Brett Raad Balance Magazine

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G EXCELLENCE BALANCE BALANCE DISCOVERING EXCELLENCE SCOVERING EXCELLENCE t’s a great honour to be writing my first editor’s letter. In its first year Balance has transformed how the world thinks about design and art, and for the last year I’ve been privileged to work with Andy Elmer – who is swivelling in a new chair as Brand & Content Director, taking Balance in bold new directions and generally plotting global domination.

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I’d also like to say a huge thank-you to the editors, staff, contributors, collaborators who have made Balance what it is today. Balance is more than a magazine, of course. It is an international community, a super-collider that brings together the most dynamic players in Graphic design, art, and beyond.

Here, I’ve had the pleasure of working with a huge number of artists and designers, spending time in some of the most exciting places in the world, and searching out the creative frontline. And we will continue to showcase groundbreaking, spirit-lifting and eye-opening design and to collaborate with established titans and emerging talents.

This issue of Balance marks the publication of a story on something close to my heart. Indeed, it’s a subject that sheds a little too much light on how I cultivated my design passion, and by extension how I wound up sitting here writing this editorial. I hope you enjoy this first issue and do let us know if there are any topics you’d like to see covered in the future.

Behzad Radnassab - Editor

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9 Color Selection and Human Psychological Connections How Colors Influence the Mind

By Faber Birren

CONTENTS

Color resonates with people in different ways. We all have a favorite color or color that we use more during specific periods of life. But the color you use in a design project can say a lot about the work itself. That’s a scientific fact.

13 The Power of Simplicity WHY GOOD DESIGN IS TIMELESS

By Jack Trout Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication —Leonardo da Vinci. In his now classic book Art and Visual Perception, Rudolph Arnheim noted that people will perceive and interpret ambiguous or complex shapes as the simplest form possible.

There’s something inherent in us that prefers the simple to the complex.

20 Modern Graphic Design Directions and Purpose

by Marina Yalanska The article presenting the variety of purposes served by modern graphic design: branding, UI navigation, mascots and lettering, tutorials, posters and animation.

There’s something inherent in us that prefers the simple to the complex.

Departments 1

Editor’s Letter/Contributors

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10 inspirational graphic design trends for 2019

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Review of Introduction to Graphic Design: A Guide to Thinking, Process, and Style

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Interview with graphic designer kevin chao 7 Graphic Designer Interview Questions and Answers

Mila Jones Cann

Top Inspirational Graphic Design Trends For

2019

Fresh Hot & Bold 6

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Pops of Vivid Color You may have noticed the world of design feels a little more colorful lately. You would be right. Splashes of electric yellows, bright corals and vivid blues are replacing the reserved colors of the past. More brands and designers are adding vivid colors to their palettes for 2019 and beyond. I love it–more color is always a plus in my books! If you aren’t familiar, vivid colors include lighter hues that are intense or attention-grabbing.

3D: Depth of a new generatioN but depth has proven that it can fit within the evolving ethos of flat design by improving usability and simplicity, both of which are core principles of flat design. Going forward you will see shadows become a staple of the “semi-flat” design movement. We’re already seeing them being used to enhance icons and illustrations, as well as websites, app interfaces and even print designs.

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Strong Typographic Focal Points Over the past few years, we have seen bold fonts and typefaces become the norm. From Adidas using it across all of their marketing to Samsung, which illustrates nicely the move to more vivid colors this year as well. This bold font makes it easy to read the text on social media feeds and on mobile devices. As well as instantly projecting strength, innovation, and individuality.

But this year the bold font will become the main focal point in a lot of graphics. Especially if your graphic only has a few seconds to grab the reader’s attention.

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Light and Dark Color Schemes

You may have noticed that some of the largest companies are adding light and dark modes to their apps. Or embracing light and dark color schemes across different devices and venues. This includes Apple recently adding Dark Mode for all of their Macs, Facebook just added a dark mode to its Messanger platform. These apps use different modes to make the apps more useful for the user depending on the situation. I wanted to point out that the biggest brands in the world of tech are embracing this dual colored design trend. So it’s pretty easy to see the graphic design world wholeheartedly adopting it this year.

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•

Dynamic Hand-Drawn Illustrations

Custom or hand-drawn illustrations are an excellent way to make your visual content stand out. And stand above all the other brands that take the easy way out. That’s because no other brand is going to be able to exactly replicate these visuals.

Competitors can copy your color scheme, your social media strategy and the stock photos you use.

Plus, in the quest for a strong brand, unique content such as this is extremely valuable. That’s why I believe that hand-drawn graphics and illustration will continue to be a graphic design trend this year.

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Open compositions; Ditch the frames Not so long ago, designers used to put frames on everything to achieve the feeling of a finished design.

Lately, there has been a tendency for open, airy designs which seem to show only a part of the whole “picture”.

In 2019, we expect from designers to ditch the frames completely and surprise us with open, airy designs. While each piece seems to show only a part of the whole design, designers can easily play with the composition and make it literally infinite with each part continuing the composition.

