here's one for the graphic designers

[rche]

Looking at the Palitoy cardbacks and reading the responses to them makes me wonder a bit.


When you are designing a piece of artwork for a product, I'm sure there are many considerations. You want things that draw attention to the items, make a connection with the buyer, make the manufacturer happy, etc.

But, do you ever think. "I hope that in 30 years, there is a chatboard going on and on about my color selection and graphic placement."
Does the longevity of the design or the use of current design trends factor into your decisions? Do you ever wonder if your designs will figure into any future analysis of the marketing trends of our time?

have a good time
rche

[bgrimm77]

I'm not a graphic designer but is that something that g.d.'s think about ? Longevity.....and that people will remember and talk about their work ? I dont know about graphic design or graphic designers so I dont want to make anyone angry and if I do it's not on purpose....I guess in my mind I consider it a little different than say an artist that uses oils , or a sculptor , that builds a statue. I'll just clam up now...

[rche]

I'm not a graphic designer but is that something that g.d.'s think about ? Longevity.....and that people will remember and talk about their work ? I dont know about graphic design or graphic designers so I dont want to make anyone angry and if I do it's not on purpose....I guess in my mind I consider it a little different than say an artist that uses oils , or a sculptor , that builds a statue. I'll just clam up now...

That is exactly my point. Most folks don't think about these things that assault our senses on a daily basis, yet some do leave an indelible mark on our subconscious. Think of all the classic ads or packaging artwork that leave a warm fuzzy feeling for you. Most of the high end monies in collecting concentrate on packaging and the varients that exist there. And we, as collectors, look at these things and say stuff like - "The artwork for the Doctor Who things is fantastic" or we blow up the front of a Star Wars Boba Fett card and use it for a desktop background or mousepad.

The artwork got through and stuck there. That part is undeniable. My question is - Do you think about that as a GD and do you aim for that sort of response?

have a good time
rche

[UnderdogDJLSW]

Well, as a graphic artist, I'll say that I never look at any project hoping that it will be considered a "classic" in 30 years, but you do have to look at composition the same as you would an oil painting or any other aesthetic piece you would create and keep in your home. So, for example, if I might create a brochure for a summer camp, I'm looking at what photos will show interesting scenes of campers that would make someone want to be there. Do I need to photoshop out anything like a empty soda can on the ground to make the image more appealing. Are there too many fonts, are the fonts appropriate for the camp, location, time of year? Same thing with the colors. Do I use cool colors (blues, greens, etc.) or warm colors (yellows, reds, orange, etc.)? And finally, where does your eye fall first on the design? What do you read second? Is the message you are trying to tell getting across? And a lot more I could type and bore everyone about.

[Hector]

I'm a newbie graphic artist...and I don't think that far ahead...I just try to please people...and try to have fun doing it.

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

I think you've got to remember that there's a subconscious aspect to design. You put together stuff that looks right according to your personal aesthetic; and stuff that exemplarates the ideal: be it clarity, sales appeal, draw.... and a certain amount of both is based on stuff you percieve around you. So what counts for "clarity of presentation" or "exemplarating the ideal" changes based on location and time and what are the current standards thereof, and your work conforms wether you know it or not. So that's one reason why so many things go out of fashion; they're not designed to be timeless 'cos it's durned near impossible to make something INTENTIONALLY timeless.

Case in point; look at what counted as "tough guy" in the 70's. Note how the big shades and bigger 'stache don't have the same effect today.

Don C.

[chunky B]

Coming at it from an amusement product stand point versus a retail product, which might last a little longer on the shelves, I usually lean toward trends that are popular at the moment and rarely think of longevity. Again I'm approaching it from the angle that it needs to speak to the today and not to the tomorrow, and that it will more than likely be discarded a year down the road. Not to say that I do not take cues from the past or do not spend as much time on the design as say an oil painter or sculpture.

Now, I think it's cool when I see something I did years ago still kicking around in someone's collection, makes me feel like I didn't contribute to a landfill, and that someone loved the design enough to keep it.