Introduction to Graphic Design

“Graphical excellence is that which gives to the viewer the greatest number of ideas in the shortest time with the least ink in the smallest space.” - Edward R. Tufte

What is Graphic Design?

Graphic Design is art with a purpose. The three main aims of this art are to identify, to inform and instruct (e.g. maps, diagrams and directional/warning signs), and to present and promote a particular subject (AIGA, 2014). Therefore, a graphic designer aspires to communicate with the intended audience through various mediums such as images, symbols, and typography (AIGA, 2014). Designers may use a number of different techniques and sometimes even a combination of them to convey in the best way possible a particular message (AIGA, 2014). Techniques may include photos, illustrations, logos, signs and symbols and even type-based designs (AIGA, 2014).

The artist managed to create a human figure through typography

Graphic Design – The Beginning

 Hall of Bulls is one of the most recognizable 

images from the Lascaux caves

Graphic Design is not a new concept which started with the technological era. In fact, as early as the Stone Age, people left drawings on stone known as pictographs. Pictographs are the earliest traces found of graphic design since they represent an object or a place.

A section of the Papyrus of Ani
showing cursive hieroglyphs

Ancient Sumerians began to develop a writing system around 3000BCE. Over 5000 years ago, humans used images of people, animals and objects to communicate their language. Nowadays, this writing system is called Hieroglyph which means sacred carving. The system has a combination of two characters that are rebus (the pictorial image representing a sound) and phonetic. Around the same period, the Egyptians also began writing similarly to the Sumerians. Both started to use the same material such as clay, stone, and bone to write on but the Egyptians mostly wrote on papyrus scrolls. The papyrus scrolls continued to become popular for centuries as even Greeks and Romans used it. However, the Romans created the Codex which replaced the scrolls. The codex was created with folded sheets bind between two wooden covers.

Book of Kells

During the Medieval Period, the illuminated manuscripts were created. They are called as such because it was made of gold, vivid colours and ornamental letters. The most famous illuminated manuscript is the Book of Kells.

William Addison Dwiggins – The First Graphic Designer

William Addison Dwiggins was born on June 19^th, 1880. He was the first to use the term Graphic Designer in 1922 which he used to refer for himself. His work included book design, typography, lettering and even calligraphy.  He even designed four of the most used Linotype faces in the United States and Great Britain (Caledonia, Elctra, Eldorado and Metro).  He also designed many deluxe editions for George Marcy’s Limited Editions Club.

Development of the poster

In the early 19^th century posters were used as a form of advertisement such as advertising products and promoting various political parties. During the early stages, posters were printed in letters only because they were meant to be read from distance. The idea of the poster spread around the world and became popular within the graphic design trade. Artists such as Henry Toulouse-Latrec and Jules Chéret were amongst those who created posters. 

Moulin Rouge La Goulue - Henri De Toulouse-Lautrec

Jules Chéret

Jules Chéret was born on May 31^st, 1836 into a family of artisans in Paris.  Chéret is called the father of modern poster mainly because his posters included more colourful illustrations rather than typographic elements. Chéret was the creator of various lithographic posters especially for the Moulin Rouge and even other people like Yvette Guilbert. 

Jules Chéret

Bal au Moulin Rouge

References

AIGA | the professional association for design, (2014). What is graphic design?. [online] Available at: http://www.aiga.org/guide-whatisgraphicdesign/ [Accessed 4 Oct. 2014]. 

Alexramirezgdesignhistory.blogspot.com, (2013). Graphic Design History: Illuminated Manuscripts Blog Post. [online] Available at: http://alexramirezgdesignhistory.blogspot.com/2013/06/illuminated-manuscripts-blog-post.html [Accessed 4 Oct. 2014]

 Artrepublic.com, (2014). Jules Cheret biography. [online] Available at: http://www.artrepublic.com/biographies/205-jules-cheret.html# [Accessed 4 Oct. 2014].

Cheret J (2014). Design History: Jules Cheret. [online] Be-artsy.blogspot.com. Available at: http://be-artsy.blogspot.com/p/jules-cheret.html [Accessed 4 Oct. 2014].

Encyclopedia Britannica, (2014). W.A. Dwiggins (American artist). [online] Available at: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/174921/WA-Dwiggins [Accessed 4 Oct. 2014].

Flask D (2014). Posters : Design Is History. [online] Designishistory.com. Available at: http://www.designishistory.com/1850/posters/ [Accessed 4 Oct. 2014].

Hrc.utexas.edu, (2014). Early Writing. [online] Available at: http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/educator/modules/gutenberg/books/early/ [Accessed 4 Oct. 2014].