Paula Scher is an influential American graphic designer, painter, and art educator. She is a principal at Pentagram, one of the world’s most prestigious design firms. Scher’s career spans over four decades, during which she has made significant contributions to the field of graphic design.
Scher began her career in the 1970s as a layout artist for CBS Records. Here, she designed approximately 150 album covers per year. Her work on album covers for artists like Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen garnered significant attention and established her reputation.
One of Scher's most notable works is the identity for The Public Theater. Her 1994 campaign for the theater set a new standard for institutional graphic design. The use of bold typography and vibrant colors in the campaign became a defining trend in the design world. In fact, her work on this project was so impactful that it was later included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
Scher is also known for her maps. These large-scale paintings feature intricate details and are more about exploring typography and form than geographical accuracy. Her map of the United States, for example, took months to complete and uses thousands of hand-painted words to convey the landscape.
Scher's approach to design is often described as “maximalist,” characterized by bold, loud typography and vibrant colors. She has a knack for transforming complex ideas into visually compelling narratives. This is evident in her work for clients such as Citi and Microsoft.
As an educator, Scher has taught at institutions like the School of Visual Arts in New York. She has also written several books, including “Make It Bigger,” which offers insights into her design philosophy and process.
Scher has received numerous awards throughout her career. She was the first female principal at Pentagram and has been a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale. In 2001, she was awarded the prestigious AIGA Medal. More recently, she was honored with the National Design Award for Communication Design in 2013.
One lesser-known fact about Scher is her love for music, which significantly influenced her early work designing album covers. Additionally, she is an avid painter and uses her experiences and observations from daily life to inspire her artwork.
Paula Scher’s work continues to influence and shape the field of graphic design, making her one of the most important designers of our time.