Topic: Art & Design

Art and Design, technically speaking, are two different things.  Design is a process that is successfully identified as “Design” if a practical purpose is fulfilled and the goal of a project is determined by a client, or other people.  Art is enthusiastically practiced by those who wish to pursue their own goals and by doing so, influences and manipulates the audience’s feelings. Artists have the ability to generate a purpose. Designers must follow through with the purpose generated. However, this is all technical. The reality displays itself as both the acknowledgement of them being two separate practices, and the realization that when elements of Art and Design meet, they augment each other; whether by creating a purpose, or following one. They follow a balance.

A Hypothetical Conversation with Hella Jongerius

Louise Schouwenberg writes out what a Hypothetical conversation between her, and renowned designer Hella Jongerius, might have been like.

The topic just so happened to be about the difference in significance a designer might hold to the functionality and purpose of an object, in opposition to the value an artist might place in the presentation of the object of significance. To be more specific on the matter, vases originally functioned as an object to tell a story, so as a designer you seek to use a vase for story telling purposes.  Artists look for vases to put flowers in because it seems to work effectively as a flower holder.

The artist has discovered a new purpose; a new function for a vase. It doesn’t destroy the originally designed idea of the object, but instead boosts its appeal because of its creative “dual” functionality. Thus, it serves as the perfect example of effective balance between Art and Design. Knowing when to be “artistic” when designing is essential in any desire to be a successful designer.

Art’s Little Brother

Little Brother? No way.  Design shouldn’t be looked at as inferior to art; it balances way to well with it to be considered something lower. “DesignArt” couldn’t describe the relationship between Art and Design any clearer. It’s something new, as if Art and Design had a love child, you know?

I agree with Alex Coles and his statement, “A key issue to keep in mind while thinking through designart is all art is designed even it endeavors to appear otherwise.” Art with purpose, Design with creative intensity and effective clear appeal to the mass. This “phenomenon” as proposed by Rick Poynor, seems to guide present day designers and artist toward a greater practice. He says, “There are more passionate, less detached designers just as there are highly cerebral artists.”

Designers like Hella Jongerius blur the line between art and design.

Vernacular Design

"We're Here To be Bad"

So, there IS in fact an impending doom in a Graphic Designer's career according to Tibor Kalman and Karrie Jacobs in their article We're Here to be Bad. The point at which the perfect balance between creative intuitiveness and the ability to follow instruction becomes swayed. The point at which designers fall into the cracks of so many other designers and produce only "good" work in sake of the client's pleasure, rather than "great" work that relays a message to the client.

What sets these designers apart from other designers? Individuality gets thrown out the door. This is where the field becomes competitive and "great" designers either become rare or impossible to find. In any case, the point of this article is to serve as a reminder to what power you have as a Graphic Designer. Become "bad". It means that you should realize that design is what usually sells a the company rather than the product, and that designers hold this power. 

There are companies that hire designers or people in general who look for designers, and these clients are numb to "good" design; in tune to the belief that imitating big named companies and professional designers is the key to success,. Switch it up. Create bad, but efficient and functional, design. Something that hits home to the audience and makes them sit uneasy. You'll come to understand  that "bad" design such as this turns out to be the equivalent of "great" design. You stand out as a designer with skills and awareness of his/her audience and the effects of your design on them. So keep in mind:

• Lack of creativity = Lack of great work
• Graphic Designers run shit, in actuality. But only when we create "inappropriate design"; design that goes      against professional standards.
• Realize your job as a communication designer, and not as a slave graphic artist

"Professionalism, Amateurism and the Boundaries of Design"

What is deemed "professional", and what is deemed "amateur" in the world of Design? Technically speaking, professional is classified as work done by a designer who has gone to school and served as an apprentice under another "professional" before his/her time. This makes sense because it is a process of gaining higher level of experience to strive in the field of design. But, why is it that some "amateurs" who self teach themselves the dynamics of the field, who have the capability to produce work that equals the work of a "professional"? 

Technological advances, leaks, and learning tools available in the most inexpensive acquirable locations, make it possible for any and everyone to pick up on the practice of design. So what sets the bar from Graphic Design being more of an occupation rather than a hobby? Mentioned in the excerpt, there was a movement called the "Morris' Arts and Crafts Movement" which tried to push "accessibility, democratization, and ambiguity" into the practice of design during the 19th Century.

Nevertheless, "professionalism" sticks with its definition in design, and is acknowledged as a separate entity from "amateurism" still. However, some qualities of being an amateur should not be overlooked.

• Given the accessibility of designer tools and knowledge the whole aspect of professionalism in design can be re-thought.
• Amateurism can give way to creative intuitiveness within professionalism. So it serves a significant purpose.

Vernacular Design is the visual slang of the design world. To truly understand, you must know the in's and out's of the "visual language".

Sustainability

          As a Graphic Designer, you can eradicate irresponsible paper usage totally with some cautious, thoughtful, and conscious decisions on how you use it. You should possess the conservational mentality as the Native Americans did with buffalo, so to speak; using every piece of the animal for their survival. With design it's very much the same thing, although its more about effectiveness than survival.

In any case, 10 ways Graphic Designers can use paper more efficiently:

1. Use printers specific to the print job.

2. Create a smaller, but still communicatively effective, design for a job/project.

3. Don't print unless it is the absolute final job/project.

4. Utilize the excess paper used for previous projects as scrap or as towards the next project.

5. Use both sides of the paper for any job/project if printing a design, or preparing for a design and sketching 

    ideas.

6. Keep the size of the paper proportioned to the design if possible.

7. Use cheaper paper for drafts or sketches. ( i.e Newsprint)

8. Brainstorm fully on a sheet of paper. Fill a paper completely before contemplating disposal.

9. Find multiple uses for paper before you actually use a paper. (Plan for failure)

10. Hone your skills before you start your job as a Graphic Designer! Make yourself as inexpensive as possible when it comes to resources being bought for you. (If you suck as a designer don't design)

A design that is environmentally responsible is the "Green" Pizza Box.

Literally transformed into a device that still functions as an effective holder to pizza, but each piece of the box is designed to serve multiple purposes geared to preserving the earth and being eco-friendly.