ILLU5060 - The Critical Designer

The Critical Designer Lecture Notes

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Research – The search for, and systematic advancement of, knowledge.
Research is a key point within the design process.
“Could you get an education for a second!”
Grounded knowledge of creative material, methods, systems, software, techniques, & processes.
Professional development – To extend/ renew skills, to reach the top of your field and stay there.
Targeted research to address client briefs. Informed foundation for launching the design process.
Primary Methods
Methods carried out by you out in the studio, or out in the field: Practice – led research.
Practice-led Research

• Where knowledge emerges through a cycle of activity & reflection.
• Where theories, issues and interests are investigated by the production of creative works.

Approaches may include:

• Mapping,
• Experimentation with materials & processes,
• Sketchbook or blog-based investigation,
• Formal analysis and/ or application of theory,
• Adapted social-science methods.

Research mapping – visual mind-map of content. Chaotic web of possible content. A refined tree of content.
Experimentation with materials & processes (William Burroughs and cut-ups) (Art Spiegelman early experimental comics)
Sketchbooks & Blogs

• A means of reflecting upon and documenting ideas, theories, thoughts, feelings, memories, observations, plans, investigations via text and image.
• Can be subjective, objective, varied in scope, systematic, methodical, sequential, incremental.

(Paul Klee systematic sketchbook style, theory testing & annotated experimenting)
(Leonardo Da Vinci observational & investigatory experimental sketchbook style)
(Ivan Brunetti developmental & outcome focused, compositional & design orientated sketchbook)
(Joshua W. Kotter Developmental process annotated to produce outcomes)
Secondary Methods
Reading & analysis of existing published sources;

• Theoretical frameworks (of fields of research).
• Reading list – locating key texts on your subject.
• Literature review & comparison between sources.
• Finding useful case-studies.

Framework

• Ground rules/ theories/ concepts/ methods/ systems
• A set of critical perimeters & terminology to help us interpret cultural events & phenomena to answer the basic (human) question

Theoretical frameworks
“The organisation of human experience” Erving Goffman
“The frame does for the human mind what a program does for a computer. It determines how we read a given text or situation” Jonathan Rose
Examples of frameworks:

• Modernism: The framing of late 19th century art, society and culture.
• Semiotics: a methodology to uncover ideological constructs in media texts – signs, codes, and their cultural meaning.
• Narratology: a set of formal rules for understanding the structure of stories and their cultural significance.
• Subcultures: the study of disenfranchised groups within mainstream society, and their cultural output (or capital).
• Gender Studies: theories to help understand the social roles of men and women, their sexuality, and representation.
• Post Modernism: the framing of visual culture within a contemporary context, pointing to modern trends & concerns.
• Post-Internet (or cybercultures): the impact of new media technologies on society and social discourse.

Case study – a particular example or instance oof something, used to build an argument or knowledge.

• Not artificially constructed for research – occurs naturally.
• Examples: professional organisations public bodies, private companies, collectives, artists and designers etc. Phineas Gage
• Good for small scale research – illuminates the general by looking at the particular.
• Flexibility in the mix of secondary/ primary research methods.

Case study – Art Spiegelman – Maus parts 1 & 2 (1980 - 1991) MetaMaus (2011)
Targeted research – relevant WW2 themed books for authentic setting context, animal books for anthropomorphic character design.
Working process – exploring media & materials, designing layout & format.
Becoming a critical practitioner
Designing an effective research method
Remaking Theory, Rethinking Practice by Andrew Baluvelt – Key points

• Starting Point – Baluvelt highlights common criticism against use of theory
• “Overintellectualization” – disrupts the artist’s natural intuition
• Too abstract & vague
• Theory does not respond to the realities of studio practice, or the commercial world.
• Second Point – Proposes that the “impasse between theory and design must be bridged”, he argues that:
• Design is a form of “social practice”.
• “Thinking” & “doing” are two sides of the same coin – symbiotically linked
• Theory is designed and is therefore able to be shaped and used in creative practice.
• Third Point – “Smarting up” – turning the argument on its head:
• “It is also important to recognize that design, no matter how it is practiced, fashions its own theories about making that help give it meaning, significance, and legitimacy.” – Particularly in the age of the personal computer & widespread access to creative tools.
• Fourth Point – Theory is designed and is therefore able to be shaped and used in creative practice.
• “By understanding that theory is fashioned, refashioned, and self-fashioned – not merely fashionable, preordained or predestined – we can begin the process of putting theory to work.
• Fifth Point – Rethinking practice within a theoretical framework
• “Theory provides the basis with which to ask questions not only about work, but also through work. And if nothing else, what design lacks in terms of interesting work these days is not necessarily more visual variety, but rather move provocative questions and polemical answers.”

