Josep Artigas

He studied at the School of Fine Arts LLOTJA and Artistic Circle of Sant Lluc

Before the Spanish Civil War in a company dedicated to the graphic arts where he made his first two poster is advertising. During the war he devoted himself to designing banknotes. As he described it: 'War banknotes'. "

He worked in the advertising department of the chemical company "Cruz Verde"(Green Cross), which came to lead the advertising department, and where 1948 performed the famous advertisement for "POLIL"[1] showed a lively warm coat that self-contemplation, checking stunned the huge and deadly hole moth has been in his back.

Later, in 1950, Artigas presented other ads, which over time has held a place of honor in the history of the iconography Spanish advertising: the lamb of "NORIT".[2]

In 1954 designed the advertising poster: powder soap to wash clothes by hand "Duxón" of "Persil".[3]

In the First Great Poster Contest "The Milkmaid" of "Nestle" in Spain, in order to "reassess the outdoor advertising and our signs offer the opportunity to show their new styles and brilliant qualities" got a Honorable mention to Josep Artigas.

For ten years he set up his own studio in Switzerland (1955–1965), working mainly for Swiss-German and Swiss-French companies. Among the highlights are works made for brands such as:

• "NESTLÉ"[4]
• "Swiss"
• "PHILIP MORRIS"
• For Alpine Resort "Leysin"
• For the Alpine Resort
• For Alpine Resort "Vevey"[5] to the Italian Department of Tourism
• "JAFFA" for oranges (Israel).
• "CRUZ VERDE"[6]
• "Mountaineering Club"[7]
• Advertising Blotter "INK SAMAS"[8]
• Advertising "JAFFA ORANGE" 1961,[9]
• Advertising Carnicas "AG Bell" in Basel 1964,[10]

On his return to Spain and was director of corporate advertising "PUJOL & TARRAGÓ" (logo he designed in 1950), beginning of what is now the group "International FICOSA", designed the group's corporate image and the logos of several subsidiaries as "Cables Gandia", "FicoMirrors", "Industries Technoflex"[11] this company in the late 1970s for concrete vibrator launched its "Rabbit" which has always been its flagship product. The logo and brand image "Rabbit" which was designed by Josep Artigas and the product itself, are renowned in their field.

Artigas also had important design dealing with "Bulova" watches and clocks, "Tri Naranjus" fruit flavored drinks bottels and labels, "Codorniu" cava bottels and labels,"Perelada" cavaand wines bottels and labels, "Torres" wine bottel labels, "Juve i Camps" cava and wines bottels and labels.

The latest prints and paintings he created, the exhibited in Barcelona in 1991, with the title of The Alphabet Art, introduced a colorful new technique developed from a dried hand moulded wet paper mache and different types of pigment or paint.

As a big trekker, skier and climber, he was a well known member of Barcelona mountaineering club: C.E.C.Centre Excursionista de Catalunya and actively participated in the "Grup Cavall Bernat" brotherhood inspired in the training, and climbed Cavall Bernat nearby the Monastery of Montserrat.

He collaborated with his drawings in several books:

• Dictionary of the Mountain(1963) Costa Faus Augustine.
• ClimbingErnesto Mallafré (Barcelona 1948 and 1954)
• First aid in accidents and ski mountain(Barcelona 1952) by Drs Michael Gras, and Jorge Eduardo Padrós Perelló.

Artigas invented a curious diamond-shaped device with a beam which acted as dynamic brake. Equipped with this ingenious device, Artigas alone exceeded the needle's emblematic Rave, the mountain of Montserrat.