The Future of Graphic Arts Essay Example for Free

The Future of Graphic Arts Essay Public works projects were promoted by Lester Beall during the 1930s. The depiction of this project is describes as this poster for the Rural Electrification Administration juxtaposes a photograph of two young people against an abstracted American flag to express optimism for a technologically enhanced future (WebCT, 2002). This is also a political manifestation in the way that there is a presentation of an image designed to give hope in a time where there are different social problems. However, this was not a new move, as in 1917 there was the use of graphic art in the form of posters as a reaction against the social condition, and supporting the revolution (WebCT, 2002). In the country there was support given to the Russian Telegraph Agency (ROSTA) (WebCT, 2002). If we look at the way these posters were made we can see why thy were so limited, with poster printed by hand, or attentively only with the use of rough stencils (WebCT, 2002). This limited the amount of posters but still the work of artists such as Gustav Klutsis and Mikhail Razulevich development and used more mechanical methods of reproductions (WebCT, 2002). Nearby in Germany politics was also the subject of John Heartfield where he was against the rise of the Nazi part though this use of graphic arts, however, this time the images were more direct with the use if graphic art as a political advertising using photomontages as well as slogans on a single poster (WebCT, 2002). This was a demonstration of how graphic art could be used to develop emotional feeling regarding public issues and to change the opinions of those watching (WebCT, 2002). This has been used again and against throughout history, with the different message against the status quo being depicted in images relevant to the contemporary society (McQuiston and Greer, 1997). Here we have seen the beginnings of the development, how society and politics have influenced the way that the art has been developed. If we want to look to what the future may hold we need to take a leap and consider how the more recent past has developed with the use of graphic art. Here we can then see the way that the foundations were built upon. To undertake this there are many approaches that can be developed. The way in which graphic art has development may be seen in many mediums in many countries. , However , in keeping with the theme of looking to the future we will look at an artist of the past that was both prolific, and seen as looking ahead of his time to what the future would hold. To this end we will consider the role of one of the most influential graphic artists of the twentieth century; Paul Rand. III. Paul Rand In considering a specific work of a well known designer we can understand how the work influence the customer as well as influenced the wider environment of that of graphic design and the way that the influences that are felt in the short term and the long term. In looking at Paul Rands work we can conclude that he influenced not only his clients, but also appreciate the wider influence he has had ion the graphic design industry in general as well as appreciating the uniqueness of his own style, as was demonstrated by the design of many logos including that of IBM. There are many graphic designers that have had a long lasting impact on the way we see the world and interpret its meaning. Some designers have been subtle in the influence and the range of designs that have made a difference have been anything from typefaces to landmarks, but one of the best known, if not by name then by his work must be that of Paul Rand, also known as Papa logo (Lange 1998). Paul Rand has a wide range of styles and worked in the field of advertising, and can be seen to have made a great impact, his specially was branding, and the specific work we will be considering here will be the well known IBM logo (Hurlbert, 1979). The idea of a logo that was innovative and had meaning as well as a message may have been new and groundbreaking in the days of Rand, but it is partly due to his wide ranging influence that we can see the wide practice of branding has taken the current route. It is also a shame that in this modern world where the forte of Rands talents lay there has been a common practice of branding which has become homogenised and bland (Hurlbert, 1979). This is not a criticism that can be seen to have been levelled at Rand, who not only designed this innovative and still used logo. Rand was also responsible for logos such as the carriers UPS, Cummins Engines, Yale University and Next Computers (Lange 1998). This logo is unique and the style is recognised widely, even if the actual company name cannot be read the distinction is very clear. It was Rands intention to design logos and other works which were not only recognisable and identifiable very easily, but also one that can be seen as having a real meaning, which is demonstrated very clearly by the logo designed for IBM. The brief of any designer in looking to brand an organisation will often be rather vague, there will be a requirement for the Logo to be suited to the corporate culture, but this in itself is an intangible, and as such it very difficult to describe, it will also need to indicate the sphere of operation or characteristics that the client wants the logo to bring to mind when it is viewed by the clients own customers. The IBM logo has become well known for its blocked design that appear to indicate a clean cut image with is both technological and simple, with colours that are seen as safe but also bold an innovative without threat. If we look for the way in which the design was inspired then we may be looking for a very difficult element, in other designs this may be more apparent, such as his advert for El Producto poster in 1953 we can see that there was a message of merry Christmas (Rand, 1953). The actual content of the design can be seen as imitating Christmas as the cigars which are depicted in them are cigar shaped but lot a great deal more interesting due to the fact they appear in Christmas designs such as we might expect