Especially in the realm of science literature, there was a golden age of graphic design in the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Notable for its use of abstraction, minimalism, and geometric forms, it was a school of design that owed just as much to Paul Rand as it did Sol LeWitt. Now animation designer Henning M. Lederer is bringing these static covers to life.
A designer hailing from Essen, Germany, Lederer's Covers takes 55 vintage covers with titles like Heidegger, Being, And Truth and The Strange Story of the Quantum and animates their bold geometric shapes. Although many of these books are relatively unknown, they all feature bold abstract covers that make them vintage paperback catnip for graphic design nerds.
What makes animation such a wonderful method of exploring these covers is that it reveals the underlying dynamism of their designs. Though static, in all of these covers, motion is already being implied. Lederer's work is so seamless, it seems like he's just hitting the 'play' button on these covers, instead of animating them.
I love it. It makes me wonder what the rock stars of graphic design in the '60s would have done with the animated GIF, then realize it probably wouldn't be too different from what they actually achieved with static imagery.
If you're interested in checking out more vintage book cover design, check out Lederer's sources at Montague Projects and Book Worship.
[via Mental Floss]