About Ellen

I couldn't decide who to do my designer postcard on, Jill Bliss or Tibor Kalman... So I did neither. I did a little more research and tried to find someone that no one else had chosen. Someone really significant. Ellen Lupton. I read a little about her and all I could find were books. Then I watched interview after interview with her and became entranced with her theory.



She really values concept over style, she advocates thinking more and designing less. It is shocking how much she has contributed to the field of graphic design. Before her, not a lot of non-designers really knew what graphic design was. She has changed that though her work in curating current design work and making design knowledge more available to the public. This has led to an increased appreciation for good design from the general public and also contributed greatly to the whole do-it-yourself movement.

The back of my postcard reads:

Ellen Lupton is an inspiration to many, designers and general public.

Upon graduating from Cooper Union in 1985, Ellen worked as a design curator. Using her writing and creative talents to document current design history on a slim budget, she began to bring clarity to the public and an understanding of graphic design.

Ellen mentioned in an interview that even into the early 90s, The New York Times still called the field of graphic design, “graphics.” A personal goal of Ellen’s was for her mother to actually understand what it is that she does.

While teaching at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) Ellen has been active in promoting the design-it-yourself lifestyle, even publishing a book with some grad students titled Design It Yourself. She has been involved in writing and publishing many books and has spoken on the subject of designer as author. Author not in a sense of writing per se, but in having a strong visual signature.

Ellen advocates sharing design knowledge with the general public. In stark contrast with other designers in history who wouldn’t share secrets, fearful of losing the deep professionalism within the field of graphic design. Ellen believes a well informed public raises the bar.

Ellen is a strong believer in thinking more and designing less. Substance over style. Conceptual depth is a true indicator of good work.