I didn't find this chapter as interesting as the last but these are the few things I picked up out of the chapter. Excuse my bias.
It was interesting to read about Murakami Takashi. I had no idea he was responsible for a lot of the Louis Vuitton designs.
I hate Kanye West, therefore I hate Murakami’s design for his album Graduation. I definitely can appreciate it. I’m just biased.
“an artists is someone who understands the border between this world and that one…or someone who makes an effort to know it.”
“This work is a tour de force.”
It is interesting that Murakami has painting assistants overseas. I find it enlightening that he has the desire for each of them to start their own careers.
It is disturbing to me how “into” his work Murakami is. He spends hours in his studio. His studio is more like a house than a studio considering he has a bed in his studio. What else does he do with his life besides his work?
"I used to think that my staff were motivated by money, but the most important thing for creative people is the sense that they are learning. It's like video game. They have frustration with my high expectations, so when they get my 'yes' for their work, they feel like they've won a level."
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Design Observer
Can Graphic Design Make You Cry? 8.3.09
Jessica Helfand
Jessica writes about her personal experience of growing up in the world of graphic design. She talks about how the propaganda posters she grew up with as a child evoked a specific emotion in her when she viewed them. Jessica goes on to ask the question “How, after all, could you make design that communicated to human beings and deliberately drain it of all human content? “ Much of the article focuses on how human emotion is non-existent in contemporary design because being neutral is the easiest way to appeal to all audiences. Jessica is concerned with whether or not human emotion will ever be once again valued as form and execution.
I feel this article was very interesting. It touches on a lot of questions about whether or not the designer’s personal thoughts/feelings/emotions should influence the message he or she is trying to convey for a client. Everyone wants to design using their inner desires and to have those desires be relevant to society. I feel that if you are working for a client, you have to remove yourself and become completely unbiased when conveying your message. You cannot convey your feelings through somebody else’s message. Sometimes it may feel like you are designing something that is irrelevant to society, however to be a good designer you should be able to overcome personal conflicts. For example, much of what we do as students in design school feels like a complete waste of time and totally irrelevant to society (I find myself always asking “what does this assignment have to do with ANYTHING? What company is ever going to ask me to design something like this?”) but in the end there is always something small or large that the student can take away from each assignment, and use it to grow as a designer. It is disappointing that much of commercial graphic design doesn’t make one react with strong emotions whether it is crying or laughing, however maybe I can change that!
Designing Through the Recession. 1.4.09
Michael Bierut
The premise of this article is boldly written in its title. Bierut writes about the difficult recession of 2008/2009 and outlines a way to get through it as a designer. He states that this isn’t the first recession that he has worked through although this may be the worst. He has been designing for 28 years, and this is his fourth or fifth recession so he has outlined a sort of model for success in five apparently easy steps. The first step: be frugal which means to only keep the necessities one needs to really design, and get rid of everything superfluous. Step two: be careful. Do not cut corners (such as starting a project without a contract) because it will only end in loss of money, a headache, or tears. The third step: be creative. The recession is slow moving, which means a designer has enough time (maybe a little too much time) to create something better than he or she would have created if he or she were working towards a deadline. The fourth step: be sociable without an agenda. Have lunch with a friend without trying to network, good things will come your way. The final step: be patient. The recession will work itself out, just like everything else. Bieruts advice? Hold on tight.
This article is timely and hits the nail right on the head. I strongly agree with Bieruts first step, be frugal. As a designer you don’t need much more than your ideas, your computer programs and your hand. Creativity does not have to start in a lavish office setting. Be comfortable working with what you have, even if all you have is a kitchen table! Due to the fact that the recession is so slow, you have enough time to master your skills as a designer, or maybe widen your perspective on design. This article was soothing because the author sheds hope on a seemingly hopeless situation.
Ten Graphic Design Paradoxes. 4.9.09
Adrian Shaughnessy
Shaughnessy published a book about the paradoxes of graphic design. In this article he creates a list of 11 paradoxes that every designer should be aware of. The first of the paradoxes is: There’s no such thing as bad clients, only bad designers. Shaughnessy believes that when a project goes sour designers always blame the clients and never themselves. Really designers turn their clients into bad clients by treating them poorly, thus designers end up with the clients they deserve. The second paradox is: the best way to learn how to become a better designer is to be a client. Shaughnessy suggests commissioning other designers to do work for you so that you may learn how it feels to be a client rather than the designer. The next paradox is: if we want to educate our clients about design, we must first educate ourselves about our clients meaning that if designers could understand the ways of their clients, then their work would be taken more seriously. Another paradox is that if one wants to make money as a graphic designer, he or she must concentrate on the work first, and then the money. Designers should be financially savvy; however their primary motive should be the quality of design. To summarize, the rest of the paradoxes are: 5. for designers, verbal skills are as important as visual skills, 6. Ideas usually fail not because they are bad ideas, but because they are badly presented, 7. “I’m a professional: I know best,” 8. “All the good jobs go to other designers,” 9. The best way to run a studio is to be domineering and forceful, 10. If we believe in nothing, we shouldn’t wonder why no one believes in us, and finally, 11. When a client says the words—“you have complete creative freedom,” they never mean complete creative freedom.
