Graphic Design Theory: Readings From The Field (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
I wanted to get a lot out of this book and I'm sad to say that I didn't. There were a few interesting essays, and I made note of a few authors/designers I'd like to read more from or about, but I found most of it boring.The essay by Herbert Bayer annoyed me, not because of its content but because of its layout. The body of the book is set in a serif typeface. Herbert Bayer was instrumental in the Bauhaus movement, using sans serif type and no upper case letters. His essay was set in the same serif type as the rest of the book but without any capital letters or changes to spacing, making it hard to read. If they wanted to accentuate his design aesthetic, they should have gone all the way and changed the typeface as well. And, for that matter, why was his aesthetic incorporated but nobody else's?The essay by Jan Van Toorn was wordy and made worse by the excessive use of 50-cent words. It was, to me, the most cumbersome of the selections.I can appreciate the irony that the two examples listed above both hinder communication in a book about communicating.There were a few design examples by the essayists added to the end of each section, and on rare occasions added to the essays themselves. I would rather see some design with each essay, as an extension of the bio presented about each designer. I'm familiar with the work of most of the designers, but not all to the point of being able to call specific examples to mind. Even though the focus of this book is the essays, it is still a book about design and it would be nice to actually see the progression while reading about how styles evolved. The titles in our best-selling Design Brief series are highly praised by graphic design students, educators, and professionals worldwide as invaluable resources. Each beautifully designed, affordable volume offers a concise overview of a design fundamental—the hows of design. But as most seasoned designers will tell you, a comprehensive education also requires an understanding of the whys of design practice. Graphic Design Theory presents groundbreaking, primary texts from the most important historical and contemporary design thinkers. From Aleksandr Rodchenko's "Who We Are: Manifesto of the Constructivist Group" to Kenya Hara's "Computer Technology and Design," this essential volume provides the necessary foundation for contemporary critical vocabulary and thought. Graphic Design Theory is organized in three sections: "Creating the Field" traces the evolution of graphic design over the course of the early 1900s, including influential avant-garde ideas of futurism, constructivism, and the Bauhaus; "Building on Success" covers the mid- to late twentieth century and considers the International Style, modernism, and postmodernism; and "Mapping the Future" opens at the end of the last century and includes current discussions on legibility, social responsibility, and new media. Striking color images illustrate each of the movements discussed and demonstrate the ongoing relationship between theory and practice. A brief commentary prefaces each text, providing a cultural and historical framework through which the work can be evaluated. Authors include such influential designers as Herbert Bayer, Lászlo Moholy-Nagy, Karl Gerstner, Katherine McCoy, Michael Rock, Lev Manovich, Ellen Lupton, and Lorraine Wild. Additional features include a timeline, glossary, and bibliography for further reading. A must-have survey for graduate and undergraduate courses in design history, theory, and contemporary issues, Graphic Design Theory invites designers and interested readers of all levels to plunge into the world of design discourse.Helen Armstrong teaches in the Art History, Theory, and Criticism Department at Maryland Institute College of Art. She is the Principal and Creative Director of Strong Design in Baltimore.
What do You think about Graphic Design Theory: Readings From The Field (2009)?
Some good insights but rather difficult to understand every single thing.
—Elise
Solid collection of seminal texts - great to have them all in one place.
—GremionPurple
Holy Crap! The best graphic design theory book available, ever.
—Nifty
