Abram Games 1914 - 1996.

We attended a talk about Abram Games, a poster designer. The talk was given by Abram's daughter Niomi Games.

Very Simple. Everything must be so simple. Simple enough to work small and simple enough to understand. Games would ask his children what they saw in his work. He thought that if his work was simple enough for children to understand then a audience could too. 

 He worked freelance for most of his life. "I will be my own master and my own slave".

Games is most commonly known for his airbrushing and war posters. He was constantly told that his work was far too modern. He was far ahead of his own time. It makes me wonder where he got his inspiration from. He was often let down by clients and businesses as they weren't ready for such modern work. I feel that Games work would work perfectly now in the 21 century.

When Games was sent to work for the army he noticed that the other men didn't clean themselves correctly. He wanted to make a poster to illustrate to the men how to be clean.

 Games created over 100 different war posters while he worked for the army. Although he wanted to be on the front line and fight and he told his posters helped so much more then he could help by fighting.  

Although he was the son of a photographer he didn't like to use photographs within his work. He only ever used a photograph once to create lines. He did this by taking a picture of window blinds.

Games used hands a lot within his work. He could show emotion and direction through a hand.
He never did more than one design. He only ever would bring one design to a client or business and they didn't like it then he wouldn't do anymore. 

You don't have to like his posters. You have to notice them. He designed posters that would be noticed and get a message across.

As well as poster design Games also created a coffee machine in 1950. He also created the first BBC indent with the help of his students at the Royal Collage of Arts.

His daughter felt he could be summed up in one of this posters. The Anti Smoking poster because it's simple, uses few colours and gets a message across. 

I really like Games idea that your work should always be simple and easy to understand.