Tom Eckersley – A 1976 Tribute

The Penrose Annual of 1976 has a profile article on the work of Tom Eckersley, written by Rene Elvin. It is a tribute to the work of at the time Britain’s greatest living poster designer - who in 1975 had 2 retrospective exhibitions of his work.

The article traces the history of Ekcersley’s career from its beginnings in the 1930′s and evokes with words and illustrations the gentle humour, charm and simplicity plus ingenuity which define his style.

His number of posters to that date was over 300. Elvin also provides an interesting and concise history of the poster and its development in Britain.

Most of the work in the article by Tom is from 1974-1975, and I think it all defines beautifully, what the best of 1970′s Graphic Design looked like.

Above: Featured image – A poster for London College of Printing Open Week 1974

There is a paragraph in the article which sums up Tom Eckersley’s work brilliantly, which I will share with you:

There is such a forceful clarify in his designs, such a perfect marriage of message and graphic expression that they speak for themselves with dynamic persuasiveness and hardly need comments, except possibly to situate them in their proper context. If his style has changed at all since his early days, it is toward greater, more direct and hence more vivid simplicity. Matthew Pior’s lines might well be applied to it : “That the air and harmony of shape express,/fine by degrees, and beautifully less; and it triumphantly vindicate Mies van der Rohe’s famous axiom “Less is More” .

London College of Printing, Annual Dinner 1976 - Tom Eckersley

Relax by Bus - for British Omnibus Co. - Tom Eckersley

library Reminder Card London College of Printing - Tom Eckersley

Keep-an-eye-on-valuables - London College of Printing - Tom Eckersley

London College of Printing Annual Dinner 1975 - Tom Eckersley

British Leprosy Association Appeal 1975 - Tom Eckersley

London College of Printing Historical Lecture 1974 - Tom Eckersley