Design Observer Article Review

Design Observer

"A Life in Letters"

Written by Louise Fili, September 5, 2012

This article is an excerpt from Louise Fili's book Elegantissima which explains how she came to fall in love with typography, graphic design, and all things Italian.  I was initially drawn to this article after glancing at the image; I too am drawn to and fascinated by graphic design and typography.  Louise's story led the reader through the process of her development as a designer, through multiple job changes, challenges, and the development of design elements that molded her into the artist she is today.  For example, as a graphic designer interested specifically in creating book covers, Fili often went against the mainstream as she developed a more simplistic, impactful approach to design through the use of open space, minimalism, and letter-spacing. As she sought to find her unique voice and style, Fili immersed herself in the things that inspired her: "travel[ing] to Italy and France at least twice a year to seek new inspiration, combing flea markets and bookstores, photographing restaurant and shop signage, and collecting food packaging."  Fili's description of her search to create herself as an artist inspires me to do the same because I want to be able to intentionally pursue those things that interest me most. After reading the article and listening to the excitement that Fili finds in her work, I was left inspired to find that something that inspires me to create beautiful things that speak to me and others.

Conscientious Article Review

Conscientious

“The Most Democratic Medium?”

Written by Joerg Colberg September 16, 2012

According to Joerg Colberg, photography is not necessarily the most democratic medium compared to others, like writing, music, or drawing.  Dictionary.com defines “democracy” as “the common people of a community as distinguished from any privileged class; the common people with respect to their political power.” Other mediums, he explained, are much cheaper, quicker, and readily available to anyone who wanted to utilize it.  However, Colberg went on to explain that the main thing that does make photography so democratic is the fact that so many people use it as their primary medium.  The central issue then is that there are technical "barriers that still exist between photography done by 'the masses' and by that small elite." Ultimately, Colberg argued that "visual literacy" is what can bridge that gap between the ordinary photographers and the extraordinary photographers.  I chose this article thinking it would criticize the overabundance of subpar photography that is produced by the millions on a daily basis--instead, I appreciated the positive tone of the article in that it was more solution based.  Colberg didn't minimize the efforts of amateur photographers, but simply explained that a better understanding of photography and design could drastically change the photographic world and enhance the quality of images we produce.  Overall, the article was a little difficult to follow because the writing was somewhat abstract, but the main idea of visual literacy was clear by the end of the article.

Everyday Photo: Day Five

Everyday Photo: Day Four

Everyday Photo: Day Three

Everyday Photo: Day Two

Everyday Photo: Day One

Scavenger Hunt 2

NY Times Art & Design Article Review

NY Times Art & Design

“Architecture and the Lost Art of Drawing”

Written by Michael Graves, September 1, 2012

This article by Michael Graves is a brief analysis about the architectural design process and its transition from hand drawn sketches to computerized drawings.  What prompted me to look into this article was the topic of architecture; I have always been interested in types of structural design and love the idea of creating spaces where people live, work, and play.  Graves argues in this article that drawing architectural ideas on paper is a crucial step in creating a work because it tangibly connects the designer to the design.  Graves articulates, “Drawings express the interaction of our minds, eyes and hands.” Although computer programs have efficiency and value in architectural design, there is also an emotional, creative element that only comes from drawing.  The way that Graves wrote the article was intriguing and eloquent, and kept me interested until the end.  His depictions of the way he connects with drawing were so clear and well written.  For example, he compared drawing sketches to “the way a musician might intone a note or how a riff in jazz would be understood subliminally and put a smile on your face.”  I couldn’t help but be re-inspired to look into architecture again and remember why I love it so much after reading this article.

Scavenger Hunt 1