I feel that as a young design student that this article is very useful. These are lessons that I am grateful to learn early rather than later or perhaps be too stubborn to never learn them. I have done a lot of freelance work for marketing companies and nonprofit organizations and although I am extremely new at design and I am at the very beginning of design career, I have found that almost all of these points are true. Everything that is mentioned in this article is not taught in design school because our professors are mentors who help guide us and definitely not clients. I find myself guilty of some of the paradoxes that Shaughnessy lists. For example,” I’m a professional: I know best.” Sometimes I find myself getting upset when a client doesn’t think that I used the right shade of green, or I should change the font to something more delicate. I feel as though I know better than them because I am an educated professional in my field. As mentioned in the article, society has learned to challenge expert opinion, and there is no reason why I should be exempt. Lesson learned.
10 Things that Need to be Redesigned. 1.14.09
Jessica Helfand
Jessica writes about the ten things that are obviously in need of a redesign makeover. The first one is lottery tickets. As if the one in a million chance of winning isn’t bad enough, the design of these tickets would drive anybody crazy. There is so much text squeezed on the little 2 inch by 3 inch ticket that one can’t even read the directions. The second thing that is in need of a redesign is the hearse. This car has had the same body style since it was designed and hasn’t changed a bit. Monopoly money is the third thing that needs to be rethought, according to Jessica, there aren’t enough zeroes. The fourth thing that needs to be redesigned is TV remote controls. There are way too many buttons, and don’t function as well as they should. New Jersey is the fifth thing that needs to be redesigned. You can’t really go anywhere up north (quickly) without driving through New Jersey. The sixth and seventh things that are in need of a redesign are political signs which all happened to be red, white, and blue, and also kid’s ski jackets which have way too many pockets and clasps. Finally, Kennedy Airport, blister packaging and IRS Forms are the last three things that need to a redesign.
This article was very entertaining. I have never really thought about these things before, but now that I think about it, some of these really do need to be redesigned, times have changed and therefore design concepts should change with the times. I agree that lottery tickets should be redesigned; however I feel they should keep their flashy and obnoxious appearance and focus more on changing the typography to function more practically. I disagree about Monopoly money because it is a classic and should be kept the way it is. The same goes for the hearse, which actually has changed a bit since it was introduced. This article wasn’t meant to be taken too seriously and some of the comments from designers were a little too cynical and somber. Some people need to lighten up.
A Layperson’s Guide to Graphic Design 8.28.08
Adrian Shaughnessy
This is an edited transcript of a radio broadcast by Shaughnessy. He describes in his article what graphic design is and what graphic designers do. He compares society’s knowledge of graphic design to drinking a glass of wine. People drink wine without noticing the glass that it comes in. The same goes for design. People absorb the message of graphic design but don’t pay much attention to how the design was constructed or how to affects the viewers. People don’t realize how heavily populated the world is with graphic design. Shaughnessy saw a demonstration of graphic design’s ubiquity. “Someone had taken a series of photographs of busy streets and then painstakingly removed all the logos, symbols, signs, colors, street names and road markings. In other words, they had removed all the graphic design from these photographs. The results were staggering. A world without graphic design is an unrecognizable world — more alien than all but the most extreme sci-fi imaginings.” Shaughnessy goes on to say that if you are not a designer, then graphic design is kind of the weather: it’s just there. The article touches on many definitions of graphic design. Shaughnessy ends the article with a statement saying that all people crave to make their mark on the world, and what better way to do this than to be a graphic designer.
Many people don’t realize how their lives are impacted by graphic design. It is all around us, especially on signs, and products in the store. For example people subconsciously may choose specific brand of toothpaste over another because of the design on the packaging. Graphic design is a hard profession to explain to people, but with every explanation, we are educating more and more people. I disagree with Shaughnessy when he said that every graphic designer needs a formal education. I don’t believe that’s true. If you can learn the programs yourself, and study the formal elements of typography and design, then you don’t need to physically go to school for design. Creativity is not something that can be taught.
In Search of Stock(y) Photography. 4.19.07
Jesse Nivens
Nivens article starts with his search for a stock photo of an overweight person. He realized that he was unable to download a photograph of an overweight person because all of the stock images were of seemingly fit and attractive models. Corporate design is overrun by stock photography because it is cheap and quick. Nivens goes on to talk about how the business model of stock photography is a direct reflection of our worldview. The photos made available to us are of pictures that you know people like, and pictures that sell. According to Nivens, as a culture we have taken the idea of overweight and blocked it out even though the majority of Americans are overweight. It is advertising discrimination.
