The New Handmade Graphics: Beyond Digital Design - Anne Odling-Smee
I came across this coffee-table-type book in the library. The graphic on the cover intrigued me, so I checked it out. The book was published in Switzerland, and as such showcases artwork mostly from European designers. The basic idea, though, is contained in the title: beyond digital design. The artists shown in the book have all, for one reason or another, decided that exclusively using a computer for graphic design is no longer the best way to do things. For some, it's the feeling that since computers have made production quality so easy to achieve, introducing "mistakes" or uncontrollable elements to design makes things more interesting. Another complaint about computers is that people use software in lieu of actual creative thinking, and the world of graphic design has a sameness to it. The two main sections of the book address production methods and sourcing ideas, each with a portfolio section. One contradiction, though, is that despite the focus on non-digital design, this book itself is very slick and looks computer-designed, with very few handmade graphics in it. (Exceptions are the cover art, elements of which are used throughout the book, the page numbering, and the list of contacts in the back.) It's an interesting and inspiring book, but doesn't seem to take its own advice.
Fed to jonathan's brain | March 08, 2003
