{{Short description|Italian graphic designer, cartoonist, animator and painter (1917–1992)}} {{use dmy dates|date=March 2024}} thumb|Armando Testa 1971 '''Armando Testa''' (23 March 1917 – 20 March 1992) was an Italian graphic designer, cartoonist, animator and painter.
Born in Turin, Testa worked as a typesetter until 20 years old.<ref name=bio>"Armando Testa" in ''Communication Arts'', Volume 17, Issue 6. pp. 30-41.</ref> He was initiated to artistic career by abstract painter Ezio D'Errico, who was one of his professors at the Vigliardi-Paravia Printing School he attended.<ref name=Adland>{{cite book|last1=Mark Tungate|title=Adland: A Global History of Advertising|year=2007|publisher=Kogan Page Publishers, 2007|isbn=978-0749448370|pages=[https://archive.org/details/adlandglobalhist00tung/page/139 139–143]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/adlandglobalhist00tung/page/139}}</ref> After winning a poster design contest in 1937, he started working in the advertising industry, and in 1946 abandoned his work as a printer and opened a graphic studio in his hometown.<ref name="bio"/><ref name="Adland"/><ref name=Routledge>{{cite book|last1=John McDonough, Karen Egolf|title=The Advertising Age: Encyclopedia of Advertising|date=18 June 2015|publisher=Routledge, 2015|isbn=978-1135949136|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QpLtCQAAQBAJ&q=Armando+Testa+1946&pg=PT2941}}</ref> In 1956, he founded Studio Armando Testa along with his wife, Lidia, and associate Franco de Barberis, and their studio soon became one of Italy's largest agencies, partnering with Benton & Bowles in the United States and establishing several branches throughout Europe.<ref name="bio"/><ref name=Routledge/> A key role in Testa's success had television commercials, particularly the ones created for ''Carosello''.<ref name=Routledge/> In 1959 he created the official logo for 1960 Summer Olympics.<ref name=Routledge/> Studio Armando Testa's customers include Nestlé, Lavazza and Barilla.<ref name=Routledge/>
Between 1965 and 1971, he was a professor of Design and Typographic Composition at the Polytechnic University of Turin.<ref name="GALLERIACONTINUA">{{Cite web |last=GALLERIACONTINUA |title=Armando Testa {{!}} Biography |url=http://www.galleriacontinua.com/artists/armando-testa-265/biography |access-date=2022-04-27 |website=Galleria Continua |language=en}}</ref>
He was granted the Gold Medal of the Ministry of Education for his contribution to Visual Art in 1968.<ref name="GALLERIACONTINUA"/>
Starting from the mid-1980s, Testa focused on painting and poster design for cultural and social campaigns.<ref name=Routledge/> In 1985 he was appointed honor laureate in Fort Collins, Colorado.<ref name=Routledge/>
At the 66th edition of the Venice Film Festival, in September 2009, biographical documentary film ''Armando Testa. Povero ma moderno'', directed by Pappi Corsicato, was presented out of competition.<ref name=corrie>{{cite news|last1=Giovanna Grassi|title=Armando Testa, una vita da applausi|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2009/settembre/06/Armando_Testa_una_vita_applausi_co_9_090906085.shtml|access-date=6 September 2015|work=Corriere della Sera|date=6 September 2009|page=35}}</ref>
== See also== * {{section link|History of advertising|Italy}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website|http://www.armandotesta.it/en/}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Testa, Armando}} Category:1917 births Category:1992 deaths Category:Artists from Turin Category:Italian graphic designers Category:Italian advertising executives Category:20th-century Italian painters Category:Italian male painters Category:20th-century Italian male artists Category:Academic staff of the Polytechnic University of Turin Category:Typesetters