In order to get an idea of what designers and studios deem as what modern design should be, manifestos published by the manifesto project (http://www.manifestoproject.it).
Disrepresentation Now! Experimental Jetset 2010
The manifesto written in 2001 does not align with their design ideology today.
Disrepresentation should be Non-representationism.
Functionality and amoralism are not used anymore. Looking back they state their work is moralistic.
Political qualities of graphic design are situated foremost in its aesthetic dimension.
1. Theo Van Doesburg's point on both painting reflects the modernist principles of objectivity and functionalism. Representative paintings are suggestive, tendentious and false.
2. Jetset relates this representation to the filed of advertising where its design "is inherently representative". Advertising is never about its own message but about something else.
Advertising uses design and techniques to describe and represent appearances other than itself.
Presentative graphic design underlines its own physical appearance e.g. logo design. The message of the logo has to represent the value of the company. Advertising makes products look like they represent an ideology that doesn't necessarily align with the appearance of the company.
3. When "causes" are formulated outside of a design context and imposed superficially onto a piece of design, it becomes tendentious, representative and as a result reactionary. This evaluation of the design process can be related to the more superficial and subjective nature off ugly design because ugly design incorporates more pictorial and more literal forms in its style. It can be said its a form of representative design.
5. "To create a piece of design as a functional entity, as an object in itself, is the most social and political act a designer can perform." If functionality is regarded as being paramount, then ugly design should be evaluated to how well its functions with regard to its context and concept. Experimental Jetset refers to functionality as being colour, form, type, spacing, paper, ink, space, time, object, function and most importantly context and concept.
Context and concept should be the way to evaluate the success of ugly design.
Otherwise Forget It. Bob Gill
He states designers are to be problem solves if they want to survive in a world where computer and technology has made it easier for designers to create, which removes the mystique of ordinary design and print. Gil's description go what designers prefer to do, can be seen in the subjective tendencies of ugly design.
"They get these tricks for the culture. Most designers spend their time trying to emulate whats supposed to be hot, whats current, whats trendy." Itsnicethat.com is a prime example of a resource informing readers of whats trendy and current. Looking at this website, it si clear that ugly design is trending. If designers want to create something that's original, how can they if culture tells everyone the same thing. Therefore it can be said that ugly design inspires other designers to create ugly design.
"Most designers are not very interested in problem solving. They're more interested in producing work that looks good." Bob Gill offers a statement that supports the rationales behind the 'ugliness' of ugly design.
Ten Principles for good design. Dieter Rams
These rules can be a reference point to judge the effectiveness of ugly design and its purpose. However Rams was a product designer. Therefore he talks in terms of products, design as a whole. Nevertheless the designs these ugly designers create should be treated in the same manner because of their public domain.
First Things First 2000
For the most part, work done by modernists have in turn made the graphic designer create more commercial work. This manifesto is aimed to hopefully change all that and promote more work that demonstrates the skill and creativity of graphic designers. More importantly it calls on to create more 'design' rather than advertisements which are not honest forms of design as explained by Dieter Rams.
Experimental Jetsets manifesto to call for non-representation on design is similar to the message of First Things First. They both call for a shift away from advertising and commercial work. Although they do not have entirely the same message. First Things First calls for more recognition of the designer where as Jetset's manifesto calls for design to be more honest.
Tuesday, 27 December 2016
Monday, 26 December 2016
Pretty Ugly Visual Rebellion in Design
Pretty Ugly Visual Rebellion in Design
Die Gestalten Verlag
Twopoints.net, Published in 2012
A relatively recent publication due it being published in 2012. Therefore the designs featured in this book consist of modern 'ugly' design.
Most of these designs are produced in contexts where subjectivity is preferred over objectivity. I.e. Art shows, album covers and poster designs. This is because the context themselves are more subjective than corporate requirements. For example, music is a subjective and emotional medium where everyone has different tastes. To communicate the emotion of the music to the reader, a more subjective approach of the albums cover design would be effective.
What is common about these designs is the lack of consideration to modernist design principles. Typography is often the main focus of these designs but it is bent and manipulated to create a more pictorial and artistic representation to communicate the designers message. As a result these designs have a visual that are far from the corporate design approach. For example, the trend today amongst corporate design to use 'rounded' typefaces such as FF Mark and Gotham as seen on the recent Mastercard rebrand. Corporate designs are international and widely seen in society through billboards, advertising, social media, etc. They require more consideration to legibility and readability because of its larger audience and how the audience views their brand. As a result their design language becomes a definition of what good design should be because the success of the company is linked to its branding and therefore its design. The designs in this publication go against that, and by going against this definition is equated to being 'ugly'.
However ugly design is not just superficially ugly. Design studio Bureau Mirko Borsche's identity for the Symphonie Ochester des Bayerischen Rundfunks has clear rationales behind the unorthodox design treatment.
The corporate identity for the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra uses a combination of different typefaces that come together to form an identity that is reminiscent of the work from Emigre. On first glances, this design is considered to be ugly due to the unusual letter forms that are rarely seen in corporate design. However when reading the rationale behind these choices it becomes clear the decisions the designers made to achieve the aims of the campaign.
