A framework for graphic description in book design

This project is concerned with the way that illustrations, photographs, diagrams and graphs, and typographic elements interact to convey ideas on the book page. A framework for graphic description is proposed to elucidate this graphic language of ‘complex texts’. The model is built up from three main areas of study, with reference to a corpus of contemporary children’s science books. First, a historical survey puts the subjects for study in context. Then a multidisciplinary discussion of graphic communication provides a theoretical underpinning for the model; this leads to various proposals, such as the central importance of ratios and relationships among parts in creating meaning in graphic communication. Lastly a series of trials in description contribute to the structure of the model itself. At the heart of the framework is an organising principle that integrates descriptive models from fields of design, literary criticism, art history, and linguistics, among others, as well as novel categories designed specifically for book design. Broadly, design features are described in terms of elemental component parts (micro-level), larger groupings of these (macro-level), and finally in terms of overarching, ‘whole book’ qualities (meta-level). Various features of book design emerge at different levels; for instance, the presence of nested discursive structures, a form of graphic recursion in editorial design, is proposed at the macro-level. Across these three levels are the intersecting categories of ‘rule’ and ‘context’, offering different perspectives with which to describe graphic characteristics. Contextbased features are contingent on social and cultural environment, the reader’s previous knowledge, and the actual conditions of reading; rule-based features relate to the systematic or codified aspects of graphic language. The model aims to be a frame of reference for graphic description, of use in different forms of qualitative or quantitative research and as a heuristic tool in practice and teaching.

Intertextuality, authenticity, and gonzo selves in Anya Ulinich’s 'Lena Finkle’s Magic Barrel'

This article traces the intertextual relationships between Anya Ulinich’s graphic novel Lena Finkle’s Magic Barrel, Bernard Malamud’s short story ‘The Magic Barrel’ and a number of works by Philip Roth. Through these relationships and her construction of a number of variations on what Miriam Libicki has called a ‘gonzo self’ Ulinich explores the tensions between life and art, fact and fiction, and autobiography and the novel, mediating the aesthetic imperatives of what Roth has called the ‘written world’ and the ethical obligations of the ‘unwritten world’ in order to arrive at an authentic sense of herself as an artist and writer.

Future, Fortune, and the graphic design of information

This is a study of graphic information designed for Future Books/Future magazine (UK) and Fortune magazine (USA) in the years immediately after the Second World War. It highlights work made by the Isotype Institute for Future, which is then situated against contributions by Abram Games and F. H. K. Henrion. Similar work in Fortune under the art editorship of Will Burtin is discussed in a parallel account, drawing on examples by him and by others including György Kepes, Matthew Liebowitz, Alex Steinweiss and Ladislav Sutnar. Attention is drawn to links and relationships between to the two periodicals and the graphic information published in both. Further comparisons are made between underlying editorial and design strategies pursued by Otto Neurath (Isotype Institute) and Will Burtin. An argument is made for recognising the little-known innovations of Future alongside the long-acknowledged innovations of Fortune.

Science learning and graphic symbols: an exploration of early years teachers’ views and use of graphic symbols when teaching science

The study investigated early years teachers’ understanding and use of graphic symbols, defined as the visual representation(s) used to communicate one or more “linguistic” concepts, which can be used to facilitate science learning. The study was conducted in Cyprus where six early years teachers were observed and interviewed. The results indicate that the teachers had a good understanding of the role of symbols, but demonstrated a lack of understanding in regards to graphic symbols specifically. None of the teachers employed them in their observed science lesson, although some of them claimed that they did so. Findings suggest a gap in participants’ acquaintance with the terminology regarding different types of symbols and a lack of awareness about the use and availability of graphic symbols for the support of learning. There is a need to inform and train early years teachers about graphic symbols and their potential applications in supporting children’s learning.

Grafisk profilering med praktisk tillämpning på PZ hair : Graphic profiling with a practical application on PZ hair

Design, Grafiskt program, Symbol, Hair

Corporate identity through graphic design

The degree project has been implemented abroad in Brisbane, Australia. A literature study has beenperformed parallel to the practical work within the subject »Corporate identity through graphicaldesign«. In this study deeper research has been made concerning the establishment and manifestationof a corporate identity and its program. The knowledge given from this study has been put into practicethrough two larger projects.The first project was carried out at De Pasquale, advertising agency in Brisbane, where a corporateidentity program was designed for a new company. The company is a fitness centre, called KnockoutFitness, which specializes in different types of boxing training sessions such as Boxing, Thai Bow andBoxercise but also Aqua aerobics. They needed a full corporate identity program including a logotype,business card, letter paper-paper and address labels.The second project was carried out at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane. A promotioncampaign was designed for the Department of Visual Arts, which included two information folders andone advertisement. The purpose of the campaign was to promote both the undergraduate and postgraduatecourses offered within the department.

The Graphic Designer as (a)Digital Nomad : A qualitative study

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur digitala nomader utövar sitt yrke som grafiska designers, varför de valde att bli digitala nomader samt vilka fördelar och nackdelar som finns. Totalt intervjuades 10 före detta och nuvarande digitala nomader via email och svaren sammanställdes och analyserades för att finna teman och sammanhang. Resultatet visar att deltagarna valde en digital nomadisk livsstil främst på grund av den frihet det innebär. De är även helt beroende av internet, då det är den grundläggande teknologin som möjliggör distansarbete. Att vara digital nomad verkar inte ha en negativ inverkan på den grafiska designprocessen och alla verktyg som behövs anser de finns tillgängliga digitalt. Den del av det traditionella designyrket på en byrå som deltagarna i studien saknade mest var kreativa diskussioner med kollegor.