David Carson by Ava Lockhart

T WONK OT EVAH TNOD UOYMEHT KAERB OT SELUR EHT WONK OT EVAH TNOD UO

Chapter d 1 DaVi CaRsoN SurF bOy 2 RockeN Roll 3 GRuNgE Typ OgRaphy ACoNtEm LEGEND pORary

YOU DONT HAVE TO KNOW THE RULES TO BREAK THEMYO

LeGibilitY VS COmmuNicaTiON FaThER Of GRUNGE TypOgRaphy

This is an image of david carson at the age of 15 surfing the unconventional waves of lunada bay.

avid Carson is a notorious American modern graphic designer and art director. He was born in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1955. Carson is one of the most famous graphic designers of all time. In his early life, he started as one of the topranked competitive surfers in the world. While he was a high school teacher in California with a degree in sociology (Britannica 1). Throughout Carson’s life, his distinctive chaotic style tested boundaries that revolutionized an art movement called Grunge. In his late 20s, he joined a few short art design programs which captivated his interest.Then he decided that this could be his new career path in life, so he immediately started designing as a hobby. It intrigued him so much that he started working in Self and Musician surfer magazine as a designer. After a while, he moved to Transworld Skateboarding magazine as an art director, where he started deeply experimenting with his designs. In doing so, he started gaining more experience and media influence (Britannica 2).

“You have to utilize who you are in your work. Nobody else can do that: nobody else can pull from your background, from your parents, your upbringing, your whole life experience.”

Beach Culture, The End of Summer, magazine, 1990. This cover includes a simplistic experimental of text placement/spacing, and blurred grimy background that signature design of David Carson

columns and margins. This magazine n 1989, Carson worked commemorates all the imas an art director for Beach Culture where helife portantmagazine, parts of Carson’s received over a hundred-fiflike surfing, the ty design awards. The End of music culture, and Summer is one of thethe six art issues produced, designhe (Bond 2). which

contributed to the importance of his career further. Carson personally picked this image that Anton Corbin photographed for the cover of this issue (Britannica 2). He sees this image as the perfect cover that signifies and epitomizes the feeling when summer is about to end. The End of Summer looks very simple but it evokes a deep emotional farewell, just by looking at it; like watching sunset until the sun disappears on the horizon, that feeling. This cover allows us to take a glance of his unique way of placement of type and bizarre use of columns and margins. This magazine commemorates all the important parts of Carson’s life like surfing, the music culture, and the art design (Bond 2).

In 1989, Carson worked as an art director for Beach Culture magazine, where he received over a hundred-fifty design awards. The End of Summer is one of the six issues he produced, which contributed to the importance of his career further. Carson personally “Fig.1.” Beach Culture, The End of picked1990. this image Summer, magazine, that Anton Corbin photoBeach Culture magazine graphed for the cover of this celebrated surfing, music, the issue (Britannica 2). He sees arts, and culture, all of which were important aspects of Carson’s this image as life. (Bond 2) the perfect cover that signifies and epitomizes the feeling when summer is about to end. The End of Summer looks very simple but it entices a deep emotion just by looking at it. This cover allows us to take a glance of his unique way of placement of type and bizarre use of

“Graphic design Ray Gun, The Bible of Music and Style (issueworld one), magazine, 1992 will save the right after This issue includes repetitive images, chaotic filthy background that signature design of David Carson and roll does.” rock

- david carson

n the early 90’s, Carson’s work drew a lot of attention from the public, and one of In the early 90’s,them Carson’s overlapped is the publisher of the images, and Gun alternative rock and work drew a lotRay of attention rugged backgrounds with roll magazine. Marvin Jarrett from the public,convinced and one Carson of distraught textures. Grunge to work with them was influenced by him as an art director in 1992 is the publisher (Britannica of the Ray3). the rock music culture When he worked at Ray Gun, Gun alternativehe rock and which was all about the style got a chance to develop his roll magazine. Marvin Jarbreaking eccentric approachofwith type the traditional and experimental graphic rett convinced use of texts and that innovated the Carson to workconcepts with him as layouts. The grunge style bedesign world, which he was an art director in 1992“The (Briso popular that it was called Fathercame of Grunge typography.” (Todorova 1) tannica 3). When he worked seen everywhere, leading to He introduced a very artistic at Ray Gun, way to extract his the design materials of Mu“Fig. 2.” Ray Gun, The Bible hemagazine, got a chance by to layering devel- fractured mimicry texts, by some artists. one), sic and Style (issue images, the years, it op his eccentricconjoining approach overlapped Throughout and rugged backgrounds Ray gun magazine was established with typein and experimental becamewith a vast movement in distraught textures. 1992, it started with three people graphic concepts design history. in a tiny one-bedroomed apartment in Grunge was influenced by the rock musicculture which was that innovated the design Malibu, Los Angeles. this magazine all about the style of created a radical, uncompromising world, which hethe was called use of breaking traditional texts publication for kids across America “The Father of Grunge ty- The grunge style and layouts. with whom Rolling Stone just didn’t pography. resonate, and David (Carson) would” He became so popular that it was seen everywhere, leading to do the art direction from introduced San Diego. a very artistic the design mimicry by some way to extract his materials artists. Throughout by layering fractured texts, the years, it became a vast movement in conjoining design history.

