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By the ideal book, I suppose we are

if the type be good and attention be

to understand a book not limited by

paid to its general arrangement.

commercial exigencies of price: we

All here present, I should suppose,

can do what we like with it, accord-

will agree in thinking an opening

ing to what its nature, as a book, de-

of Schoeffer’s 1462 Bible beautiful,

mands of Art. But we may conclude,

even when it has neither been illumi-

I think, that its maker will limit us

nated nor rubricated; the same may

somewhat; a work on differential

be said of SchĂźssler, or Jenson, or,

calculus, a medical work, a dictio-

in short, of any of the good old print-

nary, a collection of statesmen’s

ers; their works, without any further

speeches, of a treatise on manures,

ornament than they derived from

such books, though they might be

the design and arrangement of the

handsomely and well printed, would

letters were definite works of art. In

scarcely receive ornament with the

fact a book, printed or written, has a

same exuberance as a volume of

tendency to be a beautiful object, and

lyrical poems, or a standard classic,

that we of this age should generally

or such like. A work on Art, I think,

produce ugly books, shows, I fear,

bears less of ornament than any oth-

something like malice prepense - a

er kind of book (NON BIS IN IDEM is

determination to put our eyes in our

a good motto); Still, whatever the

pockets wherever we can.

subject-matter of the book may be, and however bare it may be of dec-

Well, I lay it down, first, that

oration, it can still be a work of art,

a book quite un-ornamented can look actually and positively beautiful, and not merely un-ugly, if it be, so to say, architecturally good, which by the by, need not add much to its price, since it costs no more to pick up pretty stamps than ugly ones, and the taste and forethought that goes

“ A book that must have illustrations, more or less utilitarian, should, I think, have no actual ornament and the illustration must almost certainly fight. �

with his other necessary business.

Now, then, let us see what this architectural arrangement claims of us.

First, the pages must be clear and easy to read; which they can hardly be unless. Secondly, the type is well designed; and Thirdly, whether the margins be small or big, they must be in due proportion to the page of letter. For clearness of reading, the things necessary to be heeded are, first, that the letters should be properly put on their bodies, and, I think, especially that there should be small whites between them.

to the proper setting, position, and so on, will soon grow into a habit, if cultivated, and will not take up much of the master-printer’s time when taken It is curious, but to me certain, that the irregularity of some early type, notably the roman letter of the early printers of Rome, which is, of all roman type, the rudest, does not tend towards illegibility: what does do so, is the lateral compression of the letter, which necessarily involves the over-thinning out of its shape.

Of course I do not mean to say that the above-mentioned irregularity is other than a fault to be corrected.

One thing should never be done in ideal printing, the spacing out of let-

This leads us to the second matter

white and the black black. When that

on this head, the lateral spacing of

excellent journal the Westminster

words (the whites between them).

Gazette, first came out, there was a

To make a beautiful page great at-

discussion on the advantages of its

tention should be paid to this, which,

green paper, in which a good deal of

I fear, is not often done. No more

nonsense was talked. My friend, Mr.

white should be used between the

Jacobi, being a practical printer, set

words than just clearly cuts them of

these wise men right, if they noticed

from one another; if the whites are

his letter, which I fear they did not, by

bigger than this it both tends to il-

pointing out that what they had done

legibility and makes the page ugly. I

was to lower the tone (not the moral

remember once buying a handsome

tone) of the paper, and that, there-

fifteenth-century Venetian book, and

fore, in order to make it legible as or-

I could not tell at first why some of

dinary black and white, they should

its pages were so worrying to read,

make their black blacker - which of

and so commonplace and vulgar

course they do not do. You may de-

to look at, for there was no fault to

pend upon it that a grey page is very

find with the type. But presently it

trying to the eyes.

was accounted for by the spacing; for the said pages were spaced like a modern book, i.e., the black and white nearly equal. Next, if you want a legible book, the white should be

turned upside down; the dot of the i should not be a circle drawn with compasses, but a delicately drawn diamond, and so on. To be short, the letters should be designed by an artist, and not an engineer. As to the forms of letters in England (I mean Great Britain), there has been much As above said, legibility depends

progress within the last forty years.

also much on the design of the let-

The sweltering hideousness of the

ter; and again I take up the cudgels

Bodoni letter, the most illegible type

against compressed type, and that

that was ever cut, with its prepos-

especially in Roman letters: the full-

terous thicks and thins, has been

sized lower-case letters a, b, d, & c,

mostly relegated to works that do

should be designed on something

not profess anything but the baldest

like a square to get good results:

utilitarianism (though why even util-

otherwise one may fairly say that

itarianism should use illegible types,

there is no room for the design. Fur-

I fail to see), and Caslon’s letter, and

thermore, each letter should have

the somewhat wiry, but in its way, el-

its due characteristic drawing; e.g.,

egant old-faced type cut in our own

the thickening out for a b, should

days, has largely taken its place. It

not be of the same kind as that for

is rather unlucky, however, that a

a d; a u should not merely be an n

somewhat low standard of excellence

has been accepted for the design of

century; and that touches on an-

modern roman type at its best, the

other commercial difficulty; to wit,

comparatively poor and wiry letter

that you cannot have a book either

of Plantin, and the Elzeviers, having

handsome or clear to read which is

served for the model, rather than the

printed in small characters. For my

generous and logical designs of the

part, except where books smaller

fifteenth-century Venetian printers,

than an ordinary octavo are wanted, I

at the head of whom stands Nicholas

would fight against anything smaller

Jenson. When it is so obvious that

than pica; but at any rate small pica

this is the best and clearest roman

seems to me the smallest type that

type yet struck, it seems a pity that

should be used in the body of any

we should make our starting point

book. I might suggest to printers that

for a possible new departure at any

if they want to get more in they can

period worse than the best. If any of

reduce the size of the leads, or leave

you doubt the superiority of this type

them out altogether. Of course this

over that of the seventeenth centu-

is more desirable in some types than

ry, the study of a specimen enlarged

others; e.g., Caslon’s letter, which

about five times will convince him, I

has long ascenders and descenders,

should think. I must admit, howev-

never needs leading, except for spe-

er, that a commercial consideration

cial purposes.

comes in here, to wit, that the Jenson letters take up more room than the imitations of the seventeenth

I have hitherto had a fine and generous roman type in my mind, but after all, a certain amount of variety is desirable, and when you have once got your roman letter as good as the best that has been, I do not think you will find much scope for

Now this, though a handsome and

development of it. I would, therefore,

stately letter, is not very easy read-

put in a word for some form of gothic

ing, it is too much compressed, too

letter for use in our improved printed

spiky, and, so too say, too prepense-

book. This may startle some of you,

ly Gothic. But there are many types

but you must remember that except

which are of a transitional character

for a very remarkable type used very

and of all degrees of transition; from

seldom by Berthelette (I have only

those which do little more than take

seen two books in this type, Bar-

in just a little of the crisp floweriness

tholomew the Englishman, and the

of the gothic, like some of the Men-

Gower of 1532), English black-letter,

telin or quasi-Mentelin ones (which,

since the days of Wynkyn de Worde,

indeed, are models of beautiful sim-

has been always the letter which

plicity), or, say, like the letter of the

was introduced from Holland about

Ulm Ptolemy, of which it is difficult

that time (I except again, of course,

to say whether it is gothic or roman,

the modern imitations of Caxton).

to the splendid Mainz type, of which, I suppose, the finest example is the Schoeffer Bible of 1462, and which is almost wholly gothic. This gives us a

wide field for variety, I think, so I make the suggestion to you, and leave this part of the subject with two remarks: first, that a good deal of the difficulty of reading gothic books is caused by the numerous contractions in them, which were a survival of the practice of the scribes; and in a lesser degree by the over abundance of tied letters, both of which drawbacks I take if for granted would be absent in modern types founded on these semi-gothic letters. And, secondly, that in my opinion the capitals are the strong

We now come to the position of the

man who knows what proportion is,

page of print on the paper, which is

this looks satisfactory, and that no

a most important point, and one that

other does so look. But the modern

till quite lately has been wholly mis-

printer, as a rule, dumps down his

understood by modern, and seldom

page in what he calls the middle of

done wrong by ancient printers, or

the paper, which is often not even

indeed by producers of books of any

really the middle, as he measures

kind. On this head, I must begin by

his page from the headline, if he has

reminding you that we only occasion-

one, though it is not really part of the

ally see one page of a book at a time;

page, but a spray of type only faintly

the two pages making an opening

staining the head of the paper. Now

are really the unit of the book, and

I go so far as to say that any book in

this was thoroughly understood by

which the page is properly put on the

the old book producers.

paper, is tolerable to look at, howev-

I think you will seldom find a book,

er poor the type may be - always so

produced before the eighteenth

long as there is no `ornament’ which

century, and which has not been

may spoil the whole thing. Whereas

cut down by that enemy of books

any book in which the page is wrong-

(and of the human race), the bind-

ly set on the paper is intolerable to

er, in which this rule is not adhered

look at, however good the type and

to: that the hinder edge (that which

ornaments may be. I have got on my

is bound in) must be the smallest

shelves now a Jenson’s Latin Pliny,

member of the margins, the head

which, in spite of its beautiful type

margin must be larger than this, the

and handsome painted ornaments,

fore larger still, and the tail largest

I dare scarcely look at, because the

of all. I assert that, to the eye of any

binder (adjectives fail me here) has

chopped off two-thirds of the tail

the bigger price. If they are right for

margin. Such stupidities are like a

the large paper they are wrong for

man with his coat buttoned up be-

the small, and thus spoil it, as we

hind, or a lady with her bonnet put

have seen above that they must do;

on hindside foremost. Before I fin-

and that seems scarcely fair to the

ish this section I should like to say

general public - from the point of

a word concerning large paper cop-

view of artistic morality - who might

ies. I am clean against them, though

have had a book that was sightly,

I have sinned a good deal in that way

though not high priced. As to the

myself, but that was in the days of ig-

paper of our ideal book we are at a

norance, and I petition for pardon on

great disadvantage compared with

that ground only. If you want to pub-

past times. Up to the end of the fif-

lish a handsome edition of a book as

teenth, or, indeed, the first quarter

well as a cheap one, do so; but let

of the sixteenth centuries, no bad

them be two books, and if you (or the

paper was made, and the greater

public) cannot afford this, spend your

part was very good indeed. At pres-

ingenuity and your money in making

ent there is very little good paper

the cheap book as sightly as you can.

made, and most of it is very bad.

Your making a large paper copy out of the small one lands you in a dilemma even if you reimpose the pages for the larger paper, which is not often done I think. If the margins are right for the smaller book, they must be wrong for the larger, and you have to offer the public the worse book at

For my part I decidedly prefer the

Our ideal book must, I think, be printed on hand-made paper as good as it can be made; penury here will make a poor

cheaper papers that are used for the journals, so far as appearance is concerned, to the thick, smooth, sham-fine papers on which respectable books are printed, and the worst

book of it. Yet if machine-made

of these are those which imitate the

paper must be used, it should

structure of hand-made papers.

not profess fineness or luxu-

But granted your hand-made paper,

ry; but should show itself for

there is something to be said about

what it is.

its substance. A small book should not be printed on thick paper, however good it may be. You want a book to turn over easily, and to lie quiet while you are reading it, which is impossible, unless you keep heavy paper for big books.

And, by the way, I wish to make a protest against the superstition that only small books are comfortable to read. Some small books are tolerably comfortable, but the best of them are not so comfortable as a fairly big folio, the size, say, of an uncut Polyphilus, or somewhat bigger. .

