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Week 11 - Helvetica

Helvetica font is everywhere. It has taken over out world and ever since watching that film I see it everywhere! Especially in advertisements and business names throughout the city. It is a san-serif typeface that has a wide variety of uses. It is mainly used due to its easy legibility and means of production. It was created in 1957 at the Haas type foundry by a swiss typeface designer by the name of Max Miedinger with a little bit of input and advice from Eduard Hoffman. The idea behind Helvetica was to create a universal neutral design that wouldn’t give off any meaning itself or provide its own impression. This led to companies using it wide scale to promote their goods in order to appeal to the masses without offending a certain audience.

             The shapes of the letters used in Helvetica is what makes it so appealing. They are composed of basic lines both straight and round without any fancy flares or edges. It looks much like the Calibri font I am currently using. The simplicity of Helvetica is mostly brought to the foreground due to its used of negative space. The spacing between the letters put an emphasis on the actual shape of the letter itself and can be altered to the users liking.

             In a time where fancy fonts were flourishing in all cities and used by all businesses, Helvetic stood out and offered a simplistic design that would bring a company out of the past and into the future. Customers liked seeing things that are new, it draws them in. Helvetica would continue to be used on the mass scale because of its simple design and essay legibility. It was offered in many different variations that altered the negative space and sizing of the letters: light, regular, bold, black. Having these options has provided an even larger market for the font.  

             I would like to think, based off simple observation, the use of Helvetica and its popularity is still prudent. It remains to be seen everywhere and new opening businesses still choose it to represent their brand. In a world that is so busy and cluttered with products, I think the simplicity of Helvetica still offers companies of products an effective means of advertisement and notoriety.

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Brook Stevens and Post WWII Design

Industrial design in America during the mid-20th century had a great positive impact on the culture. During this time, we were caught in the Great Depression. No one had any interest in buying products, therefore the manufacturers and businesses were unable to sell, which ultimately led to an economic impasse. So, businesses needed a new way to promote both want and need for their products. As stated in the “2 Minute History of American Industrial Design”1, designers started utilizing new materials, like chrome, to attract consumers attention. Making everyday items that didn’t require a slick appeal, look slick. Norman Belle Geddes1 dubbed this new way of designing things “Utilitarian Art”. During the 1939 Futurama world fair event, the movement gained much recognition. It was noted that people were excited and interested in the hope for a brighter “world of tomorrow”1. Makin items look great, made people more willing to pay to have them. As advertisements of products grew, designers recognized both the need for style and function and started to see them as equals. Overall, this industrial design change improved America “functionally, culturally and intellectually.”1

 Brook Stevens was a Milwaukee born designer who was diagnosed with polio at the age of 8. He had a great love for design and his father encouraged him to pursue his hobbies, especially with his new illness. He first attempted to become an architect by attending Cornell University in 1929. He ended up leaving without a diploma and began work back in Milwaukee at a grocery supply chain. He convinced the head of the company to let him redesign some of the product labels. This is where Stevens got his first taste for industrial design. He opened his own shop in Milwaukee in 1935 and began his career as an industrial designer. “Meanwhile, Stevens was proving himself a master at salesmanship from his earliest days in business.”2 He began giving slideshows about how industrial design is practical and a good investment for businesses. Stevens even dabbled with some military designs to bring back home during WWII. Namely his iconic Jeepster touring car. Stevens continued his work and built notoriety in the field of design. He influenced society not only through his works, but through his ideals as well. He lives on through all that he shared with the world and is remembered with great reverence.

Fig 1

Brooks Stevens, (American, 1911-1995) Willys Overland do Brazil Jeepster, n.d.

