by Sam Edwards

NEW GRAPHIC DESIGNI have been asked to submit design proposals for a new graphic design publication entitled NEW GRAPHIC DE-SIGN. The first issue will focus on form follows function- an exploration of Modernism and Post Modernism.

To be able to create a valid, relevant idea I first have to understand the concepts of Modernism and Post Modernism; the origins, philosophies, social and political concerns and the general underlying meanings of the movements.

I also need to concentrate on how the movements influenced the design world and what particular aspects each movement used.

MODERNISMThe simple definition of Modernism is “A style or movement in the arts that aims to break with classical and traditional forms”. In layman’s terms the term refers to modern thoughts, character or practice. The

modernist movement arises from the dramatic changes to society in the late 19th and early 20th century. In particular the movement came about after the dramatic industrialisation of modern cites followed by

the traumatic World War 1.

The Modernist really reflects the shun away from realism. The modernist would make use of works from the past through the application of reprise, incorporation, rewriting, recapitulation, revision and parody in new forms. The modernist wanted

to get the traditional ideas of art, religion and politics and update them to a more plausible idea due to the constant modernisation of the industrial

world and new theories being uncovered.

MODERNISM IN DESIGNBy 1930, Modernism had entered popular culture. With the increasing urbanization of populations, it was beginning to be looked to as the source for ideas to deal with the challenges of the day. Popular culture, which was not derived from high culture but instead from its own realities (particularly mass production) fueled much modernist innovation. Modern ideas in art appeared in commercials and logos, the famous London Under-ground logo being an early example of the need for clear, easily recognizable and memorable visual symbols. One of the most visible changes of this period is the adoption of objects of modern production into daily life. Electricity, the telephone, the automobile—and the need to work with them, repair them and live with them—created the need for new forms of manners, and social life. The kind of disruptive moment which only a few knew in the 1880’s, became a common occurrence.

Now the ‘modernist’ designer was all about being bold, simple and getting the message across rather than the out dated style which the world was used to. Many different designers adopted the modernist approach and movements of design were even created in light of this.

SWISS GRAPHIC DESIGN MOVEMENTThe International Type Style also known as the Swiss style is a design movement, which

originated in the 1950’s in Switzerland. The style focuses on cleanliness, readability and ob-jectivity. The key factors of the style are asymmetric layouts, the use of a grid and. sans-serif

typefaces

INTIAL IDEAS FOR SWISS DESIGN MOVEMENT

HANS NEUBERGHans Neuburg was born in Austria-Hungary in 1904. Graduating in 1922 he worked in numerous areas of graphic design. Over the following years he and other key figures in the Swiss design movement established the Neue Grafik magazine.

He style really emphasis the Swiss style. Simple, asymmetrical shapes and lines with a focus on content rather than design.

WIM CROUWELWim Crouwel is a Dutch Graphic designer. He studied Fine Arts at Academie Minerva. He was one

of the founders of the design studio TOTAL DESIGN. A real impact on the graphic design world his style continued the strong influence of the Swiss Design movement.

The grid system, compliant with Swiss design, is ever present in Crouwels work. The use of columns, grids and space to create a design formula all contribute to his style.

I want to again experiment with this style to see If I can gain a greater understanding of its relevance.

PAUL RANDPaul Rand (1914-1996) was one of the originators of the Swiss style. He was educated at Par-

sons The New School For Design and later on taught design at Yale. He is most famous for his corporate logo designs and clients include IBM, UPS and ABC.

Rands philosophy was that design was an effective business tool. As other modernists his style is very simple and basic yet has a style which makes it appealing to the eye and consumer

friendly.

JOSEF MULLER BROKMANNJosef Muller Brockmann was born in Switzerland 1914. He stud-ied design at the university of Zurich and began his career as an apprentice to the designer Walter Diggelman before establishing his own studio specialising in graphic and photography in 1936. It is said “that his work was an adaptation of concrete art; which had been described by Theo van Doesburg around 1930, as works of art that are created by means of art’s most genuine means of composition and principles, entirely doing without allusions to phenomenon of nature and their abstraction. New realities were supposed to be created by forming colors, space, light and move-ment.”

Basically Brockmann again thought as design as a important process to an outcome rather than another branch of arts vast enormity.

My interpretation of what I think the Swiss style represents and the rules the use.

IDEAS AFTER LOOKING AT CROUWEL AND NEUBERG

POST MODERNISMPostmodernism is a term that describes a response towards a certain type of culture and thought. Post modernists reject the idea of objective truth. Unlike modernists, who think universal and social progress comes from science and knowledge, the postmodernist ‘reacts against earlier modernist principles, as by reintroducing traditional or classical elements of style or by carrying modernist styles or practices to extremes’. In terms of design this era defies definition, the mix of classic modern thoughts with outlandish wild ideas. Postmodernism shattered ideas about style by bringing freedom to art which had never been seen before. Postmodernism was a drastic move away from the simplicity and aware-ness of modernism. The postmodernist would completely oppose of the mod-ernist view and try and use dreary items to represent the opposite future of what the modernists had in mind.

Further on into the movement the post modernist really came to call. What at first had became a radical movement became the prominent look of the design decade(1980s). The typical postmodern designer then would exaggerate style statements using wild teqniques. Image was everything in this era, the post-punk culture reflects this new side to post modernism.

After a boom in the design era, however, the popularity of the cult was indeed its downfall. The excitement and complexity where enormously influential in the 80’s and we still see glimmers of its style in this modern day.

EXAMPLES OF POST MODERNIST DESIGN

WOLFGANG WEINGARTWolfgang Weingart was born in Germany 1941. He is internationally known as a graphic designer and typographer and is created as the father of New Wave or Swiss Punk typography. His influence as a teacher at Switzerland’s Basel School of Design has had a major influence on the look of postmodern graphic design.

Still influenced by the geometry of rectangles, Weingarts ‘stair-stepping’ visual motif would be so influential it has became a mark of post modern graphic design. Weingart questioned the cleanliness of the Swiss move-ment and in such his work let him explore and experiment with the ‘exact rules’ of typography. He liked to explore different medias and techniques in his work to create the ‘postmodern’ design style.

NEVILLE BRODYWolfgang Weingart was born in Germany 1941. He is internationally known as a graphic designer and ty-

pographer and is created as the father of New Wave or Swiss Punk typography. His influence as a teacher at Switzerland’s Basel School of Design has had a major influence on the look of postmodern graphic design.

He was one of the first to explore this new postmodern language and later on in life he used these ideas and set new precedents

through the innovative styling of The Face magazine (1981-1986). It was his work on magazines that firmly established his reputation

as one of the world’s leading graphic designers.

MY INTREPATION OF POST MODERN DESIGN

NEW GRAPHIC DESIGN-FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION

I have been asked to create a broad sheet entitled ‘New Graphic Design’ with the ethos being form follows function. I need to use the research I have done to make a broadsheet concentrating on theme form follows function- an exploration of modern-ism and post modernism.

Firstly I will need to create a MASTHEAD, which will be on the front on the magazine. It needs to be relevant to the content and appealing to the eye. I will have to experiment with different ideas until I think I achieve the right style.

I then have to make two double page spreads using content from my research. These pages should also be designed in a rele-vant way and be in keeping with the content.

I finally then have to make a back page for the magazine also in keeping with the theme.

INITAL REASEARCH OF MASTHEAD DESIGNS

INITAL MASTHEAD IDEAS

EXPERIMENTING WITH DIFFRENT LAYOUTS

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD LAYOUT IDEAS

DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD LAYOUT IDEAS

FINAL IDEA

BACK PAGE

fin