Download Episode 3Design guy here. Welcome back.This is the show that explores timeless principles of design and explains them simply.Last episode we defined design as the act of creating order out of chaos. And whether we&#39;re talking graphic or interior or environmental design, the basic definition stands because we&#39;re all engaged in the same PROCESS. It&#39;s a process that STARTS with a number of unrelated pieces and ENDS with an ordered unit. (1)Looking closer, Graphic design has its own set of concerns that distinguish it from other forms of design. And, I think, right from the start, we have to be clear about what graphic design is not. And that&#39;s Art. Oh, sure it is AN art. It&#39;s practitioners are artists. But it&#39;s not Art with a capital A in that it&#39;s not fine art. This is where people get confused. Especially when we see some of the stunning works of graphic design by luminaries like Paul Rand (2) or Milton Glaser.(3) Their work should be viewed in a gallery. They&#39;re models of artistic excellence. So, what&#39;s the difference? Are we splitting semantical hairs, or what?The distinction... is a question of motivation or purpose. Fine art is something that can be done in a loft, which is to say, it can be done for highly individualized ends. It can be done with no conscious purpose. It can be highly SUBjective. You might do it for your own enjoyment. Or to get a certain technical effect or for any other reason in the world. Sometimes there&#39;s a statement being made. Other times, if there&#39;s meaning, we&#39;ll leave that to the eye of the beholder to interpret. In other words, it&#39;s subject to personal interpretation, and IF it&#39;s subject to interpretation, it can mean anything.When we cast the issue in these terms, we begin to see that graphic design is different. It&#39;s inherently Objective. Sure, it INVOLVES art, and designers can leave room for some ambiguity or personal interpretation, after all, this generates questions in the viewer, which intensifies their interaction. But, ultimately, Graphic design is done with a clear, specific aim in mind. And what is that aim, but communication? Communication of what? The artist&#39;s inner feelings on the day of creation? No, it&#39;s not about that. It&#39;s not subjective, as we&#39;ve said. Graphic design is linked to an objective, typographic message. We can communicate that message artistically, in a stylized way, there may even be a strong individual signature on the work that makes one aware of the artist behind it.I mentioned Milton Glaser before, and I&#39;m thinking of his famous, iconic Dylan poster.(4) It&#39;s distinctly Glaser. But, in the end, it&#39;s commercial art. It&#39;s meant for commerce, to support a music company&#39;s product. And we&#39;re usually trying to sell stuff, whether that&#39;s the advantages of a certain denture cleaner, or a socially conscious screed about the impacts of deforestation. Regardless of subject matter,

Design Guy, Episode 3, On Graphic Design

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