Where is Graphic Design Heading??

[DanH]

Hello everyone

This seems to be the place to come when seeking knowledge. You have probably heard this one before but I have a small paper to write on where I think grahic design is going in the future.

With the advancements of technology rapidly changing everything we can achieve, how have design ethics changed. Are we losing the ethics of good design or is it part of the process of design evolution?

Any thoughts? they would be much appreciated.

[PrintDriver]

Today's rant begins with the word 'Time'

Time Scheduling: The ethics of good design are being lost to the ever decreasing time schedule. No one EVER gives a designer/lab/fabricator enough time to do the job to the level that it could be done. My boss is always complaining about email and how we've come to rely on it to get things done in days that we used to have weeks to do. PDF's have become the norm for everything from construction drawings to proofs to color matches (the last at your own risk!). Things get missed, designs are changed at the last minute, graphic files are sent at the last minute. About the only thing that hasn't changed is how long it takes me to get a print out of the printer. Sometimes it is just not phycisally possible to turn around a job in the amount of time given or we have to work overnight and the client screams bloody murder at the rush charge...
Go figure.

Specialization is for insects...

R.H.

[defjoe]

^what he said^

'I will become the most powerful Jedi ever!'

[LTG]

I thought it was just newspapers (throw away graphic design) that wanted everything done at the last minute but I'm discovering that most people don't plan ahead enough and wait until the last minute to try to put something together and then like PD said, they are making last minute changes or sending in files in a helter skelter fashion - and then they want my total focus and quality work instantaneously - never mind that I've gone on to something else while I'm waiting for them to get their act together (not that I have a fraction of the work load that I'm sure PD does).

I think people these days are generally a self-centered bunch - kinda like the selfish, spoiled girl from the 'Willie Wonka' movie who was always saying, 'I WANT IT NOW' and expected it - and it is affecting every area of life - even graphic design and art. Quality takes time - in food prep, construction, relationships and in art. I've gotten to the point where I'm telling people that the more they have their stuff together and the more time they can give me will result in them getting a better quality product and they'll end up paying less.

I also think that technology has 'perfected' everything so much that sometimes that it has taken away from the charm and individuality of hand-done graphic arts. Of course that can also be one of the positive things about technology so that if you make a mistake all you have to do is hit 'control z' and move right along rather than having to start over from scratch if it's a major oops.

If it wasn't for the last minute nothing would ever get done.
(When I grow up I want to be just like Keyare! He does excellent work - even when he's trying to not to.)

[PrintDriver]

LOL @ LTG
Love the 'I want it NOW' analogy.
Let's not go into a work load that funnels jobs from 8 project managers through 2 graphic techs...

Specialization is for insects...

R.H.

[Gavin Joule]

Time really is the big obstacle as PD metioned, but are we to blame ourselves? Back in the day, I used to mark up my type, send it off for overnight setting, get it back the next morning, correct it and send a new mark up back, get the corrections the next day and start the paste up. In the meantime I was marking up other type, designing other jobs and doing artwork. The attention to detail was much greater, I was paying some guy to set my text and he did a fantastic high quality job, paying attention to kerning, using headline fonts for headlines and text fonts for text (remember that?)

Now I get my text emailed to me and I do the 'setting'. Do I spend as much time and effort on getting it right? Well most of the time yes, but with time constraints the way they are how many clients will take a later delivery because I needed to 'sort some kerning issues'?

In part it is a designers job to explain to a client why we still need the time, be strong, time = quality.

But in part I have to blame the design education given to folks these days, far too much emphasis on computer skills, rather than attention to detail and quality thought and problem solving.

Jeez I sound like an old git.... :)

http://www.gavinjouledesign.com/www-docs/resourses/whattoput.gif

[Magnus]

Do you guys think that the level of creativity, or artistic ability has diminished since the role of the computer has become more important? Do you guys think that if a school doesn't teach a well rounded curriculum, that graduates may be lacking in some areas, thus affecting the design industry in a negative manner?

(I'm just asking...no evidence on my part to support this question!)

- There is a difference between knowing the path, and walking the path.

[Gavin Joule]

Personally I think the level of typographic awareness has gone down the pan, the times I have seen the most godawful letterspacing and kerning on big budget jobs continues to amaze, don't even start me on apostrophes!. Hmmm a pet hate.

Computers though do allow for more creativity if used as a tool rather than means to an end. Things I could never practically do before are now available, if anyone remembers when 'ghosting' back areas of images for type became popular before computers you will know what a pain that was to specify and get right.

I am as guilty as the next person when feeling uninspired. Using the programme as my lead, rather than my creativity. My real thing with teaching is the fact that it has moved from being a time to 'explore creativity' to being a more vocational, skills based experience, and for me thats not a Design education. Not applicable to all colleges obviously and a hugh generalisation :)

G
x

?

[DanH]

I have been fortunate enough to have a good typograpgher as a tutor and he has stressed to us the importance typography plays in the role of design. It does seem however that with the introduction of auto tracking, kerning on computer software has lead to many being satisfied by the computer generated averages for spacing and do not spend enough time on what actually looks right.

Thanks for the responses thay have been a big help.
If I have any more questions I will not hesitate to ask

[PrintDriver]

Good luck with the project DanH.
Don't hesitate to ask.
As you can see we're a talkative bunch once we get on a roll.

Specialization is for insects...

R.H.

[LTG]

Sometimes stuff I read on GDF gives me something to think about all day and I've been thinking about the question of methods of education and whether the vocational or the creativity ends of the business should be emphasized. As to the last question, I supposed it depends on what area of graphic design you plan to specialize in - whether the more creative artist/illustration/logos/cutting-edge design stuff or the everyday production oriented newpaper/newsletter/biz card/letterhead/brochure stuff and if the answer is both/everything, then wouldn't both sides need to have equal emphasis? And as to ed methods - do any of you think that more of an mentoring/apprenticeship model of education would better serve the field (more like artists way back when).

