Author: Angela Iacono (Page 3 of 3)

Graphic Design theory and Design as Art both discuss the way design has played a significant role in our lives and in our culture. They discuss graphic design history and what it means to be a designer in a world that is constantly changing.

Throughout the reading, Graphic Design Theory by Helen Armstrong discusses the opposing sides of objectivity in design and subjectivity in design. Many designers adapted the international style, also known as the Swiss Style, which was devoid of emotion, expression, or favoritism. There was no sense of authorship in your work. Designers were replacing the ideals of subjective design. Which showed the artist’s emotions, interest, and was more personal. Both styles were completely different and yet heavily impacted the design world. I thought this discussion of the opposing sides was very interesting and made me question if your designs or artwork can truly be objective. It made me think that, whether you believe your work is objective or not, you are still expressing yourself through design. Your work and designs reflect your life, your experiences, your ideas and ideals, and your personal style. So, how can your work really be objective when it is an extension of yourself?

Both readings also discuss how technology has affected the design world. Technology allows artists to grow and learn, it shows them new ways to create and teach. Adapting to technology and learning programs can be difficult but graphic designers need to be constantly changing and growing in order to stay relevant. Today designers are constantly facing challenges. For example, in Graphic Design Theory, it discusses how, “Graphic designers joined media activists to revolt against the dangers of consumer culture.” which, “reinforces an economic system in which the individual’s ability to be free or choose is…constrained”. Designers have to constantly be growing, learning, and adapting to new technology and media. If they don’t they could become obsolete and would struggle to stay afloat in the design world. It is important for designers to solve those problems and face the issue head on rather than dwelling on the problem and ultimately making it worse in the long run.

Graphic Design Theory discusses something called the “Why Theory”, why we do what we do as designers and creators. For me, answering this question was fairly straightforward. I’ve always been a creative person, design and illustration is all I’ve known and I love creating. How to design, or how to solve problems, how to get work, or how to get and keep clients is far more complicated to answer unless you are a professional in said field. I think what makes design different from other types of creativity is that you are constantly solving visual problems by communicating your ideas through typography, imagery, and color. Designers are different from, for example,  illustrators because they are more concerned with graphic components, text, layout, and arrangement of fonts whereas the illustrator is more focused on drawing and improving their skills. Now that doesn’t necessarily mean that illustrators can’t do those things because some illustrators are also graphic designers. I would say graphic design and design in general is different from other forms of creativity, not necessarily unique in my opinion.

Designers ask themselves theoretical questions in order to grow and learn. It keeps the designer constantly asking questions to themselves and others and because of this it allows for more ideas to form. Socrates was constantly asking questions to his students and to the people around him. He believed that thoughtful questions would enable students to understand their ideas logically and determine if those ideas were valid or not. I think that this same philosophy applies to designers constantly asking themselves theoretical questions.