This trend is easily achieved in web design but it is possible even on print designs.

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Realism + Flat design elements

Have you heard that the opposites attract? Graphic designers have always been combining and mixing complementing trends in order to please the viewer’s eye. But when it comes to creating something really innovative and unexpected, designers prefer to experiment with an unconventional mixture of techniques, styles, or in this case – dimensions. Real-life objects combined with completely flat visual elements, in our opinion, will be one of the graphic design trends 2019.

The color of the year; Living Coral •

Each year, there are designs inspired by the color of the year. Around the end of each year, the color dictator Pantone announces what the color of the next year would be. Naturally, this color makes it into all fields of graphic design industry including web design, package design, print design, etc. For 2019, the color of the year is called Living Coral and it’s an energetic hue of coral with an undertone of golden.

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By Faber Birren

Color Selection and Human Psychological Connections

Color resonates with people in different ways.

We all have a favorite color or color that we use more during specific periods of life. But the color you use in a design project can say a lot about the work itself, That’s a scientific fact.

How Colors Influence the Mind

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he science behind our emotional connections to color is a complicated one. But it is becoming more clear through anecdotal knowledge and scientific experimentation. Here are five hypotheses and a fifth-grade level experiment you can try to help us better design with color and understand its emotional impact.

Whether you’re defusing a ticking time bomb, or trying to design a de-

cent-looking site, if you choose the wrong color—you’re doomed. Okay, so the wrong color selection for a client’s site might not be the death of you, but it could curtail your budding career as a web designer. Choosing colors is no simple matter. There are aesthetic, identity, and usability considerations to take into account. And, to make matters worse, most modern displays can render more than sixteen million colors. That’s an infinite number of horrible color combinations just waiting to happen!

Fortunately, there’s no need to be a swatchbook-carrying color consultant to make good color choices. A wealth of knowledge is available, from touchyfeely (as I like to call them) psychological guidelines to tried-and-true color theories that will help you make the right choices when it comes to color.

Color psychology is a field of study that’s devoted to analyzing the emotional and behavioral effects produced by colors and color combinations.

Ecommerce website owners want to

know which color will make their website visitors spend more money. Home decorators are after a color that will transform a bedroom into a tranquil Zen retreat. Fast-food restaurant owners are dying to know which color combinations will make you want to super-size your meal. As you can imagine, color psychology is big business.

Although it’s important to know how your color choices might affect the masses, the idea that there’s a single, unified, psychological response to specific colors is spurious. Many of the responses that color psychologists accredit to certain colors are rooted in individual experience. It’s also interesting to note that many cultures have completely different associations with, and interpretations of, colors. With those caveats in mind, let’s explore some general psychological associations that the majority of people in Western cultures have in response to specific colors.

We Might Be Hardwired for Certain Hues

Is it possible that our brains are wired to like (or dislike) certain colors? It all relates to emotion responses when we see color. A study by Wellesley College researchersStoughton and Bevil Conway links neural processes to color.

Conway, who is also an artist, is using his research to determine how the brain processes color and impacts our feelings about it. “I think it’s a very powerful system,” Conway said in an interview with Co.Design, “and it’s completely underexploited.” The study further relates some of the things we already know – color context changes based on other colors in the field of vision and that emotion is a big factor when thinking about color.

The study found that “globs” in the brains of monkeys reacted differently to colored stimuli, and reacted based on color. The brain was most triggered by specific colors (red, then green, then blue) and colors with the most saturation. What this tells us is that these colors immediately impact a user and draw attention.

This work has significant implications for the creative community. “To the extent that anyone would find it informative to know how the nervous system works, and through that would gain an appreciation for these phenomena, I think artists and designers could benefit,” Conway said in the Co.Design interview. “This provides them with another lens through which to consider what they’re doing when they make those kinds of choices.”

really only looked at the colors red and blue. (Six hundred people participated in visual tests with words and images against red, blue or neutral backgrounds.)

But it does reinforce some of what we historically know about the colors.

Red is a color of stimulation, while blue is more relaxing and calming.

Could that have something to do with it?

It’s also important to consider context. Looking at words and images in an isolated environment can be different that when you are trying to connect a user to a brand, website or package. What this study does tell us is that color is important and even more so is the context

used with that hue.

Red Means No

While we are thinking about the color red, do you ever think about its almost universal meaning? Across cultures it often represents “no.” A study by researchers at Dartmouth College found that is common emotional association to red may be innate.

A study involving monkeys found that the animals avoided humans who wore red (versus green or blue). “We – primates and then humans – are very visual,” neuroscientist Jerald Kralik said about the experiment. He further explained that color provides cues for everything from what is ok to eat to determining how others feel in different

Color Impacts Cognitive Performance

Can color impact your ability to create? According to a study by researchers at the University of British Columbia, red can focus and help make a person’s work more accurate while blue can spur creativity. While this on its face is fascinating, the results are harder for designer to use. The study

Barbara Tyler Ahlfield fashion illustrator http://www.barbaratylerahlfield.com

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Charis Tsevis Visual designer living on the sunny side of the planet. www.tsevis.com

situations. “We start to see that color may have a deeper and wider-ranging influence on us than we have previously thought.” This study provides a useful bit for designers – color can have impacts that even users don’t understand. Common associations (such as red meaning to stop or halt) should be taken into consideration.