I use free stock imaging archives all the time, and it is always so difficult to find a model who is “real.” Stock photography sites are based on supply and demand. Many people don’t use keyword searches such as fat, ugly, unattractive, therefore stock images of these searches aren’t widely available. The real question is, who would be willing to be a model for a stock image whose keyword search is fat or ugly? A better question is how could we use these models and not offend them. It is a sensitive subject that must be addressed.
Type Means Never Having to Say You’re Sorry. 11.7.07
Jessica Helfand
Jessica participated in a portfolio review that involved American schools. She states that all of the design projects were classic assignments for almost every undergraduate design program. The assignments were color studies, solving poster problems, and typographic exercises to help teach students letterforms and how to use them. She noticed that after every hopeful portfolio, everything was type faced in Futura. She had asked one of the students who designed a book jacket for Sigmund Frued’s Interpretation of Dreams, why she had chosen that type face and the student responded that it looked modern. Jessica asked if the student know when the book was written and the student did not know. Jessica asked her again why she chose the type face Futura, and she responded with, “I just kind of liked it.” The designer lacked the understanding of history. History plays an important role in typography.
Not knowing history seems to be a big problem in some programs at design schools. I can’t say that all design schools have this problem though. I do feel like there is a lack of experimentation in design. All of the students that’s are considered great designers usually play it safe using Futura or Helvetica and just learned to perfect it. I have yet to see a project that was so stylistically different than other students, and I really haven’t seen anybody take a complete risk with design. A lot of the work that is produced in design school is predictable. I read the comments at the end of Jessica’s article and I saw that many professors at design schools actually banned the use of a certain type face like Futura, to widen the students’ perspectives on typography.
Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Typeface. 5.12.07
Michael Bierut
Bierut outlined thirteen reasons why a designer should choose a particular typeface. The first: because it works. Some typefaces are perfect for certain things. The second: because you like its history. Bierut had heard of several projects where the designer found a font that was created the same year the client's organization was founded, thus making the history of the typeface important. The third: because you like its name. The fourth: who designed it. One time Bierut had a project to do with architects, so he picked a typeface that was designed by an architect. The fifth: because it was there. Sometimes a typeface is already living on the premises when you get there so why not just use it? The sixth: because they made you. The rest of the reasons are as follows, 7. Because it reminds you of something, 8. Because it’s beautiful, 9. Because it’s ugly, 10. Because it’s boring, 11. Because it’s special, 12. Because you believe in it, and finally 13. Because you can’t not.
I found this article to be quite entertaining. There is no correct reason on why a designer chooses a particular typeface. I know as a designer that I sit there and think about what typeface I am going to use, and I sift through all of the things I know about history or the history of a typeface so that I can make a wise decision. And when that doesn’t work, I just go with the one that I think fits the best with the project (or the one I like). I also feel that some typefaces are classic and will never go out of style. I also feel that picking a typeface that has a variety of weights, italics, and small caps, makes it easy to create something that has a lot of information on it.
Graphic Designers, Flush Left? 9.20.04
Michael Bierut
Bierut is writing an article in response to David Brooks who claims that there are two types of people in the information age elite; spreadsheet people, and paragraph people. He says that “Spreadsheet people work with numbers, wear loafers and support Republicans. Paragraph people work with prose, don't shine their shoes as often as they should and back Democrats.” In response Beirut says that regardless of number people or paragraph people, many of the designers he knows lean left.
Politics have a lot of the time been the center of conversation amongst my family and friends. My family tends to think that because I am involved in the art/design community that I am a democrat or particularly left-winged. I will disclose my political beliefs here: I would consider myself a democrat. However, I don’t feel that being a graphic designer, or studying art makes me a democrat. To be honest, much of the time, I listen to conversations other art students have about politics, and I completely disagree with what they are saying. I do feel that many art students have the same view towards politics because we are such a tight knit community, but once again, it is not true for all. Bierut categorizes people as either number people (making them more Republican) or paragraph people (making them more Democratic). Graphic designers he says are paragraph people. They are gifted in the visual environment. I am a number and paragraph person (more of a number person) does that make me handicapped in the visual environment? I don’t think so. I am a left-winged, number oriented graphic designer. Some argue that as graphic designers we do take our political and personal beliefs and transfer them into our designs, or maybe we choose clients who are more geared towards our beliefs. Since I am still a student I don’t
know too much on this argument.
Our Bodies, Our Fonts. 2. 21.05
Jessica Helfand
Jessica states that body markings such as piercings and tattoos have become a form of graphic expression. It used to be that bumper stickers and t-shirts were the primary form of public display of private opinion. Helfand is questioning this abstract form of graphic design, asking is it more honest? More immediate? Less impersonal? More Universal? Or Just weirder.