However these rationales are hard to decipher without the explanation given by the studio. Modernism or 'good' design is designed so that communication of the message is paramount to the aim. Embellishments hinder the legibility and thus the the message isn't as effectively communicated. As Vignelli states "I can write the word 'dog' with any typeface and it doesn't have to look like a dog. But there are people that think that when they write 'dog' it should bark". Following this quote should Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra's identity try to explicitly communicate its boldness and creativity through the typeface? Another factor that possibly limits the designs communication is that ugly design is not the norm of design language today. Therefore the general public are adapted to ugly designs look. This point can be explained through Rick Poynor's critique of Modernist type design. He states that illegible black lettering of Pre-War Germany we see today would have been entirely legible during that period. Therefore the legibility of Swiss Design, according to Poynor, is not based on its principles but its exposure and continued use that has made it become the new paradigm for good design. This can be applied to the now known 'ugly' design. It is ugly now because the design language of today still retains clarity and order of that of modernism. Experimentation and expression through design has become the norm and therefore still suffers from lack of efficiency in communicating its message. However this point can be argued against through rise and fall of Post Modernism. Post Modernism failed to become the new 'International Style' and because it shares similar subjectivity in its design rationales to ugly design of today, it can be inferred that ugly design will ultimately be referred to as another fashionable trend in design.
This quote in some ways summarises the aesthetic and reasoning behind the emergence of ugly design. Modernist design had become corporate and impersonal as the aim of their designs was for form and function. The communication of the message was paramount and should be clear without any personal motivations from the designer. Therefore Modernism represented a cold and functional aesthetic. By breaking it, it allowed the designer to create more expressive pieces of work but at the expense of legibility and functionality of 'good' design.
An interview with Rob van den Nieuwenhuizen of Drawswords studio allowed for a better understanding of the emergence of ugly design. To establish some context, Drawswords is a Graphic Design practice that creates work for cultural institutions, publishers, the music industry and commercial clients. Nieuwenhuizen states that his influences growing up were punk music which is a key factor in the emergence of the experimental design as seen in Weingarts work and subsequently leading to Post Modernism. The anti establishment messages embedded in the genre encouraged people to go against the established norms, and for designers, this meant going against Modernism.
Another key factor is the DIY attitude present at the punk shows he attended. This aligns entirely with the studios who are championing ugly design. They are small independent studios and freelance designers who decide what design should be for themselves. Rarely is ugly design by larger, more commercial studios like Pentagram.
Being that music was a large influence on Nieuwenhuizen, the subjectivity of music s evident in his subjectivity of his designs. The punk influence can also be seen through his attitude towards his teachers, he did not like the style of his teachers designs which were "uninspired, reserved and by the book" which he did not agree with at all. It can be inferred that his teachers were following modernist design theory.
Finally Nieuwenhuizen states that he doesn't necessarily aim to create 'ugly' design, he designs more towards the unconventional. Making something unconventional in his terms makes the design more "dynamic and interesting".
In an interview by design studio Ines Cox and Lauren Grusenmeyer, their views on ugly design align with that on Nieuwenhuizen. Cox and Grusenmeyer don't intend to create 'ugly design'. they choose their decisions based on how well the choices achieve the aim or communicate the idea. they intentionally use certain styles but do not judge it on good or bad design. They state "Instead of concealing the process, we find it more interesting to dismantle it and expose it." Hence as the visually busy nature of ugly design unlike the clean and restrained aesthetic of Modernism. In their quote "The meaning of 'beauty' and 'ugly' is very personal. For us, beauty lies within things that come out of a necessity, things have to look the way they look." it bears similarity to form follows function. However in their context form takes on a more expressive and unconventional meaning that may not have the same clarity as established examples of form following function.
Die Gestalten Verlag
Twopoints.net, Published in 2012
A relatively recent publication due it being published in 2012. Therefore the designs featured in this book consist of modern 'ugly' design.
Most of these designs are produced in contexts where subjectivity is preferred over objectivity. I.e. Art shows, album covers and poster designs. This is because the context themselves are more subjective than corporate requirements. For example, music is a subjective and emotional medium where everyone has different tastes. To communicate the emotion of the music to the reader, a more subjective approach of the albums cover design would be effective.
What is common about these designs is the lack of consideration to modernist design principles. Typography is often the main focus of these designs but it is bent and manipulated to create a more pictorial and artistic representation to communicate the designers message. As a result these designs have a visual that are far from the corporate design approach. For example, the trend today amongst corporate design to use 'rounded' typefaces such as FF Mark and Gotham as seen on the recent Mastercard rebrand. Corporate designs are international and widely seen in society through billboards, advertising, social media, etc. They require more consideration to legibility and readability because of its larger audience and how the audience views their brand. As a result their design language becomes a definition of what good design should be because the success of the company is linked to its branding and therefore its design. The designs in this publication go against that, and by going against this definition is equated to being 'ugly'.
However ugly design is not just superficially ugly. Design studio Bureau Mirko Borsche's identity for the Symphonie Ochester des Bayerischen Rundfunks has clear rationales behind the unorthodox design treatment.
The corporate identity for the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra uses a combination of different typefaces that come together to form an identity that is reminiscent of the work from Emigre. On first glances, this design is considered to be ugly due to the unusual letter forms that are rarely seen in corporate design. However when reading the rationale behind these choices it becomes clear the decisions the designers made to achieve the aims of the campaign.
- Black and white colour scheme is used to represent the suits and dinner jackets attendees wear.
- Mostly sans serif type design and seating to represent the events modernity and of the orchestra.
- The unorthodox type represents the orchestras boldness to create something new and unique.
