Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
2ND
Proof Page:12
The evolution of graphic design
Graphic design developed from the printing and
publishing industry, with the term itself first used in
the 1950s. At that time there was a clear demarcation
within the different stages of the print production
process, with specialist professionals or trades
performing each one. These stages involved printers,
scanners, photographic reproduction, graphic design,
typesetters, print buyers, film, proofreaders and
production managers.
The consumer economy that emerged in the
western world following the Second World War
brought with it the emergence of bright and attractive
packaging as competition between products
intensified. The number of magazines also began to
increase, resulting in greater demand for visually
appealing designs. These coincided with
developments in print technology and opened up new
production possibilities that designers were well
placed to take advantage of. The success of graphic
design helped to make it even more indispensable.
As the power of colourful visual communication
became widely appreciated, graphic design grew
from the need to provide visual communication to
the consumer world and spread throughout different
sectors of the economy, while continuing to harness
the technological developments that progress
brought forth.
Technological development, particularly in the
digital age, has revolutionised and rationalised
the processes of print production. Trades such as
typesetting and artwork preparation have become
obsolete, as they can now be performed by a
designer. As a consequence, graphic design has
developed into a multifunctional role that sees the
designer playing a pivotal role in the production
process. This demands great versatility and the
need to communicate effectively with many
different professionals. In the past, designers
would have undertaken all aspects of a job from
the generation of ideas to hand-drawing type for
headings and layout.
12 The Fundamentals of Graphic Design Graphic design as a discipline
What is graphic design?
Graphic design is a creative visual arts
discipline that encompasses many areas. It may
include art direction, typography, page layout,
information technology and other creative aspects.
This variety means that there is a fragmented
landscape for design practice within which
designers may specialise and focus.
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Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
2ND
Proof Page:13
Monza 1948 (below left)
Max Huber designed this
poster to advertise motor
racing at Monza, Italy in
1948. It incorporates various
elements, such as typography,
imagery and colour, to
present the concept of motor
racing. Although no car is
pictured, the design captures
the essence of speed and
competition through the use
of coloured arrows and
angled, diminishing type.
Revolutions (below right)
Pictured is a poster created
by 3 Deep Design that has
similarities to the adjacent
Monza poster, made in the
pre-computer age, despite
the fact that they were
created using different
technology. Both feature
type and images that tell a
message and create visual
impact. Technology may al t er
how designs are created and
produced, but good design
always goes beyond this via
the effective application of
design principles.
Technological development has placed
designers at the heart of the creative process.
Often, a graphic designer manages the design
process and coordinates the work undertaken by
other creative disciplines as part of a job. As such,
the scope of a designer’s responsibilities now
includes print buying, website programming,
photography, page layout, materials selection,
art direction, freehand illustration, computer-
generated illustration (CGI), project management,
client account management, storyboarding,
editing and pre-press production.
What is graphic design? > What is a graphic designer? 13
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