Why theory is relevant & useful

• Important to place you as a s a creative and your practice within a broader culture
• Useful in developing a visual literacy and understand how your work is read and understood
• Helps inform your creative practice to create more insightful and impactful work
• Helps you design effective research strategies to address a variety of creative briefs.
• Encourage lateral thinking – important in an ever changing and complex cultural landscape.

Written Extract Notes – The Education Of A Graphic Designer (2005), Remaking Theory, Rethinking Practice, Pages 102 - 108 By Andrew Blauvelt

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​Opening statement
Blauvelt discusses the divide between theory & practice within the specific sphere of graphic design, and then a more generalised view of the conflict between theory & practice in the wider world. Theory & practice are presented as divided aspects of work, thinking vs. doing.

Beyond The Great Divide: Practice Versus Theory
There is a resistance towards theory within the graphic design sphere. This resistance is simplified into two forms:

• “A Fear of overintellectualizing the practice of a profession…” – Within the dichotomy of thinking vs. doing, graphic design is doing. An emphasis on theory could harm the practice by increasing the barrier-to-entry to an academic-level of understanding.
• “… there is a concern that theory is simply too vague and abstract to be useful…” Theory is claimed to be too inflexible for all the practical applications of graphic design in the real world.

Blauvelt states that the conflicts between theory & practice must be resolved, as a benefit to both sides. Theory must adapt to the realities of the practice & production of graphic design, and practice must adapt to understand its role in impacting a greater social domain.
The perceived inaccessibility of theory is rebuked by the idea that theory is inherent within the practice of graphic design, or any practical work. Theory is not deliberately constructed & prescribed; it is constantly present & evolving within the work of graphic design. Graphic designers constantly affect, influence, change, and redefine the theory of their practice. Since the divide between those who practice graphic design, and those who craft theories of graphic design is so small, if not entirely non-existent, harmony between the theoretical & practical should be possible.
To resolve the apparent dissonance between theory & practice one must accept an approach to theory that is descriptivist rather than prescriptivist.

The Turn Toward Theory
As this piece was published in 2005, Blauvelt discusses the impact of rapidly developing technology on the theory & practice of graphic design: with the increasing accessibility of personal computers, the professional sphere of graphic design becomes threatened by how accessible the practice has become, anyone with a computer & access to software can become a graphic designer. Additionally, for current graphic designers, new skill-sets must be developed to adapt to this new medium.
With increased accessibility to the world of graphic design, amateurs can compete with professionals on a level playing field. As such, professionals seek out means to legitimacy, to distinguish themselves from amateurs: theory provides a way to gatekeep the practice of graphic design to authentic professionals. It’s all very elitist.
Baluvelt discusses the inclusion of historical elements within the taught graphic design curriculum as a means to gently introduce a theoretical aspect without meeting great resistance. The study of history helps establish a context to the present, which is parallel to Theory & Practice.

Rethinking Practice
The inherent presence of theory within the practice of graphic design may be addressed to varying degrees by the practitioner, to challenge them on a meta level or to simply acknowledge them within the work.
Research within a graphic design context is an essential part of the process, especially in terms of a specific problem to solve. Theory is similar to research in that it may apply specifically or generally & can be abstract.
Yet, to be useful, research & theory must produce satisfying answers that may be applied on a specific level. This is contrary to Modernist design theory which presents universal truths devoid of context which would be incredibly difficult to apply to any one specific scenario.

Teaching Theory In Graphic Design Practice
This section discusses defining what the role of theory within the context of the graphic design curriculum is.
“graphic design does not begin nor end in the objects it makes.” A cyclical model of the graphic design process, from conception to consumption, is proposed. Three key areas of discussion within graphic design are identified:

• Cognitive interaction – How intelligent aspects of design influence its form.
• Cultural reflexivity – The influence of graphic design on the world it occupies, and the influence of the word upon works of graphic design.
• Technological innovation – The capacity for graphic design to occupy a greater range of ever-expanding forms of media.

Exploring these three areas within the context of an academic curriculum invite questions with complex, and sometimes not definite, answers which are ideal for inspiring nuanced discussion regarding the topic of graphic design.