[ The fact is, a small book seldom does lie quiet, and you have either to cramp you hand by holding it, or else to put it on the table with a paraphernalia of matters to keep it down, a table-spoon on one side, a knife on another, and so on, which things always tumble off at a critical moment, and fidget you out of the repose which is absolutely necessary to reading. ]

Whereas, a big folio lies quiet and

The ornament must form as much a

majestic on the table, waiting kindly

part of the page as the type itself, or

till you please to come to it, with its

it will miss its mark, and in order to

leaves flat and peaceful, giving you

succeed, and to be ornament, it must

no trouble of body, so that your mind

submit to certain limitations, and

is free to enjoy the literature which

become architectural; a mere black

its beauty enshrines. So far, then, I

and white picture, however interest-

have been speaking of books whose

ing it may be as a picture, may be far

only ornament is the necessary and

from an ornament in a book; while

essential beauty which arises out of

on the other hand, a book ornament-

the fitness of a piece of craftsman-

ed with pictures that are suitable for

ship for the use which it is made.

that, and that only, may become a

But if we get as far as that, no doubt

work of art second to none, save a

from such craftsmanship definite or-

fine building duly decorated, or a fine

nament will arise, and will be used,

piece of literature. These two latter

sometimes with wise forbearance,

things are, indeed, the only abso-

sometimes with prodigality equal-

lutely necessary gift that we should

ly wise. Meantime, if we really feel

claim of art.

impelled to ornament our books, no doubt we ought to try what we can do; but in this attempt we must remember one thing, that if we think the ornament is ornamentally a part of the book merely because it is printed with it, and bound up with it, we shall be much mistaken.

[ The picture-book is not, perhaps, absolutely necessary to man’s life, but it gives us such endless pleasure, and is so intimately connected with the other absolutely necessary art of imaginative literature that it must remain one of the very worthiest things towards the production of which reasonable men should strive. ]

— Be yourself, everyone else is taken.

Oscar Wilde // Irish poet, novelist and dramatist (1854-1900)

Architects, painters, and sculptors must recognize anew and learn to grasp the composite character of a The ultimate aim of all visual arts is

building both as an entity and in its

the complete building!

separate parts. Only then will their

To embellish buildings was once the

work be imbued with the architec-

noblest function of the fine arts;

tonic spirit which it has lost as “salon

They were the indispensable compo-

art. The old schools of art were un-

nents of great architecture.

able to produce this unity; how could they, since art cannot be taught.

They must be merged once more

[ Today the arts exist in isolation, from which they can be rescued only through the conscious, cooperative effort of all craftsmen.]

with the workshop. The mere drawing and painting world of the pattern designer and the applied artist must become a world that builds again.

When young people who take a joy in artistic creation once more begin their life’s work by learning a trade, then the unproductive “artist” will no longer be condemned to deficient artistry, for their skill will now be preserved for the crafts, in which they will be able to achieve excellence.

“Architects, sculptors, painters, we all must return to the crafts!

For art is not a [profession]. There is no essential difference between the artist and the craftsman.

The artist is an exalted craftsman.�

In rare moments of inspiration, transcending the consciousness of his will, the grace of heaven may cause his work to blossom into art. But proficiency in a craft is essential to every artist. There in lies the prime source of creative imagination.

Let us then create a new guild of craftsmen without the class distinctions that raise an arrogant barrier between craftsman and artist!

Let us desire, conceive, and create the new structure of the future, which will embrace architecture and sculpture and painting in one unity and which will one day rise toward heaven from the hands of a million workers like the crystal symbol of a new faith.

Walter Groupious

Program of the Staatliche Bauhaus In Weimar

— The Staatliche Bauhaus resulted from the merger of the former Grand-Ducal Saxon Academy of Art with the former Grand-Ducal Saxon School of Arts and Crafts in conjunction with a newly affiliated department of architecture.

Aims of the Bauhaus.

The Bauhaus strives to bring togeth- The Bauhaus wants to educate archier all creative effort into one whole, tects, painters, and sculptors of all to reunify all the disciplines of prac- levels, according to their capabilities, tical art-sculpture, painting, handi- to become competent craftsmen or crafts, and the crafts-as inseparable independent creative artists and to components of a new architecture. form a working community of leading The ultimate, if distant, aim of the and future artist-craftsmen. These Bauhaus is the unified work of art — men, of kindred spirit, will know how the great structure — in which there to design buildings harmoniously in is no distinction between monumen- their entirety-structure, finishing, tal and decorative art.

ornamentation, and furnishing.

Principles of a Bahaus

Avoidance of all rigidity;

priority of creativity; freedom of Art rises above all methods; In itself it cannot be taught, but the crafts certainly can be. Architects, painters, and sculptors are craftsmen in the true sense of the word; Hence, a thorough training in the crafts, acquired in workshops and in experimental and practical sites, is required of all students as the indispensable basis for all artistic production. Our own workshops are to be gradually built up, and apprenticeship agreements with outside workshops will be concluded. The school is the servant of the workshop, and will one day be absorbed in it. Therefore there will be no teachers or pupils in the Bauhaus but masters, journeymen, and apprentices. The manner of teaching arises from the character of the workshop: Organic forms developed from manual skills.

individuality, but strict study discipline. Master and journeyman examinations, according to the Guild Statutes, held before the Council of Masters of the Bauhaus or before outside masters. Collaboration by the students in the work of the masters. Securing of commissions, also for students. Mutual planning of extensive, Utopian structural designs-public buildings and buildings for worship-aimed at the future.

RANGE OF INSTRUCTION

Instruction at the Bauhaus

includes all practical and scientific areas of creative work.

architecture

[]

painting

[]

sculpture

[]

[01 ] Including all blanchees of the crafts]

Craft training-either in our are trained in a craft own, gradually enlarging workshops or in outside workshops to which the student is bound by apprenticeship agreement-includes: sculptors, stonemasons, stucco workers, woodcarvers, ceramic workers, plaster casters // blacksmiths, locksmiths, founders, metal turners // cabinetmakers // painter-and-decorators, glass painters, mosaic workers, enamelers // etchers. wood engravers, lithographers, art printers, enchasers // weavers.

[02 ] as well as in drawing and painting]

Training in drawing and are trained in a craftfree-hand sketchpainting includes: ing from memory and imagination // drawing and painting of heads, live models. and animals // drawing and painting of landscapes, figures, plants, and still lives // composition // execution of murals, panel pictures, and religious shrines // design of ornaments // lettering // construction and projection drawing // design of exteriors, gardens, and interiors // design of furniture and

Craft training forms the basis of all teaching at the Bauhaus. Every student must learn a craft.

practical articles

[03 ] and science and theory]

Training in science and theare trained in a craft ory includes: art history-not presented in the sense of a history of styles, but rather to further active understanding of historical working methods and techniques // science of materials // anatomy-from the living model // physical and chemical theory of color // rational painting methods // basic concepts of bookkeeping, contract negotiations, personnel // individual lectures on subjects of general interest in all areas of art and science.

DIVISIONS OF INSTRUCTION [ the training is divided into three courses of instruction: I. course for apprentices, II. course for journeymen, III. course for junior masters.

The instruction of the individual is left to the discretion of each master within the framework of the general program and the work schedule, which is revised every semester. —

In order to give the students

as versatile and comprehensive a technical and artistic training as possible, the work schedule will be so arranged that every architect, painter, and sculptor-to-be is able to participate in part of the other courses.

Admission Any person of good repute, without regard to age or sex, whose previous education is deemed adequate by the Council of Masters, will be admitted, as far as space permits.

The tuition fee is 180 marks per year (It will gradually disappear entirely with increasing earnings of the Bauhaus). A nonrecurring admission fee of 20 marks is also to be paid. Foreign students pay double fees. Address inquiries to the Secretariat of the Staatliche Bauhaus in Weimar.

— Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again, Fail again, Fail better // Samuel Beckett

Typography is a tool of comunication It must be communication in its most intense form. The emphasis must be on absolute clarity since this distinguishes the character of our own writing from that of ancient pictographic forms. Our intellectual

The printed image corresponds to

relationship to the world is individ-

the contents through its specific

ual-exact (e.g., this individual-exact

optical and psychological laws, de-

relationship is in a state of transi-

manding their typical form. The es-

tion toward a collective-exact ori-

sence and the purpose of printing

entation). This is in contrast to the

demand an uninhibited use of all

ancient individual-amorphous and

linear directions (therefore not only

later collective-amorphous mode of

horizontal articulation).

communication. Therefore priority:

We use all typefaces, type sizes, geo-

unequivocal clarity in all typograph-

metric forms, colors, etc. We want to

ical compositions. Legibility-com-

create a new language of typogra-

munication must never be impaired

phy whose elasticity, variability; and

by an a priori esthetics. Letters may

freshness of typographical composi-

never be forced into a preconceived

tion is exclusively dictated by the in-

framework, for instance a square.

The most important aspect of con-

preted concepts and expressions.

temporary typography is the use of

The objectivity of photography liber-

zincographic techniques, meaning

ates the receptive reader from the

the mechanical production of pho-

crutches of the author’s personal

toprints in all sizes. What the Egyp-

idiosyncrasies and forces him into

tians started in their inexact hiero-

the formation of his own opinion. It

glyphs whose interpretation rested

is safe to predict that this increasing

on tradition and personal imagina-

documentation through photography

tion, has become the most precise

will lead in the near future to a re-

expression through the inclusion

placement of literature by film.

of photography into the typograph-

The indications of this development

ic method. Already today we have

are apparent already in the increased

books (mostly scientific ones) with

use of the telephone which makes

precise photographic reproductions;

letterwriting obsolete. It is no valid

but these photographs are only sec-

objection that the production of films

ondary explanations of the text.

demands too intricate and costly an

The latest development supersedes

apparatus. Soon the making of a film

this phase, and small or large photos

will be as simple and available as

are placed in the text where formerly

now printing books.

we used inexact, individually inter-

An equally decisive change in the typographical image will occur in the making of posters, as soon as photography has replaced posterpainting. The effective poster must act with immediate impact on all psychological receptacles. Through an expert use of the camera, and of all photographic techniques, such as retouching, blocking, superimposi-

“The new typography is a simultaneous experience of vision and communication.”

tion, distortion, enlargement, etc., in combination with the liberated typographical line, the effectiveness of posters can be immensely enlarged.

The new poster relies on photography, which is the new storytelling device of civilization, combined with the shock effect of new typefaces and brilliant color effects, depending on the desired intensity of the message.

— Work hard. Tell everyone everything you know. Close a deal with a handshake. Have fun! // Harold Edgerton

The topography of typography 01 The words on the printed surface are taken in by seeing, not by hearing; // 02 One communicates meanings through the convention of words; meaning attains form through  letters; // 03 Economy of expression: optics not phonetics; // 04 The design of the book-space, set according to the constraints of printing mechanics, must correspond to the tensions and pressures of content; // 05 The design of the book-space using process blocks which issue from the new optics. The supernatural reality of the perfected eye; // 06. The continuous sequence of pages: the bioscopic book; // 07 The new book demands the new writer. Inkpot and quill-pen are dead; // 08 The printed surface transcends space and time.

The printed surface, the infinity of books, must be transcended;

— We are what we repeatedly do.

Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit. // Aristotle Greek critic, philosopher, physicist and zoologist // American engineer and photographer // Irish playwright and novelist

We, the undersigned, are graphic designers, photographers and students who have been brought up in a world in which the techniques and apparatus of advertising have persistently been presented to us as the most lucrative, effective and desirable means of using our talents.

We have been bombarded with publications devoted to this belief, applauding the work of those who have flogged their skill and imagination to sell such things as: cat food, stomach powders, detergent, hair restorer, striped toothpaste, aftershave lotion, beforeshave lotion, slimming diets, fattening diets, deodorants, fizzy water, cigarettes, roll-ons, pull-ons and slip-ons.

In common with an increas-

ing numer of the general public, we have reached a saturation point at which the high pitched scream of consumer selling is no more than sheer noise.

We think that there are other things more worth using our skill and experience on. There are signs for streets and buildings, books and periodicals, catalogues, instructional manuals, industrial photography, educational aids, films, television features, scientific and industrial publications and all the other media through

By far the greatest effort of those working

which we promote our trade, our ed-

in the advertising industry are wasted on

ucation, our culture and our greater

these trivial purposes, which contribute lit-

awareness of the world.

tle or nothing to our national prosperity.

