The New Wave

E H T

W E N E V A W

SYDNEY COLLIN S

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st again t a n id we from sm nly d d i o e n t r m r e a d st od as com min ich w Postm ion and h rnism of opene w o d , h o s m an ent le w Postm neration syste conv y” th peop d s i s t r g e s g e n n i g “m se gai onink new not u more utilized n eas a ee th d r t i f y h l l g d a g ia n ed an new radic they thou eemi sm. It also xed med s i i be ed odern l and m and inter which plistic. It creat m m s l i na rn ica im eo, aditio llage, vid mode ing and s at a satir e r t o b or th sc was b an idea uch a ance. could s a few h p d y a a t d s r h a e g h it d lso oto gan pretiv ject w r ph ists a contribute b o n u r s e e t d ta ne at mo quo depic llage. es th a whole, o Post i o g t o n l d o o c s lati deo use ent a y and Plura nspir key i h i m . p e m s a v k s t r o i o m to pog men one ural to the as pl here is no rnism er move e w d o o h t s ic htt Postm any oth design hi d of wh e idea tha proac p a f m n d o a th t, ay also t an from ism is op-ar hat ut ar h or w dernism p t o , u h r g t m stmo nstruction throu cubis bject into w o o t P s i a . e y i lit ad ch s g rea l art wn a ry, su , which m a n o i n m r k o f is n ism ety. e late dada entir ejects ry, which onstructio h r s t t i n i in eo a ec began ugh the it was it/ide nd th alism. D a a m r t s i o n n r o s form by oder d th comm ich break antir e Postm nd laste racterized h t h w no for a at s a rnism concept was a t, spl as ch e x 1960 d w e o t d l stm na os, an e, broken of po te ph aditio ning. i r 1980 h t g w a e l l th ea co and coldown creates m paved photo lors, black t, bright m t r s r i x e o a e n v c we der and how ful t tered ts, ho stmo f art u color o o . o p y s h y r t a a o i l l ay in eral ateg w ide v c d tos w dramatic e o O n t e n r t n fo d s o o tio tha e way ome trac it wa ors an all fit int so broad h t r e v s e ’t as o ow ove as was s it can ernism w es, h er m till h l t c s l i n a e a t s m d s o lud ins cau Postm ere many ome d, inc in be s e a t v l s o u w to s e inv there hard t wer a busy. h t d s n t a . men loud Wave w e N ing

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THE NEW WAVE design movement

The New Wave design movement was popularized by Wolfgang Weingart, a typographer and designer. Weingart’s works were highlighted by his experimental use of typography.

His type was commonly used as imagery at the expense of readability. Eventually Weingart shifted from designing to teaching, remaining a heavy influence to his students, one of which was April Greiman. New Wave design is characterized by playfulness that combined disco, French nouvelle, vague cinema, and suburban boredom

among others. Primary shapes (such as circles, triangles, and squares) were reminiscent of movements like Bauhaus, De Stijl, and Constructivism. Primary colors were avoided and other colors like pink became more mainstream. Texture and pattern in repetitions and layers were also customary. New Wave became very commercial, especially in music and many people at the time associated it with cheesy MTV music videos.

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L I R P A N A M I GRE 8

Sci-Arc, Changing Concepts of Space in Architecture and Art, 1986

Greiman & Odgers. WET Magazine, Sept/Oct, cover, 1971

is heavily hic designer who ap gr l ia nt ue fl in a very an took April Greiman is Movement. Greim e av W ew N e th eating e in order responsible for cr ped her own styl lo ve de d an t ar Weing and the inspiration from fferent. Her work di d an ve ti va no ng in aditionto create somethi use of the non-tr ca be sm ni er od m post iman liked New Wave fit into monly used. Gre m co e sh ts en em el e it more al feel and collage ays she could mak w d an hy ap gr po h ty d this was to experiment wit e such effects an ev hi ac to ng ri ye t of la 3D. She used a lo gy. by use of technolo le ib ss po ly on something

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1984 was the year Greiman got her first Mac computer and she was able to do much more than her traditional counterparts. The Mac computer change d the way that graphic design was per ceived and produced because of the new capabilities that this new technolog y possessed. Many were scared to use thi s tool and believed that design and art was best made with your hands. Gre iman doesn’t like to be considered as a graph-

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ic designer but instead an artist, teacher, thinker, and desert explorer. She also changed the “graphic design” department name to “visual communications” at the California Institute of the Arts where she was the head because she believed technology had changed the profession so much that the name needed changing as well. This new name has taken off in much of the world as well with many institutions deeming “visual communications” more fitting.