However these rationales are hard to decipher without the explanation given by the studio. Modernism or 'good' design is designed so that communication of the message is paramount to the aim. Embellishments hinder the legibility and thus the the message isn't as effectively communicated. As Vignelli states "I can write the word 'dog' with any typeface and it doesn't have to look like a dog. But there are people that think that when they write 'dog' it should bark". Following this quote should Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra's identity try to explicitly communicate its boldness and creativity through the typeface? Another factor that possibly limits the designs communication is that ugly design is not the norm of design language today. Therefore the general public are adapted to ugly designs look. This point can be explained through Rick Poynor's critique of Modernist type design. He states that illegible black lettering of Pre-War Germany we see today would have been entirely legible during that period. Therefore the legibility of Swiss Design, according to Poynor, is not based on its principles but its exposure and continued use that has made it become the new paradigm for good design. This can be applied to the now known 'ugly' design. It is ugly now because the design language of today still retains clarity and order of that of modernism. Experimentation and expression through design has become the norm and therefore still suffers from lack of efficiency in communicating its message. However this point can be argued against through rise and fall of Post Modernism. Post Modernism failed to become the new 'International Style' and because it shares similar subjectivity in its design rationales to ugly design of today, it can be inferred that ugly design will ultimately be referred to as another fashionable trend in design.
This quote in some ways summarises the aesthetic and reasoning behind the emergence of ugly design. Modernist design had become corporate and impersonal as the aim of their designs was for form and function. The communication of the message was paramount and should be clear without any personal motivations from the designer. Therefore Modernism represented a cold and functional aesthetic. By breaking it, it allowed the designer to create more expressive pieces of work but at the expense of legibility and functionality of 'good' design.
An interview with Rob van den Nieuwenhuizen of Drawswords studio allowed for a better understanding of the emergence of ugly design. To establish some context, Drawswords is a Graphic Design practice that creates work for cultural institutions, publishers, the music industry and commercial clients. Nieuwenhuizen states that his influences growing up were punk music which is a key factor in the emergence of the experimental design as seen in Weingarts work and subsequently leading to Post Modernism. The anti establishment messages embedded in the genre encouraged people to go against the established norms, and for designers, this meant going against Modernism.
Another key factor is the DIY attitude present at the punk shows he attended. This aligns entirely with the studios who are championing ugly design. They are small independent studios and freelance designers who decide what design should be for themselves. Rarely is ugly design by larger, more commercial studios like Pentagram.
Being that music was a large influence on Nieuwenhuizen, the subjectivity of music s evident in his subjectivity of his designs. The punk influence can also be seen through his attitude towards his teachers, he did not like the style of his teachers designs which were "uninspired, reserved and by the book" which he did not agree with at all. It can be inferred that his teachers were following modernist design theory.
Finally Nieuwenhuizen states that he doesn't necessarily aim to create 'ugly' design, he designs more towards the unconventional. Making something unconventional in his terms makes the design more "dynamic and interesting".
In an interview by design studio Ines Cox and Lauren Grusenmeyer, their views on ugly design align with that on Nieuwenhuizen. Cox and Grusenmeyer don't intend to create 'ugly design'. they choose their decisions based on how well the choices achieve the aim or communicate the idea. they intentionally use certain styles but do not judge it on good or bad design. They state "Instead of concealing the process, we find it more interesting to dismantle it and expose it." Hence as the visually busy nature of ugly design unlike the clean and restrained aesthetic of Modernism. In their quote "The meaning of 'beauty' and 'ugly' is very personal. For us, beauty lies within things that come out of a necessity, things have to look the way they look." it bears similarity to form follows function. However in their context form takes on a more expressive and unconventional meaning that may not have the same clarity as established examples of form following function.
Tuesday, 6 December 2016
Study Task 06 - Consumer Identities
Jansson-Boyd, Catherine V. (2010) Consumer Psychology
Key points
We judge others by their material possessions, meaning that consumption is now an important part in the creation and maintenance of identities.
Identity is the subjective concept of how an individual views themselves that is influenced by individual experiences, and groups to which we belong or wish to belong to
The impact of who we are upon the way in which we behave has been suggested to be largely unconscious, meaning that consumers may not be aware if their self-concept guides their consumer behaviour.
Identities are multi dimensional because of the complex relationship between personal characteristics such as political beliefs, religious beliefs, physical appearance, group memberships, material possessions and age, that are used describe themselves.
Humans use a categorisation and comparison process to figure themselves out as individuals. To know where they stand in relation to what they represent and who they are.
The perception of others (person perception) is often affected by peoples material possessions.
Classification of objects (object perception) can be influenced by marketing and advertising.
We tend to focus on the group people belong to and the type of possessions stand for rather than as individuals in their own right.
People have a clear stereotypical concept of what kind of person would be a particular product, meaning that we can make use of those concepts to accurately categorise others.
The continuous comparison to others is driven by a need to maintain and sometimes increase positive self esteem, which is linked to feelings of belongingness, which is supported by being a member of groups.
From a consumer perspective, purchasing the right kind of products and services can make them feel as if they belong to certain groups as well as genuinely providing group membership.
Jansson-Boyd states two different social comparisons, downward and upward. Downward social comparisons are comparison made to those who do less well in order to make us look better. An Upward Social comparison is when consumers measure themselves against 'ideal' media images.
Categorising people through material possessions highlights how different good and services represent values and beliefs in which people can associate themselves to.
People view themselves from the perspectives of others.
Humans are exposed to symbolic values of products and services through the media and social interaction from childhood to late adulthood.
Summary
Summary
The passive experience of viewing art has little link to materialistic qualities. However an art gallery's identity is important in attracting their audience and setting itself apart from the competition, "the need for museums to compete more vigorously for their audience's time has led to more defined identities." (Williams, 2011) A successful brand is able to effectively communicate certain ideals that appeal directly to which its intended audience associate themselves with. An effective identity will produce a positive experience for its audience and thus form a relationship between the two, with the viewer seeing a reflection of what they perceive to be their identity in the branding. This relationship builds a level of brand loyalty that will keep people visiting the gallery/museum, "The continuous comparison to others is driven by a need to maintain and sometimes increase positive self esteem, which is linked to feelings of belongingness, which is supported by being a member of groups." (Jansson-Boyd, 2010) Therefore an effective identity will allow the audience to feel part of the gallery's community and be recognised as such, thus producing positive self-esteem for the visitor and a positive image onto others.
