A2 GRAPHICS ESSAY

Edward Yau

Contemporary Graphic Design has evolved and changed over the century and has been a vital way in the way we communicate visually, much of today‟s innovative designs have been strongly influenced from past creations and artworks. Graphics primarily has been used to communicate through, print in the form of cover designs, commercial posters, logos and signs as well as digital website pages. The design industry has changed dramatically through the past century, particularly with growing technological advances and impacts from social and political changes.

An investigation looking through influential graphic designers and research based on the social and cultural impacts will provide a further understanding to how elements of contemporary graphic design appears how it is today, and how we strongly use this art form to communicate our ideas. Looking at notable artists and graphic designers in my research such as Alexander Rodchenko, Barbara Kruger and Scott King will enlist an insight to how each of the designer‟s individual style of work has been influenced from designs of the past and a comparison to one another‟s work.

Visual graphics today have been strongly influenced from works from the past, markedly derived from works that emerged within the constructivism movement, where art work was being created no longer for art sake, but instead art was being created to solve a social purpose. Visual art and design was meant to serve all people and be practical in its nature. Constructivist art took place during the era of the Russian Revolution, artworks produced were state controlled, and designs were created in a form to communicate serving as Russian propaganda.

The Russian Revolution took place from 1917, when the people and the government wanted to change Russia‟s old ways of unfair class divide and ruling. Lenin wanted to create a paradise for all, where the wealth produced by the people was equally distributed amongst the people. Industrialisation and technological advances brought upon change to the society, paintings that emerged in radical forms were abandoned as well as the techniques used within traditional arts.

Scott King: Pink Cher 2008 Screen-print on canvas

Edward Yau

Constructivism was a movement that was active from 1915 to the 1940‟s. It was a

movement created by the Russian avant-garde, but quickly spread to the rest of

the continent. Constructivists challenged the idea of the work of art as a unique

commodity, explored more collective ways of working, and looked at how they

could contribute to everyday life through design, architecture, industrial

production, theatre and film. The phrase “Practicality married with beauty” was

the main thrust behind the constructivist ethos.

The constructivist style follows principles of complete abstraction and modernity, themes are often geometric, experimental and rarely emotional. Objective forms carrying universal meaning were far more suitable to the movement than subjective or individualistic forms. Constructivist themes are also quite minimal, where the artwork is broken down to its most basic elements. New media was often used in the creation of works, which helped to create a style of art that was orderly. An art of order was desirable at the time because it was just after WWI that the constructivist movement arose, which suggested a need for understanding, unity and peace.

Much of the work of 20th century graphic designers results of from the artwork produced in the Russian Revolution. An artist who has pioneered within this movement is Alexander Rodchenko, with the style of works he produced based on the practicality of art, often depicted in bold limited colours, strong lines and geometric shapes. Rodchenko‟s influence has been pervasive enough that it would be nearly impossible to single out all of the designers whose work he has influenced.

Constructivist Design: Posters

Rodchenko photomontage of 1924 for a Moscow publisher in which Lilya Brik, the muse of the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky, joyously cries out ‘books’

Edward Yau

Alexander Rodchenko 1891-1956, was a Russian artist, sculptor, photographer

and graphic designer. He is renowned for fundamentally contributing and

founding the art movement of constructivism and Russian design. Much of

Rodchenko‟s works explores elements of sharp abstract lines and geometric

shapes. This influence is strongly depicted through his work, derived from the

combination of structural engineering and the way society was orderly

regimented during the Russian Revolution. Rodchencko‟s experimentation in this

piece using photomontage was inspired from earlier works of German Dadaists,

this style of work developed prominently in his poster designs and culminated

during the time and was influential in the form of Russian propaganda.

Rodchenko‟s work being promoted at the time effectively communicates to the

society he was in and this is reflected in the angles and lines in his pieces.

Propaganda was there to serve as a purpose and persuade, communication n

with bold Russian text and shapes in the designs influenced society to follow and

obey the rules of the Soviet state.

Design for an advertisement for the Moscow agricultural

industry cafeteria 1923.

From these pieces and the constructivist style he set pioneering in his designs,

he has influenced the creation of many designs of the 20th century.

