Graphic Design History:
There are many different arts and styles in the history of graphic design. Artists are very much influenced by what is going on around them. Their environment and specific circumstances effect the styles that they choose to portray. Graphic design basic forms have not changed much since the late 19th century although new paradigms have been brought to light. But many old conventions are still being practiced. Although not all of the styles interest me, there wouldn’t be one without the other. Design is used to send a message and each style is unique in their own way.
Bauhaus:
This movement directly influence graphic design more than any other. Bauhaus means “House of Construction”. The Bauhaus school used spirituality, intuition, and universality. These are all very interesting topics to me because I practice spirituality and believe in the deeper meanings of the universe. The basics of composition and color theory were pushed further into banknotes and using multiple color prints. Art schools use a similar foundation to this to lock in the fundamentals. Bauhaus has had an impact on architecture, textiles, furniture, and the lasting theory on the color effect. It brings together discipline, vocabulary, and communication to create beautiful artwork.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQa4_uVnNVc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRRXiYbEEmw
https://mymodernmet.com/what-is-bauhaus-art-movement/
Constructivism:
Constructivist art brought to light the idea that art should have a social purpose. It used the basics of materials, movement, and space. It seems like simple ideas that join into one. The main idea was to go from personal style to one collective style. Although I do not agree with this, I still think it is an interesting style. Designers were inspired as word traveled to Europe thanks to Lissitzky. This also made designers realize the influence that graphic design had on commercial applications. Using this information, films and posters promoted this which put a new order in place. Using symbols of industry and propaganda constructivism was brought forward.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMvAOz5y1wE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7hkkmx1_lM
https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/c/constructivism
Futurism:
Futurism brought freedom to designers. This was interesting to me because it focused on the science aspect instead of the form. In a poem of Filippo Marinetti, the horizontal and vertical classic form of poetry was gone. The words were more so used as objects to express an emotion or idea. I found this very cool as opposed to the classic sentence after sentence structure. The typeface was used as a work of art, an abstract idea which was focused on motion and applied the mind to take more from the words.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGxXoiiNziE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZHpmJvU7sM
https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/f/futurism
Dada:
This movement was in response to people’s emotions in regards to perceiving the world has gone mad. I thought this style was very interesting because it was all based on someone’s mindset and how they felt about the environment they were in. The Dada artists rejected tradition and listened to their feelings instead. Which is a form of art that I respect because it is good to address your emotions. For example one female artist from Germany had a piece of artwork where she swapped out heads on bodies on humans fusing with newspaper images. This is very abstract and not usually seen and that is why it is so unique. There was a piece of artwork called Have No Fear which directly portrayed the mindset of Dada artists.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIwWQoJmoQw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ed1NfFMkYmE
https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/d/dada
Conclusion:
Some of the art styles were abstract and some were simple ideas that received attention. Every art style plays a role in the impact that graphic design has on the world. There was some styles that focused on the mindset of artists and some that simply were created as a foundation of basic principles. The effects vary from a way of thinking, to spirituality practices, to propaganda. The work of Graphic Design is amazing because it allows different parts of your brain to take the wheel. Graphic design is such broad field to study so there is something for everyone. This showed me that sometimes there is an idea just because it helps the understanding of something or it fits into society, but sometimes there is also an idea based on the environment someone is in and the thoughts that are going through their brain. Emotions are a key aspect in some of these styles and that is why I enjoy graphic design so much. It is more than just a still and simple pond; it is a cascading waterfall with dips and twists that energize the mind.
