Design History

In the field of design, it is important to study designers aside from oneself. We find inspiration from preceding designs as well as concurrent designs when creating our own, but to know the work of other designers is more than inspirational. In the past few months, I have been exposed to many different designers and their different mediums of design as a part of my learning process. By studying the works of artists like Cy Twombly, Nathan Shedroff, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Charles and Ray Eames, Christine Gambito, Andy Goldsworthy and more, I have been exposed to their different takes on design and their process and message.

It has been important to be aware of these designers and their past work as well as their current work, and it is likewise important to remain aware of other designers as I grow in my own design career. By studying designs outside of my own, I create a context for myself to design within. Every design has a message; the designs of OBEY present a more obvious political message that provides a good example. Political messages or just a social commentary are constantly being created by designers everywhere, and it is these messages that allow designers now to see and understand the time period and the meaning of such designs. By playing off of these designs and techniques, we learn to propose concurrent or contrasting ideas to already existing enterprises. This is what gives design its purpose, the message and the process are the true driving forces behind design. With designers constantly pushing to create something that will present their ideas or the social ideas they experience, we must be able to pay attention to such comments and understand the role of design in our society.