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RATIONALE

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In the essay component, 4 models of graphic authorship were highlighted by Almeida and McCarthy to provide a basis on which a progressive and future mode of graphic design practice can be built.

The 4 models, ‘Design as Advocacy’, ‘Design for Art’s Sake’, ‘Entrepreneurial Opportunities’, and ‘Collaboration of Equals’, were found to have a direct connection with the self-set projects that graphic designer’s undertake.

The practical component aims to synthesize 3 of these models of practice, and provide a proposed practical context for their exemplification.

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MISSION STATEMENT

A growing number of graphic designers are finding themselves in professional environments where they are able to pursue projects built on speculation and uncertainty.

In the past, this could have been the result of numerous unforgiving conditions deeply seated in the professional day to day graphic design practice, but primarily, in the way in which graphic design work is comissioned.

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by an individual, some of these projects are open opportunities for collaboration, entrepreneurship, and the advocation of causes that satisfy the existential brief that graphic designers, often unconsciously, set to themselves.

Graphic designers are constantly expanding the field by taking a transdisciplinary approach. Some graphic designers are able to carve completely new pathways for their career in the ever-changing creative The question “What if?” is rarely a viable option in the wake of a client-set brief. Hence industries. speculative projects, and progressive modes of practice, tend be projects set by the self, to SELF SET aims to provide a platform for the self, for the self and other like-minded the speculative, inquisitive, and progressive creative individuals. graphic designer, who uses the discipline beyond it’s distinguised confines.

While these projects are often initiated

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FRONT COVER

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SELF SET is a quarterly magazine that contains interviews, discussions, essays, and reviews regarding the graphic design content that graphic designer’s produce in a mode of graphic authorship.

Due to the ephemeral nature of the term ‘graphic authorship’, the publication centers around progressive modes of graphic design practice, which is driven by the wider society of graphic designers, and not those just those who choose to be designers and authors in the traditional sense.

In short, the magazine is centered around the content generated by designers, with a will to find content that is socially relevant and outside of the confines of the industry.

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COVER IMAGE

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The cover of the first issue is a visual response and rebuttal of the Designer As Author essay by Michael Rock. In the essay, Rock makes affirmations that the graphic designer can act like an auteur in the presentation of form by responding to the client given content in a unique and authorial way. In light of this, Rock disregards content generation as a practice for the modern graphic designer.

Many esteemed contemporary directors such as Tarantino, Scorsese, Nolan, Kaufman, are indeed writers of their work too.

The image pays homage to the TCL Chinese Theatre walk of fame. In light of Almeida and McCarthy’s (2002) essay, the metaphor was to re-confirm that the individual designer is in control of their impression of the industry, and is solely responsible for what they do with their skills as a designer.

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FORUM RESEARCH

From my research on various graphic design forums, I found that graphic designers are very active in setting projects outside of working hours.

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Overleaf: Jon Bland, a graphic designer at award winning graphic design agency Music, is featured with his No Fly Poster’s project.

Very few find it easy to integrate these into a day to day practice where it is possible to be paid for self-set projects.

I asked Jon some questions about his projects. I asked how the projects specifically affect his professional practice at the studio, and what he learns personally by conducting personal projects.

From the questionnaire I posted, I found 86% of graphic design students were interested in seeing other graphic designer’s self set projects.

Jon completes the project as an exercise of his skills and creativity, and invites others to question an every day irony, through the use of design.

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Jon’s work is interesting due to his curational exploits outside of being a graphic designer.

The outdoor gallery of No Fly Posters fit’s into the ‘Design for Art’s Sake’ model in Almeida and McCarthy.

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PROJECT REVIEW AND INTERVIEW

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PROJECT REVIEW CONTINUED

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QUESTIONNAIRE FINDINGS

In the questionnaire I included questions regarding Michael Rock, an antagonist of graphic authorship, and the wider graphic authorship debate.

I found that 98% of people did not know who Michael Rock was, and 94% of people had never heard of the term, graphic authorship.

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Overleaf: Essays are a rife within contemporary graphic design discourse, and it is important for a new generation of graphic designers to be aware of the design criticisms and discourses that involve the future of the graphic design practice.

Including essays in the magazine is a choice made from the high percentage of people wanting to know about self-set projects, combined with the percentage of people who do know know about the graphic authorship debate currently carrying large weight in graphic design discourses.

By including essays like this in a magazine that appeals to a younger generation, the dissemination of valuable information reaches a targeted audience.

The magazine invites the a more democratic graphic design criticism, by proposing that readers involve themselves with discussion on the SELF SET website, and social media.

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ESSAY ARTICLES

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OPEN FOR DISCOURSE

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‘DESIGN AS ADVOCACY’

Almeida and McCarthy (2002) highlighted a mode of practice called design as advocacy where: ‘the designer establishes work commitments with groups or agencies with which she or he identifies personally, morally, politically, or religiously. Thus, providing audiences with access to information, or a particular rhetorical stance on a subject’

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Overleaf: The All Possible Futures exhibition is an exhibition by Jon Sueda, who has previously worked for Studio Dumbar.

The exhibition aims show the potential breadth of the graphic designer within the creative industries, and provides speculative and progressive work by graphic designers.

Through the magazine advocating and working with parties that have a similar interest the magazine adheres to the model ‘Design as Advocacy’ model

This is exemplified through the magazine’s engagement and promotion of ventures with a similar interest.

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All Possible Futures Advocate SELF-SET MAGAZINE

ALL POSSIBLE FUTURES ARTICLE

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WEBSITE

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Website SELF-SET MAGAZINE

WEBSITE

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Website SELF-SET MAGAZINE

WEBSITE

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ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES

Almeida and McCarthy highlight that some modes of self authored graphic design: ‘...becomes a supply-side, market-driven process geared towards the development of new products, services, media, etc.’

This mode of graphic authorship would see the SELF SET magazine becoming it’s own brand of media outlet for graphic designers. Appropriate avenues for a brand like this would be: Lectures, Touring Workshops, Awards, Festivals, Exhibitions, Online Shop

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Overleaf: The expression of the ‘Entrepreneurial Opportunities’ mode of authorship could be met by a ‘Collaboration of Equals’ by producing platforms and outputs from the combination of two or more parties.

This would also see the ‘Design as Advocacy’ model coming into play as the authored method of practice would advocate a democratic dissemination of information and promote an interpretative graphic design practice for the future.

Almeida and McCarthy proposed how their highlighted models can incorporate overlap and are open to interpretation. This example shows how simple it is to conceptualise these models into a potentially tangible outcome that could melds the models into an informed and progressive graphic design practice.

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SELF SET LECTURES

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LECTURES IN ASSOCIATION WITH CREATIVE MORNINGS

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SELF SET LECTURES

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