Nine Inch Nails, And All That Could Have Been, album cover, 2022 This cover includes grungy feel, overlapping texts, and rough backgrounds that signature design of David Carson

overlapping pieces of texts, and blurred and dirty rough runge is a very distinct textured style that backgrounds. became popularNine in the 80s and 90s. It Inchlate Nails: Andearly All That was introduced as a style for Could Have Been album music bands that are not so cover is one the great popular or notofmainstreamed on the radio. The goal wasfeel examples of the grunge to make them trendy using even with the use of the unique design for their same typeface (Carson, 20). albums to attract people. That is when graphic design was put into action and advertised to make these bands known to the public’s eye (Galea 2). David Carson, therefore, intended to explore and use characters on this album cover using repetitive typefaces, grimy stains, the aesthetic of overlapping pieces of texts, and blurred and dirty rough textured backgrounds. Nine Inch Nails: And All That Could Have Been album cover is one of the great examples of the grunge feel even with the use of the same typeface (Carson, 20).

Grunge is a very distinct style that became popular in the late 80s and early 90s. It was introduced as a style for music bands that are not so popular or not mainstreamed on the radio. The goal was to make them trendy using unique design for their albums to attract people. That is when graphic design was put into action and advertised to make these bands known to the public’s eye (Galea 2). David “Fig. 3.” Nine Inch Nails, And All That Could Carson, therefore, intended Have Been, album cover, 2022 to explore and use chardavid carson had a last minute change, thiscover work acters on this album was originally the cover of the nine inch nail: using repetitive typefaces, and all that could have been album, but ended up grimy stains, the aesthetic of being the back cover.

A CONTEM ONTEM POR POR ARY ARY LEEGEN GEN Dutch magazine, Volkskrant, magazine, April 2018

“Fig. 4.” This magazine cover includes chopped texts that is divided into pieces with modern abstract background that signature design of David Carson

n 1995, Carson decided to leave Ray Gun and start his own company. He founded David Carson Design where you can find some of his personalized art, merchandise, and many other current work he did for big companies like Mercedes Benz, Ray Ban, Nike, Pepsi Cola, Emporio Armani, Microsoft. He has also done work for numerous airlines, banks, bands, museums, and several other major corporations and magazines (Berry 1). This piece that he made for Volkskrant magazine is uniquely modern. The asymmetrical design of overall brushstrokes of black ink on a clean background, the slicing of the words and filed up fractured texts on the center, those are signature aspects of Carson’s design approach. It is still part of his design even in the modern times. It is the art that communicates to the viewers and it pulls us into the work. This Volkskrant cover is one of the best examples of his modern work. As you can see, the evolution of his works is truly mesmerizing even in the simplest designs (Carson 15).

his is one of the quotes he talked about in the TED talk: “Don’t Mistake Legibility for Communication.” People get confused between these two words. Even though legibility and communication are connected to each other, they are in fact, different. It doesn’t mean that you can read it, it communicates to you (Berry 1). Carson believes in the emotion of design, and the message it brings before the viewers get to read it. The audience’s emotional response to the material is what interests him the most (TED Talk 1). An artist and photographer, Albert Watson, stated that, “Carson constructs expressive composition using communicative typography that creates emotions that express the message it carries.” “Intuition is possibly the most important ingredient in design, it has something everybody has, it’s not a matter of teaching it.” – David Carson These statements summarize Carson’s design philosophy that he followed with every piece of work and in his entire career even up to this day.

“Just because because something something is is “Just legible legible doesn’t mean mean doesn’t it communicates communicates it and something something difficult difficult and to read read may may be be very very easily easily to communicated. Both Both communicated. legibility and and legibility communication are are of of communication equal equal importance.” –– David David importance.” Carson Carson

COMMUNI COMM CAT CATIION

“Fig. 5.” Design and Discovery, Don’t Mistake Legibility for Communication, TED talk, 13.3” x 7.5” in, 2003 One of Carson’s slides on TED Talk, it includes a divided puzzling sentence with strange placement and spacing of words. his work is inspired by his humor and one of his famous quotes.

