Design Literacy: Understanding Graphic Design

Introduction

Design Literacy Revised, Revisited, Redux

In the first edition of Design Literacy,the introduction read:

There is now a realization that graphic design is not as ephemeral as

the paper it is printed on. Certain advertisements, posters, packages,

logos, books, and magazines endure as signposts of artistic, commercial,

and technological achievement and speak more about particular epochs

or milieus than fine art. Many objects of graphic design are preserved

and studied as more than mere historical wallpaper. Curiously, though,

the makers of these objects—graphic designers—have tended to

undervalue the historical significance of artifacts found in their own

backyards. Those who claim visual literacy are often ignorant when it

comes to understanding and appreciating the objects that are imprinted

with the language of their own practice.

Despite the encouraging increase in design commentary and history in

classrooms, on blogs, and in magazines, the core presumption remains:

Those who claim visual literacy are often ignorant,etc. So, as I stated then,

and remain committed to now, this second edition of Design Literacy:

Understanding Graphic Design serves as an alternative to the omnibus

compilations that reduce graphic design to just so much visual noise, and

examines a variety of individual objects, focusing on their significance in

the broader histories of graphic design and popular culture.

Although graphic design can be defined as critical masses of

form and style that shift according to the dictates of the marketplace, an

understanding of a singular work or genre of works analyzed through

objective and subject criteria can be useful in determining how individual

designers have made graphic design function over time.

Rather than conventional case studies, which trace the process of

creation and production, the essays here address rationales, inspirations, and

histories of an eclectic collection of vintage and contemporary objects in all

media. Each essay represents a unique occurrence that is influenced by and

relates to other manifestations of the design culture. Here, objects are not

viewed as fetishes (at least, I try not to present them as such), but as

expressions of specific commercial or artistic needs, solutions to distinct

problems, and even demonstrations of unique personalities.

Moreover, these so-called object lessons are alternatives to such

pedagogical conventions as the “great master” principle, which addresses the

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