Introduction
Throughout time Graphic Design and art preferences have changed and expanded to include all types of creativity. As time continues, graphic design also continues to evolve using the history behind it to move forward. Four of these periods of time were the most interesting to me because of the first approaches to art, the freedom they introduced, the abstract ways images were created, and the structure that they introduced. These four periods of art are the Arts and Crafts Movement, Cubism, Dada, and De Stijl.
Arts and Crafts Movement (1880-1910)
The arts and crafts movement really interested me because it was the first art movement that focused on a particular approach to art. They used natural forms and things from the past to influence what they created and this is really inspiring and interesting to me. To be able to take this new approach to art and create a movement out of it showed art coming straight from the minds of the creators influenced by all the things around them. They put their physical and spiritual beliefs into their work making them complex, detailed, and beautiful.
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Museum Site on Arts and Crafts Movement
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Cubism (1907-1921)
Cubism really interested me because it was created with abstract forms. The art questioned all the established notions of what art was “supposed to be”. Also during this time, all the different kinds of art (literature, music, science) were starting to influence each other. Cubism left behind the ideas of the past to create a new form of art which allowed artists to have more freedom to interpret art in their own ways. This freedom to interpret and create is something that I think we take for granted today. You can create and interpret art however you see fit. Learning about what movement created this idea is really interesting to me.
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Dada (1916-1923)
Dada really interested me because it was a reaction to the world going crazy during World War I. Everyday objects were used to portray new ideas and it used a lot of ironies. I related this a lot to political cartoons that we see all over the place online. This type of art really makes you think and reconsider the ideas that are being presented to you from a new perspective. I think the artists that create these artworks are really creative and do a wonderful job at showing what they are trying to convey without saying anything. I find this kind of art really interesting and sometimes even humorous to look at and think about.
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De Stijl (1917-1931)
Se Stijl really interested me because it used straight lines, right angles, and primary colors. Everything about this period of art is structured and aligned together. I like the patterns and the even lines that are seen throughout. Being someone who always likes things to be lined up correctly, this type of art is always very pleasing to look at for me. Also, the typeface discussed in this timeframe was shown in the Helvetica movie that we watched earlier in the semester, and it was fun to learn more about it and see it again.
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Conclusion
Overall, there are many different eras of design that can be seen throughout the past 200 years. Things are constantly changing and evolving and new ideas are always being created. Often new designs are created based on combining two periods of art together or using creative ideas from the past. Design always seems to hold a piece of history from the art that came before it and borrow from other pieces. What makes a piece of design good depends on how to look at it and what design style you are trying to create. Art is subjective, and you may be creating new styles all the time without even thinking about it.
