David Hillman (designer)

Hillman was born 12 February 1943 in Oxford, England. His father worked at Pathé News and supplied newsreels to cinemas.^[3] Hillman attended Aristotle Central School in London. He later moved to The London School of Printing and Graphic Arts and studied from 1959 to 1962 under Tom Eckersley.^[4]

David Hillman began his career in graphic design at the age of 19, shortly after completing his education at the LSP. His first professional role was with the newly established The Sunday Times Magazine under editor Mark Boxer. Alongside the daily work at the magazine, Mark and David also worked together with David Bailey to produce David Bailey's box of pin-ups.^[5] In 1965 he left to join the editorial team at London Life as art editor.^[6] He later returned to The Sunday Times, where he contributed to the design direction of both the newspaper as well as its magazine supplement.^[4]

Hillman moved onto Nova magazine in 1968, overseeing art direction while also serving as deputy editor.^[4][7] Following the closure of Nova in 1975, he launched an independent studio, where one of his notable commissions was an overhaul of the French daily Le Matin de Paris, the first computerised daily newspaper.^[4][3][8]

During this period Hillman was elected to the Alliance Graphique Internationale (1977). An organisation of which he would later take on two leadership roles – serving as its UK President from 1996 to 2000 and as International President between 2000 and 2003.^[9]

Hillman became a partner at Pentagram Design in 1978 and remained with the firm until 2006.^[4] As a Pentagram partner – along jobs including the Phaidon identity,^[7][4][6] Tate Identity^[10] and Il Sole 24 Ore redesign^[11] – he undertook "one of the most influential redesigns of a national newspaper in the modern era" – The Guardian.^[3][7][4]

During his time at Pentagram Design, Hillman also authored several books on visual puzzles, starting with Puzzlegrams in 1989.^[7][12][3]

Hillman established his own studio, Studio David Hillman, after leaving the design consultancy. Over the course of his career, he has received several honours: in 1997, he was appointed a Royal Designer for Industry,^[6] and in 2004, he was named a Senior Fellow of the Royal College of Art.^[13] In 2012, he was recognised by D&AD as its Most Awarded Designer.^[14]

• 1972 D&AD Silver Editorial Design^[9]
• 1972 D&AD Silver Art direction^[9]
• 1973 D&AD Gold Most outstanding piece of Design^[9]
• 1973 D&AD Silver Book Design^[9]
• 1973 D&AD Silver Editorial Design^[9]
• 1975 D&AD Silver Editorial Design^[9]
• 1983 D&AD Silver Retail Design^[9]
• 1984 D&AD Silver Editorial Design^[9]
• 1988 D&AD Silver Newspaper Design^[9]
• 1993 D&AD Silver Poster Design^[9]
• 2000 D&AD Silver Stamp Design^[9]
• 1997 Royal Designer to Industry^[9]
• 2004 Senior Fellow Royal College of Art^[9]
• 1989 New York Art Directs club Silver Book design^[9]
• 2012 D&AD Most Awarded designer^[14]
• The Art Director's 6th International Exhibition Silver Award for Book Design, USA^[71]
• 1989 Society of Newspaper Designers – The Guardian Re-design Silver Award, USA^[72]
• 1999 Sign Design Awards Grandprix for the Most Outstanding Entry^[73]