OUGD401// Poynor- "No More Rules" Summary

"No More Rules", Rick Poynor

Pages 18 - 37 from Rick Poynors 'No more rules: Graphic Design and Postmodernism' is essentially a debate with previous leading practitioners views on postmodernism- wether they be good or bad. The text throughout is divided into positive and negative tones of voice, starting with design critic Corin Hughes-Stanton dismissing postmodern styles as "[lacking] originality, and the fact it has not produced it's own contemporary style". This is later emphasised by fellow critic Mark Treibec commenting that "postmodernism's assault on the eye with pages of blips, slits, dots and zits was initially enjoyable, an exhilarating relief from ordinary design, but has rapidly become tedious and exhausting" suggesting "this is not charred complexity, this is just noise".
This is counter argued regularly as the text later discusses postmodernist designers being visual interpreters of hybrid design, providing the information in the most ascetically challenging and innovative way they could think of. Postmodern Graphic Design is 'the medium of a new sensibility, informed, playful, ironic...', a pleasant change of pace from the constraints of modernism. Postmodernism within Britain's new-wave was identified strongly youth culture from 1960's- 1980's, possibly because 'modernism never dominated the face of British graphic design' unlike overseas. Since the introduction of the Punk movement and experimental sensory designers such as Vivienne Westwood pioneering the way in individuality, the tastemakers of the day pursued postmodernism more so in the UK than in the US. In conclusion, postmodernism has divided industry professionals such as Wolfgang Weinkarte, Robert Venturi and critics such as Corin Hughes-Stanton and Mark Treibec with their opinions. It is evident postmodernism has been subconsciously created as a design wave to be the experimental sibling of 'modernism', whilst essentially freeing the artists creativity to a new level through experimental composition and digital colour ways.

OUDG401// Rick Poynor - No More Rules (pages 18-37)

Poynor - "No more rules" is essentially a written counter argument discussing the legibility and reasoning of post-modernism.

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Key Points:-

// Post modernist designers are basically visually interpreters of hybrid design, providing the information in the most ascetically challenging and 'new' way they could think of. This means post modernist design "carried the spores of its own cooperation and failure".

//"The postmodern city can seemingly exist in harmonious balance with the surrounding landscape only so long as clear limits to growth- symbolised by a warning style stamped across a whole area".

//Britain's new-wave was identified with youth culture from 1960's-80's- possibly because of "modernism never dominated the face of British graphic design", so now The Sex Pistols and Queen Viv are pioneering the way in individuality- the kids have gone mad. This also saw the birth of a new 3D trend, especially around the music scene- very sensory.

//Post modern Graphic Design is "the medium of a new sensibility: informed, playful, ironic..etc". It predicts modernist boundary breakdowns.

//Post modern is something strange and paradoxical. The introduction of mad collages inspired by "art deco, architecture and fused typography".

Key Quotes:-

//Robert Venturi: "Architecture should evoke many levels of meaning. It should be possible to read it and interpret differently- the same goes for Post Modern design".

//Critic Mark Treibec: "Post modernism's assault on the eye with pages of blips, slits, dots and zits was initially enjoyable, an exhilarating relief from ordinary design, but has rapidly become tedious and exhausting"... "this is not charred complexity, this is just noise"

//Charles Jenks, architect and one of the first who commercially said 'post modern': "Postmodern style is 'hybrid, double-coded and based on fundamental dualities".

//Hughes Stanton: "[Its an attitude and lacks originality]" However, "Its roots are deeper embedded in society than the modern school".

//Wolfgang Weinkarte pioneered post-modern Graphic Design and commented to say: "It seemed everything that made me curious and was forbidden" when asked about post-modernism.

OUGD401 // Image Analysis Exercise

The 1876 advertisement for "The Uncle Sam Range" cooker created by Schumacher & Ettlinger instantly showcases patriotic symbolism for the USA, portraying the 'American Dream' in all its glory. The wealthy are portrayed dining on their lavish food all cooked by their new state of the art cooker- making onlookers aspire to be "upper class" and have their lifestyle. This is emphasised by the extravagant home setting and garments of those present, especially the young girls titled as individual American states in the background. At a closer look, the clock dates are 1776 and 1876- marking 100 years since the Declaration of Independence, suggesting this advertisement and stove may be limited addition to mark the occasion. The use of the Western style typography, and "Feeding the world with the aid of.." shows unity within the empire; distilling the ideologies that the powerhouse US is not a force to be reckoned with, boasting about their progress within a mere 100 years. 

A racial undertone is apparent as the black figure serving their food is made to look slightly comical and inferior to the others, which is ironic seen as America is built on a healthy immigration system. 

Similar messages are cast in Adrian Allison's 'East African Transport Old Style' and 'East African Transport New Style' (1930-1931). It seems the intended narrative of the two images here is to show investors that the British Empire are making improvements to the world, and therefore we should put our trust (and funding) into the empire. This is suggested by the deliberately illustrated sad/angry faces to show the natives are not happy with their 'old' way of life, thus prompting the British to intervene and 'improve' quality of life overseas. However, I take a negotiated reading to this image and feel that the 'new' way of life is not the British empowering the Africans, but once again connoting the racial undertones (similar to the US). The white man is now in the focal point of the image, overlooking the once free. This is represented not only in a change of mood, but also in a change of attire. In the 'old' scene, they are wearing their own tribal regalia contrasting the uniformed white cloth sorts in the 'new' scene. This way of thinking may be because as a citizen of the 21st Century, we are aware of the history and cruelty that has taken place in the past which has tainted our view on images like these. This brings up more similarities with regards to empire as both Western 'powerhouses' are creating high quality propaganda to show off how fantastic they are, implying to the African onlookers (and the rest of the world) they would be nothing without the empire. In the 'new style' scenario by Allinson technology has been introduced by the west, making bridges and bringing large trucks. This image is also purely male, connoting to sub tones that women are inferior despite being the time of the suffragette movement was well underway. In conclusion, despite both images seeming different from the outset, their use of ‘The Empire’ as an underlying theme casts very clear similarities. The use of illustration and painted colours with a hand rendered distortion also ties them into a very similar genre artistically, whilst the undertone of ‘the man’ being in control ties them culturally.

OUGD401// The Lecture that Made me Hungry

Context of Practice 1 // Visual literacy lecture // OUGD401

Visual literacy is based on a shared understanding of sign/ symbol and gestures. Without a cultural or global understanding of certain symbols, meaning would be near impossible to transcend through many language barriers. Through the lecture we looked at 10 Principles to consider and how to "work the metaphor" in a creatively stimulating way. 

By introducing Visual Syntax, Visual Semantics and Semiotics into our thinking, we have a better understanding of how to use symbolism correctly- and how it will be percived in different places. 

One part of the lecture that I found the most interesting is that if we switch gender stereotyping colours (pink/blue) on symbols less known, such as Mars and Venus, we loose confidence in our knowledge and start questioning the true meaning- (I wonder what else this applies to?). Colour is a HUGE impact on what the symbol means and by adding a certain colour and changing the shape slightly, we have a range of brand new symbols with entirely different meanings.