If it wasn't for the last minute nothing would ever get done.
(When I grow up I want to be just like Keyare! He does excellent work - even when he's trying to not to.)

Ahh. You have to get the Print Magazine March/April eddition. It touches on what schools should teach in Design Majors and it might hit our question right on the bulls eye. I haven't read it yet but it looks promising from the skiming I've done. I just haven't had the time to read through it. LOL! isn't that what everyone else it touching on... But seriously there are more factors that play a role in where the industry is heading from what I can see it's technology driven and at the same time many designers are lagging in technology. Just read the article in Print, page 42.

http://www.cbcamerica.com/images/webshots/banner-design.jpg
'Adventure, Excitement, A Jedi craves not these things.'
'Anger...fear...aggression. The dark side of the Force are they.'

[PrintDriver]

You don't need the technology to be a good designer. I still have people sending me stuff in Q4 and Freehand7 and working on G3's. Nothing wrong with their designs. Course a lot more goes into their Photoshop work. If there is one program that really needs to be kept current, I think it is Photoshop. But even there, unless you are doing the art for art's sake, there is a limit.

Even with the latest in technology I've seen some pretty bad design. Magnus has a valid point in some schools simply teaching the programs and not even focusing on whether the person using the program is creating good design. Text and layouts are the a big ones. If it doesn't look pleasing, no one will read it. If it's confusing, no one will get it. I bet some designers wonder what Ligatures are in InDesign because using them can be set as a preference.

Also with increasing technology, designers have become far too creative when it comes to logos. Simple, clean, recognizable, and easily reproducible is the way to go. I've seen some things, even on this forum, that I would really hate to see come into my shop. Well, not really as I like a challenge, but you as a client would really hate the pricetag.

Specialization is for insects...

R.H.

[DanH]

I believe you are right about the apprenticeship role in education to a large extent. After doing copious amounts of work experience around London, UK I can see the benefits of gaining knowledge through placements. But I do feel that college courses if the right tutors are available gives a young designer a good overall view on the many internal disciplines of Graphic Design. Placements can sometimes create bad habits and when you are in a learning environment sometimes they can be hard to lose. A bit of both is the best answer in my opinion. We have some American students studying with us this year and the difference in the way they have been taught is amazing. So I suppose it matters where and what you want to do. And you have to be a bit lucky tutor wise.

[PrintDriver]

I'd be really curious DanH what the differences are between UK and US students.
'Amazing' in a good or bad way?

Specialization is for insects...

R.H.

[DanH]

Well the main difference and the one that stood out was that the American students had lectures and course modules based on certain key software programs such as ILLUSTRATOR AND PHOTOSHOP.
This differs quite a bit from my college modules. Obviously all colleges aren't the same but in our college we are steered more towards working in sketchbook format a long time before we use computers. It may just be my tutors views but we do not have any formal modules dedicated to the learning of software. We have allocated time for computer use but I learnt all I know on the Mac by myself.

Not having this training does make you appreciate the 'idea' stage of a project and this does help in coming up with a solid foundation of ideas to take to the computer. But with the use of computers so important these days (well thats how I see it now) it is very difficult to avoid the use of computers early on rather than personal creativity and your brain.
I may be wrong about that but it seems that way today.

DanH you need both.

One thing my school had was that all the intro classes where in the first semester and while we were learning how to turn on mac we were also learning how to draw still life. I think a feel for both has to be taught or you will lack in one area. Also you can get a production job in Graphic Design and never be creative so software is very important. The thing is just cause you use Quark all day doesn't mean your a designer. Graphic Arts is the field but you can be a designer, production person, pre-press, etc. So learning to use color and design is a help but in this diverse field you need to be able to do mulitple things and in some small shops you will do all things.

http://www.cbcamerica.com/images/webshots/banner-design.jpg
'Adventure, Excitement, A Jedi craves not these things.'
'Anger...fear...aggression. The dark side of the Force are they.'

[PrintDriver]

Benjo's right. You need both.
But even I have noticed that a lot of US designers, fresh out of school, really do know the application programs fairly well but they have not quite as much concept of how to layout a design. I think if they did more preliminary sketches for design (not still life) I wouldn't have quite so many last minute changes.

When I was in college, computers were just starting to be used for design. Our drawing classes, Illustration, 2-D and color all emphasized design as well as technique. If the design element wasn't there you sure got blasted at critique. I don't think it's the same now. The 'hand work' and the comp courses have gone seperate ways.

Specialization is for insects...

R.H.

Yea layout is extremly important. The gride system wich I didn't learn in school is amazing for layout. You have to see everything as shapes kind of like drawing this opens up whole new doors to designing as far as imagination and like Print said there are mechanical rules that everyone should follow.

http://www.cbcamerica.com/images/webshots/banner-design.jpg
'Adventure, Excitement, A Jedi craves not these things.'
'Anger...fear...aggression. The dark side of the Force are they.'

[blueboy]

DanH, which college did you attend (it all sounds familiar to me), I think it all depends on what college you attend. I chose my college based on the fact that I wanted to be able to experiment a lot more than would have been possible at other colleges. I don't regret it at all because I really enjoyed it, but I do feel as though I missed out on getting my mac/pc skills sharpened up. I too had to teach myself all the IT skills.
But I do think design is design led and not dependant on the latest version of Photoshop or it's filters.

I may be drunk, but your ugly and in the morning i'll be sober.