We do not advocate the ab-

olition of high pressure consumer advertising: this is not feasible. 覺

Nor do we want to take any of the fun out of life. But we are proposing a reversal of priorities in favour of the more useful and more lasting forms of communication. We hope that our society will tire of gimmick merchants, status salesmen and hidden persuaders, and that the prior call on our skills will be for worthwhile purposes. With this in mind we propose to share our experience and opinions, and to make them available to colleagues, students and others who may be interested.

[ signed ] Edward Wright // Geoffrey White // William Slack // Caroline Rawlence // Ian McLaren // Sam Lambert // Ivor Kamlish // Gerald Jones // Bernard Higton // Brian Grimbly // John Garner // Ken Garland // Anthony Froshaug // Robin Fior // Germano Facetti // Ivan Dodd // Harriet Crowder // Anthony Clift // Gerry Cinamon // Robert Chapman // Ray Carpenter // Ken Briggs

— Art resides in the quality of doing, process is not magic. // Charles Eames

// The use of the grid as an ordering system is the expression of a certain mental attitude inasmuch as it shows that the designer conceives his work in terms that are constructive and oriented to the future./ His work should thus be a

This is the expression of a

professional ethos: the designer’s

contribution to general culture and itself form part of it.

work should have the clearly intelligible, objective, functional, and aesthetic quality of mathematical

Constructivist design that is capa-

thinking.

ble of analysis and reproduction can influence and enhance the taste of a society and the way it conceives forms and colors. Design that is objective, committed to the common weal, well composed, and refined constitutes the basis of democratic behavior. // Constructivist design means the conversion of design laws into practical solutions. Work done systematically and in accordance with strict formal principles makes those demands for directness, intelligibility, and the integration of all factors that are also vital in sociopolitical life.

Working with the grid system means submitting to laws of universal validity. The use of the grid system implies the will to systematize, to clarify the will to penetrate to the essentials, to concentrate the will to cultivate objectivity instead of subjectivity the will to rationalize the creative and technical production processes the will to integrate elements of color, form, and material the will to achieve architectural dominion over surface and space the will to adopt a positive, forward-looking attitude the recognition of the importance of education and the effect of work devised in a constructive and creative spirit. — Every visual creative work is a manifestation of the character of the designer. It is a reflection of his knowledge, his ability, and his mentality.

— When I am working on a problem, I never think about beauty but when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong. // Richard Buckminster Fuller

Good Design Is Innovative // The possibilities for innovation are not, by any means, exhausted.

Technological development is always offering new opportunities for innovative design. But innovative design always develops in tandem with innovative technology, and can never be an end in itself.

GOOD DESIGN MAKES A PRODUCT USEFUL //

Good Design Is AESTHETIC //

A product is bought to be used. It

The aesthetic quality of a product is

only functional but also psychologi-

integral to its usefulness because

cal and aesthetic. Good design em-

products are used every day and

phasizes the usefulness of a prod-

have an effect on people and their

uct while disregarding anything

well-being. Only well-executed ob-

that could possibly detract from it.

has to satisfy certain criteria, not

jects can be beautiful.

GOOD DESIGN MAKES A PRODUCT understandable // The possibilities for innovation are not, by any means, exhausted.

Technological development is always offering new opportunities for innovative design. But innovative design always develops in tandem with innovative technology, and can never be an end in itself.

Good Design Is UNOBTRUSIVE //

Good Design Is LONG-LASTING //

Products fulfilling a purpose are

It avoids being fashionable and

like tools. They are neither decora-

therefore never appears antiquat-

tive objects nor works of art. Their

ed. Unlike fashionable design, it

design should therefore be both

lasts many years – even in today’s

neutral and restrained, to leave

throwaway society.

room for the user’s self-expression.

Good Design Is HONEST // It does not make a product more

Good Design Is THOROUGH DOWN TO THE LAST DETAILL //

innovative, powerful or valuable

Nothing must be arbitrary or left to

than it really is. It does not attempt

chance. Care and accuracy in the

to manipulate the consumer with

design process show respect to-

promises that cannot be kept.

wards the consumer.

Good Design Is as Little Design as Possible //

Good Design Is environmentally friendly //

Less, but better – because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials. Back to purity, back to simplicity.

Design makes an important contribution to the preservation of the environment. It conserves resources and minimises physical and visual pollution throughout the lifecycle of the product.

— Inspiration exists, but it has to find us working. // Pablo Picasso

[

Artists have for a long time

been heading for ghettos, whether rich or poor. Other people have been subjected to a major mass-media aesthetic — or for the most underprivileged — to its leftovers.

Our Western society is working at two different speeds. For the minority, a world of calm has come into being in which design means authentic quality. Art can be part of every life.

It is a world in which a materialised and human reality can develop. For the rest — the majority — what is offered is exactly the opposite. Art is something to be visited in reservations, and spiritual harmony is to be found in other realms, religious or chemical. Inequality is on the increase. The humanist dream of a unification of our planet’s history in the capitalist logic of multinationals has in practice become a reductive standardization. ]

“Life will always be hard enough to prevent men from losing the desire for something better,” — Maxim Gorky said.

It has thus been deemed legitimate

be approached through opinions and

to give arts and artists the function

persuasion rather than through log-

of entertainment and decoration,

ic and knowledge.

while techniques and technicians take care of efficient production This division of labour amounts to a

The graphic designer’s social re-

complete capitulation as regards the

sponsibility is based on the wish to

principles on which design is found-

take part in the creation of a better

ed. The division between the artist

world. It seems simple to declare

as creator and the artisan as techni-

such a principle, but given the con-

cian has been born again out of the

tradictions of real life, the principle

ashes of those founding principles.

does not lead readily to practical

It marks a return to the Stone Age.

rules of behaviour.

I believe that the single identity of the artist and the technician in the person of the graphic designer forms the basis for his capacity to assert his role strongly — and to take his own specific action as an individual who is a part of civilization.

I believe that the social function of the graphic designer is a subject to

A SOCIAL CRITIQUE

Their basic critique has been developed by the Marxist critic John Berger in Ways of Seeing. He demonstrates that “glamour” is a modern

Any assessment of the social dimen-

invention in terms of images. It is

sion of graphic design must always

the expression of the pursuit of in-

be made in a specific concrete situa-

dividual happiness, considered as a

tion, and this is a most difficult task.

universal right. Berger goes on to

We all live in society; but not in the

say that “publicity turns consump-

same one. At least, thank God, not

tion into a substitute for democra-

yet. Today, the production of visual

cy. The choice of what one eats (or

communications consists essential-

wears or drives) takes the place of

ly of advertising. Visual productions

significant political choice.

in advertising are hugely sophis-

[Publicity helps to mask and com-

ticated and articulated in relation

pensate for all that is undemo-

to gigantic mass-media networks.

cratic within society. And it also

They transcend frontiers and cul-

masks what is happening in the

tural divides.

rest of the world.]”

There is a difference between adver-

products), and receivers (audiences

tising and graphic design. Advertis-

and consumers) with their needs

ing is today more and more central-

and expectations. Second, commu-

ized, international, generalized and,

nication happens in a concrete time

therefore, standardized — like the

frame. The link between these two

economic forces that produce it, and

propositions gives us the social di-

the products it deals with. Graphic

mension of graphic design. From

design, on the other hand, contin-

the point of view of time, one can

ues to be created and to structure

classify communication on a scale.

itself in an autonomous and diversi-

At one end of the scale, we find the

fied manner — in direct contact with

graphic design that I call the graphic

the specific social fabrics of different

design of permanence, aiming at the

societies around the world. It is this

medium and long term. At the other

diversity that provides the possibility

end of the scale there is an ephem-

for the development of graphic com-

eral graphic design, aiming at the

munication across the world in the

short term. From the point of view of

future. If we look at simplified repre-

space, I also distinguish two major

sentation of graphic communication,

classes of graphic design: graphic

we see that it has transmitting sub-

design integrated with either a phys-

jects (clients and graphic designers),

ical structure or an identity; and in-

messages and objects (goals, ends,

dependent graphic design.

[

We notice that independent

graphic design is often short-lived, whereas integrated graphic design is more permanent, both varying according to time and place. ]

Short-lived graphic design // What is the typical landscape of

freedom is linked to the presence

short-lived graphic design? Here, in

of numerous and varied disagree-

contrast to permanent graphic de-

ments in live exchanges. However,

sign, the landscape seen to include

as Berger has shown us, this “dis-

diverse and specific acts: narrations

play” of freedom is mere illusion,

and contradictory, divergent or oppo-

when the general strategy behind

site affirmations on posters, news-

it leads exclusively to consumption.

papers, advertisements, windows,

For how long, and to what socially-

leaflets, programmes, books, exhi-

progressive ends, comes the feeling

bitions, films, videos and so on. This

of freedom through consumption? It

type of graphic design (ephemeral,

is this dead-end situation that has

independent) aims at transmitting

led many high-level graphic design-

specific messages linked to specif-

ers to abandon ephemeral, inde-

ic situations. Ephemeral, indepen-

pendent design for the permanent,

dent graphic design seems to have

integrated projects considered to be

an oper Laucoaii nature opposite to

more worthy.

the functional nature of integrated, permanent graphic design. Its prod-

Designer and client as co-authors

ucts are ephemeral. They attract attenccion and then disappear. If this

Let us move from the time frame

classification — permanent versus

of graphic design and examine the

ephemeral and integrated versus

different participants and their re-

independent — is valid, we can con-

lationships. In the process of com-

clude that the ideological consensus

munication, the graphic designer

is linked to socio-graphic stability.

and the client together constitute

That is, people tend to think like if

the transmitter. The message will

the visual landscape is structured

be the result of their collaboration.

and unchanging. And the feeling of

Who chooses whom? By nature, the

client needs the graphic designer only occasionally, whether the arrangement is repetitive or contin-

and subjective truth. Otherwise,

uous. Unlike the graphic designer,

this collaboration has no reason

who looks for a kind of communica-

to exist and can be advantageously

tion that is in relation to the nature

replaced by a mechanical act. It is

of the message and of the presumed

through the contact established at

receiver, the client’s concerns and

the outset of the collaboration with

existence are elsewhere, outside of

the designer that the client can be

the communication process.

brought to widen his perspective

The client looks for what would ap-

and transform his desire in order to

pear to be a solution (a graphic prod-

obtain, among other things, that re-

uct) to his problems, in a competi-

sult. It is this contact that can make

tive context. It is for this reason that

him conscious of his cultural role

the client tends to consider com-

and his power of decision over the

munication as strictly instrumental,

time frame of the communication.

and the graphic designer as a neu-

The designer would like to choose

tral transmitter of his message. The

a client for his apparent social role.

instrumental conception of visu-

The client — whose pragmatism

al communication is often the one

about cost influences his demands

adopted by clients who themselves

— chooses the designer because of

have a very narrow view of their own

his know-how in relation to the eco-

role as transmitter. But can neutral

nomics of production.

aesthetics exist? Can the message of the client always be unequivocal, never ambiguous? The truth between the client and the graphic designer will always be a complex

The depth of the relationship de-

position of his client. It is this par-

pends to a considerable extent on

ticular balance between co-authors

the nature of the consideration

that allows the production to be ori-

the client has for the know-how of

ented toward a cultural act, which.

graphic design. While many small-

by definition, is always risky. If this

scale clients in the social, cultural,

important notion does not operate

political, and even economic fields

in the client-graphic designer rela-

have high expectations of graphic

tionship, then it becomes a service

designers, many others with con-

relationship only. And under these

siderable social influence are un-

conditions, professional responsi-

aware of graphic design or have a

bility becomes a delusion.

very simplistic conception of it.

