Oh, Snap!

A must read for the thesis: D.I.Y. Design It Yourself

Adding fuel to the D.I.Y. fire—there is an awesome AIGA article discussing the pros and cons of D.I.Y. design between Ellen Lupton (for) and Steven Heller (against).

I've been reading books from both of these designer/writers and their opinions have contributed much to my understanding of GD history and criticism. But to see them go head-to-head on this topic is truly fascinating. I think as a GD professional, I was once in Heller's court, arguing that the proliferation of “amateur design” would dilute my value as an expert in my field. There is a level of fear that exists, but is that simply a level of insecurity? Since when did sharing knowledge/skill become a bad thing? Heller himself is author and editor of numerous AIGA essays and design books, all which serve to enhance understanding and appreciation of our field. Why then, would that attitude not extend towards the use of graphic design by and for the the general public?

And that is where Lupton’s got me swayed: “Perhaps our credibility shouldn't come from design’s elite status, but rather from its universal relevance to daily life. Not everyone is a design “professional,” a person dedicated to solving complex problems and carrying out large, capital-intensive projects. But everyone can design elements of their own life, from their personal business cards or letterheads to their own flyers and wedding invitations. …Visual literacy is good for design: when people experience the power of typography and images first-hand, they can better understand design that is produced at the highest level.”

Oh, snap.

What I Did on My Columbus Day Weekend

An excellent progress report, my friends!

FRIDAY: After work, Will and I made our way down to the new ICA for the Design Life Now exhibition. It’s the third and final in the series National Design Triennial 2006 organized by the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.


It was immensely helpful to see a collection of work and people that really push the envelope in defining what design is today. I got to see a few people that I recognized and a whole bunch more I didn’t and all of that together helped me think of where the design community is going in comparison to where it’s been.

What’s even more cool is that right after I turned the first corner, who’s work do I see as part of the SpeakUp: Word It feature? Oh yeah, Dave Werner, my inspiration-giver and most recently, thesis mentor. I know Dave’s contributed to Word It, but I totally didn’t know he’d be part of this exhibition. It adds another level of surreal connections, anyways, not to mention that I got to say to Will, “Check it out! That’s Dave’s illustration! And that’s Dave’s illustration too!” Heehee.

SATURDAY: More reading to fuel my research. Current books include:
1. Graphic Design in America
2. Mixing Messages: Graphic Design in Contemporary Culture
3. Design Life Now (that I picked up on Friday night at the ICA)
4. Make It Bigger by Paula Scher
Also had brunch with the family and dinner at Jumbo Seafood to celebrate Uncle Mike’s birthday. Probably was the last 80+degree weather day in Boston til summer—but then again, it is New England…

SUNDAY: A slight detour in research to watch the Pats win over the Bears (34-17) and the Sox sweep the Angels (9-1) in the postseason series. Excellent work, boys. I look forward to the next set of games.

MONDAY: Brunch again, this time in the South End with Alice, Mark, and Amit. Got the low-down on Rita’s and Jeff’s wedding, which I heard was a great time. The pics from the Aquarium reception looked awesome!

More research includes finding an awesome resource on GDUSA.com. In their annual People to Watch series, the 2005 edition included the very pertinent question: How has graphic design changed since you started? With over 30 different responses, I now have a great cross-section of answers ranging from the obvious (computer technology) to the insightful (more opportunities for women/young designers today) to the intriguing (how design influences business and vice-versa).

And to connect-the-dots on one recurring theme: DIY-design is a major trend today, and can be seen in mags like ReadyMade and Make and also as panel discussion topics. As design is becoming more consumer-oriented, the field is increasingly adding ways to involve the everyday person and encouraging the innate desire to create customized projects or personal hand-made things. It sets up an interesting dialogue for the design profession and their skills. For instance, check out the HP website and Paula Scher's involvement. Are we really ready for Brand Template kits??

Check out the “branded” labels I created for my "“company.” All in the matter of two minutes.


Lastly, I’m to prepare a few questions for Doug Scott whom I hope to chat with on Thursday. I think the research from today will definitely be the basis for a great conversation about design history and design today.

That’s it for tonight. Got another meeting with Rita tomorrow evening so more thoughts to follow.

My New-Found Heroes

Online research brings out the most interesting reads—an Ellen Lupton article asking "What Is Success?" that is very loosely related to my idea #2 about good and bad design, does success validate good, etc etc...:
https://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/what-is-success

And another article that I just thought was interesting:
http://www.elupton.com/index.php?id=36

I think Ellen is a new friend. Witty and insightful, her writings are both humorous and informative. See her at the ICA on December 13! (I'll be there.)

Other good news: made contact with Doug Scott (thanks Wallace!). While I didn't even know he existed a mere four weeks ago, I am now totally pysched that I have another excellent resource for gd history. He's agreed to meet with me to discuss some thesis ideas...now I just have to focus in on some real concrete stuff so I don't make a fool of myself on meeting day. Onwards with the research!!