Graphic Design Theory

Read Karl Gerstner, Designing Programmes pg55-61, Joseph Muller-Brockman, “Grid and Design Philosophy” pg62-63 found in our main text Graphic Design Theory: Readings From the Field by Helen Armstrong; and Margaret Rhodes, The Swiss Designers Breaking Tradition.

Questions

  • How do each of these designers/authors think you should approach design?
  • Include an example of contemporary typography/layout that embodies the two design systems or philosophies described by Karl Gerstner and Joseph Muller-Brockman. And explain why!
  • How do the contemporary Swiss designers described in the Margaret Rhodes’ essay “flirt with breaking the rules of the International Typographic Style” ?

Response

Concepts like the International Style and Karl Gerstner’s design philosophy are quite useful. More uniformity and predictability in the design process are made possible by developing a template or set of design principles. Also, it motivates designers to take inspiration from prior achievements and apply them methodically. An intriguing idea that might assist give designs structure and order is the use of mathematics in design. Ultimately, I believe that designers may utilize the International Style as a tool to produce designs that are successful.

The webpage for the Amazon Prime Video television series “The Boys” is an example of modern typography and layout that exemplifies the two design systems or philosophies discussed by Karl Gerstner and Joseph Muller-Brockman. The page’s layout, which is grid-based, and heavy focus on hierarchy, are examples of how Gerstner’s system-oriented approach is incorporated into the design. The use of strong, primary colors and attention-grabbing font serves to provide a feeling of hierarchy and direct the viewer’s attention to the most crucial parts, while the grid-based layout aids in establishing balance and structure. The website also makes use of Muller-visual Brockman’s unity principles by integrating recurring components like the color scheme, typography, and photography that all work together to convey the show’s theme. Overall, this instance of modern typography and layout skillfully blends components from Muller-and Brockman’s Gerstner’s design systems to produce an aesthetically pleasing and useful website.

In various ways, the modern Swiss designers mentioned in Margaret Rhodes’ article play with violating the conventions of the International Typographic Style. A few of these are experimenting with type and font, adopting a more natural approach to design, and producing works that combine artistic and illustrative components. For instance, Swiss designers frequently blend typefaces with various historical backgrounds, such as serif and sans serif fonts, to produce an original and dynamic design. To produce a more expressive and appealing image, they also experiment with scale and weight, extending and compressing fonts. Swiss designers also frequently deviate from the grid and use erratic, asymmetrical layouts to produce an interesting and dynamic composition. Last but not least, Swiss designers frequently use type with images, patterns, textures, and other components to produce genuinely distinctive designs that stand out from the competition.

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