This is one of Stevens Jeespter designs. I find it to be of interest to me because I enjoy vehicles, Jeeps in particular. I find it captivating that he had the idea to take a rugged, all-terrain vehicle that was namely used for military purposes at the time, and turn it into a fancy everyday cruiser that a family would take to the beach.

notes:

1. Watch: A 2-minute History of American Industrial Design

2. MAM Brooks Stevens Biography

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Week 7 - Le Corbusier

Le Corbusier was a designer who began his career with Peter Behrins at AEG in Germany. He is most well-known for his architectural designs, but he was also a painter. He is noted for starting the Purism movement of the early 1920s in which his works were centered around machine type mechanics. Beyond his painting however,  he focused much of his efforts into designing more modern, simplistic homes that were one with nature. He believed that a lot of his designs would help solve the problem of providing living quarters for everyone in the event of overpopulation that was to come. Corbusier dedicated five main points in all of his architecture: support, roof gardens, free designing of the ground plan, horizontal windows, and free design of the façade.  Lets look at an example home that incorporates most of his 5 attributes. 

Le Corbusier, Villa Savoye, 1930, Poissy, France (1)

 This home, Villa Savoye, 1930, was designed by Le Corbusier. He incorporates his point of structure in the use of metal beams as the main weight holders. This allows for free design of the ground plan in the sense that the walls were not loadbearing. Meaning they can be moved around without worry of making the home unstable. The building clearly illustrates the use of horizontal windows across the second story. Lastly, although you can’t see any of the plants, this home includes a roof garden.

 As for a building that is around today that reminds of his work, I would suggest that the Golda Meir library here on campus shares some of Le Corbusier’s points of architecture. The building has a nice open floor plan that involves an overhang walkway on the ground floor as well as many horizontal windows. Although the building is made of brick, it still utilizes many pillar shaped supports that has steel beams inside of them. I know this is a big stretch, but I find that it at least utilizes the same style of support and the horizontal windows. One could also mention that with the overhand walkway, the building is designed in a way to also incorporate nature. 

notes:

1. https://www.google.com/search?q=le+corbusier+villa+savoye&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwit5pvDgZHeAhVs3IMKHUOLBXIQ_AUIDigB&biw=1368&bih=795

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Week 6 - Marginalized Designers

I took an interest in Cey Adams because of the kind of work that he does. He does a lot of works for musical artists like album covers and magazines that feature musicians. I love the idea of blending visual design and art with music because they are very similar in the way in which they create emotion for their audience. Knowing the background and type of music a certain musician creates, allows you to better understand and integrate the visual representation of what that artists stands for. Adams operates out of Brooklyn, which isn’t necessarily a location you would link with a big time designer.

  I just simply like this image. The way in which he made the person depicted into a caricature and yet has a very serious feel about his face is effective in depicting the overall mood of the magazine. I also think Adam’s utilized emphasis well regarding the title of the magazine by putting in bold red letters whilst most of the other writing is black.

  For my second designer, I picked Muriel Cooper. I really like that she was big into books. I think books are very important for education as well as entertainment. Beyond books, learning with technology can be even more effective. This is where Muriel Cooper shone. She was on the forefront of discovering and utilizing technologies to enhance the way teachers teach and students learn. She was the director of the Visual Language Workshop at MIT. She was sought after for her knowledge in this area so much so that she was hosted on the TED5 in 1994. Her ideas where of such importance that even Bill Gates took interest in them. Overall she is just a very interesting person of whom I’ve never heard, and yet she has shaped the world around me in a way that affects me every day. 

 I like this work by Muriel because of the way the letters seem to just fade out of the paper. I think she very effectively displays what goes on in the MIT Media Lab while just simply putting the letters on the page in this way. The kind-of misty fading of the letters suggests that they are just parts of the page that are being altered and improved beyond that of just the page. Just like the kind of work her and her students do in the lab, just on more important worldly things.

