Seymour Chwast (born August 18, 1931) is an American graphic designer, illustrator, and type designer.

Biography

Chwast was born in the Bronx, New York City^[1] and in 1949 graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn where he was introduced to graphic design by Leon Friend.^[2][3]

He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Cooper Union in 1951. With Milton Glaser, Edward Sorel, and Reynold Ruffins, he founded Push Pin Studios in 1954. The bi-monthly publication The Push Pin Graphic was a product of their collaboration.^[1] Chwast is famous for his commercial artwork, which includes posters, food packaging, magazine covers, and publicity art.^[4] Often referred to as "the left-handed designer," Chwast's unique graphic design melded social commentary and a distinctive style of illustration. Today, he continues to work and is principal at Pushpin Group, Inc.^[5] in New York City.

In 1985, he received the AIGA Medal.^[6]

In 2006, he was hired by Roblox to design the faces for their characters. He is the font designer of Chwast Buffalo,^[7] Fofucha, Loose Caboose NF, and Weedy Beasties NF.^[8] He is a member of Alliance Graphique International (AGI). Chwast married designer Paula Scher in 1973 and divorced five years later. They remarried in 1989.^[9]

Fonts Designed

• Artone (1964, Photo Lettering Inc.)
• Blimp (1970, Photo Lettering Inc.)
• Buffalo (1978, Mergenthaler)
• Filmsense (1970, Photo Lettering Inc.)
• Monograph (1972, Photo Lettering Inc.)
• Myopic (1971, Photo Lettering Inc.)

Awards

• 1972 – Augustus Saint Gaudens Award, The Cooper Union School of Art^[11]
• 1983 – Art Directors Hall of Fame^[12]
• 1985 – American Institute of Graphic Arts Medal^[6]
• 1989 – National Jewish Book Award in the Children's Picture Book category for Just Enough Is Plenty^[13]
• 1992 – Honorary Doctorate, Parson's School of Design
• 1997 – Masters Series, School of Visual Arts
• 2011 – Inkpot Award^[14]