It will be absolutely essential, in the

The graphic designer and the receiver

years ahead, to make graphic design known in its complete techni-

The

relationship

between

the

cal, intellectual, and artistic dimen-

graphic designer and the receiv-

sion. Then, graphic designers will

er can work efficiently only in the

be in a position to identify and re-

presence of the client. The notion

spond consciously to requests that

of quality shared by the client and

generate social acts that they can

the designer will be determined by

support in their role as co-authors.

the respect in which the receiver is

This notion of co-authorship seems

held. This appreciation will be ex-

essential to me, from an ethical

pressed in the cultural level of the

point of view. The necessary co-op-

message (form, content) in relation

eration between client and graph-

to the present cultural level of the

ic designer will lead the client to

receiver. If social and cultural mea-

share the aesthetic position (not

suring devices can be used to give

devoid of ideology) of the designer,

valuable information about receiv-

and it will lead the designer to ac-

ers, they can also be used to con-

cept the validity of the ideological

sider the receivers simply as mili-

tary “targets”, where the objective has to be achieved by any means.

Such measurement can also lead to

a

communications

strategy

based on the isolation of the general public into typecast groups. By crystallizing diversity it transforms a group of free-ranging citizens into several small groups of specialized consumers. One of the major social functions of graphic design is quite

his isolation in mediated communi-

the opposite: broadening the cultur-

cation leads him to want more pow-

al horizon of the public directly con-

er. The social status of the graph-

cerned. The relationship between

ic designer is one of dependence.

the graphic designer and the re-

Confronted with his isolation, there

ceiver also works within the media-

are two directions he can take: one

tion of the message. In most cases,

toward greater dependence on the

this mediation imposes a one-way

client; the other toward a greater

communication. The communica-

awareness of the balance needed

tion does not communicate: it so-

in the communication process. The

liloquizes. The right to respond on

less specialized they are in a re-

equal terms does not exist. The sit-

petitive relationship with the client,

uation forces the two subjects of the

the more freedom the designer will

communication, client and graphic

have to make the choice to become

designer, into social isolation. The

the receiver’s silentally.

client’s status is one of power, and

The graphic designer and the message It is through the message that the

as being based on the status of a

graphic designer as co-author final-

technician and an artist, this implies

ly confronts his or her knowledge,

having a general cultural objective

culture, conceptions and sincerity.

that goes beyond merely giving form to an operational discourse. This

The graphic designer must

“going beyond” tells us we cannot be

define a strategy and be aware of

satisfied with the practice of ephem-

other existing social strategies, in-

eral graphic design that has no rela-

cluding those that arise from differ-

tion to (or is in disagreement with) a

ent national situations. In relation to

global society. Nor can professional

the message, the graphic designer

satisfaction arise from a permanent

applies pertinent expression codes

graphic design that remains unal-

whether derived from local, nation-

tered despite the struggles and his-

al, or international culture — thus

torical changes of the world it pur-

producing emotion and meaning. As

ports to reflect. For this reason, it

in Baudelaire’s Les Fleurs du mal,

becomes necessary to link ephem-

this capacity of graphic designers to

eral and permanent, integrated and

find paths through the “dark forest of

independent, in order to assert an

signs” makes them artists in the full

articulate, complex cultural con-

sense. If one conceives one’s work

ception that is not elitist, populist or

reductive. Therefore, social graphic

favour of those of triumphant mar-

design corresponds to the cultur-

keting, they continue to underlie the

al dimension of the message, to its

awareness of many designers and

articulation in a long-term project

students scattered around the world.

of cultural development, where the

It is this consciousness that must be

permanent-integrated

(strategy)

encouraged and maintained. We can

ephemeral-independent

hope to see these values flourish

and

the

(tactic) are not in contradiction.

openly within the different social re-

In opposition to the standardized

alities to come.

profusion of advertising, we must work from particular social situations — from their specific dynamics and their manageable human dimensions. It is from these that small communications units will be able to build creative works that will regenerate and develop the visual riches already attained by society. If the moral values that founded graphic design have almost disappeared in

— I always say ideas are like fishing. // David Lynch

It’s about the struggle between individuals with jagged passion in their work and today’s faceless corporate committees, which claim to understand the needs of the mass audience, and are removing the idiosyncrasies, polishing the jags, creating a thought-free, passion-free, cultural mush that will not be hated nor loved by anyone. By now, virtually all media, architecture, product and graphic design have been freed from ideas, individual passion, and have been relegated to a role of corporate servitude, carrying out corporate strategies and increasing stock prices. Creative people are now working for the bottom line.

53

Magazine editors have lost their editorial independence, and work for committees of publishers (who work for committees of advertisers).

TV scripts are vetted by producers, advertisers, lawyers, research specialists, layers and layers of paid executives who determine whether the scripts are dumb enough to amuse what they call the ‘lowest common denominator’. Film studios out films in front of focus groups to determine whether an ending will please target audiences. All cars look the same.

Architectural decisions are made by accountants. Ads are stupid. Theater is dead. Corporations have become the sole arbiters of cultural ideas and taste in America.

Our culture is corporate culture.

Culture used to be the opposite of commerce, not a fast track to ‘content’- derived riches. Not so long ago captains of industry (no angels in the way they acquired wealth) thought that part of their responsibility was to use their millions to support culture. Carnegie built libraries, Rockefeller built art museums, Ford created hisglobal foundation. What do we now get from our billionaires? Gates? Or Eisner? Or Redstone? Sales pitches. Junk mail.

Meanwhile, creative people have their work reduced to ‘content’ or ‘intellectual property’.

Magazines and films become ‘delivery systems’ for product messages.

But to be fair, the above is only 99 percent true. I offer a modest solution: Find the cracks in the wall.

There are a very few lunatic entrepreneurs who will understand that culture and design are not about fatter wallets, but about creating a future. They will understand that wealth is means, not an end. Under other circumstances they may have turned out to be like you, creative lunatics. Believe me, they’re there and when you find them, treat them well and use their money to change the world.

— There’s a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot. // Steven Wright

[01] Allow events to change you. You

allow yourself the fun of failure ev-

have to be willing to grow. Growth is

ery day.[05] Go deep. The deeper

different from something that hap-

you go the more likely you will dis-

pens to you. You produce it. You live

cover something of value. [06] Cap-

it. The prerequisites for growth:

ture accidents. The wrong answer

the openness to experience events

is the right answer in search of a

and the willingness to be changed

different question. Collect wrong

by them. [02] Forget about good.

answers as part of the process. Ask

Good is a known quantity. Good is

different questions. [07] Study. A

what we all agree on. Growth is not

studio is a place of study. Use the

necessarily good. Growth is an ex-

necessity of production as an ex-

ploration of unlit recesses that may

cuse to study. Everyone will benefit.

or may not yield to our research.

[08] Drift. Allow yourself to wan-

As long as you stick to good you’ll

der aimlessly. Explore adjacencies.

never have real growth. [03] Pro-

Lack judgment. Postpone criticism.

cess is more important than out-

[09] Begin anywhere. John Cage

come. When the outcome drives

tells us that not knowing where to

the process we will only ever go to

begin is a common form of paral-

where we’ve already been. If pro-

ysis. His advice: begin anywhere.

cess drives outcome we may not

[10] Everyone is a leader. Growth

know where we’re going, but we will

happens. Whenever it does, allow it

know we want to be there. [04] Love

to emerge. Learn to follow when it

your

experiments (as you would

makes sense. Let anyone lead. [11]

an ugly child). Joy is the engine of

Harvest ideas. Edit applications.

growth. Exploit the liberty in cast-

Ideas need a dynamic, fluid, gen-

ing your work as beautiful experi-

erous environment to sustain life.

ments, iterations, attempts, trials,

Applications, on the other hand,

and errors. Take the long view and

benefit from critical rigor. Produce

a high ratio of ideas to applications.

[12] Keep moving. The market and its operations have a tendency to reinforce success. Resist it. Allow failure and migration to be par t of your practice. [13] Slow down.

Desynchronize from standard time frames and surprising oppor tunities may present themselves. [14] Don’t be cool. Cool is conservative fear dressed in black. Free yourself from limits of this sort. [15] Ask stupid questions. Growth is fueled by desire and innocence. Assess the answer, not the question. Imagine learning throughout your life at the rate of an infant. [16] Collaborate. The space between people working together is filled with conflict, friction, strife, exhilaration, delight, and vast creative potential.

[17] ——————. Intentionally left blank. Allow space for the ideas you haven’t had yet, and for the ideas of others. [18] Stay up late. Strange things happen when you’ve gone too far, been up too long, worked too hard, and you’re separated from the rest of the world.

[19] Work the metaphor.Every ob-

titions. Just don’t. It’s not good

ject has the capacity to stand for

for you. [27] Read only left-hand

something other than what is ap-

pages. Marshall McLuhan did this.

parent. Work on what it stands for.

By decreasing the amount of infor-

[20] Be careful to take risks. Time

mation, we leave room for what he

is genetic.Today is the child of yes-

called our “noodle.” [28] Make new

terday and the parent of tomorrow.

words. Expand the lexicon.The new

The work you produce today will

conditions demand a new way of

create your future. [21] Repeat

thinking.The thinking demands new

yourself. If you like it, do it again.

forms of expression.The expression

If you don’t like it, do it again. [22]

generates new conditions. [29]

Make your

own tools. Hybridize

Think with your mind. Forget tech-

your tools in order to build unique

nology. Creativity is not device-de-

things. Even simple tools that are

pendent. [30] Organization = Lib-

your own can yield entirely new av-

erty. Real innovation in design, or

enues of exploration. Remember,

any other field, happens in context.

tools amplify our capacities, so

That context is usually some form

even a small tool can make a big

of cooperatively managed enter-

difference. [23] Stand on some-

prise. Frank Gehry, for instance, is

one’s shoulders. You can travel far

only able to realize Bilbao because

ther carried on the accomplish-

his studio can deliver it on budget.

ments of those who came before

The myth of a split between “cre-

you. And the view is so much bet-

atives” and “suits” is what Leonard

ter. [24] Avoid software. The prob-

Cohen calls a ‘charming ar tifact of

lem with software is that everyone

the past.’ [31] Don’t borrow money.

has it. [25] Don’t clean your desk.

Once again, Frank Gehry’s advice.

You might find something in the

By maintaining financial control,

morning that you can’t see tonight.

we maintain creative control. It’s

[26] Don’t enter awards compe-

not exactly rocket science, but it’s

tain this discipline, and how many

surprising how hard it is to main-

have failed. [32] Listen carefully.

tain this discipline, and how many

Every collaborator who enters our

have failed. [32] Listen carefully.

orbit brings with him or her a world

Every collaborator who enters our

more strange and complex than

orbit brings with him or her a world

any we could ever hope to imagine.

more strange and complex than

By listening to the details and the

any we could ever hope to imagine.

subtlety of their needs, desires, or

By listening to the details and the

ambitions, we fold their world onto

subtlety of their needs, desires, or

our own. Neither party will ever be

ambitions, we fold their world onto

the same. [33] Take field trips. The

our own. Neither party will ever be

bandwidth of the world is greater

the same. [33] Take field trips. The

than that of your TV set, or the In-

bandwidth of the world is greater

ternet, or even a totally immersive,

than that of your TV set, or the In-

interactive, dynamically rendered,

ternet, or even a totally immersive,

object oriented, real-time, com-

interactive, dynamically rendered,

puter graphic simulated environ-

object oriented, real-time, com-

ment. [34] Make mistakes faster.

puter graphic simulated environ-

This isn’t my idea — I borrowed it. I

ment. [34] Make mistakes faster.

think it belongs to Andy Grove. [35]

This isn’t my idea — I borrowed it. I

Imitate. Don’t be shy about it.Try to

think it belongs to Andy Grove. [35]

get as close as you can.You’ll nev-

Imitate. Don’t be shy about it.Try to

er get all the way, and the sepa-

get as close as you can.You’ll nev-

ration might be truly remarkable.

er get all the way, and the sepa-

We have only to look to Richard

ration might be truly remarkable.

