【Art & Design English-42】The Universal Arts of Graphic Design (平面設計的通用藝術)

The Universal Arts of Graphic Design First and foremost, graphic design has to communicate something. But good graphic design makes people's lives better. You have to find a way to make sense of how to make something beautiful and, to me, you're speaking for them. As a graphic designer, concept is the first thing; idea and life. Graphic design is essentially a language for living. Graphic design is about using words and images to convey a message. Graphic designers have to know a lot about color theory, typography, how to create a grid. But those are all really basic. You have to be somebody that is really interested in understanding human behavior, being able to understand how they think, how they choose, how they buy, how they believe. People probably don't think about how much graphic design impacts them. We use graphic design to cross the street, to decide what we want to eat and how much we want to eat. We use graphic design to pay our bills, to get married. We use graphic design to get divorced. We use graphic design in every single aspect of human life right now and people tend to like things best when they feel that they are respected by that thing. But I think, ultimately, if it moves you, whether it be a good emotion or a bad emotion, chances are that it's effective because it's getting you to think about something and it's getting you to potentially take action. When I work on package design I like for there to be an idea behind it. I like for there to be some wit, some language, some feeling that there is a human hand behind what you are interacting with. Like, for instance, matchbooks are one of my favorite things to design. It's this nice intimate moment between you and the smoker or candlelighter because you have the reveal that can be completely surprising. For the Spice Market, we turned them into these little incense boxes. I like to think about the product like I'm the consumer. So, when we were working on the kleenex project, we learned that, for some people, choosing which pattern on the box to take home is a huge part of their day. So, I think about what would give me a moments pleasure when interacting with that thing. The Mercer Hotel was a really interesting project that was very clean and very understated and witty. And not necessarily witty in the design but also witty in the language. Like, for instance, there's always that sign on the bathrobe that says "If you take it, you're going to have to pay for it." But we didn't want to say that in such a crass way, so we just made a sign that very simply said "disrobe" and then, when you turned it over, it said "is available for purchase in the lobby. " And, so, sometimes maybe beautiful isn't exactly what it should be. Maybe it needs to be quirky or maybe it needs to be ugly or maybe it needs to be invisible. So, I think you're always solving what it has to look like visually based on what it needs to be conceptually. A lot of times when people talk about signage and environmental graphics they think that it always involves letters but it really involves landmarks, creating a moment that somebody remembers and immediately understands. Graphic designers aren't trained necessarily to think in dimension but you do need to identify things within space that the architecture wouldn't necessarily be doing otherwise; through color and type and light. Working on the signage for Bloomberg's offices, they wanted people to use the stairs. We thought if people are intended to use this space, why don't we at least make it interesting to use. If you can make the space interesting people will want to be there. It really involves creating a moment that somebody remembers and immediately understands. Bridge designs are decorations that we have proposed for the city of Pittsburgh and our proposal was to, essentially, make those moments special moments. So it could just be a paint job or it could be using light in a certain way to highlight that feature as a gateway to the north side. Every building has a timeline of your experience with it. What's the cover of this book and then how does that play out as one navigates through the space where your mind actually solves the problem. So, there's a process of discovery there. Should you judge a book by its cover? I would really like to say yes, but I think that there's a lot of really good books out there that don't have good covers. My guiding philosophy in design is forever going to change, I think. You have to understand the responsibility you have in terms of there's someone at the end of the line there that actually cares about what you're doing and you have to give it a voice. I never like to pin myself down to one different style and, to me, that's what's fun about design as opposed to an illustrator's style. You can wear different hats. The artistic expression, that is the art of it. Getting into the mind of a book, expressing what the book is about, making it beautiful and grabbing people's attention. You always care about what are you reading first and that's based on contrast of size, contrast of color, is the title more important than the author, can you read it from across the store or not. You know, these are the things that I think about on a daily basis. You have to understand where this book fits in the world of books. The Day the World Ends is a poetry book and here's an example of well, what do you focus on? You have all these different poems that are about different things so I broke the type up a little bit and the author just connected with it. If you love the content, you want something to come up in your head when you think about it. So, any successful book cover is something that you want to hold in your hand. It's unexpected, smart, and beautiful but at the end of the day you just want to put it on your book shelf face out because it means something to you. We use graphic design now in many ways to convey who we are as people, to define affiliations, to signal beliefs. If you can contribute to making peoples lives a little bit better and elevating the general level of design, then why not? If you know how you want to make them feel, that's the most important thing. You just want to make something memorable. I say, do what you think is right and interesting and smart and then worry about what the survey says.