Color Impacts Intuition

The research into color is not a new phenomenon. It can be traced to works that are hundreds of years old. One of the most relevant today remains “Theory of Colours” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which was first published in 1810. While this was not a “scientific work” per se, it set the course for much of what we know about color and the basis

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for future research. Goethe published one of the first color wheels and associated color with more than hue; he also showed psychological impact. His theory about how color impacts our emotions and thoughts is still widely-used and applies to how we think about color.

The book is a great read for anyone with an interest in color theory. Here are some of Goethe’s color specific highlights: Red: “The effect of this colour is as peculiar as its nature. It conveys an impression of gravity and dignity, and at the same time of grace and attractiveness. … History relates many instances of the jealousy of sovereigns with regard to the quality of red. Surrounding accompaniments of this colour have always a grave and magnificent effect.”

Yellow: “In its highest purity it always carries with it the nature of brightness, and has a serene, gay, softly exciting character. … State is agreeable and gladdening, and in its utmost power is serene and noble, it is, on the other hand, extremely liable to contamination.”

Blue: “As a hue it is powerful — but it is on the negative side, and in its highest purity is, as it were, a stimulating negation. Its appearance, then, is a kind of contradiction between excitement and repose. … As the upper sky and distant mountains appear blue, so a blue surface seems to retire from us.”

Green: “If the two elementary colours {yellow and blue} are mixed in perfect equality so that neither predominates, the eye and the mind repose on the result of this junction as upon a simple colour. The beholder has neither the wish nor the power to im-

agine a state beyond it.”

Logo Color Affects Consumer Habits

“The specific colors used in a company’s logo have a significant impact on how that logo, and the brand as a whole, is viewed by consumers,” according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

The study found specific links and ties to colors within logos and how people felt about those brands.

Blue logos invoked feelings of confidence, success and reliability Green logos invoked perceptions of environmental friendliness, toughness, durability, masculinity and sustainability Purple logos invoked femininity, glamor and charm Pink logos gave the perception of youth, imagination and fashion Yellow logos invoked perceptions of fun and modernity Red logos brought feelings of expertise and self-assurance The findings change some of the ideas that we associated with specific colors. “Of all the feelings associated with logo colors, the feelings associated with red logos were the most surprising,” Ridgway told Science Daily. “Traditional emotions based on red include aggression and romance, but red logos did not invoke those emotions in study participants.

This can probably be attributed to the fact that red is used in logos of many well-established brands such as State Farm, McDonalds and ESPN, so consumers have pre-existi n g e mo t ions a s s ocia te d with bran ds u sin g tha t color.” The question this study holds for de-

signers is “Can we change the preconceived perception of a color?”

And is it a chance worth taking?

Experiment for Designers

Determining how a set of colors will impact users of your design is not complicated. This experiment is adapted from a fifth-grade science project idea and is something you can do in the testing phase of any design project.

- Prepare several versions of the same design with different color schemes.

- Find a set of volunteers to answer questions about the design on different days.

- Ask how the person feels about one design each day, showing a different color each time.

- Compare the results.

Conclusion

Mixing color, science and emotion can be a tricky game. And while science is teaching designers more every day, it’s also opening up more questions about how we see and feel about color.

There are certain colors I still use sparingly in projects and others that I tend to use too much. Personally, I find that I design many times based on my own mood and feelings. (You know those days where you just “feel yellow?”) Regardless, science is a good place to start when asking early questions in the design process: How will users feel about this project and is that the relationship you want to create?

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by Aaris Sherin

Review of Introduction to Graphic Design:

A Guide to Thinking, Process & Style 16

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s an academic in the field(s) of (new) media theory, design, and practice, I frequently find my students conflating conceptual design with visual design. This overlay no doubt follows from the porous boundaries demarcating formally siloed fields now digitized by a wide variety of computer hardware and software available for fostering creativity. That, and the high emphasis placed on the visual, creates the penchant to position every endeavor—advertising to blogs to books to games to interactive interfaces to marketing to packaging to virtual reality—under the umbrella of “graphic design,” and promote an emphasis on the way a designed object looks, rather than the way it works.

Whether you need to conceptualise a new poster, develop an exciting advertisement, structure an app or create eye-catching signage, chapters can be read in any order you choose, depending on which area you wish to concentrate.

As an academic in the

field(s) of (new) media the-

ory, design, and practice, I frequently find my stu-

“the

dents conflating concep-

pro-

tual design with visual de-

cess or

sign. This overlay no doubt follows from the porous boundaries

demarcating

formally siloed fields now

digitized by a wide variety of computer hardware and soft-

ware available for fostering creativity. That, and the high emphasis placed on the visual, creates the penchant to position every endeavor—advertising to blogs to books to

games to interactive interfaces to marketing to packaging

to virtual reality—under the umbrella of “graphic design,”

of combining

visual

material,

usually text, image-

ry, and other elements, to

communicate a message or to

create an experience for an audience”.

