History of Graphic Design GDS 102

Not just in Graphic Design Mags

2010-05-03T18:42:00.000-07:00

Design doesn't have to be featured in the latest Print or Comm Arts to be considered great. And if that is your only resource of visual information, then I hope you have other influences as a designer...how else will your work stand out?

Now, this may not be far off from things you may find in celebrated industry mags (as the designers who made this stuff more than likely flip through the very same pages themselves) but at least its something a little different (the source, even though not far off as they are design magazines).

I enjoy reading and flipping through Dwell, I.D., and others like GreenSource Magazine. The layouts are all pretty simple, neat, and straight forward, but I enjoy some of the visuals and illustrations they use for the content.

Lets take a look:

Yes, some of them may be quite diagrammatic, but I love the simplicity in the communication. Task: take the content of the article and design visuals that entice the reader, heightening the overall article experience and allow average joe reader to better understand the content. Done.

I think they do a nice job of making the content more approachable to those interested in the subject. You don't have to be an expert for these industry specific magazines and that is what I love about them.

Contemporary Spain

2010-04-16T21:09:00.000-07:00

Computer Arts April '10 announces Spain has talent!

Spain is getting some recognition this month, so lets see what they have to offer:

Okay, so if someone put this layout in front of me, taped over the giant "Spain" and the other obviously 'made in Spain' cues, and I just had the visuals to go on... I'm thinking I would have no idea as to country of origin. Although I've not been to Spain, regrettably, it doesn't seem to resonate a spanish vibe in obvious areas (such as distinct color work conveying Brazil or work from Brazilian designers). But, I would say this is really cool stuff. So I will go ahead and agree with Computer Arts. Why? Well lets see. The work just feels young, or youth driven, fresh not in the sense of never seen before, but in energy. The colors are vibrant in some pieces and more calm in others. This contrast in feeling may be linked to the cities of which the work is done in (Work coming from larger, more European influenced Barcelona and Madrid vs. other smaller cities like Valladolid within Spain). The article also speaks of Spanish clients being more demanding (than the US and UK) with their quick deadlines forcing designers to move quickly and apply their smaller budgets wisely within the shorter turnaround times.

I always thought I wanted to do a little work/ travel experience in Spain, so depending on how efficient I feel in my production skills and output times, this may be a good or bad idea. But it is good to know that there is a nice pocket of good looking design out there that somewhat embodies the culture.

Elements of International Style

2010-04-12T22:13:00.000-07:00

I guess this is now considered retro. In a recent issue of Digital Arts, I found a nice article about Swiss design/ International style and its simplistic approach and how it is popping up here and there in designer's work. Here are some shots of the work from Rian Hughes who recreates the old Jan Tschicdhold penguin book design for an new retro look (top) and Brandon Shaefer (bottom) who uses simple geometric shapes to bring added meaning to the composition.

just before the corporate identity boom

2010-04-07T16:08:00.000-07:00

This article out of the Feb '10 Print shows Print covers from the past. This late modern, geometric, black red and white illustrated cover in particular from 1958 (on right), and the accompanying caption, caught my eye. CBS head Frank Stanton"s quote predicts the boom of corporate identity design saying, "Increasingly. I think that modern corporations are realizing the high cost of impersonality."

Pretty decent foresight and understanding of the future of business and identity systems if you ask me.

what else does it need really?

2010-04-01T19:49:00.000-07:00

I really like the simplistic, straight forward design of Garret Gott's piece for Printed Matter and the NY Art Book Fair found in Print Oct09. Simple and Swiss like, it calls attention to itself with the energy of the bold red color and white type contrast (left justified, sans serif). The only images on the poster and t-shirt are rectangular blocks representing books on a shelf. Its overall appearance is neat, clean, and borderline boring. But what is wrong with that? Yes, this design has been done before many times over. What could be more effective in the communication of a book sale in NYC? I think it works. Its red, white and blue (USA/ NYC), simple, readable, to the point. I know the type says "art books" but does the design really say art books? does it need to?

ahhh the romance of kitsch!

