Graphic Design and the Computer

With programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator becoming so commonplace in recent days, much of the work within the graphic design field has moved to the digital realm, with most if not all of the content in many graphic design works being generated solely within the computer. There is no doubt that computer art technologies have been a plus within many areas in the field, allowing for the much faster and more accurate execution of various tasks. And perhaps the ability to explore various ideas in short spaces of time has allowed for possibilities within the graphic design field that did not exist before computers became an everyday tool. However, I cannot help but to think that many graphic designers of today have come to limit themselves to the computer, not even allowing for more traditionally created elements to be an option. Handcrafted design has become a true rarity, which is quite unfortunate, as such design can often make much more powerful statements than the overly complicated vector designs which seem to abound in the works of many graphic artists today.

Perhaps what is even more disconcerting is the idea of graphic design that exists within the minds of those not involved in creative fields such as the arts and design. At least from my own personal experience and observation, many such people seem to think that graphic design is only done within the realms of the computer. In other words, to them, graphic design = computer art. Given how much graphic design work is done digitally today, this surely is not surprising. Yet, I find it somewhat sad. The basic design principles used by all graphic designers today have existed for countless years before the advent of the computer, and while such principles can be learned through a computer interface, they probably shouldn’t. In a learning experience, I could only imagine that having to deal with the computer interface would detract from the creative process—and this must be the consensus among most institutions that teach design, as almost every beginning design course teaches exclusively through the use of traditional art-making methods.

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In relation to the above, I would like to share a little bit of information about an excellent book that I came across just quite recently. Authored by Chen Design Associates, the book Fingerprint: The Art of Using Hand-Made Elements in Graphic Design is a beautiful collection of examples of graphic design works that are primarily crafted through the use of traditional art-making techniques. The concept of the book is quite in line with my sentiments concerning graphic design and the computer, as it seriously takes into question whether or not the advancements of computer technologies have actually led to the creation of better design work. Many of the examples shown within the collection are truly breathtaking and utterly amazing, and perhaps they seem even more so because of the massive amounts of fancy vector images that we must digest in our day-to-day lives. (This is not to say that I dislike vector-based artwork or that I think that such works are worthless. On the contrary, I often find these types of works amazing and breath-taking as well. However, the creators of many such works often seem to forget that there are other options open—options which may, in fact, better suit their work.)

In the introduction to Fingerprint, Josh Chen writes, “Fingerprint is a reminder that in this day and age of e-gadgets, i-things, and all things high-tech and electronic, there remain some very reliable, non-high-tech tools that can help design reconnect with its audience.” Perhaps I am reading into this statement a little too much, but Chen seems to suggest that design, because of its recent obsession with the computer, has come to distance itself from its audience. As the designer has become more and more disconnected from his or her own creative process through the extensive use of the computer, the work itself has become weaker and less communicative. However, by showing recent examples of graphic design that take handmade elements to be the primary component, Chen proposes that “our infatuation with technology is over,” suggesting that an “exciting new revolution” in graphic design is on the horizon.

I highly recommend Fingerprint to anybody even remotely interested in issues of design. In addition to the full-color reproductions of many beautiful design works, also included are a few short essays by various graphic designers, which make for some good reading. The book should make a nice addition to the coffee table.