Hamilton and his version of Marcel

We have only to look to Richard

Duchamp’s large glass to see how

Hamilton and his version of Marcel

rich, discredited, and underused

Duchamp’s large glass to see how

imitation is as a technique.

rich, discredited, and underused

imitation is as a technique. [36]

attempts to control the wilding of

Scat. When you forget the words,

creative life. They are often under-

do what Ella did: make up some-

standable efforts to order what are

thing else … but not words. [37]

manifold,

Break it, stretch it, bend it, crush

processes. Our job is to jump the

it, crack it, fold it. [38] Explore the

fences and cross the fields. [41]

other edge. Great liberty exists

Laugh. People visiting the studio

when we avoid trying to run with

often comment on how much we

the technological pack. We can’t

laugh. Since I’ve become aware of

find the leading edge because it’s

this, I use it as a barometer of how

trampled underfoot.Try using old-

comfor tably we are expressing

tech equipment made obsolete by

ourselves. [42] Remember. Growth

an economic cycle but still rich with

is only possible as a product of his-

potential. [39] Coffee breaks, cab

tory. Without memory, innovation

rides, green rooms. Real growth

is merely novelty. History gives

often happens outside of where

growth a direction. But a memory

we intend it to, in the interstitial

is never perfect. Every memory is

spaces — what Dr. Seuss calls “the

a degraded or composite image of

waiting place.” Hans Ulrich Obrist

a previous moment or event.That’s

once organized a science and ar t

what makes us aware of its qual-

conference with all of the infra-

ity as a past and not a present. It

structure of a conference — the par

means that every memory is new,

ties, chats, lunches, airpor t arriv-

a par tial construct different from

als — but with no actual confer-

its source, and, as such, a potential

ence. Apparently it was hugely suc-

for growth itself. [43] Power to the

cessful and spawned many ongoing

people. Play can only happen when

collaborations. [40] Avoid fields.

people feel they have control over

Jump fences. Disciplinary bound-

their lives. We can’t be free agents

aries and regulatory regimes are

if we’re not free.

complex,

evolutionary

We, the undersigned, are graphic designers, art directors and visual communicators who have been raised in a world in which the techniques and apparatus of advertising

have persistently been presented to

mentors promote this belief; the

us as the most lucrative, effective

market rewards it; a tide of books

and desirable use of our talents.

and publications reinforces it. En-

Many design teachers and

couraged in this direction, designers then apply their skill and imagination to sell dog biscuits, designer coffee, diamonds, detergents, hair gel, cigarettes, credit cards, sneakers, butt toners, light beer and heavy-duty recreational vehicles.

Commercial work has always paid the bills, but many graphic designers have now let it become, in large measure, what graphic designers do. This, in turn, is how the world perceives design. The profession’s time and energy is used up manufacturing demand for things that are inessential at best.

Many of us have grown increasingly uncomfortable with this view of design. Designers who devote their efforts primarily to advertising, marketing and brand development are supporting, and implicitly endorsing, a mental environment so saturated with commercial messages that it is changing the very way citizen-consumers

speak,

think,

feel, respond and interact. To some extent we are all helping draft a reductive and immeasurably harmful code of public discourse. There are pursuits more worthy of our problem-solving skills. Unprecedented environmental, social and cultural crises demand our attention. Many cultural interventions, social marketing campaigns, books, magazines, exhibitions, educational tools, television programs, films, charitable causes and other information design projects urgently require our expertise and help.

[ signed ]

Jonathan Barnbrook // Nick Bell // Andrew Blauvelt // Hans Bockting // Irma Boom // Sheila Levrant de Bretteville // Max Bruinsma // Si창n Cook We propose a reversal of priorities

// Linda Van Deursen // Chris

in favor of more useful, lasting and

Dixon // William Drenttel //

democratic forms of communica-

Gert Dumbar // Simon Ester-

tion - a mindshift away from product

son // Vince Frost // Ken Gar-

marketing and toward the explora-

land // Milton Glaser // Jessi-

tion and production of a new kind

ca Helfand // Steven Heller //

of meaning. The scope of debate

Andrew Howard // Tibor Kal-

is shrinking; it must expand. Con-

man // Jeffery Keedy // Zuzana

sumerism is running uncontested;

Licko // Ellen Lupton // Kath-

it must be challenged by other per-

erine McCoy // Armand Mevis

spectives expressed, in part, through

// J.Abbott Miller // Rick Poy-

the visual languages and resources

nor // Lucienne Roberts // Erik

of design. In 1964, 22 visual com-

Spiekermann // Jan Van Toorn

municators signed the original call

// Tiel Triggs // Rudy Vander-

for our skills to be put to worthwhile

Lans // Bob Wilkinson

use. With the explosive growth of global commercial culture, their message has only grown more urgent. Today, we renew their manifesto in expectation that no more decades will pass before it is taken to heart.

[01 ] Design must be done on location. “Props and sets” (i.e., stock photographs and illustrations) must not be brought in.]

[02 ] Design must be done in spot colors. Four color process and varnish are not acceptable.]

[03 ] Photoshop filters and any other filters are forbidden.]

[04 ] Design must not contain superficial elements.]

[05 ] Temporary

and

geo-

graphical alienation are forbidden (that is that design must take place here and now).]

[06 ] “Genre” design is not acceptable.]

00] Design should not be based on formal principles – but always on an idea of society.

01] Designed forms represent possible social orders and a lot of their contradictions.

02] Design is everything. Anything could be designed. Everyone is a designer.

03] Design allows social innovations.

Often it is not made by designers.

04] Design has not scale. It could be small and have great impact.

05] Design is not an innocent practice.

Designers are wicked.

06] Design should engage people and interact with them.

07] Design is an interdisciplinary applied science.

08] Design produces visual consciousness.

09] Design is a triangular manifesto.

10] Design makes you smile.

11] This is the top.

12] Enjoy!

I’ve been trying to pin down what is driving the increasing popularity of crafting for a while now. This is what I’ve got so far:

01 ] People get satisfaction for being able to create/craft things because they can see themselves in the objects they make. This is not possible in purchased products.

04 ] People seek recognition for the things they have made. Primarily it comes from their friends and family. This manifests as an economy of gifts.

02 ] The things that people have made themselves have magic powers. They have hidden meanings that other people can’t see.

05 ] People who believe they are producing genuinely cool things seek broader exposure for their products.

This creates opportunities for alternative publishing channels.

03 ] The things people make they usually want to keep and update.

Crafting is not against consumption.

It is against throwing things away.

06 ] Work inspires work. Seeing what other people have made generates new ideas and designs.

07 ] Essential for crafting are tools, which are accessible, portable, and easy to learn.

08 ] Materials become important.

Knowledge of what they are made of and where to get them becomes essential.

09 ] Recipes become important. The ability to create and distribute interesting recipes becomes valuable.

10 ] Learning techniques brings people together. This creates online and offline communities of practice.

11 ] Craft-oriented people seek opportunities to discover interesting things and meet their makers. This creates marketplaces.

12 ] At the bottom, crafting is a form of play.

A small but growing number of designers and institutions are creating typefaces for the public domain.

These designers are participating in the broader open source and copyleft movements, which seek to stimulate worldwide creativity via a collectiveinformation commons.

This web page provides information and airs ideas about the concept of free fonts. Its annotated appearance reflects my conversations with type designers about the danger and necessity of free fonts. — Ellen Lupton

— Perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add but when there is no longer anything to take away. // Antoine de Saint-Exupery

// What is a free font?

A free font is not just a typeface that you don’t have to pay for. A stolen (or illegally copied) typeface isn’t free. A

// Should all fonts be free?

free font must be freely given by its

Typeface design is a profession

maker. And to be truly free, it should

and a business. If all fonts were

be available to everyone, not just to a

free—or even if every type design-

circle of friends or to the buyers of a

er created just one free font—the

particular software package or oper-

business of typeface design might

ating system. Many of the so-called

be destroyed. Today, the free font

free fonts that are distributed on the

movement is addressing typeface

Internet don’t meet this description.

needs that are not being adequately

Like open source software, the free-

met by the typeface industry. Most

dom of the fonts shown on this page

typefaces created in the free font

is made explicit through their licens-

movement are designed to serve

ing, which allows other people to

relatively small or underserved lin-

not only use the fonts but to modify

guistic communities. They have an

them (granted that they change the

explicit social purpose, and they

name of the typeface if they alter

are intended to offer the world

its design).

not a luxurious outpouring of typographic variation but rather the basics for maintaining literacy and communication within a society.

// What makes a typeface “good”?

Currently, most fonts created in the open source spirit are produced for small or underserved linguistic

// Is a typeface a meaningful gift to humanity?

populations. Such fonts are “good” in the moral sense. In the future,

In the scheme of things, a type-

designers may choose to make free

face may seem like a small gift,

fonts in the service of other social

so maybe designers and software

needs as well. For example, in de-

companies should devote their

veloping countries graphic design-

charitable efforts to more urgent

ers who seek to build a typographic

causes. However, I believe that

culture in their home regions re-

typefaces are valuable, powerful,

quire more than a bare-minimum

and beautiful cultural tools, worthy

typographic vocabulary, and they

of legal protection and deserving of

often rely on pirated typefaces to

the price they bring in the Western

do so. A richer selection of legit-

marketplace. Moreover, a gift of ty-

imate free fonts, clearly labelled

pography makes good on a unique

and promoted as such in an edu-

body of skill, knowledge, and pas-

cational way, might help to build

sion.

respect for the larger commercial

Perhaps the free font movement

ecology of typeface design.

will continue to grow slowly, along the lines in which it is already taking shape: in the service of creating typefaces that sustain and encourage both the diversity and connectedness of humankind.

[ Here’s designer Karim Rashid’s Karimanifesto… What resonates with you? ] 01 ] Don’t specialize 02 ] Keep your desk neat, clean, and empty. This means you are staying on top of everything. 03 ] Treat employees and clients the way you would like to be treated by them. 04 ] Return every e-mail, phone call, and fax the same day it arrives regardless of where you are in the world. 05 ] Before giving birth to anything physical, Ask yourself if you have created an original idea, an original concept, or if there is any real value in what you disseminate. 06 ] Know everything about the history of your profession and then forget it all when you design something new. 07 ] Never say ‘I could have done that’ because you didn’t. 08 ] To be is to build (Heidegger). 09 ] Unveil an actuality – create a surprise, a phenomenological event. 10 ] Good Karma. 11 ] Observe everything, everyone, AND EVERY MOMENT. 12 ] Work is fun, beautiful and rewarding. 13 ] Don’t work with someone if you sense different views, because you believe there is potential because there probably isn’t. 14 ] There is not potential

in everything or every project. 15 ] Don’t work on your weaknesses, work on your strengths. 16 ] If you do not like your job, quit! 17 ] Laziness is the anti-Christ. 18 ] If you are not talented, do something else. 19 ] Reduce the carbs – take the fillers out of your life. 20 ] Carry one credit card and no coins. 21 ] Own 30 pairs of same color socks and 30 pairs of the same colored underwear so that socks always match, and do your laundry every month. 22 ] For everything you buy, you must give away the same thing– so you always stay at equilibrium and never accumulate more than you need. 23 ] Don’t consume or overeat because you are depressed. 24 ] Consume experiences, not things. 25 ] Do 6 things at once (multi-task), then you will never be bored. 26 ] Don’t use words like taste, class, boredom, style, ugly, or mass. 27 ] Pleasure is more psychological than physical. 28 ] Minimalism is boring – sensual minimalism is friendly. 29 ] More is more. 30 ] Form follows subject / object follows subject. 31 ] Don’t dream it, be it.

32 ] Celebrate technology. 33 ] Normal is not good. 34 ] Never be satisfied with your work. 35 ] Perseverance, consistency, and rigor form success. 36 ] Being famous should not be a priority –work should be. 37 ] Pay your dues – learn from others.