Practitioners are called “designers.” They give

form to content intended for viewing on computer, tab-

and promote an emphasis on the way a designed object

lets, mobile telephones and other consoles. They also produce

es to teach effective design with an emphasis on the way

tions. All endeavors have underlying principles of arrangement,

looks, rather than the way it works.So, if indeed one wish-

objects look, Introduction to Graphic Design: A Guide to Thinking, Process, and Style, by Aaris Sherin, is a valuable resource and foundation.

To provide context, Sherin defines graphic design as

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(often analogue) packaging, signage, displays, and installa-

structure, and expression. “All designers,” says Sherin, “need

to understand the formal principals of design, work well with typography, and have excellent visual and spatial skills”.

Introduction to Graphic Design seeks to impart these and

“A valuable resource and foundation ... [the] dos and don'ts provided in Graphic Design: A Guide to Thinking, Process, and Style provide comfort and confidence to give visual form to concepts and ideas.”

– Leonardo Reviews

other skills. “Basically,” says Sherin, “this book aims to give first-year

design students the confidence to balance the mixture of structure and experimentation needed to effectively give visual form to concepts and ideas”. The nine chapters focus on concepts and ideas,

form and space, working with color, typography, using and creat-

ing imagery, layout and arrangement, and context and production.

Sherin begins each by defining key terms, followed by information

and examples (visual and textual), exercises, and reviews highlighting dos and don’ts.

At the book’s conclusion, design is once again presented as

both a conceptual and practical process, “a repeatable series of actions used to develop design projects”. Your definition, and mile-

age, may, of course, vary, but Sherin deserves credit for presenting examples and learning opportunities regarding fundamental con-

cepts and practices of graphic design, whether the end product is digital or analogue.

Introduction to Graphic Design encourages readers (learn-

ers) to use critical thinking and visual exploration to under-

stand the relationship between graphic designers and creative problem solving. Sherin positions graphic design as a way of life. For those new to the life, the case studies, exercises, key

terms and concepts, and dos and don’ts provided in Graphic Design: A Guide to Thinking, Process, and Style provide com-

fort and confidence to give visual form to concepts and ideas

About the Author Aaris Sherin is an educator, writer and designer. She is a Professor of Graphic Design at St John’s University, Queens, New York. Sherin is a frequent lecturer and speaker at both national and international design conferences. Her writing has been featured in publications such as PRINT Magazine, STEP Inside Design, Form, Leonardo, and Design and Culture.

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THE

POWER OF . . .

WHY GOOD DESIGN IS TIMELESS BY JACK TROUT

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n his now classic book Art and Visual Perception, Rudolph Arnheim noted that people will perceive and interpret ambiguous or complex shapes as the simplest form possible. There’s something inherent in us that prefers the simple to the complex...

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Inspirational Quotes On Simplicity

“

“Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away.”

—Antoine de Saint “Everything should be as simple as possible but no simpler.”

—Albert Einstein “Omit needless words.”

—Strunk and White

“Less, but better” —Dieter Rams “It just works” —Steve Jobs “Make the irreducible basic elements as simple and as few as possible without having to surrender the adequate representation of a single datum of experience.”

— Albert Einstein 22

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A design style shift has been steadily occurring for some time now, and that is, a more minimal and reductive approach to corporate brand logo designs. I applaud this design style returning to brand identity — it proves that design is forever cyclical.

What is Simplicity?

1. freedom from complexity, intricacy, or division into parts.

2. absence of pretentiousness or ornament 3. directness of expressions Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious and adding the meaningful.

It’s about making something easier to understand. Simplicity is getting at the core of something and understanding what that thing truly is and then making every part consistent with the core. We know simple when we see it, when we touch it, when we use it. And one thing we quickly learn is simplicity is difficult to achieve.

Why is Simplicity Important?

In a 2002 poll, the Consumer Electronics Association discovered that 87% of people said ease of use is the most important thing when it comes

to new technologies.

Simplicity doesn’t equal usability, but simple designs are typically easier to use. Consider the principle of choices. Providing less options leads to a greater chance that any one option will be chosen. Each additional option adds complexity to the decision making process.

Simple designs tend to be more aesthetically pleasing. Simplicity is more accessible. It helps us get things done faster, more easily, and more efficiently. Simplicity leads to less need for instruction and support.

Think of the popularity of services like Instapaper and Readability and ask yourself why they’re popular. One reason is they strip away the ornament in the design of many websites and simply present the content. They make it simpler to consume the content.

Swiss writer and entrepreneur, Alain de Bouton observed that “cultures are drawn to create things that are missing from their age and environment.” It’s no wonder simplicity is

a goal of our current culture. The more complex our lives become, the more we crave simplicity.