An obvious statement in response to this article is that a tattoo is a personal statement. It is not meant for the casual viewer’s observation. People do not get tattoos to please another person or society for that matter. It is kind of odd and uncomfortable to me watch as people stare at someone who has a large tattoo on their arm, or multiple tattoos on their body. For some reason people feel the need to express their personal opinions. I feel as though the entire experience and process of getting a tattoo is life changing and special to each person. Marking one’s body is spontaneous to some extent, and it deals with our own identity and feelings about ourselves. Writing on the body removes typography and graphic design from its traditional form of print. It is actually very interesting how the context
Google and the Tyranny of Good Design. 3.12.06
Adrian Shaughnessy
In this article, Shaughnessy discusses how the Google design is probably the most famous piece of graphic design in the world. He noticed that clients were mentioning the logo and how they liked its frequent graphic changes. He goes on to say that The Times had recently ran a story about the Google logo. Shaughnessy thinks that Google’s lack of design is magnificent. He feels there is something defiant about the design, and that it steers clear from the corporate norm. Shaughnessy ends the article with, Google’s logo is “a symbol of strength in a world in which graphic designers have become the agents of conformity.”
I’m glad that Google didn’t give in to sleek corporate design. I don’t think any other typeface or x-height for that matter would suite Google. The almost childlike logo design is welcoming and familiar. Google’s “un-design” is actually good design. People go to Google to eliminate the complexity of the internet. Therefore, Google’s homepage offers that relief to web surfers. There are many search engine sites that are overly designed which defeats their purpose. The purpose of search engine sites are for informational and data purposes. According to graphic designers, Google may be badly designed, but who cares, when the purpose of the site is searching for data not for pleasing designers. The logo is recognizable and bizarrely famous, and its chameleon like appearance is even more loveable. The problem with the Google logo critics, is that they cannot for the life of them figure out why Google’s logo is so beloved by so many companies.
I Am a Plagarist. 5.11.06
Michael Bierut
Bierut’s article opens with a discussion about how a high school student had a signed book deal for $500,000. After some investigation, many found that she had lifted much of her passages from other young authors. She defended her actions by saying that she had a photographic memory, and much of what she read was stored in her memory. Bierut talks about he could be considered a plagiarist because he had designed a poster for Yale that had somewhat similar properties to that of a designer he had admired 30 years ago. He goes on to say that he never consciously used Kunz’s design as a premise for his own. It just sort of happened.
I feel that design plagiarism is something that is really hard to avoid. I don’t think that anybody really looks at someone’s work and deliberately copies their design and calls it their own, but I do see how it is plausible to see somebody’s work and store in ones memory and subconsciously use at as reference for later. The best way to avoid design plagiarism is to inspect your work thoroughly to make sure all or many of the ideas are your own. I know when I am designing something I always think to myself that what I am creating has been done before. It’s hard to shake that feeling sometimes. Designers need to understand that we are a community; we feed off of each other’s energy and ideas. No designer should be mad if someone designs something that looks similar to their design, it just means that someone was so inspired by your work that they subconsciously designed something similar to your magnificent design! There is a big difference between inspiration and plagiarism. Give credit where credit is due.
I Believe in Design. 3.22.09
Kenneth Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald’s article starts with his encounters of white vans with hand inscribed biblical versus smeared across the van with paint or permanent marker. He investigates whether or not there is a relationship between design and faith. He believes that these vans are an “individualized visual delight.” He goes on to say that as a teacher he has a lot of experiences with students who use their faith as inspiration for their design. The question that Fitzgerald is really asking is whether or not faith really cares about good design.
I am not a very religious person, however I have a lot of family members and friends that are. I don’t think I know anybody who is a graphic designer and is extremely religious. If I did, I don’t think their religion or beliefs would really surface in their design work. (Unless they do graphic design work for some religious charity, or a religion based company, which would then be a client based religion more than a designer based religion) I don’t think there is a relationship between designers and faith. I feel as though faith does not come up in the context of design because a person who is religious or spiritual probably doesn’t think that their career in design is that important in relation to other aspects of their lives, like family and friends. Fitzgerald refers to white vans with biblical verses scrawled on its exterior. He believes if the people designing the vans where a little more design conscious, than their message may come off more boldly. However, this is a good example of how people of religion do not care about how their message is coming across design wise; just that someone is reading it. If Fitzgerald was so bothered by the design of these white vans and even offered his advice on how to make them better, then he must have spent a lot of time reading the van which is exactly what these people want!
Jessica Helfand
Jessica writes about her personal experience of growing up in the world of graphic design. She talks about how the propaganda posters she grew up with as a child evoked a specific emotion in her when she viewed them. Jessica goes on to ask the question “How, after all, could you make design that communicated to human beings and deliberately drain it of all human content? “ Much of the article focuses on how human emotion is non-existent in contemporary design because being neutral is the easiest way to appeal to all audiences. Jessica is concerned with whether or not human emotion will ever be once again valued as form and execution.
