While browsing the world wide web, I kept bumping into the same image over and over. My research must somehow trigger a type of good magic leading me to look at this specific poster from the Japanese designer Shigeo Fukuda over and over again.

After seeing it a couple of times, I felt that Google was probably trying to give me a hint, somehow suggesting I should check the man out. So I did.

Google was right: Fukuda’s work is simply stunning and the fact that the man was born in 1932 came as a surprise. It proves that good design is simply timeless.

As I was looking for a selection of Fukuda’s pieces to post here, I couldn’t helpt but be sidetracked by equally beautifully crafted images of other Japanese designers. Google was tricking me again. I jumped from one tumblr to the next trying to figure out some logic behind my post. After 3 hours of staring at my screen my brain couldn’t take on any more images so I called it a day and slept on it.

When I went back to those tons of images I saved, it became clear that two other designers really stood out: Ryohei Kojima and Ikko Tanaka.

Credit : Ryohei Kojima

Credit : Ikko Tanaka

Like Fukuda, both were using very bold colours and very pure lines. Simplifying their subject to their essence in a playful way. Funnily enough, the three designers I picked up on were all from the same generation and designed those posters in the 70’s and 80’s.

My conclusion – The current trend of minimalistic visual metaphors using negative space wasn’t born yesterday and probably won’t die tomorrow.

Malika x