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Influential
Teachers
There were other experiences at Yale that made a strong impact
on my development. In the first year, Graphic Design students
were required to take six week courses in Printmaking, Photography
and Typesetting/Printing. All of these were new to me and
I found Printmaking of especial interest. In the second year,
I had a work-grant appointment as an assistant to Gabor Peterdi
in the printmaking studio. My book project was a manual for
beginning students in intaglio which was done in conjunction
with Peterdi. My thesis was an experimental project in lithographic
printing on metal plates using a hand-operated lithographic
proofing machine. However, I was most comfortable working
with woodcut. My visual interests were in natural forms and
landscape.
An important experience for me was taking Drawing with Birney
Chaet. As an Advertising major at the Minneapolis School of
Art, I had logged as many hours as most fine artists sitting
before a nude model with a newsprint pad in one hand and a
stick of charcoal in the other. I remember yet, whenever the
drawing instructor passed by my drawing bench, looking up
at the teacher as to say, “How am I doing? Is this good?
bad?” I could not evaluate my own work because objectives
and criteria were not made clear to me. The best I could do
was based on a presumption that the drawing should look like
the model.
I
am not a good draughtsman and most likely never will be. However,
I now have an understanding of drawing and the confidence
that permits me to draw whenever it is necessary. What I took
away from Chaet’s drawing class was an understanding
that drawing has more to do with space and form than content,
that it is a symbolic interpretation of something else achieved
through making marks on a piece of paper, and composition
is dictated by me and not the subject. I also learned that
drawing is a medium for conveying ideas, informationor expression,
and the communication should be clear. I can still hear some
of Chaet’s classroom admonitions, It is alright to shade,
but every line must show!”
I
had John McCoubrey for an Art History course which covered
late nineteenth century European artists. I had never been
in an art history class like this one, and it was fascinating.
I was so interested that I never took notes because I might
miss something. Needless to say, Professor McCoubrey noticed
this omission and consequently, my grade was not particularly
good.In fact, I received what was known as a “gentle
man’s grade” of below 70. As a graduate student
it was necessary to make a grade of 80 or better. I went to
Professor McCoubrey and asked if I could do a paper to raise
my grade the required two points. He said that it was possible
to do this but it would have to be a good paper. I elected
to do a paper on Daumier. I worked for a week on the paper
and took it to him. His response was that it was a terrible
paper, and he should deduct from my grade. However, he would
give me one more chance. With this incentive, I researched
further and worked hard on the new paper. On receipt of my
new attempt, he said there was just enough there to have some
hope that perhaps I could do a paper. It was agonizing, but
I went back, dug deeper and wrote a new paper. Professor McCoubrey’s
reaction this time was that perhaps if I did it one more time
and went a little further with the research, the paper might
be acceptable. I took two weeks to do the new paper and solicited
assistance from some fellow students. His acceptance of the
paper was qualified by remarking that he was giving me the
two points against his better judgement. It was a real learning
experience for me.
I
took Anthropology with Ralph Linton, and again, he was so
interesting that I did not take notes because I might miss
something. His lectures were based mostly on recounting his
experiences with Southwestern Native Americans and natives
of the Solomon Islands at the turn of the century. He gave
one particularly interesting series of lectures based on the
impact of the automobile on American culture. His health was
not good and he collapsed several times during the semester
and had to be taken from the hall on a stretcher. Next class
period he would be back. During Christmas break he died under
the marquee of the Schubert theater waiting for a cab. Next
semester we had a young man who was doing field work in the
back country of the Philippines when he was called back to
Yale. It was back to Coon and the basic text on food gatherers
and hunters.
During
my two years in Graphic Design at Yale University, much of
the instruction was handled by a group of established designers
commuting between New Haven and New York. Alvin Lustig and
Herbert Matter came in on a regular basis. Leo Lionni, Alexy
Brodovitch and Lester Beall gave extended problems and there
were numerous visiting lecturers. Alvin Eisenman and Norman
Ives lived in the New Haven area, and Gabor Peterdi came in
from Norwalk.
Graphic
Design Education
The
term Graphic Design had never come to my attention until Yale.
The curriculum based on typography and printing production,
photography, printmaking and Graphic Design was radically
different from what was being taught at other schools. I remember
deciding that photography was not for me. It would be an understatement
to say that my work for the first semester review was minimal.
I borrowed my sister’s Brownie camera and did some snapshots.
The negatives were wrinkled and the prints were even worse.
When called on this at review, I stated that my interests
were not in Photography. Eisenman made some remark to the
effect that if there was not a change in attitude, I might
not be at Yale after the next semester. This remark registered
with me. I immediately purchased a Rollicord. In spite of
my earlier reservations, I thoroughly enjoyed photography,
found it rewarding and developed an appreciation for photographic
images that far exceeds my capabilities in this medium. To
this day, I cannot wind film on the spool without crinkling
it.
At
that time, the only Graphic Design program in the country
was at Yale, and I think the students felt they were special
because of this. They were enthusiastic, worked hard and there
was a great deal of interaction among students at all levels.
The faculty were superb role models for students both by their
work and professional stature. Graphic Design was a new field,
the first real alternative to advertising, and most students
were excited by their prospects following graduation.
I
would briefly note that Yale as an institution was an experience
in itself. I had never before known that quality of people,
education or institution. Art History, Sterling Library, museums
and other university resources and personnel made lasting
impressions on me.
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