May 2017 Pub Letter Focus_feb news play 5/31/17 12:52 PM Page 2
LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER | EMOJIS AND AVOCADOES
Button-fly jeans. Voice mail. Passwords. Dentists. Mayonnaise on everything. Avocados in everything. Lena Dunham. Stepping in bubble gum. Emojis. Of these minor life annoyances, the relevant one for this purpose is the emoji because, in his 15th Annual LogoLounge Trend Report, logo guru Bill Gardner forecasts a future of more and more emoji-inspired logos. This is disappointing, but I have come to accept that life is not always fair. On the plus side, Mr. Gardner’s emoji-related observation is a small part of a riveting report, which we are pleased to publish in its entirety today. Other highlights to whet your appetite: logo design continues to emphasize simplicity and transparency. Geometric forms remain popular. Stripes are everywhere and head in every direction. As for what in the land of logos annoys the genial Mr. Gardner? “Octopuses, narwhals, turtles, hummingbirds, avocados, and hops for beer.” To each his own, though I would note that we both think avocados have overplayed their hand. In any event, enjoy the report: you will be amazed by the breadth of information and depth of insight. GORDON KAYE IS THE PUBLISHER OF GDUSA Comments, suggestions and letters can be sent to gkaye @ gdusa.com.
THE ACCIDENTAL EDUCATOR
Today we introduce a new “Educators To Watch” feature to complement our “People To Watch” and “Students To Watch” perennials. The reason: design education and educators have more influence than ever on the fast-changing shape of design, media and culture. In preparing the story, I found it interesting that many devoted teachers come to the role by serendipity. For example, Jason Fox of SCAD tells us: “While service has always been a part of my life, teaching was not in my original plans. I took a part-time role teaching evening classes in graphic design, and a year of teaching . . . revealed the rewards of being an educator. ” Allan Espiritu of Rutgers University says: “After graduate school, I had no intention to teach. But after teaching for 13 years, I really can’t envision my design practice without it.” Courtney Hurst-Windham of Auburn University notes: “The truth is that even though I had recently received my MFA, teaching was not on my mind.” States Matt Flick of SAA: “While working as an art director, a friend asked me to teach a college-level graphic design class. I hesitantly accepted the position, but quickly fell in love with the students.” Phil Hamlett of Academy of Art University observes: “Teaching has been part of my professional life for some time — but I often describe myself as the accidental educator, having only become a full-time educator relatively late in life.” Luckily for their students, schools and community, they all found the path. Whatever the disparate journies, Richard Wilde of SVA articulates a common theme: “I didn’t decide to become an educator, education chose me. To elaborate, I’ve always taught students to follow their passion, and I couldn’t have said that if I hadn’t done the same. For teaching to be a lifetime endeavor, the experience must nourish both the teacher and the student.” IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER
There is almost too much to read in this edition. In addition to the stories noted above, we include two features that speak to the state of print design and of digital media, respectively. Reduced to its essence, our 54th (54th!) Annual Print Design Survey finds that print and paper remain in the media mix because of classic and unique strengths, and that print done well can transcend the digital clutter. Our 2017 showcase of American Web Design Award™ winners tells the story of a medium’s massive reach and how graphic designers are increasingly sophisticated in mastering its power. Contemplating these editorial features in tandem, I am reminded of a simple truth stated by a print survey respondent: “When it comes to finding effective solutions, all media has a role to play and it all works together.”