Hi viewers, just a few reminders to all....

1) Please adjust your font size to "SMALL" or "MEDIUM", this is to ensure maximum viewage of the screen *The choice is always yours thou....)

2) This is a site dedicated to Saul Bass and shows my research of him, feel free to comment or correct me in whatever information that you might presume incorrect....               

3) Pictures of my sketchbook would be rather small (still viewable) due to space-constraint of this bloggy, so it might prove to be difficult to see, so please bear with me. The text written in the sketchbook will be reflected in my comments at the bottom of the image, so don't strain your eyes  to look at it...                                                                                 

  That's all for now, enjoy viewing!!!!

                                  SAUL BASS

Saul Bass, born in Bronx District of New York in 1920. He was an extremely creative child and i feel that he has nurture his talent at a very very young age (no extact detail given). He studied in Brooklyn College under a Hungarian Graphic Artist.

          Saul Bass (Background)    

Ok....so what's so special about him? Well, i had heard of him before in an   illustrustation from one of my lecturer, so my impression of him is pretty strong. Besides that, his design had greatly influence the way in the importance of the opening credit of the movie (i will go into further detail for that later on) .

As i was saying, Saul Bass is an amazing graphic designer. Well his design to me is a little weird and fascinating. He uses abstract art, meaning graphic (and i don't mean photograph) in his design. More....his design, if you were to notice, are like paper cut out. Note the two design on the image shown on my sketchbk, doesn't it seems to be like a image cut out of a piece of paper, resulting in this slightly kiddish yet amazing  work......         

            Image that "SPEAK"

Alright, i don't mean this image can talk, but Saul Bass's design has a way of conveying his message to you without having to use words frequently to aid his design. Example, in one of his design "The Man With The Golden Arm",  he use an image of a crooked hand (as shown in the 1st image in my sketchbk) to express the struggle of a heroin-abuser trying to curb drugs. Note how this hand stretches outward as though they're reaching for a new hope and resurrection. No words....just image, now that's Saul Bass.....

"Saul Bass listens to respect the mute, visual language of the ancients. His work are strong, refine and emotional......"

     The Importance Of Saul Bass

Saul Bass enable people to understand an old thing in a new way grasp a new thing in an old way. His a cinema legend whom many people had longed to work with, perphaps even "ME".....(whom won't to work with a great designer anyway)

When Saul Bass died, the New York Times obituary hailed him as "The Minimalist anteur who put a jagged arm in motion in 1955 and created an edition film genre, and elevated it into an art". Amazing isn't it??? In fact, he was also the one to make people realise how important the opeing credit of a movie is, as it relates what the later part of the movie is going to film about.

According to comments from various forum, people commented that when they watching the opening credit of a movie (design by Saul Bass), they instantly know what the movie is going to show about and can walk out of the threatre without having to WATCH the movie at all. That's is what i call a great designer.

Let's take his "Bunny Lake is Missing" this movie as an example. Saul Bass had done a paer cut out of an image of a girl in his design. It's shows that the girl is missing from the picture, as in conjuction to the movie title.

 The Strength Of His Work

Saul Bass strength(not physically of course, but his design) is express in various way in his work. For example, his work are very emtionally-invoking, meaning he is able to generate the emotion to suit the movie using basic shape/symbol often in black and white or minimal color.

Take a look at the second image on the sketchbk, it's actually a movie poster for the movie "EXODUS". It's about Palestinian war for Israel's indepence and the fighting for freedom for their country.

Saul Bass in this poster has design many hand reaching out for freedom, as shown in the strive for freedom in the palestinian war. However , one hand strikes out among others as it is holding a rifle "Does it means the leader among all" or to "fight for the rifle akin to their freedom"?

Either way, they prove to be quite emotional..........

Secondly, his work stands out heavily even though he uses plain/ solid colours with little complexity in his work (simple design)

If you would take a look at the two image/design in the sketchbk, notice how he uses again, papercut-out design of a human body for the "Anatomy Of A Murder" (left) and only stripes of yellow in "The Man With The Golden Arm"(right).

Lastly, his mini-movie or opening/closing title, blend so WELL with his deignated movie that audience did not realise that the actual movie had started after the ending of the opening theme of the movie.....*Another amazing thing isn't it???

     The Weakness Of His Work  

 Alright, everyone, including famous designer has weakness or flaw in certain aspect right. Just to inform the "fans" of Saul Bass, whatever critic posted is   not meant as an direct insult to Saul's work, but partly my opinion.You may choose to or not to accept my critics.....

Back to business,  they're various part of his design that i don't quite like or accept . I personally feels that sometimes, his design are a little bit too disturbing or over-exaggerating (again i emphasize that this is in my own view)

Example, in his design for "PSYCHO", as shown in the image above in the sketchbk,  i feels that it is too errie and disturbing, which might cause viewer to turn away from the movie. The image are too exagerated which some people might not be able to accept as it being part of the movie, though not all.....

Secondly, his work often involve only majority of the color such as red, black or white. *Although its understandable that it's designer taste, perhaps exploration of other colour might suit better???? 

Example, in "Ocean Eleven", ( see image above right), why did Saul Bass uses "red", for the character "11" instead of using "blue", to suit the theme of the movie better???

Another example, "The Man With The Golden Arm", why did Saul Bass choose to have the arm in "gold" to better suit the title of the movie. Of course, i have no right to control his design in terms of color. Perhaps, i could have ask him regarding this, if only i have the chance of course.......