Graphic Design is not Art

Design is not art. This statement, I have grown to know and prove over time. About a year ago, I argued this statement with a professor, frustrated at the very idea. I didn't understand how such a creative career was not synonymous with art.

But he was right, design is not art, it is a plan. A costumer wants a logo, brochure, business card, etc. and as a graphic designer, you must leave yourself out.

Graphic design is definitely a creative career, but the design must focus on the needs of the client. There is very little room for personal style with some clients, and a graphic designer must be very adaptable.

You must also leave your ego behind and be willing to accept criticism willingly and sometimes even leave behind the conventions if the client wants something different.

Digital art and graphic design are two separate definitions with similar mediums. A design can become art, but this is not the primary function. It must first communicate an idea with a very careful, well thought-out plan.

Graphic design can be the sexy career it's made out to be, but the leave the idea behind that you can have a distinct style with every design and will never have to revise your work.

Defining Art

To follow up on my last post, I had an interesting discussion with my photography teacher last night about what art is.

He told the class that any photo, painting, drawing or other famous artwork can be reproduced with programs like photoshop fairly easily with tutorials.

As a photographer who has seen the progression from dark rooms to digital, I asked how he felt about his own statement. The photos he spent hours planning, developing and mounting can now be reproduced by an average person who takes an average photo and manipulates it mindlessly as the computer tutorial tells him to.

This can't really be considered art can it? It's robotic.

He answered that eventhough a person can reproduce, they can never have his eye, or think just like him. For that matter, no one can. A person will never look at a tuscan field and see just what VanGough saw or look at a building and see the same angle and lighting that the photographer standing right next to them sees.

We admire art because of the artist's unique eye and the way it makes us feel. True art evokes emotion and thought. It takes thought to create and thought to understand. Even the simplest art is nothing more than scribbles if the artist did not have a plan.

What defines art and artists?

As an art major, this is an impossible question to avoid.  What is art? 

After a semester of art history one would think the answer would be clearer.  In different periods, art can be very closely defined.  Artists were often discouraged from being unique and expected to copy the masters.  

If art were this way today, it would be much simpler to know what is worthy of being claimed "art" but our ever growing minds and progression to uniqueness makes this simply impossible.

But does that mean art in this day cannot be art unless it is entirely original? Is there even an original thought left? 

To those questions, I have no real answer.  I can hardly even say my own work can be considered art.  I can follow techniques, express emotions, and create beautiful things, but none of those necessarily make me an "artist".  

And for that matter what makes an artist? 

Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons rarely touch their own work.  They are the idea behind the art, but hire a team of people to create it.  And these two names are highly recognizable in the art world.  

The same goes for Renaissance masters.  They would often only put on the final touches of portraits then sign it as their own work.  And this isn't something that these artists hide, it's not some big plagiarism conspiracy, but rather accepted in the art community.  

I won't pretend to be the authority on the subject, but I have come to my own understanding of what art is.  I think that it is anything that evokes an emotion in a person.  That may be the artist and not meant for anyone else to understand or even see.  Or it may be the viewer.  

Art can be anywhere, film, music, print, fashion, nature, it's an infinite concept.  

After reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, I've come to find that some things like art and quality, are a lifelong struggle to define, but a true definition will never exist nor should it.  Defining either would fall short of what the words stand for.  

Creating First Sites

These are the first two sites I created. 

The top image is a screen shot of a non-profit site I made for a community service project that I participated in for Nebraska AIDS Project. 

The bottom image is a screen shot of my company site. It is for a T-shirt company run by my family called "SerendipiTees." 

I worked with coding pages and attaching the css with these two sites. I mostly focused on coding and functionality. I am just beginning to think about web design in my own sites.

Web Design Beginnings

Web design and coding are daunting tasks, considering how much there is to learn.

In a semester of class, I feel like I have learned so much, but I know in a year I will have a much vaster understanding, and still be far short of the possibilities of knowledge in web design.

Along with learning about web design, I have taken the last semester to create a web presence for myself. I can now be found on LinkedIn Twitter and Flickr.

Moving on: a look back at a year without soccer

About a year ago this time I had just finished a very successful season of soccer at Hastings College. I started every game at sweeper and went to the first round of nationals. Pretty impressive for a freshman.

I ended the season without an injury, but more sore than I've ever felt, homesick, stressed, and not involved in anything at school, but soccer.

I love the sport, but being labeled an athlete and nothing else simply wasn't me.

This year, I decided to pursue other aspects of Hastings College, outside of soccer. For the first time since I was 5-years-old, I am not involved in any organized sports.

However, it has opened up countless other opportunities for me that I could not have dreamed of fitting in my schedule last year, or accomplishing as a sophomore.

I just finished my first semester as graphics editor of the college newspaper. I had previous knowledge of design from being editor in chief of my high school yearbook, but looking at design from a newspaper approach was a completely different experience for me. I have learned so much about design principles and how to use the adobe programs.