to see on Christmas wrapping paper or decorations for the seen. The inspiration here is more easily observed, but this inspiration for IBM must has existed, yet describing his talent and style has been described by some as trying to catch lightening in a bottle, but we can see inspiration in the way that the logo was used once it had been designed (Hurlbert, 1979). His style was simplistic, and he took the inspiration form may sources, but the need for something that was not elaborate but served as functional is very clear in this design. In the way that posters were later designed to advertise IBM we start to see the inspiration of his humour and the way in which he would play ion words. This can be seen as making a great deal of sense as if we look at the way in which other Logos were also designed there was always an innovative way of the company initials being used to convey and communicate the idea of the company and to build up associations regarding the company. Therefore it is fair to assume that the play on words and the way in which the letters were all used were not only effective but also consciously used in such a way. With IBM the design is one that appears to be of technical specifications, but the humour was to come out later. In an advertisement where the logo was to be used there was a change which emphasised the way on which the logo could be immediately recognised, but would still gain attention rather than be brushed off due to its familiarity, in this Rand left the M, from IBM and replaced the I with and eye, and the B with a bee (Lange 1998). A play on words, but also on the perception of the product and brand as well as inspiration derived from the everyday world around us, but filled will psychological meaning, putting into place the quote from the beginning of this paper. However, the management of IBM prevented it ever seeing the light of day and being subjected to the customers critique as they did not believe if conveyed the IBM message It was not IBM (Lange 1998). The role he had on the industry as a result of successes like this was not kept to himself but communicated in the same medium as that of his work, through the printed word in many many manuals on how to design logos and polish their appearance (Lange 1998). In his own words the trademark should embody in the simplest form the essential characteristics of the product or institution being advertised (Rand, 2000). However, if also saw it as the designers job to be able to bring the formality down on occasion, and the way in which he is described as an idealist and a realist using the language of the poet and the businessman. He thinks in terms of need and function. He is able to analyse his problems, but his fantasy is boundless appears to embody the form and function where they both appear to be of importance, but the realism and the poetry are also very apparent (Hurlbert, 1979). If we try and see if there are any autobiographic aspects to this work this is a more difficult perspective simply du to the simplicity of the work, however the work in print can be seen as an aspect of his very early work when he was hired by Esquire magazine (Hurlbert, 1979). The humour that is apparent in the rejected IBM advertisement is also autobiographical as the way in which he sees the world was seen by many who met him as one which encompasses a large degree of humour as well as common sense (Hurlbert, 1979). In his early days there was a need for succinct design produced at a rapid rate for use in mails shoot advertising and magazine copy, but the need for the inclusion of artistic style was also recognised as many of his works were seen on a regular basis as the Art Directors Club (Hurlbert, 1979). If we compare this grounding with the IBM logo, there is both the simplistic that comes with the need for speed, but also the style and grace which can be seen as an aspect of art and design. The impression we get of the IBM logo is that it has always just been there, associated wit the company on such as basic level that we are apt to forget its origin for a man who started he career in the 1930s (Hurlbert, 1979). The symbolic content can also be recognised by the colours as well as the lines. / They appear to be very geometrically spaced, with a great deal of precision not only in the distance between each line, but also in the way that the letter line up. The white ion the blue background serves to emphasis this contrast and therefore gives an impression of precision that we now associate with the company. If we consider the way that he may have been influenced by others at the same time there is a little difficulty as he was seen as a leader rather than a follower, but the simplistic design can also be seen as functional for the reproduction as well as recognition. If we consider the work in relation to Rands other work then it is neither relatively significant or insignificant, it is a typical example of the way in which function and form were combined. From the advertising campaigns for bill boards and magazine cover designs as well as the logos there are some common characteristics, such as the idea of the simple being better than the complex, the ability of the design being something that the client as well as the customers can relate to. When we look at the other Logos this common thread is very well illustrated. However, we can argue that this one logo may also be significant as it is probably one of the best known examples of his work, recognised throughout the globe and still used today. The UPS insignia must also come a close second, but this also consists of the same characteristics, the simple designee, although a little more complex, is immediately identifiable, but in this case the symbolism is also more openly apparent. Other logos such as the Yale University one can be seen to have exactly the same style of simplistic function, where form is an art, and as such we can argue that the piece of work studied in this paper could have been substituted for any of his other works and the conclusions would be the same. Although he dies in 1996 the influence he has left on the art of graphic design has not