But not only does the identity have to work in the public space, it has to communicate its brand through digital platforms as well. “In the digital age, museums are no longer limited to the physical experience of the galleries, and face a rapidly expanding horizon of media opportunities and programming initiatives,” says Guggenheim’s managing director of business development, Karen Meyerhoff. Therefore the proposed rebrand of Leeds Art Gallery for the practical area of the essay has to work on digital platforms as well. This will help create a unified brand identity across all the platforms the gallery is promoted on, further emphasising the gallery's identity onto the viewer. Tate Modern's identity by Wolf Olins is an example of this. "Designed by Wolff Olins, the identity was intended to signal the arrival of Tate Modern, and in turn unify it and the various other Tate sites (Tate Britain, Liverpool and St Ives) under one distinctive look." (Williams, 2011) The impact of this must not be overlooked as the "Tate Modern had a seismic effect on the London art scene, with the landmark building alone proving a major draw. Combined with an engaging programme of exhibitions and events, the museum is now one of the most popular attractions in the city."
(Williams, 2011)
However, an identity alone may not be the most effective way in communicating the gallery's qualities. As Matthew Slotover, co-owner of Frieze and Amanda Sharp explain, "a brand for a gallery can also be more effective than the actual identity. I think the graphic identity is a different thing from the brand, which I see as the name. I think what a brand stands for and how people feel about it is much bigger than the logo." This could be a possible area to explore for the redesign of Leeds Art Gallery. To hopefully create an association to the title "Leeds Art Gallery" that attracts more renowned artists and curation in order for the public to take the gallery seriously as a curator of contemporary art.
Williams, E. (2017). Branding the art world - Creative Review. [online] Creative Review. Available at: https://www.creativereview.co.uk/branding-the-art-world/ [Accessed 5 Dec. 2016].
Jansson-Boyd, C. (2010). Consumer psychology. 1st ed. Open University Press.
Saturday, 3 December 2016
Study Task 05 - Research
Context
Client background/history
Leeds Art Gallery
Currently having renovations of their old Victorian roof.
It is the home of contemporary art in the region.
Displays work from "award winning artists, to understated master pieces from emerging lesser known talent".
Vast collection of paintings and sculptures.
Features big local names such as Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Anthony Gormley and Eric Bainbridge.
The gallery has facilities to teach as well as showcase art. These workshops are aimed towards schools and groups and the opportunity to work with local artists.
The Henry Moore Institute next door overseas the administration and curatorial development of the Leeds Museums and gallery's sculpture collection and the relationship between the two is a partnership.
Industry/Sector
Creative sector
Persona 1
Geographic
London
United Kingdom
Demographic
19-24
Student
Low income
Psychographic
Studies at Leeds College of Art
Likes to go on a night out.
Feels freedom studying away from home.
Thinks the Hepworth Wakefield and YSP are the museums only worth visiting in the area.
Persona 2
Geographic
Manchester
United Kingdom
Demographic
United Kingdom
Demographic
25-40
Full Time Creative
Moderate Income
Psychographic
Works in a studio.
Keeps up with the art world.
Goes out of the way to see specific exhibitions.
Frequent poster on instagram.
Social group mainly with other creatives.
Persona 3
Geographic
Leeds
United Kingdom
Demographic
United Kingdom
Demographic
25-40
Businessman
High Income
Psychographic
Father of 3.
Never took an interest in the arts.
Little interest in doing cultural activities during free time.
Travels a lot.
Geographic
Leeds
United Kingdom
Demographic
65+
Elderly
Retired
Psychographic
Enjoy’s cultural activites to spend time.
Indulges in reading.
Businessman
High Income
Psychographic
Father of 3.
Never took an interest in the arts.
Little interest in doing cultural activities during free time.
Travels a lot.
Persona 4
Geographic
Leeds
United Kingdom
Demographic
65+
Elderly
Retired
Psychographic
Enjoy’s cultural activites to spend time.
Indulges in reading.
Typography as discourse
TYPOGRAPHY AS DISCOURSE
McCoy, Katherine, with David Frej, 'Typography as Discourse', ID Magazine, New York, March/April 1988, pp. 34-37.
In 1971, McCoy became co-chair, with her husband Mike McCoy, of the design department at Cranbrook Academy of Art. This indicates a predominantly postmodern paradigm of her teachings and design practice. Being in Cranbrook for 24 years makes McCoy a reliable source to understand the rationales behind New Wave and postmodern design. Her reliability in graphic design is further evidenced by her presidential role at the Industrial Designers Society of America and an elected member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale. She is president of the American Center for Design and recently completed a term as vice-president of the American Institute of Graphic Arts.
McCoy suggests that New Wave was started in the early 70's through a combination of external influences on American design students from Robert Venturi's Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture and Wolfgang Weingart's syntactical experimentation in Basel's school of design. This results in a style that incorporates the layered images and textures that were pioneered by Cubism, Constructivism and Dada which is evident in Weingart's work and the vernacular imagery and colours that reflected the postmodernist architecture that was brought into popular culture. New Wave represents a style that is made up of complex syntactical compositions that abstract type and images.
McCoy also gives a definition of New Wave. "New Wave extends the classical Swiss interest in structure to dissections and recombinations of graphic design's grammar."
Monday, 28 November 2016
Syntax
Reading Wolfgang Weingart's How Can One Make Swiss Typography? inspired a possible area to explore in creating a piece 'ugly' design. He explains how syntax need not be a determining factor in how one understands type. Using Basel and Basle as an example, he explains that despite the two being a German and English variant of the word, it does not matter to either audience, they both understand the meaning of the word despite the misspelling. Weingart's observation of syntax can be supported through Cambridge University's findings in how we read. Their findings conclude that it need not matter if the letters are in the correct order, as long as the first and last letter is in the right place, the reader will still be able to understand because we view words as a whole and not through its individual letterforms.
"Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe."
Shown through this example, the legibility of the text remains the same, whilst the readability is subjective to the readers proficiency in the English language. Experimenting with syntax would be disregarded by modernist designers and interestingly enough not explored by postmodernist designers. There probably is an obvious reason for this as purposely scrambling the letters in a word would often provoke comments of misspelling and an exercise of 'bad design'. Therefore the area of syntax should be explored contextually to what the purpose of the design is and what audience it caters to. Ultimately however incorrect use of syntax will never become an accepted form of type setting because of the way we are taught to correctly spell words. This results in an almost nonexistent use for this exercise in syntax. Furthermore there is a limitation to the extent of incorrect syntax.
"A dootcr has aimttded the magltheuansr of a tageene ceacnr pintaet who deid aetfr a hatospil durg blendur"
In the example above, the longer more complex words of the English language become progressively harder to read as the letters are too jumbled for the human mind to infer the correct word quickly enough for easy reading.
There is also the limitation of how scrambled the words can be before readability becomes negligible. Using 'Graphic Design' as an example, the more the letters are scrambled, the worse the readability of the words becomes, as shown by the worst example of 'Gahirpc Digesn'. In the first experiment, 'Grahpic Deisgn', readability is still relatively retained as the reader can infer the rest of the word despite the slight misspelling. Therefore the extent of scrambling the letters must be considered.
Experimenting with syntax, these two 'posters' feature errors for the reader to find out. The garish colours are meant to confuse and overwhelm the reader, making it harder for them to pick out the errors. In this context syntax becomes more an artistic exercise rather than proving its use in design. The combination of the colours and the syntax error can be related to the anarchist elements of post modern and 'ugly' design.
"Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe."
Shown through this example, the legibility of the text remains the same, whilst the readability is subjective to the readers proficiency in the English language. Experimenting with syntax would be disregarded by modernist designers and interestingly enough not explored by postmodernist designers. There probably is an obvious reason for this as purposely scrambling the letters in a word would often provoke comments of misspelling and an exercise of 'bad design'. Therefore the area of syntax should be explored contextually to what the purpose of the design is and what audience it caters to. Ultimately however incorrect use of syntax will never become an accepted form of type setting because of the way we are taught to correctly spell words. This results in an almost nonexistent use for this exercise in syntax. Furthermore there is a limitation to the extent of incorrect syntax.
"A dootcr has aimttded the magltheuansr of a tageene ceacnr pintaet who deid aetfr a hatospil durg blendur"
In the example above, the longer more complex words of the English language become progressively harder to read as the letters are too jumbled for the human mind to infer the correct word quickly enough for easy reading.
There is also the limitation of how scrambled the words can be before readability becomes negligible. Using 'Graphic Design' as an example, the more the letters are scrambled, the worse the readability of the words becomes, as shown by the worst example of 'Gahirpc Digesn'. In the first experiment, 'Grahpic Deisgn', readability is still relatively retained as the reader can infer the rest of the word despite the slight misspelling. Therefore the extent of scrambling the letters must be considered.
This limitation was also tested in relation to whether grammar helps in the overall readability. As with the previous experiment, the less the scrambling of letters, the more the overall readability. The readability can become easier if the grammatical structure of the original is retained, helping the reader infer the following word.
Experimenting with syntax, these two 'posters' feature errors for the reader to find out. The garish colours are meant to confuse and overwhelm the reader, making it harder for them to pick out the errors. In this context syntax becomes more an artistic exercise rather than proving its use in design. The combination of the colours and the syntax error can be related to the anarchist elements of post modern and 'ugly' design.
Sunday, 27 November 2016
Looking Closer 3
Going through the relevant essays in Looking Closer 3, key statements were identified that can and will be used for both arguments on the success of ugly design. Analysis is limited due to the essays being written in first person and as opinions. Therefore the aim here is to find similar ideologies in designers on typography, to demonstrate that modernist principles that has remained until now and the dismissal of ugly design.
The New Typography Lazlo Moholy-Nagy 1923
In this essay Moholy-Nagy establishes New Typography as efficient clarity purged of aesthetic distraction. He makes it clear to the reader of the roles of typography and how one should use it. Straying from these rules is a failure in typography.
"The emphasis must be on absolute clarity since this distinguishes the character of our own writing from that of ancient pictographic forms."
"Therefore priority: unequivocal clarity in all typographical compositions. Legibility - communication must never be impaired by an priori aesthetics. Letters may never be forced into a preconceived framework, for instance a square."
These two statements on legibility goes against the style of experimental design and can be used for the argument against the success of ugly design.
What is New Typogrpahy? Walter Dexel
"The goal of the new typography is an objective and impersonal presentation, free of individuality."
"Our highest aim is legibility, and our best type is the one which everybody can decipher quickly."
"The message has to be clear, objective and very short."
"Well conceived typography transmits a pleasing effect of balance and harmony apart from its contents, which may not be the aim of art, but shows skill and high-quality workmanship."
Dexel also stresses that design cannot be art and that the public do not care for it. He explains this using an example of "such-and-such cigarette costs fifty cents, art is not the question".
Philosophy in Modernism In Typography Douglas C. McMurtrie
"Typography has become a medium of communication for the people as a whole and not solely for some select group." This is an important point as it implicitly highlights how typography should aim for total legibility and objectivity. By doing so, it allows for type to communicate to almost everyone unlike ugly design. The subjectivity, implicit reasonings and chaotic style of post modernism lowers legibility and thus lowers the amount of people who can understand the design's purpose. This aligns with McMurtrie's point of how design cannot only appeal to a select audience.
