The Value of Timelessness In Design
My latest piece is up at TheCreativeForum.com. An excerpt:
We seem trapped in a world of trendy ‘anti-design’ that feeds only on itself — T-shirts inspired by stencil graffiti inspired by Flash animation inspired by yet more T-shirt silkscreens inspired by old childhood TV staples and B-movies — and of course, the entire look is efficiently aped and cleaned up for mainstream culture as corporate identity graphics.
Today, trends sweep through the design field, propagated with viral marketing at Internet speed. We get memetic outbreaks every 6 months like “airline safety card style” or “shaky hand-drawn sketch” or “2-color flat art silhouettes.” Since HP debuted their latest brand campaign, plus-signs have sprouted like dandelions on a suburban lawn.
The question for art directors is not what can we do, but what should we do?”
There’s also a discussion thread over there, and registration is free. Check out the interview with Push Pin Studios graphic design god Milton Glaser, too.
June 13, 2005 12:22 PM
Comments
Hm, probably after my time there, it was all guys in the art department, and I know there was quite a bit of turnover after I left.
Sure, I’d love to read your stuff! Better yet — post them (or do a greatest-hits recap..)
wrote aj on June 14, 2005 3:11 AM
Yeah, they wanted to move their offices from Verdun to Old Montreal and had to let a lot of people go. Plus, there was a takeover attempt at one point. It was just messy.
I definitely will do that “greatest-hits” idea.
wrote Paolo on June 14, 2005 7:38 AM
Ha! Small world. My honey was a graphic designer at Interstar too. I wonder if you two worked together.
P.S. I’ll share my thoughts on your article after I get some much needed sleep. Nice work, aj. I should share some of my own design essays with you sometime.
wrote Paolo on June 13, 2005 11:12 PM