What is the Bauhaus movement and how can it inspire your future designs?
Summary/Overview
It’s so vital to look at art movements from history when creating your designs. So much can be learned from the lessons of the past, as unique colour palettes, shapes and styles frame everything that we create today.
The Bauhaus art movement continues to make its own mark on the creative landscape, and you’ll surely find something of value by exploring this incredible, new wave of thought. The Bauhaus style might have taken the art world by storm at the time of its conception, and today we can continue to celebrate its unique qualities.
Learn more about how you can bring those staples of the Bauhaus movement to your designs and take them to the next level using Adobe Express UK.
The origins of the movement.
The Bauhaus art movement first originated in 1919, when architect Walter Gropius shaped an art school in Weimar, Germany, known as the Bauhaus. While the facility might have changed its location, eventually moving to Berlin, the institution was critical in creating a new way of thinking. The school itself welcomed artists from all walks of life and all disciplines, feeding a mentality that these different art styles could work together under one movement.
This is how the Bauhaus movement was born, with alternative thinkers and experts in their own fields, like Lyonel Feininger, Gerhard Johannes, Itten Marcks, Paul Klee and Oskar Schlemmer, all contributing to the curriculum. Each student that this new style of teaching touched would take the Bauhaus movement into their future work. So while there are parallels to be drawn between the likes of contemporary art and the Bauhaus movement, there are many more unique qualities about this stunning art form.
Key characteristics.
The Bauhaus art movement could be recognised in a few key traits. Each of these could be applied to your creative projects.
Simplicity.
Much like art deco, Bauhaus art favoured simplicity, with clean lines and logical shapes. There was nothing complex about this style, with consistency in the use of colour and texture. It was rare to find clashing components within the Bauhaus art movement.
Functionality.
Whether it was in the architectural industries, product development or even within art itself, projects inspired by the Bauhaus art movement always favoured functionality over aesthetic. There’s a practicality to the visual style of Bauhaus art, which links to the notion that it could be created on an assembly line.
Materials.
Bauhaus architecture and indeed art utilised naturalistic and harsh materials like steel, concrete and glass to create a strong impression. Bauhaus art often reflects the properties of these textures and materials, and Bauhaus sculptures tap into those ideas of mass production with these elements.
Asymmetry.
While simplicity was key, the modernism art influences on the Bauhaus movement promoted the desire for asymmetry. Things never quite line up as you’d expect in Bauhaus art, leading to interesting compositions.
Editable templates for Bauhaus creations.
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How to implement it in Adobe Express?
Promote simplicity in your posters.
Use Adobe Express UK’s free poster templates to create designs that rely on simplicity. Use strong lines and a clear canvas to draw your audience’s eye to the most important information.
Add functionality to your menu.
Menus can often be cluttered and over-designed. Use the concept of functionality in the Bauhaus art movement to prioritise the purpose of a menu, using Adobe Express UK’s menu templates.
Embrace Bauhaus materials in your logos.
It’s challenging to design a logo that no one has seen before. By tapping into Bauhaus materials such as steel, glass and concrete, you can craft a logo using Adobe Express UK’s logo template that stands out from the crowd.
Explore asymmetry in your brochures.
With no experience necessary, jump into these brochure templates and structure each page with asymmetry, to create differentiation across the book. Tap into the Bauhaus art movement and resize images using the free Adobe Express UK feature to create a contrast on the page.
Build your own Bauhaus designs with templates from Adobe Express.
Examples of previous work.
The Bauhaus Building.
Created by architect Walter Gropius, the Bauhaus Building located in Berlin was a calling card for the Bauhaus art movement. Built with concrete and glass, this practical structure is solid in its lines and simple in its shape.
Red Balloon.
The 1922 Red Balloon by Paul Kleen reflects all the key principles of the Bauhaus art movement, with muted colours, an asymmetrical composition, and basic geometric shapes. It’s an inspirational piece depicting a balloon flying across a cityscape.
Wall Hanging.
The 1926 piece by Anni Albers, Wall Hanging, is functional and basic. It depicts straight lines, crafting geometric shapes that are all slightly imbalanced. They overlap, creating a criss-cross effect, and utilise dull colours associated with concrete and steel.
Useful things to know.
Are there any notable Bauhaus artists?
Max Bill, Herbert Bayer, Wassily Kandinsky and Theo van Doesburg are just a couple of the names that made an impact as part of the Bauhaus art movement.
Is there a Bauhaus Museum?
Yes! The Bauhaus Museum Weimar is a UNESCO world heritage site and continues to keep the movement alive by educating its thousands of guests each year.
Can Bauhaus art only be found in architecture?
No, Bauhaus art uses many principles that apply to the world of architecture, but it also crosses over to all areas of the art world.
Is Adobe Express UK free to use?
Absolutely! Not only is Adobe Express UK free to use, but it’s also easily accessible and requires no prior experience.