Rodchenko‟s style of work has also influenced penguin book designs, elements

of the constructivist style and aspects of Rodchenko‟s pieces is reflected within

70s book design. The designs for the Penguin book covers „Animal Farm‟ and

„1984‟ by George Orwell show similarities to the works of Rodchenko, using the

strong bold lines and using the colour red and monochrome tone of colours

reflects aspects of the themes and ideas of the books. The context of these

stories has a connection of political control and link to the time and culture of

Rodchenko‟s life during the Soviet Revolution in a controlled state and having

to follow a regimented way of life.

Edward Yau

1970s Book Designs

More modern and contemporary designs have also taken influences using

similar compositions and elements and principles from constructivist design.

Rodchenko‟s work has also influenced modern CD cover designs and posters,

here a cover has been influenced for the band „Franz Ferdinand‟, taking

strong influence from Rodchenko‟s photomontage and design work.

Rodchenko‟s work has also had a big impact in influencing modern designers

and artists working today with the design website „Obey‟ which is heavily

influenced by Russian Constructivism and the style of Rodchenko‟s work. The

works on this site strongly reflects ideas of social change and communicate

political concepts to the viewer. Designers such as Shepard Fairey have

developed contemporary approach reflecting the principles followed and

depicted constructivist design.

Obey US election campaign prints by Shepard Fairey

Edward Yau

In relation to my own work I feel there are also influences present in my works

descended from Rodchenko‟s pieces. Referring to him as one of my artists I

have created zine images that communicate to an audience applying

elements and principles of constructivist design and strong aspects of his works.

I‟ve used ideas of shapes and geometric lines and symmetry which are

presented within the composition of his pieces. This placement of bold lines in

my sequences work has been influenced and derived from Rodchenko‟s style

of work.

Zine Page (Food) Daily Sequences

Contemporary Graphics today continues to be influenced from designs

created in the past, Alexander Rodchenko has had a big influence to many

artists and designer with the visual impact of their work and the way this can

be used to communicate ideas to an audience. An artist who has taken strong

influence from his work into her renowned designs is the graphic designer

Barbara Kruger.

Barbara Kruger born in 1945 is an American conceptual artist. Much of her

work consists of text overlaying black and white photographs; these

declarative captions „in white on red‟ are placed. Phrases that she often uses

seem subliminal and direct to the audience. Her work engages this merging of

found photographs from existing sources, and re-contextualizing them with

captions that often conveys a theme of struggling power and control. Kruger‟s

work has been influenced strongly from the designs of Rodchenko in similarly

using photomontage in her work and applying text communicating her

conceptual ideas to the viewer.

Edward Yau

Untitled (I shop therefore I am) 1980 Your Body is a Battleground 1980

In Kruger‟s designs, she uses a distinctive theme of monochrome photographs

and duo tone of „red‟ and „white‟ overlaying text creates an confrontational

atmosphere towards the viewer, using this colour pallet and symmetry within

the composition of her designs has been influenced from Soviet Russian

constructivist design and elements of Rodchenko‟s work. Kruger‟s designs also

present conceptual themes and ideas which she has developed, using simple

informative text in this manner within her work has influenced aspects to the

way we visually communicate.

Within these pieces there are themes and ideas based from control and order,

consumerism, Kruger communicates to the viewer using words in her designs

such as ‘Your’ and ‘I’ which captivates an audience to engage with her

designs. There are strong links to the ideas of instructive and subliminal messages

in the context of her work. Kruger’s designs emerged during the 80s, her works

also being influenced from substantial pop art movement artists of the time such

as Andy Warhol and from conceptual artists such as Jenny Holzer. Barbara

Kruger’s work during the time and culture has led to also be a wide influence to

today’s contemporary style of graphic design, her work has influenced many

commercial advertisements and promotional designs in a way to communicate

to consumers and grab our attention.

With influence from these pieces, companies market ideas and trends through

commercial graphics in reference to Kruger’s style of conceptual text and

minimalist design. An example would be from promotional advertising by the

clothing company ‘Diesel’ and their ‘Be Stupid’ campaign.

‘Be Stupid’ Diesel Campaign

Edward Yau

In relation to my work I have referred to Kruger‟s designs emphasizing the

placing of the text to communicate with the viewer. In my piece for the zine I

have kept the design simple and have used a monochrome photocopies

linking back to the style of Kruger‟s work. There are influences in which the

viewer similarly reads into the piece that I have created engaging with the

image with the text with Kruger‟s works I have explored in my research.