I feel this article was very interesting. It touches on a lot of questions about whether or not the designer’s personal thoughts/feelings/emotions should influence the message he or she is trying to convey for a client. Everyone wants to design using their inner desires and to have those desires be relevant to society. I feel that if you are working for a client, you have to remove yourself and become completely unbiased when conveying your message. You cannot convey your feelings through somebody else’s message. Sometimes it may feel like you are designing something that is irrelevant to society, however to be a good designer you should be able to overcome personal conflicts. For example, much of what we do as students in design school feels like a complete waste of time and totally irrelevant to society (I find myself always asking “what does this assignment have to do with ANYTHING? What company is ever going to ask me to design something like this?”) but in the end there is always something small or large that the student can take away from each assignment, and use it to grow as a designer. It is disappointing that much of commercial graphic design doesn’t make one react with strong emotions whether it is crying or laughing, however maybe I can change that!
Designing Through the Recession. 1.4.09
Michael Bierut
The premise of this article is boldly written in its title. Bierut writes about the difficult recession of 2008/2009 and outlines a way to get through it as a designer. He states that this isn’t the first recession that he has worked through although this may be the worst. He has been designing for 28 years, and this is his fourth or fifth recession so he has outlined a sort of model for success in five apparently easy steps. The first step: be frugal which means to only keep the necessities one needs to really design, and get rid of everything superfluous. Step two: be careful. Do not cut corners (such as starting a project without a contract) because it will only end in loss of money, a headache, or tears. The third step: be creative. The recession is slow moving, which means a designer has enough time (maybe a little too much time) to create something better than he or she would have created if he or she were working towards a deadline. The fourth step: be sociable without an agenda. Have lunch with a friend without trying to network, good things will come your way. The final step: be patient. The recession will work itself out, just like everything else. Bieruts advice? Hold on tight.
This article is timely and hits the nail right on the head. I strongly agree with Bieruts first step, be frugal. As a designer you don’t need much more than your ideas, your computer programs and your hand. Creativity does not have to start in a lavish office setting. Be comfortable working with what you have, even if all you have is a kitchen table! Due to the fact that the recession is so slow, you have enough time to master your skills as a designer, or maybe widen your perspective on design. This article was soothing because the author sheds hope on a seemingly hopeless situation.
Ten Graphic Design Paradoxes. 4.9.09
Adrian Shaughnessy
Shaughnessy published a book about the paradoxes of graphic design. In this article he creates a list of 11 paradoxes that every designer should be aware of. The first of the paradoxes is: There’s no such thing as bad clients, only bad designers. Shaughnessy believes that when a project goes sour designers always blame the clients and never themselves. Really designers turn their clients into bad clients by treating them poorly, thus designers end up with the clients they deserve. The second paradox is: the best way to learn how to become a better designer is to be a client. Shaughnessy suggests commissioning other designers to do work for you so that you may learn how it feels to be a client rather than the designer. The next paradox is: if we want to educate our clients about design, we must first educate ourselves about our clients meaning that if designers could understand the ways of their clients, then their work would be taken more seriously. Another paradox is that if one wants to make money as a graphic designer, he or she must concentrate on the work first, and then the money. Designers should be financially savvy; however their primary motive should be the quality of design. To summarize, the rest of the paradoxes are: 5. for designers, verbal skills are as important as visual skills, 6. Ideas usually fail not because they are bad ideas, but because they are badly presented, 7. “I’m a professional: I know best,” 8. “All the good jobs go to other designers,” 9. The best way to run a studio is to be domineering and forceful, 10. If we believe in nothing, we shouldn’t wonder why no one believes in us, and finally, 11. When a client says the words—“you have complete creative freedom,” they never mean complete creative freedom.
I feel that as a young design student that this article is very useful. These are lessons that I am grateful to learn early rather than later or perhaps be too stubborn to never learn them. I have done a lot of freelance work for marketing companies and nonprofit organizations and although I am extremely new at design and I am at the very beginning of design career, I have found that almost all of these points are true. Everything that is mentioned in this article is not taught in design school because our professors are mentors who help guide us and definitely not clients. I find myself guilty of some of the paradoxes that Shaughnessy lists. For example,” I’m a professional: I know best.” Sometimes I find myself getting upset when a client doesn’t think that I used the right shade of green, or I should change the font to something more delicate. I feel as though I know better than them because I am an educated professional in my field. As mentioned in the article, society has learned to challenge expert opinion, and there is no reason why I should be exempt. Lesson learned.
