Phillip Boydell

Phillip Boydell (1896 - 1984) was a British designer and illustrator.

Life and work Boydell was born on 21 May 1896 in Tyldesley Lancashire, to Oliver Boydell (a master decorator) and Merinda. He obtained a scholarship at the Manchester School of Art, was lost off Murmansk in winter, but Boydell lived to tell the tale, and was able to continue his education at the Royal College of Art.

In 1926 he was offered the position of Art Director at the London Press Exchange, a poster encouraging people not to spend money wastefully but invest in savings bonds, was so successful that derivatives were used in several other countries. This he created whilst in bed with influenza

The Black Widow poster for road safety (for which Boydell was art director) which aroused controversy for its (in those days) relatively direct approach. The Festival font was the official typeface for the 1951 Festival of Britain, and was used in all the communications for the festival.

He died at home in 1984.