I ♥ NY concept sketch
Milton Glaser
American, 1929–2020
1976
A small sketch in ink and tape on a paper envelope proposing the now‑famous I ♥ NY emblem, aiming to condense a city's identity into a single, instantly legible symbol.
What hits you is the spare, chalky red heart and rough red strokes—childlike yet deliberate—set against torn white paper so the message feels immediate, hand‑made, and urgent.
This tiny design crystallized modern place‑branding by showing how a minimal pictogram can become a global cultural emblem and a model for popular graphic communication.
Medium
Ink and tape on paper envelope
Dimensions
2 7/8 x 3 5/8" (7.3 x 9.2 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of the designer
Accession
388.2009
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