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Greiman & Odgers—Poster CalArts, 1977

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Catalyst for Change 14

As previously mentioned, April Greiman was one of the first designers to utilize the Mac computer for her work. This completely changed the way that graphic design and designers were perceived by society and the uses for design. The capabilities became endless and more and more people began to see that the Macintosh wasn’t a scary new tool, but rather a fundamental one that could do much more than people could with just their hands. Now, the computer is the number one tool for graphic designers and creating things by hand may seem almost impossible to some. Adobe products have taken over and are essential to creating anything, key word anything, because there are now endless possibilities for what you can create.

Greiman also set an example to embrace newness in design.

She did this not only through her advocacy for the Macintosh, but also through the very movement she was a part of. The New Wave, as stated in the name, comprised of new concepts never seen before in design. Just as postmodernism was new and different from modernism, the New Wave was different from other movements before it. When change happens, it begins small and many people are skeptical however Greiman embraced, and was a catalyst for this change.

In the present day, people tend to like a change in design and going outside of the box can be crucial to even staying relevant in this world. Greiman started that through her designs and ideas.

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Besides the use of the Macintosh and creating newness in design, Greiman advocated a lot for the recognition of women designers. Throughout history, men artists’ work have commonly been shown in museums and when thinking about famous artists, most people can only name men. It is important to recognize women in art and design because they are just as influential in the history, and now future of design. April was able to express care for other women designers, and in doing so was able to become one of the most influential designers herself. She also inspired many other girls and women to begin and continue their path in design.

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Please please me. Any one will do! Poster for Pacific Coast Films, 1977.

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N O I S N U L SIO C N N LU IO O C S C N LU N I CO C N N I O C N I 18

n n day desig r e d o m r e way fo g Postmod y paved th in ll s a s e a r p e v m a t ll enco The New W ments tha e bigger, a le e th d e m o d fr lu c ff ave in . It and took o The New W ” of design s t. le n u e “r m e e v o oke th rernism m ies and br , particula r s a r d lo n o u c o t b h e of brig pushed th an was the y the use b im d e r e G iz r il r te c o nts. Ap was chara g of eleme ave and als in W r e w y e la N d e ting th ly pink, an r dele for star ib s n omputer fo o c p s h e s r to r e in n c f the desig of the Ma e height o e th s u g e in r th u d d tial and encourage ely influen her work m r e fo tr x y e a s d a to ered sign. She w not be the ll rememb ld ti s u o is w d n n a ig s ry. De lot of New Wave sign histo lso had a e a d h to ic s h n w o , le Wave contributi r the New s responsib a fo t w o e n v a if W y at e New same toda ell. Bands e time. Th w th s t a a e s r e u s lt u their pop cu practical s because tirely new d n n e a n b a e g v n a also New W for creati any people known as M . e n m ig a s c e e d b Wave eos the time cted New music vid e fl V e T r s M r y e s v e che Wave album co Wave with l. The New w e e N fe e te c ia fa c -your d to now asso be referre lors and in o ll c ti e s th ld f u o o any lieve sh because contains m t t that I be I n . e y a m d e v to o of ired by was a m f one way o ld be insp t u o u o h s t e le g p igners and peo y help des a m t a th elements n. bout desig a g in k in th

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I like to step into areas where I am afraid. Fear is a sign that I am going in the right direction.

—April Greiman

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Craps, E. (2019, January 31). 1970s: New wave. A Timeline of Design History.

Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://ericcraps.wordpress.com/2019/01/09/new-wave/ Gosling, E. (2021, November 3). New wave graphics are the most influential designs you've probably ignored. Eye on Design. Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/why-new-wave-graphics-are-the-most-influential-designs-youve-probably-ignored/ Heller, S. (2016, August 29). New Wave, New Technology, new typography.

PRINT Magazine. Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://www.printmag. com/daily-heller/new-wave-new-technology-new-typography/ New wave design. New Wave Design. (2015, January 16). Retrieved December 5, 2022, from http://danielgalea93.blogspot.com/2015/01/new-wave-design.html Tabone, S. (2016, February 3). Post-modern design. History of Art. Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://sophietabonehistory.wordpress.com/2016/02/01/post-modern-design/ Levanier, J. (2022, July). What is postmodern design: How the reigning style of the late 20th ... 99Designs. Retrieved December 6, 2022, from https://99designs.com/blog/design-history-movements/postmodern-design/ April greiman: Biography, designs and facts. Famous Graphic Designers.

(2019). Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://www.famousgraphicdesigners.org/april-greiman April Greiman. Readymag Stories. (n.d.). Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://readymag.com/designstories/april-greiman/timeline/ Frenkle, J. (2020, January 3). Celebrating women in design: April Greiman.

Opus Design - Boston Web Design and Graphic Design. Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://opusdesign.us/wordcount/celebrating-women-in-design-april-greiman/

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