I was also just offered the position of news director for hcworldnews.com. This is our college media website where the newspaper and tv news can be viewed online. In this position, I will be in charge of making sure each story is posted online every week. I will also work closely with the web master and learn how to do her job. The opportunity to learn about web design is one that I would not have expected looking back to a year ago.

I was also elected Co-Chair of the Artist Lecture Series committee. Being nominated for this group was an accomplishment in itself for me, but Co-Chair is an event greater achievement.

I have also become involved in peer education, public relations council and I am a resident assistant for my dorm.

I am not posting all of these accomplishments to brag or put myself on a pedestal, but to reflect on the idea I once had of the importance of soccer to me. Soccer has always been a very rocky experience for me, going from teams where I was the captain and starting, to teams where I prayed for playing time. The stress of it all still takes a toll on me emotionally when I think about it.

Many doubted my decision to quit, telling me I shouldn't "give up" or wondered why I would stop playing when I am a starter on the most talented team I've been a part of with a coach who truly believes in me.

These are all valid points, because I did have an amazing time on the field and an extremely knowledgeable coach. But as much as it meant to me, I never saw it as quitting, but rather making a decision that would better my future.

I still often miss being on the field under the lights, but quitting soccer might have just been the best thing for me. It has opened up opportunities for me in one short year that few accomplish over an entire college career.

Regression

When I tell people my dreams of one day working for a magazine, their responses aren't always as positive as I would hope. Most people tell me it's a dying media and I should have a backup plan.

While I am learning about web design, I would like to think that this will not become my sole medium of work, but rather a supplement to the print design I create.

I know that the web and new technologies are very practical, but the tactile experience is simply not there.

When I open a new magazine, my senses become engaged. The glossy pages slide through my fingers as I flip through for my first look. Then I begin to bend the spine back in a crackle to read stories more in depth. The perfume samples provide an aroma of sweet smells. And not to mention the art of fashion photography and beautiful page layouts.

These experiences cannot be experienced anywhere else.

Most magazines have a website which is definitely important to stay with the times, but I hope that this will never replace print.

I do understand the importance of new technology and I plan to utilize it in every way I can, but as far as replacing print? I find myself regressing from technology and remain faithful to the printed media.

Reflections

Beyond the art museums, Chicago also inspired me simply for the beauty of the city.  Everywhere I looked, there were reflections. 

Light reflected beautifully of of the water at the pier; the buildings reflected the scene around them; sculptures reflected light and distorted images. 

But more than literal reflections, I saw the people of the city reflected all around. 

I was intrigued by a piece of graffiti on various stoplights.  It was a stick figure of a homeless man.  People passed by it on their way to work without a glance at it.  I thought this was an interesting reflection on the city's views of homelessness.  

My flickr photo stream displays a few of the photographs I took while in Chicago examining reflections.  I am working on expanding upon this idea, exploring the many possibilities for the meaning of 'reflection'.   

Inspiration from SOFA Chicago

After spending a weekend in Chicago and visiting the SOFA exhibit, I am filled with inspiration.  I found artists in all different mediums that reaffirmed my appreciation for art. 

One artist used the tips of crayons to create images based off of photographs.  Another made tiny dresses from recycled paper.  

The concept of recycled art is something that has always interested me.  Every piece of scrap metal at the junk yard and cloth at Goodwill was once part of someone's life.  The history in it alone is something amazing to think about. 

I am starting a series of projects, all using recycled objects.  My sculpture class began doing this with a scrap metal self portrait, but I plan on expanding it into different themes.  

New Flickr Member

I have just created a flickr account and made my first posts. 

My photo stream features computer generated graphics that I have made for various purposes, including my own artistic enjoyment.

I chose to post these images first because they were my first experience working with computer-generated graphics.  I plan to continue expanding my photostream to show the progression of my graphics skills.  

Check out my photo stream

Seeking Creative Career

Most people go through life with a monotonous job, but not me. I need something creative, innovative and exciting. 

My skills include:

• Knowledge of design  
• Organization
• Leadership

With these skills, my ideal job would be to work for a magazine or graphic design firm. I am a creative person and I really enjoy making artwork and graphics. I also work well when I am with people and can bounce ideas off of them.

Sometimes it seems as though everyone with an ounce of creativity seeks a career in graphic design so I decided to take a path that will broaden my knowledge. I am majoring in Studio Art to satisfy the creativity and New Media so that I can meet the growing demand of web professionals.

I know that understanding web design and coding will set me apart and allow me to work virtually anywhere.

I am not certain where I will be 10 years down the road, but I’m not one to settle. Wherever I end up, it will be something I am passionate about.

Appealing sites push viewers not to push the back button

Appealing Website Design

After considering the design aspects that make a good website, I found The Aesthetics Department to be exceptionally well done.  

This site very clearly states its company's purpose and also has a pleasing logo and flag.

An important aspect is the dominant image of a featured project because it invites the viewer in to the site and gives a specific point to click first. 

The site has few links so not to be distracting, but enough information to make the site useful.  Every question I would have about the company is clearly answered with a link. 

Most importantly, the design made me want to continue browsing the website.  The simplicity shows the viewer where to click first, making it very manageable and useful.  If I were the owner of this company, I would be very happy with this design. 