How Do We Achieve Simplicity?

The first step in achieving simplicity in design is, as Jony Ive said, to Space… The final frontier…

Along with reducing complexity, simplicity can also take the form of reducing visual clutter.

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go deep. You have to truly understand what’s at the core, what’s the essence of the thing your designing.

This is why mobile first is such a compelling design strategy because it forces you to think about what is really necessary. The constraints of the mobile screen require the essential to be front and foremost.

Giles Colborne’s slideshare presentation above offers us 4 steps away from complexity and towards simplicity in design. Remove features — Don’t just

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remove to remove. Remove the unessential through thoughtful reduction.

The idea is to remove what doesn’t get used and what doesn’t add anything meaningful to the essence of the thing you’re designing.

Keep in mind that you can’t remove everything. Too few features can make things more complex to use. Hide features — Some things shouldn’t be removed, but they don’t demand our attention at all times.

Hide things that are less important at

the moment. Move them to an out of the way place, but allow them to be easily findable when needed. Think of the principle of progressive disclosure.

Drop down menus are an example of a pattern we’ve all been using for years that attempts to hide what’s unnecessary at the moment. Group features — By placing things into logical groups you make them easier to find.

The group becomes a quick and easy target to eliminate others and then we can zero in on what we want by search-

VISUAL CLARITY LIMIT OPTIONS USE AUTOMATION

ing through fewer options. We can design groupings by organizing content well, aligning elements, creating order though grids, and taking advantage of the principle of proximity.

Displace features — Move features and options to another location. A good example is removing buttons from a remote control in favor of a single button leading to an on screen menu. This doesn’t remove the complexity, but rather moves it to a location where it may not seem as complex.

The Core and the Unified Whole Einstein’s quote sums up nicely the objective of design simplicity.

• Understand what’s at the core of the experience • Make sure you don’t disrupt the core of the experience The latter is achieved through unity.

When everything is in harmony with the core they enhance it. When things

are not in harmony they distract, which adds complexity. Aesthetics and experience need to be aligned to the core.

Start with a minimalist approach and then add only with the idea of unity in mind. If it doesn’t enhance the core, it doesn’t belong. Thoughtful reduction is about core and unity. Toward the end of his presentation Colborne offers 2 laws of simplicity • Complexity is never eliminated.

It’s merely reduced and displaced. Ask yourself where you want complexity to

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How to Become a

Graphic Designer Getting Started: Build Your Foundation

All great designers start the same way – with an idea. The question is: where do you begin? How do you go from having an idea about a career to becoming a successful designer?

You need a roadmap that will take you from complete beginner, to employable, to running your own business. Here, we guide you through the early steps of learning and training, so you’ll have the essential tools, skills, and knowledge to build a career with longevity and meaning.

Learn Basic Drawing Skills Learn Graphic Design Theory Learn the Basics of User Experience Learn Website Design Best Practices Learn the Art of Critique

1

2

Master the Software Learn Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign

3

4

Earn a Degree in Graphic Design or Related Field Not only will having a degree in Graphic Design carry weight with clients and graphic design firms when you’re applying for a job, but studying for the degree teaches you vital aspects of graphic design.

Start Your Career Be Exceptional Be Original and Stay Involved Keep Learning and Embrace Change Understand Business Basics; Contracts, Marketing, & More 26

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Graphic D e s Interview ign Tips: Common Questions & Best Answers

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1

What are the steps of your creative process as a graphic designer?

2

How do you respond when a client gives you harsh criticism?

3

Describe a time you collaborated on a design project?

Every graphic designer should have a specific way of channeling their creativity into designing products that delight customers. Finding out how a candidate generates ideas, works through design roadblocks and creates final deliverables can help you determine how thoughtful and thorough they are, as well as their ability to meet tight deadlines.

How a candidate takes design criticism – especially if they disagree – can show you how open they are to viewing their work from a new perspective and whether they use feedback to bring their design projects to the next level.

An exceptional graphic designer knows how to collaborate – not just with other designers and clients – but with non-design team members like writers, marketers, developers and project managers.

This question will reveal if a candidate can work effectively with a wide variety of individuals to deliver a final product.

What to look for in an answer: • Attention to detail • Focus on planning • Time management skills

What to look for in an answer: • Willingness to listen • Appreciation of feedback • Adaptability

What to look for in an answer: • Team player mentality • Collaboration skills • Ability to compromise

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4

What key metrics do you use to track your design’s success?

Good graphic design communicates ideas effectively, engages and attracts an audience and motivates people to take action. Ask this question to determine the specific metrics a candidate leverages to determine if their designs have been successful – and how they use this data to improve their work.

What to look for in an answer: • Data-driven adjustments to design • Desire to improve ROI • Specific metrics they’ve used

5

How do you stay abreast of the latest design trends?

Since the graphic design industry is constantly shifting, designers must stay aware of current trends to stand out and keep their designs fresh. This question will reveal if a candidate has the design mindset and true passion for graphic design that can give your company a winning edge.