38 ] There are 3 types of beings – those who create culture, those who buy culture, and those who don’t give a shit about culture. Move between the first two. 39 ] Work is life. 40 ] Think extensively, not intensively. 41 ] Think Relaxed, not rigid. 42 ] Omni Vincent Amor, Omni Vincent Amok.

43 ] Experience is the most important part of living, and the exchange of ideas, and human contact is all life really is. Space and objects can encourage increased experiences or distract from our experiences. 44 ] Be the change you want to see in the world (Gandhi). 45 ] Edit your life. 46 ] Addition by subtraction. 47 ] Think before you endorse. 48 ] There is no more brand allegiance – brandump.

49 ] The past is pointless. 50 ] Here and now is all we got

— Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery Ð celebrate it if you feel like it.

In any case, always remember what JeanLuc Godard said: It’s not where you take things from it’s where you take them to. // Jim Jarmusch

Hippocratic Before Socratic “First do no harm” is a good starting point for everyone, but it’s an es-

Stop Making Crap

pecially good starting point for designers. For a group of people who

And that means that we have to stop

pride themselves on “problem solv-

making crap. It’s really as simple as

ing” and improving people’s lives,

that. We are suffocating, drowning,

we sure have done our fair share of

and poisoning ourselves with the

the converse. We have to remember

stuff we produce, abrading, out-gas-

that industrial design equals mass

sing, and seeping into our air, our

production, and that every move, ev-

water, our land, our food—and ba-

ery decision, every curve we speci-

sically those are the only things we

fy is multiplied—sometimes by the

have to look after before there’s no

thousands and often by the millions.

we in that sentence. It gets into our

And that every one of those everys

bodies, of course, and it certainly

has a price. We think that we’re in

gets into our minds. And designers

the artifact business, but we’re not;

are feeding and feeding this cycle,

we’re in the consequence business.

helping to turn everyone and everything into either a consumer or a consumable. And when you think about it, this is kind of grotesque.

“Consumer” isn’t a dirty word exactly, but it probably oughta be.

Systems Before Artifacts

soon they will come to define what industrial design means. (A relief to

Before we design anything new, we

those constantly trying to define the

should examine how we can use

discipline today!) This doesn’t mean

what already exists to better ends.

no aesthetics. It just means a keen-

We need to think systems before

er eye on costs and benefits.

artifacts, services before products, adopting Thackara's use/not own principles at every step. And when new products are needed, they'll be obvious and appropriate, and then can we conscientiously pump up fossil fuels and start polymerizing them. Product design should be part of a set of tools we have for solving problems and celebrating life. It is a means, not an end.

Screws Better Than Glues This is lifted directly from the Owner’s Manifesto, which addresses how the people who own things and the people who make them are in a kind of partnership. But it’s a partnership that’s broken down, since almost all of the products we produce cannot be opened or repaired, are designed as subassemblies to be discarded

Teach Sustainability Early

upon failure or obsolescence, and conceal their workings in a kind of

Design education is at a crossroads,

solid-state prison. This results in a

with many schools understanding

population less and less confident

the potentials, opportunities, and

in their abilities to use their hands

obligations of design, while others

for anything other than pushing

continue to teach students how to churn out pretty pieces of garbage.

Institutions that stress sustainability, social responsibility, cultural ad-

buttons and mice, of course. But it also results in people fundamentally not understanding the workings of their built artifacts and environments, and, more importantly, not

aptation, ethnography, and systems

understanding the role and impact

thinking are leading the way. But

that those built artifacts and en-

vironments have on the world. In the same way that we can’t expect people to understand the benefits of a water filter when they can’t see the gunk inside it, we can’t expect people to sympathize with greener products if they can’t appreciate the consequences of any products at all.

Design for Impermanence In his Masters Thesis, “The Paradox of Weakness: Embracing Vulnerability in Product Design,” my student Robert Blinn argues that we are the only species who designs for permanence—for longevity—rather than for an ecosystem in which everything is recycled into everything else. Designers are complicit in this over-engineering of everything we produce (we are terrified of, and often legally risk-averse to, failure), but it is patently obvious that our ways and means are completely antithetical to how planet earth manufactures, tools, and recycles things.

We choose inorganic materials precisely because biological organisms cannot consume them, while the natural world uses the same building blocks over and over again. It is indeed Cradle-to-Cradle or cradleto-grave, I’m afraid.

Balance Before Talents The proportion of a solution needs to balance with its problem: we don’t need a battery-powered pooper scooper to pick up dog poop, and we don’t need a car that gets 17 MPG to, well, we don’t need that car, period.

We have to start balancing our ability to be clever with our ability to be smart. They’re two different things.

Metrics Before Magic Metrics do not get in the way of being creative. Almost everything is quantifiable, and just the exercise of trying to frame up ecological and labor impacts can be surprisingly instructive. So on your next project, if you’ve determined that it may be impossible to quantify the consequences of a material or process or assembly in a design you’re considering, maybe it’s not such a good material or process or assembly to begin with.

There are more and more people out there in the business of helping you to find these things out, by the way; you just have to call them.

Climates Before Primates This is the a priori, self-evident truth.

If we have any hope of staying here, we need to look after our home. And

Context Before Absolutely Everything

our anthropocentric worldview is literally killing us. “Design serves

Understanding that all design hap-

people”? Well, I think we’ve got big-

pens within a context is the first (and

ger problems right now.

arguably the only) stop to make on your way to becoming a good designer. You can be a bad designer after that, of course, but you don’t stand a chance of being a good one if you don’t first consider context.

It’s everything: In graphics, communication, interaction, architecture, product, service, you name it—if it doesn’t take context into account, it’s crap. And you already promised not to make any more of that.

[ Through the influence of the media and technology on our world, our lives are increasingly characterized by speed and constant change. We live in a dynamic, data-driven society that is continually sparking new forms of human interaction and social contexts. In-

Instead of operating under the

stead of romanticizing the past, we

terms of Graphic Design, Interaction

want to adapt our way of working to

Design, Media Art or Sound Design,

coincide with these developments,

we want to introduce Conditional

and we want our work to reflect the

Design as a term that refers to our

here and now. We want to embrace

approach rather than our chosen

the complexity of this landscape,

media. We conduct our activities

deliver insight into it and show both

using the methods of philosophers,

its beauty and its shortcomings. Our

engineers, inventors and mystics.

work focuses on processes rather than products: things that adapt to their environment, emphasize change and show difference. ]

// process The process is the product. The most important aspects of a process are time, relationship and change. The process produces formations rather than forms. We search for unexpected but correlative, emergent patterns.

Even though a process has the appearance of objectivity, we realize the fact that it stems from subjective intentions.

// LOGIC Logic is our tool.

Logic is our method for accentuating the ungraspable. A clear and logical setting emphasizes that which does not seem to fit within it.

We use logic to design the conditions through which the process can take place. Design conditions using intelligible rules. Avoid arbitrary randomness. Difference should have a reason.

Use rules as constraints.

Constraints sharpen the perspective on the process and stimulate play within the limitations.

// Input The input is our material.

Input engages logic and activates and influences the process.

Input should come from our external and complex environment: nature, society and its human interactions.

[Room for improvement: What next for graphic designers?

In order to promote the expansion of graphic design beyond conventional frames of reference as well as help maintain the international discourse of design and its role in socio-cultural development, graphic designers and other related organisations have to learn, promote, network and collaborate. Here are ten recommendations to achieve socially responsible design: ]

tural development; 05] Advocate the power of graphic design in a cultural context by organising workshops and seminars and by encouraging cross-cultural design activities; 06] Study the quality standard of design education across the world and help develop design curricula for the de-

01] Build experience around the

veloping world; 07] Learn from pro-

needs of people living in different

fessional organisations that can pro-

contexts; 02] Network with inter-

vide expertise, knowledge, guidance,

national organisations and corpo-

contacts and ensure an internation-

rations in order to demonstrate the

al perspective and representation of

value of design; 03] Participate in

design; 08] Enable a open sources

multidisciplinary initiatives in which

of information on design methodol-

designers have a critical role to play

ogies in partnership with public/pri-

in the development of entrepreneur-

vate partners worldwide; 09] Provide

ship and innovation; 04] Work on

new platforms where individuals and

publications, events, exhibitions and

professional organisations can share

competitions on design in collabora-

best practices and create opportuni-

tion with design bodies from different

ties for designers to work together

continents showcasing international

internationally; 10] Knock on doors

design works and initiatives for cul-

that have never been opened.

In 1971, the oft-quoted political scientist Herbert Simon predicted that in an information age, cultural producers (that’s designers, but also filmmakers, theater types, musicians, artists) would quickly face a shortage of attention. “What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients,” he wrote. [The more information, the less attention] and “the need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it.” Now we have a wide-ranging discussion about what is and what can’t be free (Malcolm Gladwell on Chris Anderson, Virginia Postrel on Chris Anderson), which is basically about the future of profit. Maybe we should be considering a dilemma of a human nature: the future of attention.

Because there’s a connection between the two.

Making something “free” is obviously an allocation strategy. “Free” attracts attention.

Making things brief is an allocation strategy as well. The problem is that free isn’t sustainable, and that brief is underpriced.

// Imagine attention festivals: weeklong multimedia, cross-industry carnivals of readings, installations, and performances, where you go from a tent with 30-second films, guitar solos, 10 minute video games, and haiku to the tent with only Andy Warhol movies, to a myriad of venues with other media forms and activities requiring other attention lengths. In the Nano Tent, you can hear ringtones and read tweets. A festival organized not by the forms of the commodities themselves but of the experience of interacting with them.

We need a Ronald Reagan

Not organized by time elapsed, but

of attention, someone to in-

by cognitive investment: a pop song,

spire us away from the fight

which goes by quickly, can resonate

over smaller and smaller

for days; a poem, which can go by

pieces of the attention pie.

more quickly, sticks through a sea-

Someone who will inspire

son. A festival in which you can see

us to make the attention pie

images of your brain on knitting and

bigger.Â

on Twitter.

// Imagine a retail sector for cultural products that's organized around the attention span: not around "books" or "music" but around short stories and pop songs in one aisle, poems and arias in the other.

In the long store: 5,000 piece jig-

// Imagine attention-based pric-

saw puzzles, big novels, beer brew-

ing, in which prices of information

ing equipment, DVDs of The Wire.

commodities are inversely adjust-

Clerks could suggest and build at-

ed to the cognitive investment of

tentional menus. We would devel-

consuming them. All the candy for

op attentional connoisseurship: the

the human brain — haiku, ring-

right pairings of the short and long.

tones, bumper stickers — would

We would understand, and promote,

be priced like the luxuries that they

attentional health.

are. Things requiring longer attention spans would be cheaper — they might even be free, and the higher fixed costs of producing them would be covered by the higher sales of the short attention span products.

Single TV episodes would be more expensive to purchase than whole seasons, in the same way that a sixpack of Oreos at the gas station is more expensive, per cookie, than a whole tray at the grocery store.

// Imagine an attention tax that aspiring cultural producers must pay.

A barrier to entry. If you want people to read your book, then you have to read books; if you want people to buy your book, then you buy books.

Give your attention to the industry of your choice. Like indie musicians have done for decades, conceive of the scene as an attention econo-

// Imagine software, a smartphone

my, in which those who pay in (e.g.,

app, perhaps, you can use to audit

I go to your shows) get to take out

your attentional expenditures. So

(e.g., come to my show). It would

that before you embark on trying to

also mitigate one oft-claimed per-

write a book, you will be able to see

il of the rise of the amateur, which

how much time you spent reading

is that they don’t know from quali-

books over the last month or year. So

ty: consuming many other exam-

that before you design a marketing

ples from a variety of sources, even

campaign that assumes that people

amateur producers would generate

aren’t doing much else with their

a sense of what’s good and what’s

time until you show up, you will be

bad: in other words, in their commu-

able to see what you yourself were

nity they’d evolve a set of standards.

doing with your time, which was

This might frustrate the elitists, who

something perfectly good. This will

want to impose their standards. But

show you that you’re a savvy alloca-

standards would, given enough time,

tor of your attentional resources —

emerge. (In this I have faith.)

and so is everybody else.