Zine Page (Food) Daily Sequences

Using text work and phrasing to entice and communicate with the viewer

has strongly influenced aspects of contemporary graphic design, the work of

Barbara Kruger particularly has influenced more contemporary designers

today creating promotional posters, covers and spreads and advertising. Her

work has also lead graphic design to become more versatile in its form and

its visual impact towards the viewer. A graphic designer whose

contemporary design work consists of similar influences derived from aspects

Kruger‟s work is Scott King.

The Agony (Twice) 2008 Screen print

Edward Yau

Scott King trained as a graphic designer. He worked as Art Director of i-D

and Creative Director of Sleazenation magazines, for which he was

awarded 'Best Cover' and 'Best Designed Feature of the Year' prizes. His

contemporary design work is versatile in its nature and focuses on

communicating his ideas and captivating an audience. King‟s works in

these pieces depict bold black text against a bright backdrop, the

between this and the positioning of the words grabs the attention of a

viewer, there are also elements of humour presented through the phrasing

of these messages in the pieces. These works have a strong visual impact to

the viewer presented with a contemporary approach to the style of the

work, there are influences using bold and direct language from the works of

Kruger and from other designers work based in today‟s society.

Temporary Eyesore 2008

In relation to my work from looking at King‟s designs, I feel there are

influences gained from his more refined contemporary designs which have

been derived from earlier graphics artists. Linking Scott King as one of my

artists I have created pieces reflecting my routine in the style that

communicates to an audience with influences from aspects of his simple

contemporary designs.

Development Piece Sequences

Edward Yau

By looking at the designer Scott King and today‟s contemporary style of

graphic design, comparing the styles of work of the artists and looking at their

individual influences there has been a strong change to the way graphics of

today has developed from the past, with the influences of designs primarily

emerging from Russian Constructivism.

Another strong aspect to consider to how graphics appears now in today‟s

context is through the advances in technology. It wasn‟t until the late 1970s

where graphic design moved on from traditional methods of printing and

letterpress creating designs to be developed so graphics could be created

digitally using computers and advanced editing design software. From this the

style of work produce changed with a larger range and brighter colours

primarily being introduced into designs, where before only a limited range of

colours were used to reserve costs of mass printing.

The advances in technology has also meant that new techniques creating

effects and vectors could be introduced, the creation of digital typography

and developments of applying brushes and textures meant that modern

designs appeared more experimental. Creating contemporary graphics on a

digital format has meant that artists gained a wider range of influences

looking at past designs appearing world wide on the web instead of following

a specific art movement and visiting to specific places.

Comparing the works of my artists and their styles of designs, although there

are differences in the styles of each of the pieces, I think there is a prominent

link to the influenced gained from each others work and of events in society

and of the time.

Rodchenko‟s work has had a big impact to many of the designs we see

today, this has been reflected through the style of his work within the

constructivist movement during the Russian Revolution. Kruger‟s work has

been influenced from the work of Rodchenko similarly adapting to techniques

and principles, her work presented strong concepts and visually influenced an

alternative approach in communicating messages and ideas to the viewer.

Her style of work has had a large influence to promotional designs and

contemporary designs, as presented in the work of Scott King. His pieces

reflect aspects of today‟s society and captivate elements of Kruger‟s text

work and effectively visually impacting the viewer using simple design.

Overall I think that there has been a strong influence to these artists looking

back to the past, it is reflected in their work which continues to act influential

to modern designs of today through campaigns, promotional posters, and

advertising.

Edward Yau

In conclusion, it can be agreeable that works from the past has had a large

influence to the works of today‟s contemporary designs and has enhanced

the way artists and designers visually communicate their ideas within their art

pieces. Looking at the artists Alexander Rodchenko, Barbara Kruger, and Scott

King with their influences depicted in their work from one another and

exploring the society and culture of Russian constructivism and the influences

today from this movement, show that Contemporary Graphic design today

has been captivated and strongly influenced from the works of the past and

has enhanced the way we communicate in today‟s society. I feel this has also

been reflected within the work, where I have largely gained influences from

these artists and designers, the composition and visual appearance of my

designs where it has derived from constructivist art style and developed with a

contemporary twist. Graphic design today has continued to strongly impact

the viewer in its form and the way we visually communicate our ideas.

Bibliography

-YouTube Video [Constructivism]

-http://obeygiant.com/

-http://www.arthistoryguide.com/Constructivism.aspx-

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Alexander_Rodchenko-

-http://www.scottking.co.uk/

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara Kruger

Development Piece Sequences

Edward Yau

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