2010-03-22T22:27:00.000-07:00

Exaggerated facial expressions, strong poses, enticing situations, glamorized products. Hello 50's American advertising. I have to admit, I'm kinda a fan of these illustration ads that embody the kitsch look and feel. There is a playful humor that goes with my viewing of these where I actually chuckle to myself and say something like "yeahhhh...right. amazing." So classy, so elegant and sophisticated the men and women are in these. The men usually take the dominant role, usually stirring up a ruckus from the ladies with their well tailored suits, gentleman caps, and sharp utensils. I know I definitely make that joyous face every time my lady and I are outside cooking bacon in a pan over a hot grill on an all american sunday! Does it get any better than this? What a life!

Images of life at its finest, courtesy of www.plan59.com

Discussion on Olympic Poster Design

2010-02-18T22:08:00.000-08:00

Last week on the Colbert Report (episode aired on 2-11-2010) guest David Ross, museum curator, discussed Olympic posters, past and present. He briefly touched on the different visual styles for the olympic games throughout history, and how the heroic figures and powerful imagery has disappeared over time. It is very interesting to hear how corporations have influenced the change in design, taking it into a more corporate identity feel, moving away from the preceding heroic imagery of strength.
link to video

Above is a poster created by Shepard Fairey for the Colbert Report.

Liberty of London + Target

2010-02-17T21:45:00.000-08:00

The Liberty of London Company (Liberty & Co.), yes the company founded in 1875 that brought Art Nouveau to England, is still in existence today. They have also recently brought their pattern work to the US marketplace by way of retail giant, and fairly recent fashion trend friendly, Target. Art Nouveau flower motif and style is still present in the pattern work which is placed on a variety of industrial objects for the limited edition target line.

view Target collection

Liberty of London website

More Rare Books

2010-02-05T02:27:00.001-08:00

Nice to see you again, Gutenberg Bible.

I wanted to pass along this site that I came across a while back while reading Communication Arts | Design Annual 47. Page 231 of that issue has site recommendations from random people (they are random to me anyway).

Here is the following:

Octavo Digital Rare Books

www.octavo.com

"Octavo, a digital publisher of rare books, allows you to explore the beauty of old texts and manuscripts - up close."

This is for those who may want to purchase their very own digital copy of the rare books.

But, for those of us who don't have the funding, this is the link you will eventually want to get to, the Rare Book Room:

http://www.rarebookroom.org/

Here you can browse some of Octavo's collection (FOR FREE!) and get an idea of how technology is slowly replacing reality in digital form.

So, if you can't make it to the library, love technology, and don't care for touching the vellum pages, then this is for you.

Enjoy!

P.S. if you search by category in the rare book room, there is a graphic arts section.

Treats from Taiwan

2010-01-27T12:14:00.001-08:00

My brother just got back from a trip and one of the stops included Taiwan. He brought back some goodies. I was proud of him and his purchases. Here are some shots of the treats from the National Center for Traditional Arts in Yilan, Taiwan (yeah, it sounds kinda touristy to me to, but I won't judge). There seems to be a theme of thirds, throughout the exterior packaging design and the housing of the product itself. The designers also seem consistent in their affinity for the color red.

Hmm... why?

2010-01-24T12:22:00.000-08:00

Michigan State University (along with Nike designers) will be updating their logo, the spartan, soon and I really don't know why. Yeah, it has been updated before, but why all the sudden another change?

What I do know is that ever since the movie 300 came out, somehow the university has latched on to it and shoved it down MSU football fans throats via the jumbo-tron during games (mostly to the fans enjoyment). Is Hollywood to blame? Do you see any influence here?

Old Logo:

New Logo:

Helmet from movie, 300:

Hmmm...

Simple. Clean. Focused.

2010-01-24T12:19:00.000-08:00

I think this is really strong work. It is from Print or CA Design Annual (? forgot to record, but I will check on that and update). Great balance. Very simple design. They eye is drawn quickly by the heavy weight and strong contrast in the camera lens to the text. The idea is well executed, using only one object and one word to communicate a very strong idea. The design is understood at almost the very split second your eye sees it.

I had this idea...

2010-01-24T12:13:00.000-08:00

I had this idea (I did, I swear) a while back to help strengthen a small coffee house identity. It was an attempt at connecting its local shop(s) with the surrounding community, generate press and some exposure in the local papers and art/ culture publications. It was basically to feature local artists or anyone who had submitted a decent design for the to go cups in "fill in the blank's"local coffee house. Run a limited number and get those printed on the to go cups (not sure yet how they will afford the printing on that, a grant perhaps?) and then keep the designs on a porcelain cup such as this or one of those plastic tumblers in the store or to auction off to raise money for the store. What do you think?