[ So this is what it's come to: when an attention gift economy seems more practical and sustainable than an exchange economy for information commodities, which is being rotted by the gift's ugly negation: the free. ]

And yet I can’t shake fantasizing about attention that has no price, that can’t be bought or sold, but is given freely: a gift. I buy and read books because I want to give the gift of my attention to the attention economy I’m (as a writer) a part of.

I’m inspired by Lewis Hyde inThe Gift, who says that what distinguishes commodities is that they’re used up, but what distinguishes gifts is that they circulate — the gift is never trapped, consumed, used up, contained or confined. That seems like the best basis for cultural production to thrive.

Over the past few months I’ve been talking with many people passionate about Information Visualization who share a sense of saturation over a growing number of frivolous projects. The criticism is slightly different from person to person, but it usually goes along these lines:

—“It’s just visualization for the sake of visualization” —“It’s just eye-candy” —“They all look the same”

When Martin Wattenberg and Fernanda Viégas wrote about Vernacular Visualization, in their excellent articleon the July-August 2008 edition of interactions magazine, they observed how the last couple of years have witnessed the tipping point of a field that used to be locked away in its academic vault, far from the public eye. The recent outburst

of interest for Information Visualization caused a huge number of people to join in, particularly from the design and art community, which in turn lead to many new projects and a sprout of fresh innovation. But with more agents in a system you also have a stronger propensity for things to go wrong.

I don’t tend to be harshly censorial of many of the projects that over-glorify aesthetics over functionality, because I believe they’re part of our continuous growth and maturity as a discipline. They also represent important steps in this long progression for discovery, where we are still trying to understand how we can find new things with the rising amounts of data at our disposal. However, I do feel it’s important to reemphasize the goals of Information Visualization, and at this stage make a clear departure from other parallel, yet distinct practices.

[ When talking to Stuart Eccles from Made by Many, after one of my lectures in August 2009, the idea of writing a manifesto came up and I quickly decided to write down a list of considerations or requirements, that rapidly took the shape of an Information Visualization Manifesto.

Some will consider this insightful and try to follow these principles in their work. Others will still want to

pursue their own flamboyant experiments and not abide to any of this.

But in case the last option is chosen, the resulting outcome should start being categorized in a different way. And there are many designations that can easily encompass those projects, such as New Media Art, Computer Art, Algorithmic Art, or my favorite and recommended term: Information Art. ]

Even though a clear divide is necessary, it doesn’t mean that Information Visualization and Information Artcannot coexist. I would even argue they should, since they can learn a lot from each other and cross-pollinate ideas, methods and techniques. In most cases the same dataset can originate two parallel projects, respectively in Information Visualization and Information Art. However, it’s important to bear in mind that the context, audience and goals of each resulting project are intrinsically distinct.

In order for the aspirations of Information Visualization to prevail, here are my 10 directions for any project in this realm:

Form Follows Function

Avoid gratuitous visualizations

Form doesn’t follow data. Data is

“Information gently but relentless-

incongruent by nature. Form fol-

ly drizzles down on us in an invisi-

lows a purpose, and in the case of

ble, impalpable electric rain”. This

Information Visualization, Form fol-

is how physicist Hans Christian von

lows Revelation. Take the simplest

Baeyer starts his book Informa-

analogy of a wooden chair. Data

tion: The New Language of Science.

represents all the different wooden

To the growing amounts of public-

components (seat, back, legs) that

ly available data, Information Vi-

are then assembled according to an

sualization needs to respond as

ultimate goal: to seat in the case of

a cognitive filter, an empowered

the chair, or to reveal and disclose

lens of insight, and should never

in the case of Visualization. Form in

add more noise to the flow. Don’t

both cases arises from the conjunc-

assume any visualization is a pos-

tion of the different building blocks,

itive step forward. In the context of

but it never conforms to them. It is

Information Visualization, simply

only from the problem domain that

conveying data in a visual form,

we can ascertain if a layout may be

without shedding light on the

better suited and easier to under-

portrayed subject, or even worst,

stand than others. Independently

making it more complex, can only

of the subject, the purpose should

be considered a failure.

always be centered on explanation and unveiling, which in turn leads to discovery and insight.

Interactivity is Key

Cite your Source

As defined by Ben Shneiderman,

Information Visualization, as any

Stuart K. Card and Jock D. Mackin-

other means of conveying informa-

lay, “Information Visualization is

tion, has the power to lie, to omit,

the use of computer-supported,

and to be deliberately biased. To

interactive, visual representations

avoid any misconception you should

of abstract data to amplify cogni-

always cite your source. If your raw

tion”. This well-known statement

material is a public dataset, the re-

highlights how interactivity is an in-

sults of a scientific study, or even

tegral part of the field’s DNA. Any

your own personal data, you should

Information Visualization project

always disclose where it came from,

should not only facilitate under-

provide a link to it, and if possible,

standing but also the analysis of the

clarify what was used and how it

data, according to specific use cases

was extracted. By doing so you al-

and defined goals. By employing in-

low people to review the original

teractive techniques, users are able

source and properly validate its au-

to properly investigate and reshape

thenticity. It will also bring credibil-

the layout in order to find appro-

ity and integrity to your work. This

priate answers to their questions.

principle has long been advocat-

This capability becomes imperative

ed by Edward Tufte and should be

as the degree of complexity of the

widely applied to any project that

portrayed system increases. Visu-

visually conveys external data.

alization should be recognized as a discovery tool.

START WITH A QUESTION

Look for Relevancy

“He who is ashamed of asking is

Extracting relevancy in a set of data

afraid of learning”, says a famous

is one of the hardest pursuits for any

Danish proverb. A great quality to

machine. This is where natural hu-

anyone doing work in the realm of

man abilities such as pattern recog-

Information Visualization is to be

nition and parallel processing come

curious and inquisitive. Every proj-

in hand. Relevancy is also highly

ect should start with a question. An

dependent on the final user and the

inquiry that leads you to discover

context of interaction. If the rele-

further insights on the system, and

vancy ratio is high it can increase

in the process answer questions

the possibility of comprehension,

that weren’t even there in the be-

assimilation and decision-making.

ginning. This investigation might arise from a personal quest or the specific needs of a client or audience, but you should always have a defined query to drive your work.

Do not glorify Aesthetics Aesthetics are an important quality to many Information Visualization projects and a critical enticement at first sight, but it should always

The power of Narrative Human beings love stories and storytelling is one of the most successful and powerful ways to learn, discover and disseminate information.

Your project should be able to convey a message and easily encapsulate a compelling narrative.

be seen as a consequence and never its ultimate goal.

Embrace Time Time is one of the hardest variables to map in any system. It’s also one of the richest. If we consider a social network, we can quickly realize that a snapshot in time would only tell us a bit of information about the community. On the other hand, if time had been properly measured and mapped, it would provide us with a much richer understanding of the changing dynamics of that social group. We should always consider time when our targeted system is affected by its progression.

Aspire for Knowledge A core ability of Information Visualization is to translate information into knowledge. It’s also to facilitate understanding and aid cognition.

Every project should aim at making the system more intelligible and transparent, or find an explicit new insight or pattern within it. It should always provide a polished gem of knowledge. As Jacques Bertin eloquently stated on his Sémiologie Graphique, first published in 1967, “it is the singular characteristic of a good graphic transcription.

[01 ] There are three states

[07 ] Once you’re done you

of being. Not knowing, action

can throw it away.]

and completion.]

[08 ] Laugh at perfection. It’s [02 ] Accept that everything

boring and keeps you from

is a draft. It helps to get it

being done.]

done.]

[09 ] People [03 ] There

is

no

editing

without

dirty

hands are wrong. Doing some-

stage.]

thing makes you right.]

[04 ] Pretending you know

[10 ] Failure counts as done.

what you’re doing is almost

So do mistakes.]

the same as knowing what you are doing, so just accept that

[11 ] Destruction is a variant

you know what you’re doing

of done.]

even if you don’t and do it.]

[12 ] If you have an idea and [05 ] Banish

procrastina-

publish it on the internet,

tion. If you wait more than

that counts as a ghost of

a week to get an idea done,

done.]

abandon it.]

[13 ] Done is the engine of [06 ] The point of being done is not to finish but to get other things done.]

more.]

Always take risks.

lateral. There is no reason that you should not be the person designing

It is easy to learn and then repeat

these projects. Make contacts and

exactly what you have learned. How-

ask for work. If you are talented and

ever, you will not grow that way. I

a little lucky, you will get it. Be ag-

can see value in the regurgitation of

gressive in terms of your academics

knowledge if you are a lawyer, but I

as well. There are two kinds of de-

have a hard time with it as a design

sign professors at school: pushers

student or a creative profession-

and pullers. Some professors will

al. You should be pushing yourself

push their knowledge on you. Others

and you should be taking risks, es-

will make you pull what you need

pecially in school. Big risks. Trying

from them. Ask questions of both.

what may not work. Asking ques-

Challenge their statements. Ask for

tions that may not have answers.

precedents. Beyond the curriculum

Seeing if what you throw against the

of the class, ask your favorite faculty

wall sticks. In my experience, taking

who they know that needs an intern

risks in school has always paid off

(because they do know people, I as-

big time.

sure you). Ask faculty if they need any assistance with their own work.

Be aggressive.

Find out which exhibits they enjoyed at local museums. It is very import-

There are many opportunities avail-

ant that as a design student you do

able while in design school. For ex-

not sit back and let things happen to

ample: collaborative projects, extra-

you. Be aggressive and create your

curricular activities, and freelance

own luck and opportunities.

work. These opportunities will not always come to you, you must go get them. Every school has a publications department that designs and produces internal and external col-

BREAK THE RULES I lecture to my students that they should “fuck the rules” as long as they have a good reason. I have consistently found that the students who are conservative, stay inside the lines and try to appeal to the teacher, are the students who do the most predictable work. Not bad work, just predictable. Defying the rules forces you to stray from the path of least resistance and ultimately make work that is more interesting, more meaningful and more fun to create.

But, that does not mean just be a contrarian for its own sake. It does not mean ignore any and all guidelines. It means take the requirements into consideration and break past them with good reasons and

tions depending on which teachers they have, what field trips they take, and what books they pick up. As a designer you need to always be looking at the world around you. You need to see everything—the kind of detailed seeing taught in freshman drawing classes—not just looking, but really seeing. You need to be an observer as well as a maker. You should rid yourself of any preconceptions of what is and is not worthy of your attention. Everything has potential to be interesting and influential. Not everything will be, but the more you see the better your chances are at seeing something that will be useful to you.

Be obsessive.

solid ideas. Breaking the rules just

The saying goes that “necessity is

to be different is foolish, breaking

the mother of invention.” I concur,

the rules because you have a much

but I think for designers the saying

better idea is smart.

should be obsession is the mother of invention. Obsession is what

Look at everything. Dismiss nothing.

drives you to explore and find out as much as possible about something

Each designer is born from a unique

that interests you. I do not mean

experience. Classmates in the same

that being clinically obsessive/com-

program will have different educa-

pulsive is something to aspire to—I have been told that is neither fun

or interesting—but I do mean you

is easy to get into the habit of mak-

need to be intensely immersed and

ing the kind of work you are com-

engaged in what you are doing. This

fortable making. Truly great, inter-

obsession can move you past un-

esting, inspiring design comes not

derstanding and awareness into a

from comfort but from discomfort. It

translative process where you will

comes from the fear that what you

start to make things. We are usually

are doing might really suck, but it

taught that obsession is unhealthy,

also might just be brilliant. Discom-

and in some cases that is true. When

fort makes you reexamine what you

it comes to how a designer looks at

think you know and how you think

the world, obsession can provide

things should work. Being uncom-

an incredible explosion of ideas as

fortable helps you make decisions

you become so engrossed in some-

from the gut, it makes you push

thing you start to reinvent it inside

harder and take more risks. Grab-

your head. Obsession can often help

bing that fear, holding onto that un-

you to move through the threshold

comfortable, scary place lets you

between thinking and making. You

push past expectations and into the

should never hold back your excite-

unknown—into a process of discov-

ment about something that inter-

ery as opposed to regurgitation.

ests you, and by the same token, you should not hesitate to be obsessive about many things since you never know where your interests will lead.