10 Things that Need to be Redesigned. 1.14.09
Jessica Helfand
Jessica writes about the ten things that are obviously in need of a redesign makeover. The first one is lottery tickets. As if the one in a million chance of winning isn’t bad enough, the design of these tickets would drive anybody crazy. There is so much text squeezed on the little 2 inch by 3 inch ticket that one can’t even read the directions. The second thing that is in need of a redesign is the hearse. This car has had the same body style since it was designed and hasn’t changed a bit. Monopoly money is the third thing that needs to be rethought, according to Jessica, there aren’t enough zeroes. The fourth thing that needs to be redesigned is TV remote controls. There are way too many buttons, and don’t function as well as they should. New Jersey is the fifth thing that needs to be redesigned. You can’t really go anywhere up north (quickly) without driving through New Jersey. The sixth and seventh things that are in need of a redesign are political signs which all happened to be red, white, and blue, and also kid’s ski jackets which have way too many pockets and clasps. Finally, Kennedy Airport, blister packaging and IRS Forms are the last three things that need to a redesign.
This article was very entertaining. I have never really thought about these things before, but now that I think about it, some of these really do need to be redesigned, times have changed and therefore design concepts should change with the times. I agree that lottery tickets should be redesigned; however I feel they should keep their flashy and obnoxious appearance and focus more on changing the typography to function more practically. I disagree about Monopoly money because it is a classic and should be kept the way it is. The same goes for the hearse, which actually has changed a bit since it was introduced. This article wasn’t meant to be taken too seriously and some of the comments from designers were a little too cynical and somber. Some people need to lighten up.
A Layperson’s Guide to Graphic Design 8.28.08
Adrian Shaughnessy
This is an edited transcript of a radio broadcast by Shaughnessy. He describes in his article what graphic design is and what graphic designers do. He compares society’s knowledge of graphic design to drinking a glass of wine. People drink wine without noticing the glass that it comes in. The same goes for design. People absorb the message of graphic design but don’t pay much attention to how the design was constructed or how to affects the viewers. People don’t realize how heavily populated the world is with graphic design. Shaughnessy saw a demonstration of graphic design’s ubiquity. “Someone had taken a series of photographs of busy streets and then painstakingly removed all the logos, symbols, signs, colors, street names and road markings. In other words, they had removed all the graphic design from these photographs. The results were staggering. A world without graphic design is an unrecognizable world — more alien than all but the most extreme sci-fi imaginings.” Shaughnessy goes on to say that if you are not a designer, then graphic design is kind of the weather: it’s just there. The article touches on many definitions of graphic design. Shaughnessy ends the article with a statement saying that all people crave to make their mark on the world, and what better way to do this than to be a graphic designer.
Many people don’t realize how their lives are impacted by graphic design. It is all around us, especially on signs, and products in the store. For example people subconsciously may choose specific brand of toothpaste over another because of the design on the packaging. Graphic design is a hard profession to explain to people, but with every explanation, we are educating more and more people. I disagree with Shaughnessy when he said that every graphic designer needs a formal education. I don’t believe that’s true. If you can learn the programs yourself, and study the formal elements of typography and design, then you don’t need to physically go to school for design. Creativity is not something that can be taught.
In Search of Stock(y) Photography. 4.19.07
Jesse Nivens
Nivens article starts with his search for a stock photo of an overweight person. He realized that he was unable to download a photograph of an overweight person because all of the stock images were of seemingly fit and attractive models. Corporate design is overrun by stock photography because it is cheap and quick. Nivens goes on to talk about how the business model of stock photography is a direct reflection of our worldview. The photos made available to us are of pictures that you know people like, and pictures that sell. According to Nivens, as a culture we have taken the idea of overweight and blocked it out even though the majority of Americans are overweight. It is advertising discrimination.
I use free stock imaging archives all the time, and it is always so difficult to find a model who is “real.” Stock photography sites are based on supply and demand. Many people don’t use keyword searches such as fat, ugly, unattractive, therefore stock images of these searches aren’t widely available. The real question is, who would be willing to be a model for a stock image whose keyword search is fat or ugly? A better question is how could we use these models and not offend them. It is a sensitive subject that must be addressed.
Type Means Never Having to Say You’re Sorry. 11.7.07
Jessica Helfand
Jessica participated in a portfolio review that involved American schools. She states that all of the design projects were classic assignments for almost every undergraduate design program. The assignments were color studies, solving poster problems, and typographic exercises to help teach students letterforms and how to use them. She noticed that after every hopeful portfolio, everything was type faced in Futura. She had asked one of the students who designed a book jacket for Sigmund Frued’s Interpretation of Dreams, why she had chosen that type face and the student responded that it looked modern. Jessica asked if the student know when the book was written and the student did not know. Jessica asked her again why she chose the type face Futura, and she responded with, “I just kind of liked it.” The designer lacked the understanding of history. History plays an important role in typography.
Not knowing history seems to be a big problem in some programs at design schools. I can’t say that all design schools have this problem though. I do feel like there is a lack of experimentation in design. All of the students that’s are considered great designers usually play it safe using Futura or Helvetica and just learned to perfect it. I have yet to see a project that was so stylistically different than other students, and I really haven’t seen anybody take a complete risk with design. A lot of the work that is produced in design school is predictable. I read the comments at the end of Jessica’s article and I saw that many professors at design schools actually banned the use of a certain type face like Futura, to widen the students’ perspectives on typography.
Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Typeface. 5.12.07
Michael Bierut
Bierut outlined thirteen reasons why a designer should choose a particular typeface. The first: because it works. Some typefaces are perfect for certain things. The second: because you like its history. Bierut had heard of several projects where the designer found a font that was created the same year the client's organization was founded, thus making the history of the typeface important. The third: because you like its name. The fourth: who designed it. One time Bierut had a project to do with architects, so he picked a typeface that was designed by an architect. The fifth: because it was there. Sometimes a typeface is already living on the premises when you get there so why not just use it? The sixth: because they made you. The rest of the reasons are as follows, 7. Because it reminds you of something, 8. Because it’s beautiful, 9. Because it’s ugly, 10. Because it’s boring, 11. Because it’s special, 12. Because you believe in it, and finally 13. Because you can’t not.
I found this article to be quite entertaining. There is no correct reason on why a designer chooses a particular typeface. I know as a designer that I sit there and think about what typeface I am going to use, and I sift through all of the things I know about history or the history of a typeface so that I can make a wise decision. And when that doesn’t work, I just go with the one that I think fits the best with the project (or the one I like). I also feel that some typefaces are classic and will never go out of style. I also feel that picking a typeface that has a variety of weights, italics, and small caps, makes it easy to create something that has a lot of information on it.
Graphic Designers, Flush Left? 9.20.04
Michael Bierut
Bierut is writing an article in response to David Brooks who claims that there are two types of people in the information age elite; spreadsheet people, and paragraph people. He says that “Spreadsheet people work with numbers, wear loafers and support Republicans. Paragraph people work with prose, don't shine their shoes as often as they should and back Democrats.” In response Beirut says that regardless of number people or paragraph people, many of the designers he knows lean left.
Politics have a lot of the time been the center of conversation amongst my family and friends. My family tends to think that because I am involved in the art/design community that I am a democrat or particularly left-winged. I will disclose my political beliefs here: I would consider myself a democrat. However, I don’t feel that being a graphic designer, or studying art makes me a democrat. To be honest, much of the time, I listen to conversations other art students have about politics, and I completely disagree with what they are saying. I do feel that many art students have the same view towards politics because we are such a tight knit community, but once again, it is not true for all. Bierut categorizes people as either number people (making them more Republican) or paragraph people (making them more Democratic). Graphic designers he says are paragraph people. They are gifted in the visual environment. I am a number and paragraph person (more of a number person) does that make me handicapped in the visual environment? I don’t think so. I am a left-winged, number oriented graphic designer. Some argue that as graphic designers we do take our political and personal beliefs and transfer them into our designs, or maybe we choose clients who are more geared towards our beliefs. Since I am still a student I don’t
know too much on this argument.
Our Bodies, Our Fonts. 2. 21.05
Jessica Helfand
Jessica states that body markings such as piercings and tattoos have become a form of graphic expression. It used to be that bumper stickers and t-shirts were the primary form of public display of private opinion. Helfand is questioning this abstract form of graphic design, asking is it more honest? More immediate? Less impersonal? More Universal? Or Just weirder.
An obvious statement in response to this article is that a tattoo is a personal statement. It is not meant for the casual viewer’s observation. People do not get tattoos to please another person or society for that matter. It is kind of odd and uncomfortable to me watch as people stare at someone who has a large tattoo on their arm, or multiple tattoos on their body. For some reason people feel the need to express their personal opinions. I feel as though the entire experience and process of getting a tattoo is life changing and special to each person. Marking one’s body is spontaneous to some extent, and it deals with our own identity and feelings about ourselves. Writing on the body removes typography and graphic design from its traditional form of print. It is actually very interesting how the context
Google and the Tyranny of Good Design. 3.12.06
Adrian Shaughnessy
In this article, Shaughnessy discusses how the Google design is probably the most famous piece of graphic design in the world. He noticed that clients were mentioning the logo and how they liked its frequent graphic changes. He goes on to say that The Times had recently ran a story about the Google logo. Shaughnessy thinks that Google’s lack of design is magnificent. He feels there is something defiant about the design, and that it steers clear from the corporate norm. Shaughnessy ends the article with, Google’s logo is “a symbol of strength in a world in which graphic designers have become the agents of conformity.”
I’m glad that Google didn’t give in to sleek corporate design. I don’t think any other typeface or x-height for that matter would suite Google. The almost childlike logo design is welcoming and familiar. Google’s “un-design” is actually good design. People go to Google to eliminate the complexity of the internet. Therefore, Google’s homepage offers that relief to web surfers. There are many search engine sites that are overly designed which defeats their purpose. The purpose of search engine sites are for informational and data purposes. According to graphic designers, Google may be badly designed, but who cares, when the purpose of the site is searching for data not for pleasing designers. The logo is recognizable and bizarrely famous, and its chameleon like appearance is even more loveable. The problem with the Google logo critics, is that they cannot for the life of them figure out why Google’s logo is so beloved by so many companies.
