Essay - Graphic Design History

Haven't done something like this in a while, so I figured I'd do it in a public arena so that you can see the inane methods to my awful essay writing. This is an essay due tomorrow. I am starting it ... now.

Topic? Alright I think I've got this narrowed down to something like "how does war influence trends in design?" but more eloquent? ... hmmm "What is the effect of war on the climate of design, its aesthetic and communicative methods, not only during but after the time of conflict" Something like that, anyway.

Okay, need 3 images, graphic design from periods pre 1900, 1900 - 1955, 1955 onward. Hmm, okay, the 1900 - 1955 is easy, I'll go with "Cut with a kitchen knife Dada through the last Weimar beer-belly cultural epoch of Germany" by Hannah Hoch, photomontage, crazy dadaist absurdity, 1919, lots of german post war angst, perfect.

The pre 1900 might be the trickiest, trying to work in the art neauvau thing, I can't think of a crazy design movement that happened because of any war before 1900 (at least not one we've covered in class). I might have to come back to this one.

Okay, 1955 onwards. I know the international style was born out of WW2, there was the fact that there was a huge shortage of all kinds of stuff after WW2 that could have contributed to the minimalist feeling of the images. I think I'll go with the VOLG grape juice poster from 1962 by Brockmann for this period, a good example of the minimalist feeling. Plus I could talk about it being unusual in the sense that it's using an irrational tone in a rational design period. Good idea Keith, have a pomegranate tea!

(back 6 minutes later)

Okay, pre 1900s, hmmm, this is gonna be harder. There is the easy way that I could do this, that is take an example of pre-WW1 design and compare/contrast it with post WW1 art, that is not to say that it would make writing the essay any easier, but I just don't think I'm going to be able to find another image at this point. So I guess that is it. So, I need to find the most blatantly ornate and "art nouveau" looking thing I can find.

Wait wait.

Sudden Idea. This might be better, it's a sudden change of topic, but what about :

"How design is used as a means of individuality on both large and smaller scales"

or more like

"Design as Identity: culture to corporation" and the thesis could read like "How graphic design is used as a means of setting ourselves apart"


For this one ...

pre 1900 - one of Gustav Klimt's posters for the vienna secession should work just fine.

1900-1955 - 2 options here. I could talk about de Stijl and it's whole distinct European feeling, but I feel that wouldn't do the time period justice. I think I'll do something like Purism, a direct rejection of the idea of individualizing nations, an attempt to unite Europe in a big artistic field ranging over furniture design and all that fun stuff. For purism I guess I could talk about ... Le Corbusier, and his "Pavillion de l'Espirit Nouveau" interior design from 1925.

!955 onwards - I think it's obvious that here I should talk about the advent of Coporate Identity, logos and branding. It will not be difficult to talk about this at ridiculous length, but to narrow it down to just one image, I would have to say ... Paul Rand's 1956 design for the IBM logo would be an obvious choice. Just, all around a good image to drive the point home.

Allright, my 3 images! Now I just need to do an outline and actually, you know, write the essay. FUCK