"Clarity is the essential feature of modern typography."
"Pretty layouts on the one hand, and exceedingly bizarre arrangements on the other, are to be frowned upon as diverting attention from the message itself to the physical form of its typography, which is considered not as an end in itself, but only as a message be read." In this point McMurtrie is identifying how superficial design, or in some instances ugly design, creates its own downfall. The lack of legibility reduces the purpose of typography delivering its message. By eliminating this purpose the point of its design has failed. Therefore superficial design has no purpose if the legibility of typography is sacrificed for subjective means.
Thinking practically, McMurtrie's point on ornamentation can be a possible design element for a possible ugly poster design. "The only purpose of ornament is to make of the layout an attractive picture, which is not a proper aim, as the sole object should be to get the printed story comprehended by the reader".
"Finally, in modern typography, we are to depend on ourselves alone for the working out of any typographic problem, and not depend on the solutions or practices of another age. We are to do our creative work in the spirit of the present and to let it be truly expressive of our interpretation of the message we are transmitting to readers through the medium of type." In this point it can be inferred that the rationales behind post modernist design can be supported as they are created in the present time when post modernism was gaining exposure. However there is a fallacy in this argument as post modernism is based on breaking the rules of Modernism therefore it has an influence which does not make it truly modern.
New Life In Print Jan Tschichold
Typography signifies the usual ordering of given elements on a plane surface.
The sole aim of design is to create harmonious ordering of the practical requirements.
"The method of New Typography is based upon a clear realisation of purpose and the best means of achieving."
The chief demand of New Typography is most ideal adaption to purpose
In this essay Jan Tschichold raises a point in how typography had to reinvent itself to fit the demands of modern business. Typography had to be changed to make itself "more visually attractive and varied in design" whilst achieving a simpler and a "more easily realisble constructive form". Through this point, Tschichold brings up Dadaism which at the time was pioneering the reinvention of how we view and read type. Interestingly, despite Dadaism's chaotic visuals, Tschichold praises the movement stating that "Dadaism is looked upon as sheer idiocy as many who have not taken the trouble to understand its dynamic". In this regard, it can be said that ugly design can be likened to that of Dadaism. Ugly design is often viewed as ugly at first glances however by understanding the rationales through the designers themselves, the style is easier to understand. However the flaw in this argument is that Dadaism did not last and New typography did in much the same way ugly design is regarded as a trend but elements of modernism is still evident in design today.
Towards a Universal Typeface Herbert Bayer
Bayer explains his requirements for a new alphabet which inspired an possible idea for the practical work. His requirements were that it had to have a geometric foundation of each letter made up of a few basic elements, uniform thickness of all part of the letter and the renunciation of all suggestions of up and down strokes. These requirements can be used when creating a typeface for a poster design.
Whats New in American Typography Herb Lubalin
'Ugly' type in American design can be attributed to the shift in design treatment in advertising. A need for experimentation with the new graphic forms in advertising was from increasing competition in product marketing in the US. The advertisers were creating similar designs that reflected the ads of their competitors. It was difficult to stand out therefore a new way of setting type was experimented with. This caused critical opinions from traditional typographers who shunned the "elimination of leading between the lines and removal of letterspacing" to name some examples. This results in a "loss of a certain amount of legibility" but it comes with justification. This experimentation has led to many classifying modern American typography as ugly.
This point can be used as an area to explore for the practical work and as visual examples to support this claim by Lubalin.
What also is to consider is how these designers were taught. In most cases modernist typographers were taught the modernist way of designing which leads to their opinions on the matter. however designers who were designed differently, Keedy etc, were taught in academies that did not stress modernism enough and allowed for experimentation to flourish. therefore how and where they were taught does have an impact on how they view the role of typography should be.
The New Typography Lazlo Moholy-Nagy 1923
In this essay Moholy-Nagy establishes New Typography as efficient clarity purged of aesthetic distraction. He makes it clear to the reader of the roles of typography and how one should use it. Straying from these rules is a failure in typography.
"The emphasis must be on absolute clarity since this distinguishes the character of our own writing from that of ancient pictographic forms."
"Therefore priority: unequivocal clarity in all typographical compositions. Legibility - communication must never be impaired by an priori aesthetics. Letters may never be forced into a preconceived framework, for instance a square."
These two statements on legibility goes against the style of experimental design and can be used for the argument against the success of ugly design.
What is New Typogrpahy? Walter Dexel
"The goal of the new typography is an objective and impersonal presentation, free of individuality."
"Our highest aim is legibility, and our best type is the one which everybody can decipher quickly."
"The message has to be clear, objective and very short."
"Well conceived typography transmits a pleasing effect of balance and harmony apart from its contents, which may not be the aim of art, but shows skill and high-quality workmanship."
Dexel also stresses that design cannot be art and that the public do not care for it. He explains this using an example of "such-and-such cigarette costs fifty cents, art is not the question".
Philosophy in Modernism In Typography Douglas C. McMurtrie
"Typography has become a medium of communication for the people as a whole and not solely for some select group." This is an important point as it implicitly highlights how typography should aim for total legibility and objectivity. By doing so, it allows for type to communicate to almost everyone unlike ugly design. The subjectivity, implicit reasonings and chaotic style of post modernism lowers legibility and thus lowers the amount of people who can understand the design's purpose. This aligns with McMurtrie's point of how design cannot only appeal to a select audience.
"Clarity is the essential feature of modern typography."