  Notes:

1.      https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/a-typographic-exercise-to-readdress-design-historys-gender-imbalance/?mc_cid=d12417f6bc&mc_eid=5bd2fc7b89

2.      https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/celebrating-the-african-american-practitioners-absent-from-way-too-many-classroom-lectures/

3.      https://www.google.com/search?q=Muriel+Cooper+works&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiEyfDsvv_dAhWI4IMKHZHBDjQQ_AUIDigB&biw=1368&bih=795#imgrc=h0GcHPRtoqJMkM:

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Week 4 - Art Nouveau

Bradford introduced this article to represent the under-acknowledged poster designer(s) who were emerging in the late 1850s. With lithography coming to the forefront of design during this time, many designers were still struggling to bring their works to the attention of the masses. This article recounts the efforts of one designer: Jules Cheret. Cheret was a French born citizen who looked to  take advantage of the “…artistic conditions in Second Empire France (1850-1870) [that] favored a talented, ambitious poster designer.” (18)1 He attempted to begin his career in lithography as it was pushing to the surface of interest amongst the people of Paris. He completed his lithography apprenticeship and found work at some local businesses. His work was not appreciated, and he didn’t grow to the height he wished to, thus, he moved from Paris to London. In London, Cheret makes friends with Eugene Rimmel; a perfume designer with friends in high places, who hired Cheret to design the labels for his products. Here, Cheret came to understand that …”design should fit the objects purpose.” (20)1 Bringing this knowledge back to 19th century Paris lead to great appreciation for poster design. Cheret looked to connect the styles of traditional artwork and current historical needs in his posters. This drew the attention of certain critics who aided in the growth of appreciation from the people. The style of his work caught on and promoted many other groups to emerge in support. “By 1864, two professional associations modeled after the Royal Society of Arts had been founded in France: the short-lived Societe de I’art industriel and the Union Centrale des Beaux-Arts applique a l’industrie.” (23)1 These associations, along with the  Royal Society of Arts, “…devoted considerable attention to the quality of technical school instruction and promoting a better appreciation of good design principles.” (23)1 As time passed, Cheret became more and more recognized. “In the late 1880’s, Cheret was a one-man movement, ‘the king of the poster.’” (27)1 Having conquered Paris with his designs, Cheret looked the world as his next goal. One could argue that Cheret is the main reason poster design is in use to this day.

     Jules Cheret (French, 1836-1932), Pastilles Poncelet, 1896

I enjoy this poster above all others made by Cheret mainly because of the elements of nature. I really like the rain and the effect of a windy day he creates through the structure of the umbrella and the angle of the rain as well as the woman. It brings the feeling of being in a storm to life, yet looks beautiful and simple. 

Notes:

1. Collins, B. Jules Cheret, Posters as Art

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Week 3 - Design Thinking

After reading “Design Thinking” my understanding of what design is, and what design does for people has significantly broadened. Design is much more than simple process of identifying a problem and creating something to solve it. “Design Thinking”, falling into the category of design, implies the notion that one is privy to a problem affecting human beings and thusly interested in creating a solution that not only solves the problem, but also appeals to those who would be using said design. The article outlines the process of “Design Thinking” through the use of Inspiration, Ideation, then Implementation. (88, 89)1  This way of thinking can be applied to almost anything we as humans use on a day to day basis. We can turn to cars as a great example. Car manufactures of today get their inspiration from previous models and the ever-changing technology revolving all around us. They generate ideas on how to implement these new technologies into newer models that appeal to the public and enhance user experience, all while maintaining a certain amount of comfort for the users by referencing previous models. Next, they implement their designs into working vehicles and test them on the market to see how the people respond. This could be said for many products we see on the market today. Laptops, foe example, follow a very similar path that vehicles do, just on a much faster rotation. One of the major concepts that I found this article was trying to promote was the way in which designs come to be. This article is attempting to reach an audience that is stuck in the myth of design. They talk about the following misconception: “…great ideas pop fully formed out of brilliant minds, in feats of imagination well beyond the abilities of mere mortals.” (88)1 Now this is an exaggeration, however, the point remains the same. Designs come from all manner of people. Sure, it takes time, effort and a lot of dedication, but anyone can do it. Following suit, IDEO implements a very comfortable, collaborative, hands-on approach. They work in groups to go out into the world and examine situations to come up with ideas they think would enhance a certain product. The company follows several mottos or rules that are followed with mutual respect: “One conversation at a time, stay focused and on topic, encourage wild ideas, defer judgement and build on the ideas of others.” (10min)2 As far as their final cart design goes, I would change one thing. The handle that is used to hold children in place is too easily lifted and/or could slide up whilst pushing the cart. Secondly, with the idea of the removeable baskets, one might be subjected to walk away from the cart while their child is in the seat and then the child could easily slip out of the seat or just lift the bar. Overall, it is very unique, and I really like the idea of the removeable baskets.