I Am a Plagarist. 5.11.06
Michael Bierut
Bierut’s article opens with a discussion about how a high school student had a signed book deal for $500,000. After some investigation, many found that she had lifted much of her passages from other young authors. She defended her actions by saying that she had a photographic memory, and much of what she read was stored in her memory. Bierut talks about he could be considered a plagiarist because he had designed a poster for Yale that had somewhat similar properties to that of a designer he had admired 30 years ago. He goes on to say that he never consciously used Kunz’s design as a premise for his own. It just sort of happened.
I feel that design plagiarism is something that is really hard to avoid. I don’t think that anybody really looks at someone’s work and deliberately copies their design and calls it their own, but I do see how it is plausible to see somebody’s work and store in ones memory and subconsciously use at as reference for later. The best way to avoid design plagiarism is to inspect your work thoroughly to make sure all or many of the ideas are your own. I know when I am designing something I always think to myself that what I am creating has been done before. It’s hard to shake that feeling sometimes. Designers need to understand that we are a community; we feed off of each other’s energy and ideas. No designer should be mad if someone designs something that looks similar to their design, it just means that someone was so inspired by your work that they subconsciously designed something similar to your magnificent design! There is a big difference between inspiration and plagiarism. Give credit where credit is due.
I Believe in Design. 3.22.09
Kenneth Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald’s article starts with his encounters of white vans with hand inscribed biblical versus smeared across the van with paint or permanent marker. He investigates whether or not there is a relationship between design and faith. He believes that these vans are an “individualized visual delight.” He goes on to say that as a teacher he has a lot of experiences with students who use their faith as inspiration for their design. The question that Fitzgerald is really asking is whether or not faith really cares about good design.
I am not a very religious person, however I have a lot of family members and friends that are. I don’t think I know anybody who is a graphic designer and is extremely religious. If I did, I don’t think their religion or beliefs would really surface in their design work. (Unless they do graphic design work for some religious charity, or a religion based company, which would then be a client based religion more than a designer based religion) I don’t think there is a relationship between designers and faith. I feel as though faith does not come up in the context of design because a person who is religious or spiritual probably doesn’t think that their career in design is that important in relation to other aspects of their lives, like family and friends. Fitzgerald refers to white vans with biblical verses scrawled on its exterior. He believes if the people designing the vans where a little more design conscious, than their message may come off more boldly. However, this is a good example of how people of religion do not care about how their message is coming across design wise; just that someone is reading it. If Fitzgerald was so bothered by the design of these white vans and even offered his advice on how to make them better, then he must have spent a lot of time reading the van which is exactly what these people want!
Seven Days in the Art World-Chapter 2
Chapter 2 of Seven days in the Art World
“…tyring to imagine how great artists get made in this airless institutional space.” Although the author is referring to Cal Arts, this phrase can be directly applied to my experience here at Mason Gross. The environment Thornton describes is very similar to that of MSGA.
Thornton refers to how every student sets up camp for their critique. The first image that comes to my mind is the sophomore and junior reviews when every student fights for the one place they are going to display their work. Once they have claimed their spot, it is theirs until the tireless critique is complete.
The most interesting and debatable issue about this entire chapter is whether or not the critique is at all useful. “Crits can also be painful rituals that resemble cross examinations in which artist are forced to rationalize their work and defend themselves from a flurry of half-baked opinions that leave them feeling torn apart.” This statement could not be truer. I feel as though every critique I have been involved with is just an excuse for students to bullshit their way through school. Does anyone really say anything useful during a crit?
However, I do believe that sometimes as an artists you don’t know WHAT or WHY you actually created something, so to have other people rationalize your work without knowing one bit about it, helps you as the artist understand your own work.
“Dogs are allowed in crit class as long as they are quiet.” I actually had a professor bring her dog into my critique, and the whole time it tried to hump my leg. I guess the dog met the requirements for a crit, I mean…it was quiet.
“Falling apart in a critique is not as shameful as one might expect.” How can you fall apart in a critique when almost all of what you are saying is fabricated? You must be a bad bullshitter.
“Many people believe that artists shouldn’t be obliged to explain their work.”
Mary Kelly says, “Never go to a wall text. Never ask the artist. Learn to read the work.” Many artists don’t know why they created the work. Just accept the work for what it is.
I do agree with Jones and think that as an artist you should grow a thicker skin and don’t take criticism as a personal attack.
“Perhaps creativity is not on the agenda at art school because being creative us tacitly considered the unteachable core of being an artist.” I think craftsmanship and skill should be taught at art school before creativity.
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