reduced, his work is still studied and admired, and perhaps the best and most significant legacy is the continued use of the works from the man also known as papa logo. In many ways his work can still be seen as relevant, yet it was still as a result of the technology changes that he was able to form these images, and the effective nature of many may be seen as a result of the increased art of typography. Therefore, to understand the development of this we also need to consider the development of typography. IV. Typography Typography is seen in everyday life, from the newspapers we read, the television programmes we watch to the numbers on buses and the advertisements on the bill boards. To what typography consists of we need to look at the characteristics that are present in the lettering. There are many typefaces and different ways for those typefaces to be presented. It is in this development of typography we can argue that the computer has been great influence, allowing for more type faces to be developed and for the uses of these typefaces to be manipulated more easily. This has been a boon to the graphic artist, and in understanding the ability to develop an image as simple as a letter using the computer then we can appreciate the way that larger images many also be manipulated. These are used in practically all manifestations of graphical arts. The use of a type face creates an image, and even in an item as simple as a menu it has been proven to have a discernable effect on customer perceptions and resulting purchases that are made (Heimann, 1998). When we consider the purpose of typography it has to be seen as more than simply a communication of words, however if we break it down into its smallest component of typography can be seen in the following way The basic unit of all type design is the individual letter. Letters come together to form words, and words come together to form stories (Anonymous, 2000). This is the role of the graphic artist, to present an image that communicates, this may be story, a feeling a perception or just an image that will be recalled for a later association. It is in this last section off the quote that we can see that way the typography is used can convey a great deal about a story. For example if we see a film being advertised with typography that is jagged and looks like it is dripping with blood then we can automatically assume that it will be a horror movies of some sort. This is the message that is conveyed in the layout and design of the typography. The typography will be different on a romance than on a science fiction film, due to the different perceptions they create. The advances in the use of the computer here can be seen in the aiding of the design by trying out and manipulating designs without the need to keep making mock up posters and by trying out changes speedily at the click of a button. This can be seen as very useful in a number of ways, it reduces the materials used so that there are greater ranges of possibilitys at a lower cost. The time element is also much shorter, and as such the costs can be seen as proportionately lower. The need for an expert can also be seen as reduced, with the computer there is no longer the need for specific training as the range of programmes that can be used allow almost anyone with a typing skills can take on the task of a typographer. Therefore, the range of uses of these type faces and the extent of the styles can be seen as no long only the realms of the professional. Small businesses are able to produce their own business stationary and develop their own advertisements and literature, even a local parish or community magazine that used to be hand types can look like a professionally produced publication. However, when these are used there are still some very basic rules that are followed the advantage with the computer and the ability to see the layout before a publication is printed on a large scale can be to see that in the main even those without training or specific knowledge will follow them naturally. The ability to keep the readers attention is a combination of factors. The first will be the content of the text, and if we are looking at this from a purely typographical or graphical art perspective then this is not in the control of the typesetter (Anonymous, 2000). The design of the text and the size of the text are important as illegible text or test that is uncomfortable to read will loose the interest of the reader just as easily as boring content (Anonymous, 2000). The next items that need to be considered are not so obvious unless you look at a piece of typesetting where they are wrong, and then it becomes obvious. There are the line lengths and the spacing between the words and letters. It is these spacing between letters that can make a publications look professional. Until the computer was in many homes and small businesses the typing would be on a conventional type writer where the space between each letter is the same with no sense of proportion as seen in the courier and the courier new type faces (Anonymous, 2000). This fixed spacing has become associated with the home produced leaflets that were duplicated with duplicating machine or by the use of photocopiers has become less apparent as proportional fonts have been used, examples may be seen as the popular times new roman that is a well used font. The difference here is that the proportional basis of a font means that smaller letters, such as a i or an l will take up less rook than a w or an m, similar to the way handwriting takes place and the pattern is easier in the eye as apparent gaps between letters in the same word will all be the same (Will-Harris, 2000). In addition there will also be the element of the actual line spacing. If the lines are too close together the typeface, whatever it is will be difficult to read and there will be a crowding effect (Will-Harris, 2000). Again the use of the computer enable this to be seen and adjusted before any documents are even printed so out rarely becomes an issue (Will-Harris, 2000). There will also be issues such as the actual form of the entire setting as well as the quality