A2 graphics essay

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Nafi John

A2 Graphics Design Essay

A2 Graphics Design Essay How have changes in available technology influenced the development of Illustrative Design? The twentieth century is renowned for giving birth to the information age, opening up completely new dimensions in the technology industry and even more possibilities within the design industry. From the invention of colour photography in the early 1900’s to the dawn of the World Wide Web in the late 1990’s, the world has defiantly experienced some great technical achievements in the past century. Social Media is a prime example of this, playing a rather large role in the influence of design, both stylistically and conceptually. Being so connected to the world has exposed us to more than ever before, inspiring more cutting-­‐edge, controversial and provocative work. In my Unit 3 Coursework I have explored this concept through the form of narrative design. Though simply defined as an image that ‘tells a story’, through this project I have discovered that narrative design is so much more. To me, a narrative image is a powerful and direct form of communicating a perspective of an event, concept or ideal. A great deal of information must be presented within a single frame, meaning that designers often have to be strategic with visual aesthesis’ to ensure that the entire message comes across clearly. Illustrator and concept artist, Nathan Aardvark is the perfect advocate of this 21st century approach to narrative design. With the aid of sophisticated design software such as Photoshop and Illustrator, Aardvark’s portrayal of fictional characters and worlds, is created with very strong realistic impressions. Although his work covers a large number of concepts, there is a mystical underlying tone throughout his portfolio that is strangely compelling. This is comparable with the work of renowned Illustrator and Painter Norman Rockwell (the second designer I will be looking at) as they both seem to have underlying social themes that diverge from the main piece of work. Though separated by over 50 years this link is strong, making the notion that technology has heavily changed illustrative design seem less likely; contemporary designers may have altered techniques and styles, but ultimately the ideal of using illustration to communicate serious issues has not. When applying this to the graphic design industry, it would be surprising if these advances had no visible effect. These technological advances have reshaped and broadened what we now recognise as narrative and illustrative design. Another illustrator who contrasts with both of these designers is David Foldvari (the final illustrator I will be analysing). His work stylistically is very different from the two above, being bold, iconic and symbolic. Though similar in a sense of his choice of political and dark themes, Foldvari’s overall tone is very powerful as he limits his use of colour, often only using one, and displaying all characters in a crisp silhouette form. I would like to explore Foldvari’s work further than my coursework as I feel that there is much to learn from his cleverly thought out use of representation and humour, unlike both Aardvark and Rockwell who go for a more visually poetic feel. Ultimately I feel that all of these designers will help me explore the influence of technology on the illustrative design industry both visually and conceptually, while also providing insight into how much or how little these factors have changed over the years.

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A2 graphics essay by Nafi Tafi - Issuu