A B O U T

Paula Scher is an American graphic designer, painter and art educator in design.  She started her career as a layout artist for Random House’s children’s book division and subsequently joined CBS Records as an art director for the cover department. In 1984, she co-founded Koppel & Scher with Terry Koppel. During the seven years of their partnership, she produced identities, packaging, book jackets, and advertising. In 1991, after the studio suffered from recession, Scher joined Pentagram as a partner in the New York office. Since then, she has been a principal at the New York office of the Pentagram design consultancy.

W O R K S

Scher has developed identity and branding systems, promotional materials, environmental graphics, packaging and publication designs for a broad range of clients that includes, among others, Bloomberg, Microsoft, Bausch + Lomb, Coca-Cola, Shake Shack, Perry Ellis, the Museum of Modern Art, the Sundance Institute, the High Line, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Ballet, the New York Philharmonic, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, the New 42nd Street, the New York Botanical Garden, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Robin Hood Foundation, and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

The Metropolitan Opera, Brand Identity

The Public Theater, Brand Identity

Dr. Jart+ Packaging, Product Design

Planned Parenthood, Environmental Graphics

T H O U G H T S

Scher is a multi-talented and versatile designer. She is well versed in many areas of design, from branding to packaging to environmental graphics. Her style evokes bold imagery as she uses typography in an almost illustrative way rather than print style. She believes that designing for vanguard local arts organisations is as valuable as designing for multinational corporations. Therefore, even though she did many corporate branding projects, she is most recognised for her work in the arts. Unlike her polished designs for major corporate brands, her works for arts are loud and expressive. I really enjoy her work because there is a mix of two styles, one for the commercial and one for the artistic.