of the reproduction, which may or may not be issues the typesetter will be involved in. However he how of the typesetting comes together to form a message and communicate an issue or an idea so in this way we can see that the typesetting can be as important as the content, get it wrong and people will not read it whatever it says (Will-Harris, 2000). However, if we are going to consider how the computer has influence the development of typography we can also look to the actual type fonts that are used. There are even programmes able now that can scan a persons handwriting and then code it into the computer as a type face or font so that it will be reproduced when typing. In a broader sense, there have been other wide scale developments directly due to the computer. The use of computers and the advent if they Internet have seen the development of a collection of new typefaces or fonts to cope with the individual situations and specific needs of this medium. Two fonts have been developed by Microsoft with this in mind. Mathew Carter was responsible for the development of Verdana which is a sans serif named after the verdant Seattle region (Will-Harris, 2000). The second is Georgia, a bright serif labelled due to a tabloid headline concerning alien heads allegedly found in the area of Georgia (Will-Harris, 2000). Verdana is easier to read on a screen as the x height is higher than normal giving the type face a larger appearance without the need for more space (Will-Harris, 2000). There is also special attention taken with the letters that are sometimes easily confused on screen such as i, l and j and I where the formations of the letters is slightly different, with slightly different height to distinguish them more easily (Will-Harris, 2000). Georgian is similar as it still has a higher x point, but not has high as Verdana, but is still retains an almost times new roam feel about it so it can be used in traditional circumstances, and again can be seen as easier to read simply because it has been designed specifically for the screen, yet they also reproduce well in print (Will-Harris, 2000). Therefore we can see how the computer has impacted on the development of typography, in the way it is used, developed and put together to the actual design of the fonts. It has come a long way in a short period of time, and is likely to go further, especially in the hands of the graphic artists, both in the design as well as in the use. There are also computer aided design packages that will develop new fonts, even for an amateur, such as handwriting fonts of an individual that are scanned in. Here we can see that there is a development with a cross over of the many different art forms and the way in which inspiration impacts on the art. To look to the future we have seen how there has been inspiration in the past, and how this has impacted on graphic art, The next stage must be to consider the way in which inspiration may be gained in the future. V. Inspiration The first factor we need to consider here is that the cross over of the different art forms is increasing, a graphic artist may use a camera or paints, a typographer may also be a graphic artist. Expression in the arts has always looked for new and innovative ways to be presented. This have often used newer and more radical as the forum for ideas and inspiration in the search for the ways in which to be inspired and find the spark required for creativity to take place. Just as in any other art form graphic design can be inspired or developed from what is seen around us and the every day mediums which we all come across. For example, we can consider the art of contemporary photography. The argument for the adoption and acceptance of contemporary photography techniques in graphic design can be that in contemporary photographs we may find more contrasts and forms which are suitable for graphic design. The way in which the pictures are framed and made up with different contents and contrasts in colours may also be more suitable to be adapted and changed rather than a traditional countryside view. They may be developed more appropriately. The best way to demonstrate this is to take two contemporary photographs and examine what may be gained from them by a graphic designer. The way in which they add to an idea or be developed to a specific outcome by providing a concept or a form from which the designer can work. Alternatively the way in which the photography may demonstrate to the graphic designer ways of working. The first photograph we will consider is Sandy Trails, was taken in 1999 by Tony Chumak and can be seen at http://tonychumakstudios. com/GallerySeries8/Tcs_Image_144-24X-A-L. asp. This is only on the boarders of contemporary photography. It is a landscape with a difference, in the centre of the landscape is a pattern in the sand which would normally be avoided by the photographer. This photograph demonstrates the way in which contemporary photography can capture texture and image, which is only available through this one medium. It is often said that art should convey a social message (Rich, 1998). This is true whether it is fine are or graphic design and whether the purpose of the work ids art or even advertising (Rich, 1998). The use of a photograph such as this can be used to convey many different types of message depending on the context n which the graphic designer is working By looking at this picture aspects suitable for graphic use can be seen. The contrast of the shades of sand caused by the lighting cast shadows which can almost appear alive and stark. Natural forms and shapes can lead to very pleasing and easy to use or interpret ideas for a designer. A shape formed by the wind of the sea flows and the graphic designer can take this line and simplicity and translate it to all manner of variable uses. Curves flow through the medium which is devoid of life forming shapes which approximately can be seen as more than waves, but of forms in the sand which can be placed together with a little imagination and thought. The adaptation of what is normally straight or fixed into a flowing contemporary shape has long been used in design.