Biography:
Angus Hyland studied graphic design at the London College of Printing and the Royal College of Art, graduating in 1988. He ran his own studio in Soho for ten years, working on a variety of projects including book publishing, identities, fashion campaigns, commercials, record sleeves, and information design. In 1998 he was invited to become a partner in Pentagram’s London offices.
Angus’ work has received many awards including, a D&AD Silver Award, two Big Crit Critics Awards and the Grand Prix from the Scottish Design Awards. He also featured in the Independent on Sunday’s “Top Ten Graphic Designers in the UK” in 2002.
Angus is currently President of the UK chapter of Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI). In 2002 he received an honorary Master of Arts from The Surrey Institute of Art & Design. He is the Editor of Pen and Mouse: Commercial Art and Digital Illustration, and Hand to Eye: Contemporary Illustration, published by Laurence King in 2001 and 2003 respectively.
Notes
From RCA graduate to celebrated partner in the world leading multi-disciplinary design consultancy that is Pentagram, Angus modestly guides us along his 20 year “road to work” by thoughtfully sharing his interests, ambitions and shifting priorities.
We learn about the partnership legacy of Pentagram, interjected by insights into its inner workings, mystique and culture. We see how Angus embodies the Pentagram ethos of actively looking, exploring and celebrating the mundane, bizarre and everyday. How his journey to work is rich in found visual references; how a colour palette accidentally discovered within a free magazine can be adopted for a string of design projects. It is this approach that teaches us to examine and enjoy the world in every detail and ignore nothing. That visual curiosity, observation and an eye for detail feed the imagination and underpin so much of creative thinking and doing.
With a team of seven to manage, the profit and loss account is never far away, and we are reminded that no matter how big your reputation, meeting targets in today’s climate requires a relentless stream of hard work.
Throughout, we sense a disciplined practitioner totally absorbed and dedicated to his craft. We also see a need to strip away all but the essential, and allow reductionism and typographic restraint to prevail alongside thoughtful photographic and illustrative picture editing. Qualities, that make for an intelligent, timeless picture driven style that is distinctly the hallmark of Angus Hyland and the enduring spirit of Pentagram.
Jeff Tribe
Bedford College