Be uncomfortable.

Be opinionated.

You should have opinions about design and the world around you.

Preferably, you should have strong opinions. Ideally, you should have

Comfort is tremendously overrated,

strong and informed opinions. Ev-

especially as a designer. You know

ery great designer I have ever met

you can skew some type, add some

has an active stance on design,

color, toss in an image and make a

they do not passively allow work to

decent piece of design. Maybe it’s

wash over them. They have opinions

not great, but it’s good enough. It

about what they see. Having opin-

ions means engaging in some kind of internal analysis of the work you see and formulating a response to it.

As an educator I do this constantly in the classroom, and I try to do it constantly in the professional world as well. Opinions about design force you to pick a side, and define what kind of designer you are. There are plenty of designers out there who punch a clock in the morning, mindlessly flow some text into InDesign all day, and then leave at five and don’t think about design until the next morning. There are designers who casually ignore art and design while they look for the next reality show on TV. Then there are the other designers who make more design in their spare time. Their idea of a good time is to look at typography or experiment with painting or photography. These are designers who are fully immersed in working visually, designers who are actively engaged in becoming better at what they do every day.

you have an assignment due, but because it is in your nature as a visual artist to observe and process the world around you. Inspiration comes from everywhere and nowhere, all at

Be A COP. They say that when you are a police officer you are on duty 24/7/365.

Cops always look at their surroundings from a cop’s perspective. They notice things others do not. They act as a cop would in an emergency situation whether or not they are in uniform. Most cops I have met and read about always carry their firearms and badge, even while on vacation. It is not something they turn off at the end of their shift.

A designer needs to act like a cop.

When you are a designer, you are a designer 24/7/365. Always noticing, always observing, always designing, even if only in your head. Carrying a camera with you at all times is a good habit—capture interesting details you come across, not just because

the same time. One of the greatest things about being a designer is that you do not finish your design education when you leave design school.

You continue learning for the rest of you life, and you should carry these ideas with you as you develop and mature into a creative professional.

// YOU CAN ONLY WORK FOR PEOPLE THAT YOU LIKE This is a curious rule and it took me a long time to learn because in fact at the beginning of my practice I felt the opposite. Professionalism required that you didn’t particularly

// IF YOU HAVE A CHOICE NEVER

like the people that you worked for or

HAVE A JOB.

at least maintained an arms length

One night I was sitting in my car out-

relationship to them, which meant

side Columbia University where my

that I never had lunch with a client or

wife Shirley was studying Anthro-

saw them socially. Then some years

pology. While I was waiting I was

ago I realised that the opposite was

listening to the radio and heard an

true. I discovered that all the work I

interviewer ask ‘Now that you have

had done that was meaningful and

reached 75 have you any advice for

significant came out of an affection-

our audience about how to prepare

ate relationship with a client. And I

for your old age?’ An irritated voice

am not talking about professional-

said ‘Why is everyone asking me

ism; I am talking about affection. I

about old age these days?’ I rec-

am talking about a client and you

ognised the voice as John Cage. I

sharing some common ground. That

am sure that many of you know who

in fact your view of life is someway

he was – the composer and philos-

congruent with the client, otherwise

opher who influenced people like

it is a bitter and hopeless struggle.

Jasper Johns and Merce Cunning-

ham as well as the music world in general. I knew him slightly and admired his contribution to our times.

‘You know, I do know how to prepare for old age’ he said. ‘Never have a job, because if you have a job someday someone will take it away from

// YOU CAN ONLY WORK FOR PEO-

you and then you will be unprepared

PLE THAT YOU LIKE

for your old age. For me, it has al-

This is a subtext of number one.

ways been the same every since the

There was in the sixties a man

age of 12. I wake up in the morning

named Fritz Perls who was a gestalt

and I try to figure out how am I go-

therapist. Gestalt therapy derives

ing to put bread on the table today?

from art history, it proposes you

It is the same at 75, I wake up every

must understand the ‘whole’ be-

morning and I think how am I going

fore you can understand the details.

to put bread on the table today? I am

What you have to look at is the entire

exceedingly well prepared for my

culture, the entire family and com-

old age’ he said.

munity and so on. Perls proposed that in all relationships people could be either toxic or nourishing towards one another. It is not necessarily true that the same person will be toxic or nourishing in every relationship, but the combination of any two people in a relationship produces toxic or nourishing con-

sequences. And the important thing that I can tell you is that there is a test to determine whether someone is toxic or nourishing in your relationship with them. Here is the test: You have spent some time with this person, either you have a drink or go for dinner or you go to a ball game. It

//

doesn’t matter very much but at the

ENOUGH OR THE GOOD IS THE EN-

end of that time you observe wheth-

EMY OF THE GREAT

er you are more energised or less

Early in my career I wanted to be

energised. Whether you are tired or

professional, that was my complete

whether you are exhilarated. If you

aspiration in my early life because

are more tired then you have been

professionals seemed to know ev-

poisoned. If you have more energy

erything – not to mention they got

you have been nourished. The test is

paid for it. Later I discovered after

almost infallible and I suggest that

working for a while that profession-

you use it for the rest of your life.

alism itself was a limitation. After

PROFESSIONALISM

IS

NOT

all, what professionalism means in most cases is diminishing risks.

So if you want to get your car fixed you go to a mechanic who knows how to deal with transmission problems in the same way each time. I suppose if you needed brain surgery you wouldn’t want the doctor to fool around and invent a new way of con-

necting your nerve endings. Please do it in the way that has worked in the past. Unfortunately in our field, in the so-called creative – I hate that word because it is misused so often.

I also hate the fact that it is used as a noun. Can you imagine calling someone a creative? Anyhow, when you are doing something in a recurring way to diminish risk or doing it in the same way as you have done it before, it is clear why professionalism is not enough. After all, what is required in our field, more than anything else, is the continuous transgression.

Professionalism

does not allow for that because transgression has to encompass the possibility of failure and if you are professional your instinct is not to fail, it is to repeat success. So professionalism as a lifetime aspiration is a limited goal.

// LESS IS NOT NECESSARILY MORE. Being a child of modernism I have heard this mantra all my life. Less is more. One morning upon awakening I realised that it was total nonsense, it is an absurd proposition and also fairly meaningless. But it sounds great because it contains within it a paradox that is resistant to understanding. But it simply does not obtain when you think about the visual of the history of the world. If you look at a Persian rug, you cannot say that less is more because you realise that every part of that rug, every change of colour, every shift in form is absolutely essential for its aesthetic success. You cannot prove to me that a solid blue rug is in any way superior. That also goes for the work of Gaudi, Persian miniatures, art nouveau and everything else.

However, I have an alternative to the proposition that I believe is more appropriate. ‘Just enough is more.’

fatigue occurs when people see too much of the same thing too often. So // DOUBT IS BETTER THAN CER-

every ten years or so there is a stylis-

TAINTY.

tic shift and things are made to look

I think this idea first occurred to me

different. Typefaces go in and out of

when I was looking at a marvellous

style and the visual system shifts a

etching of a bull by Picasso. It was

little bit. If you are around for a long

an illustration for a story by Balzac

time as a designer, you have an es-

called The Hidden Masterpiece. I

sential problem of what to do. I mean,

am sure that you all know it. It is a

after all, you have developed a vocab-

bull that is expressed in 12 different

ulary, a form that is your own. It is

styles going from very naturalistic

one of the ways that you distinguish

version of a bull to an absolutely re-

yourself from your peers, and estab-

ductive single line abstraction and

lish your identity in the field. How

everything else along the way. What

you maintain your own belief system

is clear just from looking at this sin-

and preferences becomes a real bal-

gle print is that style is irrelevant. In

ancing act. The question of wheth-

every one of these cases, from ex-

er you pursue change or whether

treme abstraction to acute natural-

you maintain your own distinct form

ism they are extraordinary regard-

becomes difficult. We have all seen

less of the style. It’s absurd to be

the work of illustrious practitioners

loyal to a style. It does not deserve

that suddenly look old-fashioned or,

your loyalty. I must say that for old

more precisely, belonging to another

design professionals it is a problem

moment in time. And there are sad

because the field is driven by eco-

stories such as the one about Cas-

nomic consideration more than any-

sandre, arguably the greatest graph-

thing else. Style change is usually

ic designer of the twentieth century,

linked to economic factors, as all of

who couldn’t make a living at the end

you know who have read Marx. Also

of his life and committed suicide. But

the point is that anybody who is in say it, if you are clever or if you were this for the long haul has to decide stupid. If you were having a bad hair how to respond to change in the zeit- day or a no hair day or if your boss geist. What is it that people now ex- looks at you cockeyed or your boypect that they formerly didn’t want? friend or girlfriend looks at you cockAnd how to respond to that desire in eyed, if you are cockeyed. If you don’t a way that doesn’t change your sense get that promotion or prize or house of integrity and purpose.

or if you do – it doesn’t matter.’ Wisdom at last. Then I heard a marvellous joke that seemed related to rule number 10. A butcher was opening his market one morning and as he did a rabbit popped his head through the door. The butcher was surprised

// ON AGING

when the rabbit inquired ‘Got any

Last year someone gave me a

cabbage?’ The butcher said ‘This is

charming book by Roger Rosenblatt

a meat market – we sell meat, not

called ‘Ageing Gracefully’ I got it on

vegetables.’ The rabbit hopped off.

my birthday. I did not appreciate the

The next day the butcher is opening

title at the time but it contains a se-

the shop and sure enough the rabbit

ries of rules for ageing gracefully.

pops his head round and says ‘You

The first rule is the best. Rule num-

got any cabbage?’ The butcher now

ber one is that ‘it doesn’t matter.’ ‘It

irritated says ‘Listen you little rodent

doesn’t matter that what you think.

I told you yesterday we sell meat, we

Follow this rule and it will add de-

do not sell vegetables and the next

cades to your life. It does not mat-

time you come here I am going to

ter if you are late or early, if you are

grab you by the throat and nail those

here or there, if you said it or didn’t

floppy ears to the floor.’ The rabbit

disappeared hastily and nothing hap-

everything labelled chicken was. We

pened for a week. Then one morning

can accept certain kinds of misrep-

the rabbit popped his head around

resentation, such as fudging about

the corner and said ‘Got any nails?’

the amount of fat in his hamburger

The butcher said ‘No.’ The rabbit

but once a butcher knowingly sells

said ‘Ok. Got any cabbage?’

us spoiled meat we go elsewhere. As a designer, do we have less respon-

// TELL THE TRUTH The rabbit joke is relevant because it occurred to me that looking for a cabbage in a butcher’s shop might be like looking for ethics in the design field. It may not be the most obvious place to find either. It’s interesting to observe that in the new AIGA’s code of ethics there is a significant amount of useful information about appropriate behaviour towards clients and other designers, but not a word about a designer’s relationship to the public. We expect a butcher to sell us eatable meat and that he doesn’t misrepresent his wares. I remember reading that during the Stalin years in Russia that everything labelled veal was actually chicken. I can’t imagine what

sibility to our public than a butcher?

Everyone interested in licensing our field might note that the reason licensing has been invented is to protect the public not designers or clients. ‘Do no harm’ is an admonition to doctors concerning their relationship to their patients, not to their fellow practitioners or the drug companies. If we were licensed, telling the truth might become more central to what we do.