LE GI BI LIT Y

LE GIBI LITY

“David Carson continues to be one of the “Just because something world’s most distinctive isit legible doesn’t mean typographic communicates and voices– much something difficult imitated, but to read may be very never easily communicated. matched. Both legibility and – Ellen communication are ofequal Lupton importance.”

FATHER

– David O Carson F GRUNGE

avid Carson is a perfect role model for an art designer. He is a selftaught artist who established his own one-of-a-kind style, and anyone who gets the first glimpse of his work can identify his designs. He was arguably one of the most well-known graphic designers in the 90’s. His most effective designs are accomplished using simplistic or magnificently complex and chaotic techniques. Carson’s rebellious style explores the use of texts on a gritty, stained background representing the Grunge typography era (Lanks 3). David Carson evokes many emotions and ideas in his works, his lasting legacy impacts the design culture, and influences younger designers like me by thinking out Design and Discovery, Don’t Mistake Legibility for Communication, TED ourselves in of the ordinary and utilizing every work that we do. talk, 2003

“Styles come and go. David’s design is a language, not a style.” This is one of the slides of David Carson’s discussion on TED Talk – M. Vignelli 14

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Berry, Craig. “C-Word Talks #34: David Carson.” C-Word Talks #34: David Carson, Medium, 25 Oct. 2018, https://craigberry93.medium.com/c-word-talks-34-david-carson-ce38f3182301. Bond, Sarah. “David Carson for Beach Culture Magazine.” GD 203, NC State University, 9 Apr. 2020, https://go.distance. ncsu.edu/gd203/?p=52282. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “David Carson”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Sep. 2022, https://www.britannica. com/biography/David-Carson. Accessed 5 November 2022. Carson, D. “David Carson: Design and discover.” TED Talk, 2003, http://www.ted.com/talks/david_carson_on_design Carson, David. “David Carson Designs.” 1995, http://www.davidcarsondesign.com Galea, Daniel. Grunge – David Carson, Critical Studies, 23 Jan. 2015, http://danielgalea93.blogspot.com/2015/01/grunge-david-carson.html. Lanks, Belinda. “The Father of Grunge Typography Calls out Lazy Design.” The Father of Grunge Typography Calls Out Lazy Design, Magenta, 6 June 2017, https://magenta.as/the-father-of-grunge-typography-calls-out-lazy-designdaae470a685a.

Pg.1&16 “Waves” Image by Pexels from Pixabay, https://pixabay.com/photos/beach-wave-ocean-outdoorssea-1851101/ Pg.1&14 “David Carson on surf, magazines, graphic design and inspiration.” https://medium.com/@underpressure/a-conversation-with-surfer-and-legendary-graphic-designer-david-carson-326c5f08042f Pg.2&3 “Surfing it up” Image by Jennifer Tudda, https://jennifertuddadesign.com/print-magazinedavid-carson Pg.4 “Carson_David_2000_B_ACA1_” Image by Jack Mitchell, https://www.gettyimages.co.nz/photos/david-carson Pg.5 David Carson’s Lunada Bay cover for Monster children” https://beachgrit.com/2015/05/dave-carsons-lunada-baycover-for-mc/ Pg. 6 “The End of Summer” https://www.designboom.com/design/interview-with-graphic-designer-david-carson-09-22-2013/ Pg.6-7 “Sunset Dawn Background Evening Panorama Dusk” https://www.maxpixel.net/Sunset-Dawn-Background-Evening-Panorama-Dusk-3104413 Pg.8 “Dazed” https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/44709/1/ray-gun-90s-bible-music-style-book-marvin-scottjarrett-sonic-youth-david-bowie Pg. 8-9 Red Grunge Background, https://pixabay.com/illustrations/background-brown-red-grunge-1740162/ Pg.12 “Volkskrant magazine” April 2018 http://www.davidcarsondesign.com Pg.10-11 “Edward Eyer Photography” https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-playing-guitar-811838/ Pg.12 Blue paint background, https://pixabay.com/illustrations/background-texture-abstract-art-6556413/ Pg.13 & 15 Tim Mossholder Photographer, https://www.pexels.com/@timmossholder/ Pg. 14 “Retro TV on river shore near forest” https://www.pexels.com/photo/retro-tv-on-river-shore-near-forest-3764958/ Pg.16 Grunge, https://pixabay.com/photos/abstract-aged-aging-architecture-1851067/

IMAGES CITATION

Todorova, Neli. “David Carson – ‘the Father of Grunge’.” Neli Todorova’s Blog, Wordpress, 6 Oct. 2013, https://nvtodoro-

This booklet was designed by Ava Lockhart using Adobe InDesign and Illustrator and printed on 70 lb text and 80 lb matte cover by Repros Print Shop in Charlotte, NC. The type is set primarily in Mirad Pro and Calder. © 2022