What to look for in an answer: • Strong knowledge of cutting-edge style trends • Commitment to continuous learning • Involvement in the graphic design community

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Tell me about the best design piece from your portfolio.

Questions about a candidate’s portfolio will give you a glimpse into their artistic style and what they’re capable of. Asking about the piece they’re most proud of can also reveal insights about what gives them the most satisfaction.

What to look for in an answer: • Pride in their work • Ability to explain a design piece • Confidence in their design skills

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Modern Graphic Design: Directions & Purpose

by Marina Yalanska

T 30

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he article presenting the variety of purposes served by modern graphic design: branding, UI navigation, mascots and lettering, tutorials, posters and animation.

“The details are not the details.

They make the design.” These words about the nature of the job, expressed by Charles Eames, have become a well-known eternal truth for graphic designers.

They are actually the people building a bridge between the art and the functional goal-centered design. They mix the power of art and functionality within the limits of particular goals and definite audience. They make beauty work for people.

Here in Tubik we have felt all the variety of stones in that way. Today we invite our readers to review the diverse purposes for which graphic design can be highly beneficial as we have checked in design practice.

Let’s look into directions in which graphic designers can express their creativity for the sake of solving problems and satisfying needs.

What is graphic design?

As we mentioned in one of our previous articles about the issue, graphic design can be described as the sphere of human activity that lies on the crossroads of several directions, first of all, visual arts, communication and psychology. Basically, graphic designers do the job of communication to others by means of graphic (visual) elements such as images of different style and complexity, types and fonts, pictograms, shapes and sizes, colors and shades, lines and curves etc.

Graphic designer makes all those elements of visual perception transfer the message, so he makes them functional. Therefore, we could say that graphic designers are artists applying their talents mostly not in pure art but communicating and purposeful art.

Modern graphic design broadly covers all spheres of human life which deal with visual communication, from books and posters to sophisticated mobile applications or 3D animation.

Graphic design directions Nowadays, graphic design is an incredibly broad sphere for application of artistic talents. In particular, it includes: • editorial design • illustration

• identity design • icons and pictograms • typography • interface graphics and elements • print advertisements • big print items such as posters and billboards • signs • packaging etc.

Thus, it’s easily seen that modern designers in this sphere have multiple options to apply their talents. In

“While Young added, ‘In a good modern layout the principles of all good layout still prevail cohesion, legibility, movement, emphasis, simplicity, and continuity.”

- Steven Hel

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Graphic design purposes Today, graphic design can set diverse purposes. It rarely happens that the object of graphic design serves only one objective. Looking over the most essential of them, we would mention the following. This purpose first of all serves for branding reasons. It is primarily concerned on creating logos which usually lie the foundation for the whole.

Graphic design as a product of modernism

mentioned directions, the basic purpose of graphic design is to serve a particular purpose or even a set of them by means and techniques of art. Graphic design in modern life full of digital devices is getting more and more technological. Famous Italian designer Massimo Vignelli

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all the mentioned directions, the basic purpose of graphic design is to serve a particular purpose or even a set of them by means and techniques of art. Graphic design in modern life full of digital devices is getting more and more technological. Famous Italian designer Massimo Vignelli said “The life of a designer is a life of fight. Fight against the ugliness. Just like a doctor fights against disease. For us, the visual disease is what we have around, and what we try to do is cure it somehow with design.” Remembering the words we have to say that the purposes of modern graphic design are pushed further and further. Not only does it beautify the physical or digital object, but also helps its users, navigates them, guides their way via which they can get both aesthetic pleasure and problem-solving benefits.

“You can’t criticize geometry, it’s never wrong.”

– Paul Rand

Visually, if you look at visual communication before 1900 and after 1900, there will be a noticeable difference. Modern graphic design’s roots can be found in Modern Art. In a sense, Modernism was a reductive movement. Form was simplified as a way to break from pictorial representation.

Why this break? The beginning of the 20th century was fraught with radical political, social, cultural and economic changes. It was a revolutionary time. It was a time of radical scientific and technological advances. Life was being forever changed by the invention of the automobie, airplane, motion pictures, radio, high tech weapons (tanks, machine guns, chemical and biological warfare). WW1 shook Europe off of its foundations.

New ways of thinking were needed. Marxist theory was the basis of some of there political, social and economic changes.

There was a rise of radical political revolutions that spawned the rise of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Communist Russia. The visual artist felt that the traditions of the past did not represent the time they

modern graphic design

were living in. Pictorial representation could not capture the changes of the times. Something new was needed. This may be too simplistic but it will do for now. Movements in early 20th century modernism: Expressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, Futurism, Dada, Surrealism, De Stijl, Suprematism and Constructivism.

Expressionism and Fauvism didn’t have much influence on graphic design. I suppose it was considered too primal or subjective. The other movements do seem to have some kind of analytical structure even if some of it looked crude or primitive. There was some kind of intellectual basis….a method to the madness.

