s always useful to understand the logic and principles behind color, composition, shape, and balance. Letters are powerful signs in a world where designers are tasked with conveying complex messages as quickly as possible.

Creative Bloq is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. These quality documentaries will inspire you, and help you become more creative. Sent every Tuesday and containing a selection of the most important news highlights. "Platon's fearless portraits capture the soul of world leaders and ordinary people," said Netflix.

This particular segment explains the basics of color theory in graphic design. This short animated film was created using CGI and 3D animation technology by students at Motion Design School. It’s an adorable depiction of how designers interact with the world around them and draw (pun intended) inspiration from the most random sources.

In fact, the movie’s Birdcage Club is actually The Carlyle hotel. With a 1939 façade that is still virtually untouched, this building is one of the most celebrated Art Deco landmarks on Ocean Drive, South Beach’s main thoroughfare. Today, socially distanced walking tours are led by the Miami Design Preservation League for those who want to take a closer look. For Rostam, the creative process occurred in large part on his iPhone, in a collection of draft lyrics written in the notes app, and melodies in recorded as voice memos.

Many graphic designers like to describe their work as "edgy" and "risky". Well, just to put that in perspective, here's the captivating story of someone who really does risk everything for their work. The series follows eight leading designers operating in different industries. There are episodes dedicated to Ingels, Devlin and Crawford, as well as graphic designer Paula Scher, automobile designer Ralph Gilles, Nike shoe designer Tinker Hatfield, illustrator Christoph Niemann and photographer Platon. This beloved series chronicles the fictional Crawley family’s lavish lives inside Downton Abbey, a sprawling English estate. In real life, the 300-room property is Highclere Castle, located in Berkshire, England, which has been owned by the Carnarvon family since 1679.

From prosthetic limbs and controversial weapons to architecture and marketing, the possibilities of 3D printing for design are endless. Niels Bolbrinker and Thomas Tielsch’s documentary examines how the Bauhaus movement changed the way we look at design. With the backdrop of the World Wars, it introduced a bold style of work that was ahead of its time. The Bauhaus movement had a tremendous impact on every corner of the art world. From the things we buy and magazines to animation and street signs, design is everywhere.

In doing so, this series goes beyond the superficial and really digs into how toys are conceived, designed and made. In 1956, he became Disney's first-ever African-American animator. Then after founder Walt Disney's death, he left to start his own company, which produced black history films for high schools.