Author: Elliot Vidalon (Page 2 of 2)

The importance of typography is for type to be readable and its value to be visible to the human eye. Typography takes part of a language that we can all communicate with on different platforms and the mix of art defines color, value and visibility. But what if print were to be invisible? It’s an odd question but it’s definitely experimental and a challenge for most typographers that overall designers tend to think outside the box. Typically print has color which is often white or a very light brown color for the type to be visible but if print were invisible, I think that type will still be visible. The best example to describe an invisible print would be glass and it’s a colorless platform (transparent). Imagine that having a bottle of wine is typically made out of glass, there’s text and it’s yet readable at instant. According to the article, ‘The Crystal Goblet, or Why Should Printing Should be Invisible’, Beatrice Warde states, “Again: the glass is colorless or at the most only faintly tinged in the bowl, because the connoisseur judges wine partly by its color and is impatient of anything that alters it.” Restating from Warde’s point about wine glass bottles, glass may be invisible but text will still be visible because of its color, value, contrast, alignments and more that isolates the background. A similar quote from Gyorgy Kepes, he says, “for example, I compose with a white and black and I arrange when the white has become a paper, and that black a shadow! I mean to say that I arrange the white to make it become a paper and the black to make it become a shadow.” Defining a separation of color for text (as the shadow) to be visible to the background (as the paper). Going back to color theory, this method is similar to the complementary color mode, both colors conflict one to another, creating a barrier between them, it’s no coincidence that a colorless print with text can still be readable. 

I think what most artist and designers tend to forget the art of the past is not about visual-expression but about visual-form, say for example, typography can be read not just literally but also by its feature, dedicated to the typeface and there’s a huge variation of typeface that can be read without any disturbance of design modification. Based on every type of profession of art plays an important role for society because everything from arts to typography, photography and more have the ability to emphasize its language by form which simulates or reflects mood and expression. In terms of language, typography comes to relation with language, art and design. Typography in general plays an important role for society because typography demonstrates a strong field of communication, language is visible to the viewer and with the variation of typeface delivers a unique language that speaks more than just language such as; expression, mood, motives, etc. I think in Bauhaus’s idea can influence the foundation of vision and inspiration, the given space represents a power that all artists and designer can discover through his/ her inner vision, delivering creativity.

Looking back to the early 1900s, many great designers such as El Lissitzky, Aleksandr Rodchenko, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti and more had their own important task of design and art. They knew that reading from books or literature itself would adapt for the future which today we have posters, newspapers, magazines, etc. Technology has its own benefits for today’s designers and it has changed the way for how design and artwork are being produced. Compared today and the early 1920s, printers are advanced hardware that we can all have our hands on and produce our work in an instant. Compared to the early 1920s, you would have to go to a press printing facility to have your artwork printed for you by hand. Fare to say that “Engineers relaxed with art now—Artists relax with technology” stated by Aleksandr Rodchenko’s article, this emphasizes today’s workflow for designers adapting and accepting technology’s ability to produce and deliver their design to today’s society. I think towards the advantage of technology, today many books are being converted digitally and it can come to a point that books may not be able to reach to the nearest future if this keeps on going. This is a point where most designers like El Lissitzky, Ilya Ehrenburg and the others would disagree or disprove this process because books took an important role in society back in the early 1900s. Its production gave a unique form and function for how books are meant to be read. It had a cover with an essential design, a spine to merge the pages, and its manufacture was appreciated and successful at that time. One of the elements that remains relevant in the present is the template of a book or design posters in the early 1900s that applies to some platforms such as magazines, newspapers, etc. We see text that emphasizes its aspects, objects (shape) to organize or categorize information and color to visualize moods and variations. Looking at Aleksandr Rodchenko’s article, “Who We Are, Manifesto of the Constructivist Group ”, he mentions the distinction between working with technology and working with design. These two element may work well together but there are many artist that rely too much on technology that is becomes a problematic element, “This is—today—Technology is—the mortal enemy of art”, as Rodchenko stated in his article, technology can oppose art, limits creativity, leading to complexity, and more. We as artists have yet to learn how to properly use technology without conflict with art and to reassure that we only use it towards our advantage to complete our design. 

The word ‘language’ is a visual source to communicate with one to another, a key to keep everyone on the same page. ‘Language’ is an essential part of communication but what makes this differ from other forms of communication is this commonly used to directly make contact with other individuals by hearing, speaking and reading. Symbols and language are two conflicting concepts but they have something to relate. Symbols are known for viewers to know that its visual are to be read through more its shape, color and contrast, while language can relate symbols to be read orally. Understanding is the issue where language and symbol both share. Signified and signifiers both play an important role for communication because these two elements are use to describe both ideal and reality through language. Signified would fall certainly in the general communication because its ideas and/or meaning can be read expressively through it orally. Signifiers would best fit in the graphic communication because its sign is described based on its physical platform, shape, form, etc. Language were developed by most in the times where there was mostly an enlightenment or a evolution. For instance, let’s talk about the evolution of numbers, when the Homo Habilis walk around earth, they counted their numbers with objects such as sticks, stones, etc. Speeding forward when the Indians found a way to identify numbers (0,1-9) for the first time after the roman numbers or any other form of numbers, the numbers we use today spread around the world. These digits were successful enough to reach out to us and no wonder we are using these language today. The relations between language and design in today’s culture is they can both be identified visually, meaning it can be read through and understand its message. Design can associate almost every form of communication besides art such as language, symbolism and expression. The essence between language and design is what makes a design unique and understandable when these two sources merge.

In today’s society, designers represents an important play role when it comes to advertising and communicating verbally or non-verbally. I think the importance of communication gives designers a chance to spread their message visually and metaphorically, if they acknowledge his or her community. In terms of theoretical questioning, designers have a responsibility for knowing how and why their techniques and/or artwork plays an important role in society.

Technology has dramatically evolve and so as it has dramatically change the ways for designers. It gives the benefit for many designers to expand their creativity and knowledge, motivating many new artists to expand their ideas and develop their own styles in terms of design. I am sure that their are many designers who are baffled by the questioning of theory and its a important consideration to understand the function and the psychological elements. Networking with other designers increases the mobility and the workflow to be more convenient when it comes to research, reference, ideas, theories, etc.

Finding a solution for a problem is a responsibility for a designer because designers are capable of identifying a problem based on his/ her environment. The importance of visual elements such as objects, color, mood, size and more is crucial because these elements affect the way how viewers identifies the big picture and their ways of identifying the message that these designers feature. A common problem that designer need to face is the lack of specification towards his/ her artwork, giving a clear meaning of their message because their are most designer today that can’t explain their artwork and when they interview for a job, it is mostly likely to be rejected. Specifying the message of the artwork is important to reassure the designer and the viewer that this display is meant focus and solve the problem, and easier enough for everyone to clearly understand its entirely.