Robbins Awards January 1987 Cover

Cover of company magazine for Robbins Awards, designed by Charles Goslin. Goslin was an instructor of Graphic Design and Illustration at Pratt Institute from 1966–2007. He was a highly influential instructor having taught over 1,000 students. Goslin began his career working for design pioneer, Lester Beall. After leaving Beall’s office, Goslin set up his one-person studio in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

The magazine’s lead story was always about the company’s annual sales conferences held in different locations around the world. Goslin used this opportunity to create powerful images that symbolized the events and locations where they were held. 

This piece is an example of his method of using large dramatic symbols (as in the symbol of the open suitcase) to play against intelligent smaller elements that were covered in the text. He also loved to work in black and white, the greatest extremes that a designer could work in. 

Many of his projects were done on a limited budget which he used to his advantage by being able to work in black and white. He combined styles and techniques that rubbed off against each other creating interest.