"Pretty layouts on the one hand, and exceedingly bizarre arrangements on the other, are to be frowned upon as diverting attention from the message itself to the physical form of its typography, which is considered not as an end in itself, but only as a message be read." In this point McMurtrie is identifying how superficial design, or in some instances ugly design, creates its own downfall. The lack of legibility reduces the purpose of typography delivering its message. By eliminating this purpose the point of its design has failed. Therefore superficial design has no purpose if the legibility of typography is sacrificed for subjective means.
Thinking practically, McMurtrie's point on ornamentation can be a possible design element for a possible ugly poster design. "The only purpose of ornament is to make of the layout an attractive picture, which is not a proper aim, as the sole object should be to get the printed story comprehended by the reader".
"Finally, in modern typography, we are to depend on ourselves alone for the working out of any typographic problem, and not depend on the solutions or practices of another age. We are to do our creative work in the spirit of the present and to let it be truly expressive of our interpretation of the message we are transmitting to readers through the medium of type." In this point it can be inferred that the rationales behind post modernist design can be supported as they are created in the present time when post modernism was gaining exposure. However there is a fallacy in this argument as post modernism is based on breaking the rules of Modernism therefore it has an influence which does not make it truly modern.
New Life In Print Jan Tschichold
Typography signifies the usual ordering of given elements on a plane surface.
The sole aim of design is to create harmonious ordering of the practical requirements.
"The method of New Typography is based upon a clear realisation of purpose and the best means of achieving."
The chief demand of New Typography is most ideal adaption to purpose
In this essay Jan Tschichold raises a point in how typography had to reinvent itself to fit the demands of modern business. Typography had to be changed to make itself "more visually attractive and varied in design" whilst achieving a simpler and a "more easily realisble constructive form". Through this point, Tschichold brings up Dadaism which at the time was pioneering the reinvention of how we view and read type. Interestingly, despite Dadaism's chaotic visuals, Tschichold praises the movement stating that "Dadaism is looked upon as sheer idiocy as many who have not taken the trouble to understand its dynamic". In this regard, it can be said that ugly design can be likened to that of Dadaism. Ugly design is often viewed as ugly at first glances however by understanding the rationales through the designers themselves, the style is easier to understand. However the flaw in this argument is that Dadaism did not last and New typography did in much the same way ugly design is regarded as a trend but elements of modernism is still evident in design today.
Towards a Universal Typeface Herbert Bayer
Bayer explains his requirements for a new alphabet which inspired an possible idea for the practical work. His requirements were that it had to have a geometric foundation of each letter made up of a few basic elements, uniform thickness of all part of the letter and the renunciation of all suggestions of up and down strokes. These requirements can be used when creating a typeface for a poster design.
Whats New in American Typography Herb Lubalin
'Ugly' type in American design can be attributed to the shift in design treatment in advertising. A need for experimentation with the new graphic forms in advertising was from increasing competition in product marketing in the US. The advertisers were creating similar designs that reflected the ads of their competitors. It was difficult to stand out therefore a new way of setting type was experimented with. This caused critical opinions from traditional typographers who shunned the "elimination of leading between the lines and removal of letterspacing" to name some examples. This results in a "loss of a certain amount of legibility" but it comes with justification. This experimentation has led to many classifying modern American typography as ugly.
This point can be used as an area to explore for the practical work and as visual examples to support this claim by Lubalin.
What also is to consider is how these designers were taught. In most cases modernist typographers were taught the modernist way of designing which leads to their opinions on the matter. however designers who were designed differently, Keedy etc, were taught in academies that did not stress modernism enough and allowed for experimentation to flourish. therefore how and where they were taught does have an impact on how they view the role of typography should be.
Tuesday, 15 November 2016
Study Task 03 - Defining the brief
Research Question
To what extent can ‘ugly design’ be successful?
CoP theme
- Aesthetics
Specific Area
- Typography
Ontology
- Defining the principles of good design
- The emergence of ugly design
- Why its design is considered ugly
- Who and why they are practicing ugly design
- Postmodernist experimentation of typography
Epistemology
- Reading about critical writings on ugly design
- Researching modernism and its designers
- Identifying studios and designers who practice ugly design
- Analysing the rationales behind experimental design
Methodology
- Books in the college library
- Online articles/essays published by designers and critical writers on graphic design
- using trendlist.org as a source to identify the current trends of graphic design
Design Problem
Leeds Art Gallery's current branding is arbitrary and dated. This lowers its appeal against the other galleries within the Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle. In order to better reflect the curation of contemporary artwork inside, an updated identity is required to bring the gallery into modern times.
The re-brand will focus around achieving an ‘ugly design’ solution to the problem. The aim of the rebrand is to evaluate and to demonstrate whether this form of design can be successful on a more commercial application.
Client
Leeds Art Gallery
Requirements
- An updated art direction that reflects the contemporary art curation.
- Focus on creating a typographic solution to help create an identity for the gallery.
Audience
- University students
- Young full-time creatives
The rebrand should be aligned with a style that appeals to young designers/creatives.
Solution should be visually engaging yet mature to give the gallery a professional identity.
Monday, 14 November 2016
Formation of the essay question
It is clear that after reading critical essays on the new era of type design in the 90s, there are two sides that dictate the validity of each others design ideology. The modernist views on typography are heavily grounded upon objectivity and that form follows function. Experimental designers of this period were influenced by subjectivity and individual interpretations of laid type. Post modernist designers aimed to communicate more personal attributes into their designs such as culture. Their personal ambitions define the personality that their typefaces take on, which is opposite to the utilitarian aims of modernist typefaces.