References (optional) t & Design English- 02】What is Art For? Discussion Questions (Art) How great is your interest in art? What’s the best art gallery you’ve been to? Do you like modern art? What do you think of installation art? Do you ever think a lot of art is not really art? Do you have a favorite artist? What kind of art do you like – paintings, sculpture, ceramics, etc.? What is art? Does art change the way you think or feel? Do you think anyone can be an artist or do you need a special talent? Do you think all children should study art at school? Do you think children should learn the history of art? Do you think a painting can really be worth a million (or more) dollars? Do you think today’s artists are as good as those from hundreds of years ago? What was the last painting/poster/piece of art you bought? Why did you buy it? Describe the pieces of artwork in your house. What kind of art is your country famous for? What kind of life do you think an artist’s is? Do you have any artistic talents? How would the world be different without artists? Discussion Questions (Design) How would you define design? How do you know if something is designed well? Do you think design is important? Why? Have you ever designed anything? What are some well-designed products? What are some poorly designed products? Are there any designers you admire? Have you done any interior design in your home? What are some examples of good design that you appreciate? Why? How does design influence our daily experiences and interactions with products and environments? Can you think of any iconic designs or designers that have made a significant impact on society? What are some key principles or elements of design? How does cultural and historical context influence design aesthetics? Can you describe a design project or process that you have been involved in or observed? How does user experience (UX) design contribute to the functionality and usability of products and services? What role does sustainability play in design? Share examples of environmentally conscious design practices. How can design be used to solve social and humanitarian challenges? What are some current trends in design that you find interesting? How does technology influence the field of design? Discuss the impact of digital tools and software. Can you think of any examples of design that have sparked controversy or provoked discussions? How can design be inclusive and accessible to people with diverse abilities and backgrounds? Can you share any examples of designs that evoke specific emotions or create a particular atmosphere? How does design differ across various disciplines, such as graphic design, industrial design, or interior design? What are some ethical considerations in design? Discuss the responsibility of designers towards users and society. Can you think of any design failures or instances where poor design affected the user experience? What lessons can be learned from them? How can design thinking be applied beyond traditional design fields to problem-solving and innovation? What skills and qualities do you think are essential for a successful career in design? How has technology influenced the field of graphic design in recent years? Can you think of any examples of design that successfully blend form and function? Explain why they are effective. How does cultural diversity influence design aesthetics and the portrayal of different cultures in design? What are some key considerations in designing user interfaces for mobile applications? Can you describe a design project that aims to address sustainability or environmental issues? How does typography contribute to the overall design and message of printed materials? What are some effective ways to gather user feedback during the design process? How can color psychology be utilized in design to evoke specific emotions or convey certain messages? Can you think of any examples where design played a crucial role in shaping a company’s brand identity? What are the main differences between designing for print media and designing for digital media? How can design be used to improve accessibility for individuals with disabilities? Can you describe a design trend that you find intriguing? Why do you think it has gained popularity? How does packaging design influence consumer perception and purchasing decisions? What ethical considerations should designers keep in mind when creating advertisements or marketing materials? How has social media influenced the field of design and the way designers showcase their work? Can you think of any innovative design solutions that have improved people’s lives in developing countries? What are some challenges in designing for virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) experiences? How does design impact the gaming industry, particularly in terms of user interface and user experience? Can you describe a famous architectural design that has become an iconic landmark? What makes it significant? How do cultural symbols and icons influence design choices, especially in international contexts? Discussion Questions (Art Culture) How often do you go to art museums? Do you consider yourself to be artistic? What do you think about modern art paintings? How many forms of art can you name? What is your favorite form of art? Is graffiti art? Why or why not? What is the most famous statue in your country? Who is your favorite artist? Why do you like them so much? Do you think that art is important to society? Why? Have you ever tried drawing, painting, sculpting, or something else artistic? What is the most famous painting in your country? What is traditional art like in your culture? What country do you think is the most creative? Why is art so expensive? Do you think it should be more, or less, expensive? Do you have any artistic friends? What kinds of art do they create?