Graphic Design: Controversies and Usefulness - Coursework Example

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND SOCIAL ISSUES Student’s Name University Course Code and Title Lecturer’s Name Date Graphic Design: Controversies and Usefulness. Paper Outline I. Introduction a. Background information b. Thesis statement: II. Development of Graphic Design a. Social Implication b. Graphic Design and Art c. Growth of Design III. Ethical issue and Graphic Design a. The Role of Graphic Design b. Criticism of Graphic Design Work c. Social Problems of Graphic Work IV. Benefits of Graphic Design a. Effective communication b. Role of designer c. Solving of social and economic issues V. Conclusion Graphic design as creative process has its objective as conveying visual information or a message to a specific audience. It is a process of applying styles and presentation of a certain text in an organized manner with the goal to attract attention and retention. Graphic design is ever increasing and part of every life. It is present in the form of billboards, television, corporate logos, web sites, packaging, and advertisements of various media. As a part of our consumer society, it affects the way of life of countless members every day. They influence the thought and “create the envy and desire that fuels the economy and the cynicism that underlies our postmodern condition," (Meggs, 2012). Graphic design with its current dynamics and pervasiveness in the social, economic and political arenas is a field of concern due to its controversial, adverse and beneficial role involved with it. We are more important, and possibly more dangerous, than we thought. The messages designers create, are for consumption to people all over the globe affecting how people perceive company or a product, how they think of issues, what they buy how they live. With such an important role, designer’s responsibility to society of which they are part of is not to ignore. Graphic design has its roots in social implication and a designer had to possess immense and active role in society, history and research to arrive at what the audience would consider most interesting and appealing. A deep understanding of social dynamics and dimensions in a multiplex scenarios relating to cultures, social implications and economics endeavored a competitive graphic designing. It is now unanimously identified with creativity, skills and concepts for a practical, competitive and challenging field. It combines a deep understanding and experience of a designer with human experience and their social implications to information, ideas and artifacts. The field has moved from occupation of humankind history to a visual communication in advertising meant to enhance the sale of goods and services. It incorporates order, form expression and feelings that relate to human experience. There is a thin line between graphic design and art since they share many elements in purpose, principles, client, languages and practices. However, art is commonly involved to sales of goods and services by setting clear and concisely understood images that conjure relevant details of the goods and services making them appealing and marketable, while graphic design strives to order information, form ideas and shape feelings and expression to artifacts involved in human knowledge. Art is usually obsessed with historical styles revealing the historical artifacts, common landscapes and images therefore, the separation came with the graphic design obsession with sphere of intellectual production of utility objects such as buildings, posters, clothes, furniture, menus, logos, fabrics and theatre sets. It is widely applicable and accepted techniques and styles in the modern economy more so in architecture and design. Art was mainstreamed and preceded graphic design, which revolutionized dynamism in the consumerism. “The growth and expansion of design continues both in meanings and connections practice and understanding. It is manifested from a trade activity, segmented profession to a field for technical research and to what now should be recognized as a new liberal art of technological culture” (Buchanan,1992). There is growing push of ethics in the field of design. Designing is constantly changing, and its role is becoming more and more important in society. Design is an evolving industry with many issues surrounding it from its history, message, and effects. A designer in the advertising and corporate business world, are communicators serving many important functions to audience society, but today and often, designers ignore their roles and the responsibility that comes with them. The progress is from art to business, with a focus on advertising and corporate clients than on ethics and social responsibility. "Within a consumer oriented society, the job of the designer is, increasingly, to make products and services more appealing," (Wood 2001). Graphic design has attracted a lot of criticism and contention on the question of professionalism being the main concern. Achieving a value free design has raised problems as to how the designers should be sensitive to reject the political sentiments and take a stand on their work. Designing and promoting industrial products that undermines safety and health issues such as arms and cigars are termed socially unacceptable. The argument proceeded on a consideration of first things first in graphic design community and take a reversal of priorities stand, which favors the