Cubism + Futurism =

Influence of cubism, or maybe specifically Synthetic Cubism, seems to come from a structural design of the picture plane. The grid. There is also the use of reducing pictorial space and figures to hard-edged geometric forms. Juan Gris seemed to use the apparatus as a way to find a medium between art based on perception and art based on the relationships between geometric planes.

The influence of Futurism (or more specifically Futurist poetry): it’s influence seems to be in how type is used. If you don’t know much about Futurism, it begins with Filippo Marinetti’s, the Manifesto of Futurism that was published in 1909. Marinetti was an Italian poet.

Futurism was established as a revolutionary movement in which the arts voiced their opposition against traditional institutions that shaped European culture. The Futurists had an enthusiasm for war, machines, speed and modern life. They detested museums, libraries, moralism and feminism.

This is the broadly used function of

“The life of a designer is a life of fight. Fight against the ugliness.”

– Massimo Vignelli

graphic design items that has found its comprehensive realization in all the spheres of users interacting with visual stuff, from advertising to book covers and cartoons, to user interfaces of all kinds, packaging, photos and tons of other things. It’s not a secret that people are not only rational but also emotional creatures, and most of us are visually driven and aesthetically engaged.

The art that came out of this movement focused on speed, energy and dynamic/violent movements. The poets and writers of this movement rejected traditional grammar and syntax.

Harmony was not important. Words

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Modern graphic design set the course for much of the contemporary branding techniques used today.

Movements such as Bauhaus and visionaries like Saul Bass created innovative uses for color, typography, and modern design technology. Though largely relegated to graphic design history, the tenants of modernism survive to this day.

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Kevin Chao Interview With Graphic Designer My name is Kevin Chao and I’m a designer based in NYC. My work primarily reflects graphic design and advertising/marketing but I’m always picking up new interests and working on weird projects. Consider me a doer first and a designer second. When I’m not micro-managing shapes on my screen I enjoy composing and producing music.

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What originally made you want to become a graphic designer?

Kevin Chao: like many other design-

ers I started studying graphic design without fully understanding what it entails. I can thank my high school death metal band for my beginning. in order to have the right to play, we were forced to sell a certain number of tickets. in order to successfully solicit random teens outside of hot topic, I was forced to create band logos, posters, and merchandise, re-design the tickets, and learn some HTML for our myspace page. this was the only way. when it was well-received I decided it wouldn’t be a bad job if the whole band thing didn’t work out… my journey has been great but admittedly a little niche. I knew from the start I would enjoy the fast pace and intimate working environment of small studios and have stuck to my gut. the largest place I worked at was maybe around 12 people. but honestly even in small numbers, the close quarters taught me so much about working in a tight-knit snug-fit team.

How would you describe your approach to design?

Kevin Chao: I try to approach de-

sign from an honest point of view. if you’re branding a product, it should highlight all of the reasons someone might want to buy it (e.g. useful, ergonomic, culturally rich, beautiful, etc.) rather than create an illusion of filling the role of something it doesn’t. the market is over-saturated with lifestyle brands that market objects as extravagant as carbon fiber toilet paper dispensers. we’re not in the business of maximum duping. if we’re good at our job, we’re communicating significant ideas that are specific to the project. ‘good design’ cannot be achieved by the formulaic mentality that seeks to successfully put the object in question into the hands of the bearded 28-year-old standing before a brooklyn garage door.

Who or what has been the biggest single influence on your way of thinking?

Kevin Chao: as of recently I’d have to say karlssonwilker has been my biggest influence. unlike many other studios, I feel that they had an overarching long-term goal of finding answers for themselves through their work, from the get-go. if I could summarize it with an image it would be

Kevi FEBRUARY 2019

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“The reason why this is good is because it’s not trying hard to be something.’”

– jan wilker

one large question mark in the best possible way. it’s as if from start to end, the studio will have been a series of trials and errors, and even if it all turned out to be one big error that would be okay—because it was a type of investigation in its own right. after working with them, I’ve definitely adopted some of this fearlessness and learned to use it as a tool.

What would you say is your strongest skill and how have you honed that skill over the years?

Kevin Chao:: a long time ago I did

away with the idea that I should be tentative about delivering opinions and revealing my stance on various issues. I’m arguably insensitive, but I sincerely believe that people would get along better if they didn’t filter everything they wanted to say into something more palatable. it’s regressive to view honesty negatively, as all that padding impedes criticality—to others and to yourself.

What type of brief or project do you enjoy working on the most?

Kevin Chao: I enjoy working with people and projects with a clear vision—whether the vision is big or small is irrelevant. I’m currently working with some great people that are rebuilding the agriculture industry

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and economy in third world countries via the american market. I’m simultaneously helping my neighbor launch his rap career off the ground. he has big dreams of unifying our local youth community through music. it’s a great feeling to be able to work towards these goals—goals you wouldn’t necessarily have come across on your own. these selective partnerships enable you to perpetually do great things without investing all of your time into a singular goal. to me, this is perhaps the most attractive aspect of graphic design.