What can be commonly seen in these essays is the eventual dismissal of experimental typography as a valid form of new design. Legibility got favoured for more artistic expressions of typography which got used to an extent where it outweighed the rationales behind the design. This is not to say that post modernist type design was a total failure, designers such as Wolfgang Weingart exercised restraint in his compositions and based his experimentation on similarly modernist principles. What he created was a more approachable form of new wave design that is still celebrated today as compared to the work created by the Cranbrook Academy which demonstrates the extreme of the movement.
Experimental design today however has taken on a new face and is gaining exposure, already becoming a trend. Therefore it seems that post modernist design still resonates to a certain demographic within the design community.
The supporting arugments on both sides and the revival of similarly post modernist examples of design today lead to the forming of the essay question, "To what extent can "ugly design" successful?"
What can be commonly seen in these essays is the eventual dismissal of experimental typography as a valid form of new design. Legibility got favoured for more artistic expressions of typography which got used to an extent where it outweighed the rationales behind the design. This is not to say that post modernist type design was a total failure, designers such as Wolfgang Weingart exercised restraint in his compositions and based his experimentation on similarly modernist principles. What he created was a more approachable form of new wave design that is still celebrated today as compared to the work created by the Cranbrook Academy which demonstrates the extreme of the movement.
Experimental design today however has taken on a new face and is gaining exposure, already becoming a trend. Therefore it seems that post modernist design still resonates to a certain demographic within the design community.
The supporting arugments on both sides and the revival of similarly post modernist examples of design today lead to the forming of the essay question, "To what extent can "ugly design" successful?"
Sunday, 13 November 2016
Barnbrook on typography
Typeface Designs and Text by Jonathan Barnbrook. A revised version of an article published in Emigre no. 23, 1993.
Similarly to Poynor's essay on the subjectivity of experimental typeface design, Barnbrook shares ideas on how typefaces should be more reflective of our culture and ones personality.
Similarly to Poynor's essay on the subjectivity of experimental typeface design, Barnbrook shares ideas on how typefaces should be more reflective of our culture and ones personality.
- One of Barnbrook's key points that contextualises the essay is his claim that "Modernism seems very anti-English". This point effectively sums up why Barbrook favours a more personal approach to typeface design that is more appropriate for its geogrpahical use. He supports this by explaining that Britain was the only country not to have gone under "extreme upheaval in the past few hundred years, which means that the visual vocabulary of Modernism is not necessarily appropriate to England." This point can be supported through Japanese graphic design's unique exercise in restraint and colour palette.
- Barnbrook explains that typography has a "multitude of complex messages given out by different bits of design and their context" which is rendered useless if legibility is the paramount aim.
Subjectivity in type design
Type and Destruction In The Digital Era by Rick Poynor. A revised version of an essay originally published in Typography Now: The Next Wave, 1991.
Looking Closer 2
Rick Poynor offers views against Modernist type design by elaborating on the perspectives of new typographers such as Johnathan Barnbrook, Neville Brody, Emigre Graphics and Jefferey Keedy.
It is important to note that the subjective designs of new typography are usually reflected by subjective views on the rules of typography. British typographer Phil Baines explains that despite the valid reasons of type serving a purpose for logic and linearity, "it is equally important that typography should address...intuitive insight and simultaneous perception..."
Looking Closer 2
Rick Poynor offers views against Modernist type design by elaborating on the perspectives of new typographers such as Johnathan Barnbrook, Neville Brody, Emigre Graphics and Jefferey Keedy.
- Rick Poynor critiques Modernist type design by stating that designers are "reacting against this bloodless neutrality." In the quote "it is the reader's familiarity with face that accounts for their legibility" by Zuzana Licko of Emigre Graphics, Poynor indirectly suggests that Modernism "orderly, linear, well-tempered messages" are not the sole reason as to why it is effective in communicating its message. He supports this claim by stating that the illegible black lettering of Pre-War Germany we see today would have been entirely legible during that period. Therefore the legibility of Swiss Design, according to Poynor, is not based on its principles but its exposure and continued use that has made it become the new paradigm for good design.
- Poynor criticises the principles established by authoritarian Mordernists by stating that their strict rules on type has left typography to "only a single authorised reading" and are rejected by these new designers as being "too corporate, inflexible and limiting." The new typographers as Poynor identifies, "relish ambiguity, preferring the provisional utterance, alternative take, and delayed punchline to the finely honed phrase."
- What these new typographers share is the idea that typography should not be a linear medium in communicating its message. Using Barry Deck of CalArts view on the transparency of typography, Poynor explains that the aim should be "to promote multiple rather than fixed readings, to provoke the reader into becoming an active participant in the construction of the message." Keedy supports this view on typography by stating that a designer should use typography to "create a situation for people to do with it what they will, and you don't create an enclosed or encapsulated moment."
- By going against the rigid and objective views on typography, graphic design has the potential to be more reflective of the cultural period. Typographers who use subjectivity in their designs are ensuring that with every brief, it comes with a "specific identity and tone of voice." This can be evidenced through Brody's typeface design for The Face magazine, which embodied "new perspectives on contemporary culture in the magazines editorial content." Taking this further, type design can also be a form of social commentary, as Brody's Typeface Two highlighted the "social climate of the 1930's and 80's" by being authoritarian in mood.
It is important to note that the subjective designs of new typography are usually reflected by subjective views on the rules of typography. British typographer Phil Baines explains that despite the valid reasons of type serving a purpose for logic and linearity, "it is equally important that typography should address...intuitive insight and simultaneous perception..."
- Poynor counter argues the relative effectiveness of experimental typography by equating the designs to Andy Altman of Why Not Associates describes as "type as entertainment", where by the function of the text is overruled by the subjective forms of its design that can "infuriate the reader". The uncontrolled letterforms of this movement provide little legibility when it comes to writing long lines of text. The subjective forms are thus mainly limited to display typefaces.
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