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Graphic design is the art of arranging text and images to convey a message. Graphic design today is mainly computer-based, and centers around the advertising and marketing industries. But what are the origins of graphic design?
Graphic design has its origins in the arts, and can be traced back as far as the third millennium BC - to the birth of the written language. The advent of the written word, combined with drawn images were the earliest precursors to what the modern world knows as graphic design. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century changed the course of printed media for good -- books became widely available, which led to advances in education, and changed society immeasurably. By the 19th century, further inventions like photography led to a movement to create divisions between fine arts and applied arts. Graphic design as an industry was born.
The Industrial Revolution had a huge impact on life in general, and on sales and marketing in specific. With more and more people moving to the cities to find work in the new factories, many companies took advantage of their captive audiences and began actively marketing and advertising their products. Graphic design in the early 20th century was characterized by a revolt against the ornamental style of the Victorian era. Designers like Frank Lloyd Wright, Peter Behrens, and Mies van der Rohe each in their own way created minimalist, spare designs that encompassed graphic design, architecture, and product design.
By the mid-20th century, graphic designers stepped outside their comfort zones and began to experiment with color, composition, and the interplay between images and content. The post-war US was giddy with victory, and creativity and experimentation in the arts was encouraged. As more and more companies were able to see the impact of advertising and design, graphic design flourished. The next major invention to impact the graphic design industry was, of course, the computer! Computers were first marketed to the general public in the 1980s, and advances in technology have only made them more and more sophisticated. Today, graphic designers use computer software to create and manipulate images that can be used for a wide variety of applications.
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