What Is Graphic Design?

What Is Graphic Design?

Marjane Satrapi's 'Persepolis' was my first experience of a graphic novel.... I like collecting comics, but purely for the illustration rather than the literary content. That was why I was so surprised at how much a pictured based book could be so moving and interesting. I felt the same way when I watched the film. Again I felt shocked at how emotion could be provoked from what is, essentially, a cartoon. I am interested in what elements (graphically) distinguish it from a simple comic or cartoon. In this example, the monochromatic colour clearly play a key part in creating an atmosphere and a tone for the novel, the only other colour being red to distinguish between the present and the past being reflected. From this I have become interested in Manga and feel far more compelled to try and take it seriously.

What Is Graphic Design?

Im am really interested in Japanese woodblock prints like the work of Hiroshige.... mainly because it has been so influential to so many artistic movments and I am really intrigued by Japan as a country and culture. I love the crisp use of lines and flat use of colours. I would like to know more about the actuall processes of woodblock printing....

What Is Graphic Design?

I am obsessed with Alphonse Mucha and other artists of the Art Nouveau period. I love the way that their work encompasses graphic design principals, but has a wild and natural dynamic to it. The organic forms and sinuous lines are extremely seductive and I feel create really aesthetically pleasing compositions. I think this is why I love 60's psychedelia work so much which is so heavilly influenced by this style.

What Is Graphic Design?

Eroné is easily my favourite contemporary illustrator at this moment in time. I envy his skill for producing beautifully peculiar illustrations, but also for his ability to create extremely visually interesting image based typography. I love the distorted perspectives in his work, especially the long angular limbs of his figurative illustrations, that taper off into elegant hands and feet. I also love the use of pattern in his work which he contrasts with bold outlines. He generally uses warm neutral colours so as not to distract from the gentle detail of his work. What I most admire is the way in which he operates in a more fine art based approach occasionally, for example creating his work on buildings and vehicles.... I like the way that he doesn't feel constricted by boundaries that some graphic artists might.

What Is Graphic Design?