Unappealing Website Design

In contrast to The Aesthetics Department website, I found the Bella de Soto site at  to be unpleasing.

The content is extremely cluttered and difficult to read.  It is unclear where the eyes are intended to go first. 

There is nothing that indicates the purpose of this website.  My guess is that it is called "Think!" because that is at the top, however it is surrounded and overlapped by other information, which makes it difficult to distinguish between the flag and everything else on the page.  

 It seems like some website creators try to cram everything they want people to see on the home page.  This is very chaotic and tends to make me leave the site quickly.  

The idea may be to expose as much material as possible incase a web surfer only clicks once.  This is ineffective, however, because the clutter only confuses the eyes causing me to see nothing.  

I would not be pleased if I were the owner of this website because the message is hidden in clutter.  If I were to redesign this site, I would have one dominant image and up to five pieces of important information on the home page with organized links to other information.  I would also state the purpose and title of the website prominently.  

Before taking New Media Fundamentals, I never considered why some sites intrigued me while others made me push the back button immediately.  It is clear now that the design pushes me to keep clicking.  A good design answers questions the surfer is looking for while also guiding the viewer to explore important links to that company.   

Flickr

Flickr is a site that I found very interesting and useful. It is categorized as a social networking site that allows users to upload and share photos. People can also browse other user’s photos and make comments and suggestions to the photographer. On Flickr, users can edit photos and create cards, photo books, framed prints, and other things that can be ordered through the site. This site is intended for anyone from artists trying to get their work in the eyes of potential clients, to people who like to take photographs and need a place to edit and store them.

I think that Flickr is successful in reaching its intended audience because it is simple and easy to navigate, making it easy for potential clients to browse photos. This makes it appealing to artists who want to get their work out there. The site also provides a space for constructive criticism so artists can use the site to improve. The simplicity also reaches the intended audience of people who are not interested in the profession of photography, but use it to edit and store photos because a person doesn’t have to know a lot about editing and posting photos to be a part of it. Every step is laid out on the home page.

One issue that the site addresses is privacy. This is especially important on social networking sites because users put identifying information on them that could potentially be harmful. On Flickr in particular, the privacy issues are more concerned with original work and plagiarism. Users want to know that what they are putting up will be attributed to them. The site has privacy levels to allow users to choose who will be able to see their work. It also comes with a usage license so copyrights are protected. Finally, Flickr allows users to set a safety level so that they will not be able to see material that they are not comfortable with.

The one thing that I would add to Flickr is having other artistic medium represented. Instead of aiming the site at photographers, it should be a place for all artists to display their work. There could be separate groups and folders on a Flickr member’s account for each kind of medium.

Overall, I find Flickr to be a very useful site that I plan on joining. It is a great way to network and receive feedback. I also appreciate how easy it is to look at other artists’ photos and get inspiration from them. The photo on the home page is a great way to draw viewers in to look at other work. It gives just a glimpse of the site and makes me want to keep browsing all of the photos. I would recommend that people visit Flickr because even if one isn’t interested in making an account, the site has some beautiful and inspiring photography.

The W3C

According to its website, The World Wide Web Consortium, or W3C is an association where member organizations, a full time staff, and the public work together to develop the standards for the web.  The W3C membership agreement states that “the purposes of the Consortium are to support the advancement of information technology in the field of networking, graphics and user interfaces by evolving the World Wide Web toward a true information infrastructure, and to encourage cooperation in the industry through the promotion and development of standard interfaces in the information environment known as the ‘World Wide Web.’”

The W3C was created in 1994 by Tim Berners-Lee at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Laboratory for Computer Science.  It was created in collaboration with CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research)  and with funding from DARPA (U.S. Defense Advanced Research Project Agency) and the European Commission.  

To join the W3C any type of organization or individual can apply for membership which is reviewed by the current W3C.  Members can be for-profit or non-profit and usually invest significant resources into web technologies. New members must agree to the W3C Member Contract which includes a 3 year contract beginning the first day of the calendar quarter, and a membership fee.  

The membership fee is based on the organization’s annual revenues, the type of organization, and its location of headquarters.  For example, if a for-profit organization with a annual gross revenue or $50,000,000 or more were to join this year, it would pay a membership fee of $68,500.  All other agencies such as non-profits and government agencies would pay a $7,900 membership fee to join this year. 

On the W3C website I found the technology, Amaya to be interesting.  Amaya is a web editor which allows a person to update and create documents directly on the Web.  Amaya was developed in 1996 to provide a structure that combines many W3C technologies.  A Web author can create a page and upload it through Amaya.  An author can also copy information from the web onto the site and create links to other sites.  Amaya is a simple program where each of these actions can be done in a single environment.   

Prior to visiting the W3C website, I had no idea the amount of work and people who are involved in developing standards for the World Wide Web.  Technology is constantly growing to make the Web more efficient and truthful because of the W3C.  Technologies like Amaya make it easier to create functional and multi-technological websites.  It is amazing to consider how much the World Wide Web has developed since its creation in 1989.