Mass media: a means of pubic communication reaching a large audience in a short amount of time either through broadcast media (television and radio), print media (newspapers and pamphlets), or outdoor media (billboards and signs)
Areas to consider in relation to communication: fine art, advertising, capitalist tool, political tool, postmodernism, social conscience.
Cave paintings - documenting life around them, communicating a message about how they live
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| Giotto di Bondone, c. 1305 |
People were largely illiterate so this was a method of communicating the bible stories. Elements of visual literacy are clear, for example, good people have halos.
William Addison Dwiggins coined the term ‘Graphic Design’, pointing out that it is a designer’s duty to clearly present a message. Important statements must be clear and minor posts still not overlooked. ‘This calls for an exercise of common sense and a faculty for analysis rather than for art.’
‘Whatever the information transmitted, it must, ethically and culturally, reflect its responsibility to society.’ - Josef Muller-Brockman
Is the graphic design discipline being held back by preconceptions of ‘publicity’ and ‘promotion’ and is this damaging and undermining the self image of a graphic designer?
'Advertising is hypnotically invasive. Graphic design makes no such claim.’ - Heller, 1995
We must question where the line is drawn between fine art and advertising or if there is even a line at all.
Toulouse-Lautrec - early advertising
Is this advertising? Is it visually communicating anything or is it a fine art piece with the addition of text? Would the image alone contain enough information to communicate by itself?
Savile Lumley (British war propaganda) - traditional approach reflecting the life of British families. Subtle patterns used to representing royalty and british heritage hinting that you should be proud to be representing your country in the Great War.
Julius Gipkens (German war propaganda) - abstract and new. Although Hitler was very tradition in his taste in art, these posters represent a change and a new era.
Bauhaus movement was influential on Graphic design but Hitler shut it down because he wanted a traditional art for the Reich.
Post war period: consuming products, rebuilding communities and societies, Festival of Britain, development of popular culture.
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| Paul Rand, advert for Jacqueline Cochran, 1946 |
Layout, minimalism, interesting placing of type, negative space.
Ken Garland, First Things First Manifesto, 1964
Do something ethical and worthwhile with your skill and imagination in visual communication. People have ‘flogged their skill’ to sell mundane products when it could be used in ‘other media through which we promote our trade, our education out culture and our greater awareness of the world.’
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| Hipgnosis, 10CC, Deceptive Bends sleeve design, 1977 |
Indulgent image to fit with indulgent music.
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| Jamie Ried, Sex Pistols, Never Mind the Bollocks, Sleeve design, 1977 |
Direct and to the point, this was a shock to society. This shows how society has moved on to nowadays because this language is used more commonly.
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| David Carson, Ray Gun, double page spread |
Pushing boundaries of layout and type.
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| Mark Farrow, Spiritualized, Ladies and Gentlemen we are floating in space, CD packaging, 1997 |
CDs were stored in pill-like packages. If opened, they decreased in value, does this make it a piece of fine art if it is not being used for its proposed purpose?
By having an exhibition of communicative work, who are you communicating to? Are people visiting your exhibition to be spoken to or are they there to admire the craft and thought behind the imagery? Does this kind of work belong in a gallery or in the outside world where it can speak to people and affect them?
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