Graphic design has come a long way. Many designers combine classic and modern design methods all the time. In the 1950s, graphic design was the designation for visual materials such as posters, print ads, and street signs. But as technology has changed, so has the application of graphic design. Nowadays this design use goes far beyond only printed materials, embracing the world of virtual and digital reality.
In reality, we can retouch photos from the comfort of our home, and with a few clicks of the mouse produce wonders. Various online tools such as a logo maker or mind map creator help make our fantasies come true and simplify our work.
Want to find out more? Check out these 12 interesting facts about graphic design that you might not have heard before:
1. Book of the Dead
Illustrated manuscripts were mostly produced in Ancient Greece, Egypt, China, and Rome. While early designers of manuscripts deliberately did not implement the so-called graphic design, illustrators and scribes worked to make a combination of images and text that conveyed the sense of the manuscript in a harmonious and effective manner.
The Book of the Dead with its texts created to help the dead in the afterlife is an excellent example of the early concept of graphic design. The hieroglyphic narratives are colourfully illustrated on quality papyrus scrolls. Both words and images have become a single whole: these elements are arranged in the form of a horizontal strip, the repeating vertical structure of the letter is reflected both in columns and in figures, as well as in a single.
2. Scribes
Before the creation of the printing press, books were copied by hand, and the people who did this were called scribes. Most often, these people were not litreate and did not know how to read, they blindly redrew the shapes of the letters. A scriptorium is a room where monks rewrite manuscripts, a special ritual of consecration is provided for this place. Until the 13th century, all books were copied exclusively by monks. However, after the 13th century, laymen and clerics also began to rewrite books.
3. Book of Kells
One of the first books in world history is the Book of Kells. The book is a very beautiful and early example of a graphic design concept. Irish creators paid a lot of attention to specifically graphic details, later this design was taken as a model by many artists. A lot of experts argue that this particular work, despite its antiquity, surpasses many modern works in the quality of graphics.
4. Christmas cards
The tradition of Christmas cards begins in December 1843. Until this time, Christmas greetings were written by hand, akin to letters. Henry Cole, thinking about how to make postal services affordable and convenient for the public, decided to standardize them. The first commercial postcard was designed by his friend the artist John Callcott Horsley.
5. First photomontage
Highly artistic photography of the 19th century is inextricably linked with the name of Henry Peach Robinson. The young artist was not afraid to experiment and raise forbidden topics in his works. He gave the world the art of combined printing, which consisted in the technology of a special photomontage: several different plans were filmed, then composited into a single image by superimposing two or more negatives.
6. Commercial direction
In 1891, William Morris showed that graphic design can be a profitable business, a profession with some economic return. It was with his printing company Kelmscott, with which he managed to create a business based on the design and layout of books.
7. Coca Cola logo
The Coca-Cola logo was created not based on a font, but with a style of writing now known as the Spencer script. It was until 1893 that the first iteration of the logo we are used to was created.
8. Woody Allen’s font
Woody Allen uses the same font in all of his films called Windsor. The story goes that Allen was looking for Love and Death font (1975). Once he was eating breakfast at the same New Jersey diner as Ed Benguiat, the great American typographer (and jazz percussionist) who recommended Windsor. Allen loved it, and Windsor became the signature of his films, along with old jazz tunes, thick frames, fast-paced dialogues, and neuroses.
9. Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is the best-selling graphic design program in the world and has been translated into other languages (around 100)
10. Most expensive poster
The most expensive poster in history was auctioned for $690,000 and belongs to the Metropolis promo, a feature film by Fritz Lang. The poster was designed by German Heinz Schulz-Neumann.
11. Talent in graphic design
It is true that many graphic designers have natural creativity and visual flair, which is why they gravitate towards this area. However, this does not necessarily mean that you have to be a born genius to create effective designs. Like everything else, graphic design is a skill that can be learned.
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just about seeing and magically bringing it to life. Graphic design is not only an art but also a science. There is a method and technique for this that begins with an awareness of the various elements that make up a powerful and effective design.
12 . Originality
In graphic design, originality is important, it is what makes your brand stand out from the competition. However, this does not mean that you have to create 100% original designs from scratch every time you need visuals. Even professional graphic designers create templates in case they have to make similar assets on a permanent basis. This allows them to achieve consistency across all brand materials.