OFFSET 2009
I'm choosing to focus on Massimo Vignelli for now a little bit because he's a designer who adopted the Swiss style of design which obviously originated in Switzerland but had a profound effect across Europe - and took it to America in the heyday of his career and created iconic American design. Which is another design scene I want to investigate, in terms of the intentions and culture creating the recognisable style.
He's also quite an outspoken designer, and perhaps critic of the computer when it comes to design and hopefully he touches upon the effects of the computer on design, and by touching on the effects of the computer maybe side effects of globalisation such as internet, collaboration, inspiration, typography, style etc.
Notes
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Quotes
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"I see graphic design as the organisation of information that is semantically correct, sytnactically consistent, and pragmatically understandable. I like it to be visually powerful, intellectually elegant, and above all timeless."
Synatictically consistent - every detail should be coherent.
"It can be the most beautiful thing in the world, but if people do not get it. You're wasting you're time."
Intellectually elegant.
started in 1955
Studied architecture in Venice. Started working at architects at 16. Working on whole spectrum of design, multidisciplinary! Similar to Swiss design schools and extensions of Bauhaus.
Interior, architect, graphic design.
"Keep subtracting, keep taking things out until you get the essence of things."similar to semiotics, universal language - possible intention of Swiss with mass immigration and language/culture diversity?
Contrast between function and decoration. How can the two things live together?
Collaborates particularly on interior and product design with wife Laila.
Focus group saying no, yet took it back to Italy and it's been on market for 25 years. Realised American market research isn't the right way
"You don't have to ask people what they want, you have to ask people what they need. That's what you have to find out with research. If you ask people what they want, they don't know yet."
The difference between designers and market researchers is that researchers look through the rear window, designers look through the windshield.
Marketing invented to prevent your back. A fear of failure.
Went America with fellowship. Went back to Milan from 60 to 65. Set up own agency.
"For several years before the type Helvetica came about. We were cutting letters in order to get less kerning... Finally the greatest thing that happened was Helvetica had no shoulder so we didn't have to cut no letters. Ever since that day we have been using Helvetica in great quantity, of course."
Large type, immediate catch attention from far away, small type when you get close and want to find out more. Not as immediately important.
"If you can't find it, design it."
Started Unimark in 65. Based in Chicago. Milano, New York.
Moved into US as going back and forth too much.
At that time design was a rather young profession, people didn't have that much trust in it. So we used to wear a white smock like a hospital. Immediately they gave much more respect to me!
1966. Assignment to redesign New York subway
The basic system still holds even after a lot of changes since then.
Designed stuff for Knoll International. furniture company. Designed all graphics, brochures, stationerys, catalogues for 15 years.
AmericanAirlines
Looking at the layout instead of reading the content.
Full spreads, full images nothing can go wrong.
The sequence is important.
Scale is intangible, size is measurable, tangible. Scale is important not size.
Columns is not a grid. Introduced the notion of a grid to the newspaper, every element becames modulae. Speeding up the preparation with modules and structure. The Herald + European Journal.
Effortlessly switching between graphic and product.
Important with plastic to keep consistent width and design.
Not considering the cup with a cut at the top, coffee flows at the top. In America, people fill to the brim, didn't consider that! unlike "civilised" countries in europe
Design - "That's all design is, trapping the light and reflecting the light. Making the edge sharp or round. Making the light act in a different way."
Calendars that tell you what day it is, from far. And some calendars where you have to tell the calendar, what day it is. the flipbook style
In New York you walk on the street, nobody speaks the same language.
Diversity. Interaction + Excitement
Interested in design. To create language that other people follow.
Design is not art in my mind. Art is not design.
The more design is art, the further it goes from design
Design serves a purpose - to make your life easier and for you to take away from it what you need - art is more of a personal self-expression, less of consumer experience
Finding a balance between identity and diversity.
Loves to do books
"In plates, we set the table at the beginning of the dinner. Everything is nice and clean, then while we eat the whole thing becomes like a trashcan. At the end of the meal...all those things left over. You make a clean pile of dirty dishes. That is design"
Design of plates allows to pile up with enough recess to almost act like a sort of Tiffin pile of boxes.
"Cross fertilisation between the other. It's not true that if you're a graphic designer you can't design furniture. Design is one, you can do it."
Talking about the 'bodoni table' because of the thick stems and slim serifs
Same height but different diameter glasses eradicate muddled up heights and forms.
A Few Basic Typefaces Exhibition
"In the new computer age the proliferation of typefaces and type manipulations represents a new level of visual pollution threatening our culture. Out of thousands of typefaces, all we need are a few basic ones, and trash the rest, So come and see A Few Basic Typefaces."
Computer gave everyone a platform to design, became less specialised, you didn't need all the equipment and pre-determined intention. Globalisation also plays a part in this
"Now everybody can do type. The computer has brought out the most beautiful typography ever, but at the same time the worst ever."
"Publishing is dead. Books are going to change completely."Future of books and design in global and digitised world?
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Q: Is there a Vignelli 'look'?
A: God forbid, god forbid, it would be a negation of what we stand for. We don't want to have a look. I think when we have a design it's because our design is too weak, we are not interested in personal style, or any style per se as has been classified. We are interested in raising the standards of design acceptance." Vignelli, 1981.
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