What are your thoughts on specialisation vs generalisation?

Kevin Chao: to me this question

boils down to the professional vs personal. when you specialize, you are able to devote all of your time into doing one thing the best you possibly can. it’s unarguably more useful in a professional environment compared to being mediocre at a handful things. however from a more personal standpoint, I always find myself dissatisfied when I am unable to execute something on my own. I want to learn everything. do I think this is practical? not at all. it’s important to make time to do what you want without assuming that you will be able to practice all of it professionally. yet.

How do you think online design re-

sources have influenced the graphic design being produced today?

Kevin Chao: it is easy to say that the

homogeneity that comes along with blogs, tutorials, etc. are damaging and have led to the recycling of style, but I don’t think this is necessarily a poison. it would be foolish to say that online resources haven’t democratized design and borne their own consequences, but the design industry’s growing audience can absolutely be used as a critical instrument. the dissemination of work has never been easier, and its growing accessibility is expanding what once was an exclusive practice.

What are you currently fascinated by and how is it feeding into your work?

Kevin Chao: when I was in school

my professor presented me with the concept of a desire path (shout out to duncan hamilton). it’s a path created from foot or bicycle traffic that ignores the manmade path that has been ‘designed’ and intended for traffic. they develop over time as shortcuts that move a body from point a to b in the most efficient way. you can even judge popularity by the width of the path. it’s something that has stuck with me, and something I still think about. They are brilliant in so many ways. not only do

Kevin Chao: whenever I have time

I’m passionate about activism and addressing social issues in general, but it’s kind of hard to separate that from my work. I guess that that is where the line is drawn between professional and personal projects. my personal projects are not limited to graphic design executions but I can’t say they aren’t housed under a similar line of thinking and approach. even when I’m working for money, I’m creating work in an attempt to reduce the complacency of those who turn a blind eye to social injustices and prejudice surrounding us everyday. growing up as a minority I’ve received my fair share of micro-aggressions and even physical altercations based solely on race. still, I consider my experiences to be that of privilege relative to my dayto-day observations as a brooklyn resident. if what I do could serve any purpose, I’d want it to be of confrontation on these issues.

Do you have any superstitious beliefs or rules that you live by?

Kevin Chao: superstitions are used

as attempts to explain why bad things happen. I think that bad things just happen.

– Kevin Chao

What are you passionate about besides your work?

“spread yourself thick”

the paths exemplify naturally occurring data and solutions, but they’re evidence that no matter how much we want to design something that can manipulate behavior in some fashion, there is always a correct answer. it proves that design can be vulnerable and transparent, which puts a lot more responsibility on us to do things correctly and intelligently.

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Production Credits 38

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FEATURES Color Selection and Human Psychological Connections How Colors Influence the Mind

By Faber Birren https://designshack.net/articles/graphics/the-science-behindcolor-and-emotion/

The Power of Simplicity WHY GOOD DESIGN IS TIMELESS

By Jack Trout http://aryodiponegoro.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/ PowerOfSimplicity.pdf

Modern Graphic Design Directions and Purpose

by Marina Yalanska https://tubikstudio.com/modern-graphic-design-directionsand-purpose/

DEPARTMENTS 10 inspirational graphic design trends for 2018 https://graphicmama.com/blog/graphic-design-trends-2019/

Review of Introduction to Graphic Design: A Guide to Thinking, Process, and Style https://www.leonardo.info/review/2018/11/review-ofintroduction-to-graphic-design-a-guide-to-thinking-processand-style

Interview with graphic designer Kevin Chao https://www.designboom.com/design/kevin-chao-graphicdesigner-interview-08-07-2015/

Graphic Designer Interview Questions and Answers https://www.indeed.com/hire/interview-questions/graphicdesigner

LISTOF CONTRIBUTORS EDITOR SENIOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANT EDITORIAL ASSISTANT INTERIOR EDITOR ACCOUNT MANAGER PROPERTY EDITOR

BEHZAD RADNASSAB CATHERINE HALES ELIZABETH HUTTON STEPHANIE KING JEROME MONAHAN AMANDA CONSTANCE

PROPERTY DIRECTOR

TAMSIN LUCK

PROPERTY EXECUTIVE

YVETTE MARSHAL

ART DESIGNER SENIOR DSIGNER SENIOR DESIGNER

AYSHA HABIB ABIGAIL BATEMAN HUGO HUNTER

PRODUCTION MANAGER

RAY SEARLE

MID WEIGHT DESIGNER

PAWEL KUBA

JUNIOR DESIGNER FINANCIAL CONTROLLER CREDIT CONTROL MANAGER DIRECTOR MANAGING DIRECTOR

PHIL COUZENS STEWART HYDE REBECCA NOONAN ANDY ELMER ALEXANDRA HVID

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Ellen LuptonJennifer & Cole Phillips

Graphic Design: The New Basics: Second Edition, Revised and Expanded, Edition 2 $33.94

WHY GOOD DESIGN IS TIMELESS ?? ...