more democratic, useful, and lasting forms of communication. Preoccupation with marketing of goods and services by industrial firms obscures exploration and production of a new kind of meaning. Graphic design transfers knowledge of selling idea and visual messages to aid the sale of a product through branding. The forces of attraction are enhanced by logos, text colors and packaging identities that are in most cases unethical exposing consumers to social vices such as addiction, sexual immorality, violence and criminality. The advertising industry will communicate the better side of the product and with the goal of mass sale and increasing profitability ignore the core values held by the society. Posters for political purposes are used to spread propaganda and tarnishing other opponent’s ideas while favoring their side through conceptual engineering. The meanings derived from picture motions, text, color and expressions are a force meant to influence a targeted audience for political sentiments. This has resulted to instability in governance and encourages unethical competition by politicians. When the maxims of quantity, the quality, manner and relevance are altered in designing the resultant meaning is depicted as absurd and conflictive. In most cases, the modesty, agreement and tact maxims are flouted. Most graphic designs contravene sexual and gender boundaries and resist the values deemed important in the culture. Nudity and porn ads enhance sales to young people products and this is considered detrimental in exposing and orientating the youth to immorality. In the current measures undertaken to reduce the population increase the ads for sexual control measure meant for adults such as condoms, pills and other contraceptive control are in turn affecting unintended audience and instead recruit them as user of the products. Gender values are disregarded with the women sexuality and partially men used as a drive to sale and supporting the drives. The use of diagrams as a creative problem solving strategy have resulted to effectiveness of demos that push for policy making in environmental related issues such as global warming, environment justice and preservation of biodiversity. Designed diagrams and slogan amplify cognition in the mental environment. As a strategy for creating a representation that, enhance to solve a complex social problem surrounding sexuality and appeal for change of values and attitude that lead to HIV infections and unwanted pregnancy. A right representation fosters new insights, knowledge, and creations. The role of designers as a communicators or mediators between the clients and the public must keep him in mind that different people in different ways. The messages help people maneuver on the internet or the street in search for company’s products. Any ethical designer therefore must examine the effects of any work before setting it to the public, and still examines the client’s intentions. A message could be misleading, offensive or dishonest without considering this. "Whatever value or ill-effect designers' works have is magnified through repetition and mass distribution to every corner of people's lives... designers are accountable, personally, to the extent that they are an accessory to the activities of their employer," (Heller ,2009). A designer, therefore, must not only consider the message they communicate, but the actions and intentions of their clients as well. Due to corporate corruption and common scandal, designers are supposed to be careful whom they are to represent. With such growth of design's role in consumer society designers need must be aware of the whole practices of their clients and as well as their central role in continuing the continuing cycle of consumerism. Designers are capable to use the communication skills in bringing such issues to light. Power and politics that undermine democracy as well as human dignity and integrity in this are to avoid at all cost to discourage extreme consequences that might result. Designed visual expression is strong device in stimulating creativity and generating ideas. Inclusion of visual expression and little information increases quick understanding and solution during creative problem solving. Abstract thought becomes concrete and long lasting when designed. Invention and innovation through creative design has improved the technology reducing poverty and creating employment. . Though challenging graphic design can include aspects of Sustainable Development particularly in the social and wider economic scenes. The designer should take into consideration the concerns and views of all the stakeholders. Having Sustainable Development risks and benefits of any particular design it is possible to make improvements. The major social, economic and environmental risks and benefits consideration and evaluation, for modification of the design and so improve the Sustainable Development aspects such as recycling of waste. References Buchanan, R. (1992). Wicked Problems in Design Thinking. (V. Margolin & R. Buchanan, Eds.)Design Issues, 8(2), 5-21. JSTOR. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1511637 Heller, S. (2009). The anatomy of design: Uncovering the influences and inspirations in modern graphic design. Beverly, MA: Rockport.  Meggs, P. (2012). Meggs' history of graphic design. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Wood, A. (2001). Design issues: how graphic design informs society. New York: Allworth Press.  Read More