 Notes:

1.       “Design Thinking”, Harvard Business Review

2.       “The Deep Dive”

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Week 2 - William Morris

The Arts and Crafts movement began as a politically social movement created by Morris as an attempt to unify the arts against industrialization and provide quality, hand crafted utilitarian designs for all people. It stressed the importance of creating a purposeful design to preserve unique qualities while promoting the handiwork of individual craftsmen. Morris believed this movement to be of high importance due to the industrial revolution. This coming of age in technology, especially in printing, was found to have “a profound liberalizing effect on the urban populations of Europe.” (28)1 Morris wished to distract the population away from the rapid technological advancements and provide them with original, hand-made, practical designs. Referring to William Morris’s Minstrel with Clarinet, 1870, Stained glass, we can see how he effectively negates the perfection in all created goods that was to be expected of during this revolution. The inconsistent width of the rings creating the circles provides a one-of-a-kind appeal. This piece oozes individual craftsmanship and provides a utilitarian purpose. Furthermore, if you look to any of the numerous wallpaper designs created by Morris, you will see that they heavily allude to nature. In this sense, Morris is trying to draw people’s attention away from our quickly growing mechanized world and return to appreciation of our roots, all while still providing a purpose in architectural structure.  I agree with Morris in only one opinion he stood by; that of the quality that is innate in hand-crafted designs. It was said that “Morris championed traditional craft production not only for the superior quality products that he believed resulted from this method of manufacture, but also for the well-paid and honorable employment that he felt craft production provided.” (35)2 This was a great notion to stand by. Quality work to this day can be hard to find due to the globalization of mass-production. However, even though I agree with his view in this area, I do find that, had he been successful in revitalizing the hand-made worker model, the world would not have progressed how it has. It is evident that Morris also understood that industrialization and mass production was needed. He invented the Kelmscott Press to easily generate “limited-run editions featuring handmade paper and expertly tooled leather covers.” (53)1 This press, along with his business (Morris & Co.) prove that he directly participated in the very system he wished to destroy. For this reason, I find it hard to agree with anything more that was “practiced” and “believed” in by William Morris.

 Notes:

1.       Eskilson, Stephen J., Graphic Design: A New History, (North America, Yale University Press, 2007), 28, 53.

2.       Morris, The Lesser Arts

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Week 1 - About Me

My name is Connor Walker. I was born and raised in Caledonia, WI; which is just about 40 minutes south of Milwaukee. I am a transfer student from Gateway Technical College and am majoring Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology. I decided to take this class because I am still in need of a GER Arts credit and it seemed to be one of the more interesting courses that fulfilled this requirement without needing to really do anything “artsy,” like draw or sculpt. I personally do not have any experience with Design in the world of Art. I do however, have experience as a painting contractor, so I have always taken an interest in architecture specifically. I constantly find my vision lingering on unique buildings which then leads my wandering mind to wonder how and why such things were created. Whenever I walk into a new room, I instantly look to its structure and ponder what or if I would change the appearance of anything. Most recently I purchased a wallet that I based 100% off its design. I wanted something that was slim, had plenty of card pockets, a place for cash, electronic security, and of course, was also aesthetically pleasing. Otherwise, I tend to base my purchases off practicality instead of design, but I suppose one could argue that the design is what determines if a specific item is of practical value or not. After all, design is used to solve problems and make life easier for human beings. As far as inspiration goes, I don't have much when it comes to creating art or design (mainly because I lack the skills and knowhow to do so), but I look to God as my inspiration to see the beauty and kindness in the world. He helps me to look past the clustering aspects of today’s lifestyle and truly appreciate what is important.