Is multiculturalism and increased connectivity destroying national styles within Graphic Design ?

Is multiculturalism and increased connectivity contributing to the destruction of national styles with graphic design?

A report by Abby Hilton

January 2012

 

This report is being written to explain whether multiculturalism and increased connectivity is destroying national styles within graphic design. I have collected a substantial research on a wide range of designers to show case whether different cultures have an effect on the designs artists produce. Furthermore, I looked at whether the increased connectivity available to us also has an effect on national styles. I will then analyse if there has been changed due to increased connectivity or multiculturalism why have they occurred.

 

From researching several artists from different nationalities I have come to the assumptions that they have clear differences in their work however we can also see clear similarities. In this section I will be analysing numerous artist to demonstrate whether national styles do exist today. One of the main nationalities I am going to examine is America in the 1960s. Looking through a selection of designs I can clearly see a trend. I can clearly see that designers were into the psychedelic style. I believe this was contrasting through the events that were happening within their country. The 1960s was the age of free love, flower power and psychedelia.

Factoidz.com (2008) Illustration and Graphic Design in the Sixties.

http://factoidz.com/illustration-and-graphic-design-in-the-sixties/ [5^th January 2012]

We can clearly say that it is reflected in graphic designers work.. Many people believe that this was the most creative decade in history. The word psychedelic means mind manifesting. Psychedelic art is any visual work that has been induced by drugs such as LSD and mescaline. For example Milton Glaser was one of the most famous graphic designers America had ever seen. His work was full of vibrant colours and energy. The images below clearly show how Milton Glaser had used his vibrant colours in the person’s hair to create an eye-catching piece of work. Milton Glaser inspiration for the vibrant hair came from Islamic paintings.

Perman, Stacy (2006) the heart and mind of Milton Glaser. New York:

http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/jan2006/id20060103_370096.htm

The second image he created was for the theatre production of the wizard of oz. Again he used the bright colours against the black silhouette to create a contrast in order to attract the public’s attention. Even from analysing only one artist we can see that America had its own style.

 

However to come to a solid conclusion on whether national styles still exist within America I need to analyse more designers. My second artist I am looking at in Wes Wilson; looking at his images we can clearly see that he has similar traits to Milton Glaser. However we can see he uses bright colours throughout his designs. Wes Wilsons doesn’t include any other colours or silhouettes to contrast against the vibrant colours. In analysing these two artists I can see that America clearly had a style in the 1960s, whether movements caused it.

 

Following on from the American national style I will now look at the German style and whether there are any differences or are they in anyway similar. The first artist to look at is Roy Lichtenstein, analysing his images I can see one similarity throughout many nationalities. Roy Lichtenstein is influenced heavily by cartoons which I would say is an international style enforcing the point that national styles are being destroyed. I would say that Roy Lichtenstein used vibrant colours but does not focus on the colours as the Americans did.  The American used colour through out there designs, colour was the main focal point. Where as Roy Lichtenstein designs it’s the actual image and type that is the focal point. Although they are two similar images they clearly have two separate purposes and designs. His work is very eccentric and is remarkably eye-catching. We can see that national styles do have similarities but the differences out weigh them. The colours in which he uses are very contrasting which creates a much more effective and successful piece of work.

 

The Dutch also have a national style in which I will analyse to come to a conclusion on whether national style is due to our heritage. One artist I am going to analyse is Otto Treuman. When looking at his work I see that he uses block colours and seems to stick to a colour scheme. The posters below are clearly different to the ones done by Wes Wilson and Milton Glaser. This artist uses shapes for his designs where as the American have used typography to create an image. Thus showing that there are differences in national styles. However, they both do use silhouettes to create contrast through out the image. I can come to the conclusion that the majority of national styles do have differences but as the years progress we are losing a sense of our own nationality, but we are all conforming to what is believed to be the national style throughout the countries.

 

 

 

Following on from this I am now analysing whether multiculturalism is affecting the styles. Multiculturalism is the acceptance of other ethnic groups into society. For example the acceptance for mixed race to live under one nation also the acceptance in schools business and cities.

Wikipedia.com(2012) Multiculturalism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiculturalism

[5^th  January 2012]

I believe multiculturalism is one of the reasons why national styles are being destroyed and we are losing the sense of graphic design. An example that cultures and nationalities do not exist solely on their own is Australia. “They argue that Australian culture is either “British”, or a multicultural mish-mash; they tell us that Australia has no culture of its own.” IronBarkResources.com (n.d.) The menace of multiculturalism.

http://www.ironbarkresources.com/mc/mcsummary.htm

With other cultures being accepted into other societies they bring with them their own national style. Designers will therefore change the way in which they produce work, allowing the designs to be for any ethnicity. Although as a graphic designer we would want to do this in order to show case our work, however in doing this we will lose the principles of what our nation’s style of graphic design actually is, in order to accommodate for more than one cultures style. Although we know that over the years, we do still hold aspects of our national style. Multiculturalism does play a part in the destruction of national styles within graphic design; however we cannot say that the destruction is all down to multiculturalism. We must consider other options such as increased connectivity.

 

While researching my report question I found that the development in technology has impacted graphic design in so many ways. People say that the older graphic designers despise the internet where as the younger generation are grateful for it.

graphicmania.com (2010) what impact has the internet had on graphic design?

http://www.graphicmania.net/what-impact-has-the-internet-had-on-graphic-design/ [6^th January 2012]

We are developing skills that we would never imagine in the past but is this what we want in return of destroying national styles within graphic design. Being able to look at other designers work through the internet will clearly inspire others work. With increased connectivity comes increased risk, for example plagiarism. It becomes much easier for people to copy and sell work as there own.

graphicmania.com (2010) what impact has the internet had on graphic design?

http://www.graphicmania.net/what-impact-has-the-internet-had-on-graphic-design/ [6^th January 2012]

Graphic designers need to see other peoples work in order to create their own piece of work and develop their own skills. Many people admit to doing this as they believe taking ideas from other people is harmless. But if we are doing this we will be taking different ideas from different cultures and creates an international style.

Evie-s.com(2011) Please steal my ideas

 http://evie-s.com/news/2011/05/21/please-steal-my-ideas/ [6^th January 2012] Graphic designers work by taking aspects and elements of others designers to incorporate them into their own work. Having the internet has developed the world so it is now easy to copy and adapt work to be their own (plagiarism).

In conclusion, I have found that multiculturalism and increased connectivity are contributing to the destruction of the national styles within graphic design. I am able to come to this conclusion as the evidence I have presented clearly outlines there are national styles and that these subjects are clearly having a bad impact on the existence of the styles in graphic design. However I do not believe that these are the only reasons in which national styles are being destroyed. In order to get the whole picture we would have to explore more options and do more analysis.