Type and Image The Language of Graphic Design
Philip B. Meggs What is the essence of graphic design?
How do graphic designers solve problems, organize space,
and imbue their work with those visual and symbolic
qualities that enable it to convey visual and verbal
information with expression and clarity? The
extraordinary flowering of graphic design in our time,
as a potent means for communication and a major
component of our visual culture, increases the need for
designers, clients, and students to comprehend its
nature. In this lively and lavishly illustrated book,
the author reveals the very essence of graphic design.
The elements that combine to form a design–– sings,
symbols, words, pictures, and supporting forms––are
analyzed and explained. Graphic design′s ability to
function as language, and the innovative ways that
designers combine words and pictures, are discussed.
While all visual arts share common spatial properties,
the author demonstrates that graphic space has unique
characteristics that are determined by its communicative
function. Graphic designs can have visual and symbolic
properties which empower them to communicate with deep
expression and meaning. The author defines this property
as graphic resonance and explains how it occurs. After
defining design as a problem–solving process, a model
for this process is developed and illustrated by an
in–depth analysis of actual case histories. This book
will provide insight and inspiration for everyone who is
interested or involved in graphic communications. While
most materials about form and meaning in design have a
European origin, this volume is based on the dynamic and
expressive graphic design of America. The reader will
find inspiration, hundreds of exciting examples by many
of America′s outstanding graphic designers, and keen
insights in Type and Image.
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