Session 10 - The Critical Designer
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For this reading we read an extract from Andrew Blauvelt's Remaking Theory, Rethinking Practice and the problems surrounding theory in graphic design and how we get around it. The post internet post information age society we live in today is a prime time for graphic design to flourish. We have computers, the godsend Adobe, an internet with anything we could ever need. There was a small fear in the transition to computers however, as the fright of demystifying and gate keeping became more real to the practice. It also threatened the craft of printing, where digital skill was becoming more valued. In the end it helped immensely to have this at our disposition, and our range of skills could only expand from there. Trying to apply theory to this new practice however proved difficult. Graphic design is at its core a practice, which directly opposes theory which is more theoretical and analytical. Combining theory with graphic design creates a few problems. Firstly there is a great concern that we will over intellectualise the practice through dumbing down and marginalise intuition. Secondly theory is hard to apply due to it becoming too abstract and non specific for it be of any use, and in the end impossible to apply to the craft. One of the solutions he proposes is instead of forcing them together, we have to like the title suggests remake theory and rethink practice, not rethink theory and remake practice. Remaking the way we apply theory is essential when today theory is not creatively fashioned, and rethinking practice because they can't stay independent of each other and think of ways we can redefine our practice from within.
An interesting thing he pointed out is that there is no course called design theory today. Most graphic design courses do implement it in other ways by putting it side by side other types of inquiry. Through seminars that cover a set of different frameworks related to things like psychology, perception, sociology and anthropology we can understand graphic design from different angles and understand ways consumers interact with and consume graphic design. Lorraine Wild, a prospering individual in American graphic design history, stated that theory has opened many doors to how to can differently perceive our work, it will not however assist us in creating fascinating graphic design as it can only be viewed and understood visually. We can also apply research instead of theory to rethink design, and research like design is open very open ended and can be abstract like post modern theory.
Reading this extract i do feel somewhat connected to it as it very much applies to my illustration course. Through Design in Context 1 and now 2, we are doing exactly this. We have had illustration history and theory when it comes to how to do traditional art like life and still life drawing, acrylic painting, watercolour and so forth, but never any theory on finding your own voice and what illustration can be broken up into in a theoretical sense. Semiotics, analysing adverts, consumerism, subcultures and more we can apply different theories and disciplines and critically reflect upon our own practice. Even just discovering things on the way through research like we did during our time writing our essay opened my style and what i draw up to new influences.
Blauvelt, A. (1998). 'Remaking Theory, Rethinking Practice'. In The education of a graphic designer, p. 102-108. New York: Allworth Press.
An interesting thing he pointed out is that there is no course called design theory today. Most graphic design courses do implement it in other ways by putting it side by side other types of inquiry. Through seminars that cover a set of different frameworks related to things like psychology, perception, sociology and anthropology we can understand graphic design from different angles and understand ways consumers interact with and consume graphic design. Lorraine Wild, a prospering individual in American graphic design history, stated that theory has opened many doors to how to can differently perceive our work, it will not however assist us in creating fascinating graphic design as it can only be viewed and understood visually. We can also apply research instead of theory to rethink design, and research like design is open very open ended and can be abstract like post modern theory.
Reading this extract i do feel somewhat connected to it as it very much applies to my illustration course. Through Design in Context 1 and now 2, we are doing exactly this. We have had illustration history and theory when it comes to how to do traditional art like life and still life drawing, acrylic painting, watercolour and so forth, but never any theory on finding your own voice and what illustration can be broken up into in a theoretical sense. Semiotics, analysing adverts, consumerism, subcultures and more we can apply different theories and disciplines and critically reflect upon our own practice. Even just discovering things on the way through research like we did during our time writing our essay opened my style and what i draw up to new influences.
Blauvelt, A. (1998). 'Remaking Theory, Rethinking Practice'. In The education of a graphic designer, p. 102-108. New York: Allworth Press.