GRUNGE
99 takes over
graphic art
1
A time when the rule book of publication was broken as technology became the main tool for
modern designers.
’s
The uncharted possibilities of macintosh based graphics emerged in the 1980’s and continued strongly into the 90’s. This piece of technology changed everything in the design world as digital mistakes were embraced and new ideals for design were invented. The ‘grunge’ trend embodied the culture both visually and musically and then made itself known in design. This style embodied an undesigned messy look and type was dominated by hand-made impressionistic lettering. With digital tools revolutionizing the perception of art, print had to work harder to make itself known.
DAVID CARSON
‘had no grid, formula or format, letting the music and individual articles dictate the direction of the design and layout. Every page was an entirely new design assignment’
E
‘GODFATHER OF
David Carson is dubbed the
GRUNGE
he revolutionized the design industry with a unique rule breaking attitude towards publication. With no formal training an opportunity presented itself to work on Beach Culture magazine. This initiated Carson’s involvement in the magazine industry, making his mark with unconventional rule breaking design choices. His work presented a new approach to type and page design. Driven by intuition rather than formulas, he created work that simply reinforced the energy of what was presented to him in an article.
By squishing, slanting and enchanting the words on a layout, he projected the idea that letters on a page are an expressive medium of art. His often illegible and experimental layout designs remain to be a constant source of radical inspiration for designers around the globe.
ZUZANA LICKO & RUDY VANDERLANS
E
migre Magazine
VanderLan’s and Licko collaborated their unique creative persepctives in the production of Emigre Magazine. The Magazine had organic grid structures that reflected Vanderlans enthusiasm towards the contents of the article. Technology gave him the flexibility to reinvent the entire look of the magazine with every issue. His various type layouts and structures reflected the mood and rhythm of the each piece of writing. Licko presented digital layouts and typeface designs that also complimented each article. These two artists embraced the introduction of the computer in their creative process and thus the magazine become a way of testing new visual aesthetics.
TYPEFACES.
The fonts Licko developed for the magazine, have encouraged designers to defy and overthrow, conventional rules and to set new standards. The exposure of typefaces featured in the magazine led to the creation of ‘Emigre Fonts’. Today, the Emigre Fonts Library consist of over 600 digital experimental and traditional
The ‘90s was the beginning of the digital evolution as computers became a tool for artistic expression. The rules of art and design were redefined by those who tested the limits such as the work of David Carson & the creative duo Zuzana Licko and Rudy VanderLans. These artist have continued to pursue their unique visions and consequently, have been a prime force in revolutionizing the industry and cultivating a spirit of exploration.