Books

• Docteur Dolittle (Sztajn Lili, Seymour Chwast, Lili Sztajn, Philippe Bretelle), Helium livres illustrés (French Edition), 2018 ISBN 978-2330090487
• At War with War: 5000 Years of Conquests, Invasions, and Terrorist Attacks, An Illustrated Timeline (by Seymour Chwast, Victor Navasky), Seven Stories Press, 2017 ISBN 978-1609807795
• The Pancake King (By Phyllis La Farge, Illustrated by Seymour Chwast, Ate by Seth Swerine), Princeton Architectural Press, 2016 (ISBN 978-1616894320)
• About Diabetes: Your Guide to Good Health (by Learning About Diabetes Inc., Seymour Chwast), Learning About Diabetes Inc., 2016 ISBN 978-0692670095
• Dr. Dolittle (by Seymour Chwast), Creative Editions, 2015 ISBN 978-1568462585
• Still Another Number Book: A Colorful Counting Book (by Seymour Chwast, Martin Moskof), Dover Publications, 2014 ISBN 978-0486492018
• Still Another Alphabet Book: A Colorful Puzzle & Game Book (by Seymour Chwast, Martin Moskof), Dover Publications, 2014 ISBN 978-0486492001
• Tall City, Wide Country (by Seymour Chwast), Creative Editions, 2013 ISBN 978-1568462288
• Get Dressed! (by Seymour Chwast), Harry N. Abrams, 2012 ISBN 978-1419701078
• Bobo's Smile (by Seymour Chwast), Creative Editions, 2012 ISBN 978-1568462219
• The Odyssey (by Seymour Chwast), Bloomsbury USA, 2012 ISBN 978-1608194865
• Graphic Style: From Victorian to New Century (by Steven Heller, Seymour Chwast), Harry N Abrams Inc, 2011 ISBN 978-0810997912
• The Canterbury Tales (by Seymour Chwast), Bloomsbury USA, 2011 ISBN 978-1608194872
• Dante's Divine Comedy: A Graphic Adaptation (by Seymour Chwast), Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2010
• Seymour: The Obsessive Images of Seymour Chwast (by Seymour Chwast, Steven Heller, Paula Scher), Chronicle Books, 2009 ISBN 978-0811865463
• Had Gadya: A Passover Song (by Seymour Chwast, Michael Strassfeld), Square Fish, 2009 ISBN 978-0312535704
• Illustration: A Visual History (by Steven Heller, Seymour Chwast), Harry N Abrams, 2008 ISBN 978-0810972841
• She Sells Sea Shells: World Class Tongue Twisters (by Seymour Chwast), Applesauce Press, 2008 ISBN 978-1604330090
• The Push Pin Graphic: A Quarter Century of Innovative Design and Illustration (by Seymour Chwast, introduction by Martin Venezky), Chronicle Books, 2004 ISBN 978-0811841030
• Graphic Style: From Victorian to Digital (by Steven Heller, Seymour Chwast), Harry N Abrams, 2001 ISBN 978-0810929845
• Traffic Jam (by Seymour Chwast), Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1999 ISBN 978-0395974957
• The Twelve Circus Rings (by Seymour Chwast), Harcourt Childrens Books, 1996 ISBN 978-0152013615
• Goodbye, Hello : Everything You Need to Help Your Child When Your Family Moves, Parenting Packs (by Seymour Chwast) Harry N Abrams Inc, 1997 ISBN 978-1891443008
• Mr. Merlin and the Turtle (by Seymour Chwast), Greenwillow, 1996 ISBN 978-0688146320
• Jackets Required (by Steven Heller, Seymour Chwast), Chronicle Books, 1995 ISBN 978-0811803960
• Bra Fashions By Stephanie (by Seymour Chwast), Warner Books, 1994 ISBN 978-0446670500
• The Alphabet Parade (by Seymour Chwast), Voyager Books, 1994 ISBN 978-0152001155
• Graphic Style: From Victorian to Post-Modern (by Steven Heller, Seymour Chwast), Harry N Abrams, 1994 ISBN 978-0810925885
• Just Enough Is Plenty: A Hanukkah Tale (by Barbara Diamond Goldin and Seymour Chwast), Viking Kestrel, 1988 ISBN 978-0670818525
• Art Against War: Four Hundred Years of Protest in Art (by D. J. R. Bruckner, Seymour Chwast, Steven Heller), Abbeville Press, 1984 ISBN 978-0896593893
• Paper Pets: Make Your Own 3 Dogs, 2 Cats, 1 Parrot, 1 Rabbit, 1 Monkey (by Seymour Chwast), Harry N Abrams Inc 1993 ISBN 978-0810925311
• Trylon and Perisphere: 1939 New York World's Fair (by Barbara Cohen, Steven Heller, Seymour Chwast), Harry N Abrams Inc, 1989 ISBN 978-0810924154
• Italian Futurism & Art Deco (Design & Style, No. 4) (by Steven Heller, Seymour Chwast), Mohawk Paper Mills/The Pushpin Group, 1988
• Sam's Bar (by Seymour Chwast), Doubleday, 1987 ISBN 978-0385242646
• New York Observed: Artists and Writers Look at the City, 1650 to the Present (by Barbara Cohen (ed.), Seymour Chwast (ed.), Steven Heller(ed.)), Harry N Abrams Inc, 1987 ISBN 978-0810923430
• Happy birthday, Bach (by Peter Schickele, Seymour Chwast), Doubleday, 1985 ISBN 978-0385199124
• The Left-Handed Designer (by Steven Heller, Seymour Chwast), Harry N Abrams, 1985 ISBN 978-0810912892
• The Art of New York (by Seymour Chwast, Steven Heller), Harry N. Abrams, 1983 ISBN 978-0810918092
• Amazing Magical Jell-O Desserts (by Seymour Chwast, Arnold Rosenberg), General Foods Corporation, 1977 ISBN 978-0671246495
• Esquire Party Book (by Scotty & Ronnie; Esquire Editors Welch), Esquire/Harper & Row, 1965