Modern-ism

Scientific Revolution gave way to the industrial revolution which invented mass production, making use of the lower class as unchecked labor. William Morris opposed this unchecked labor in a time when a move towards social philosophies began.

Modernism in design and art followed Arts & Crafts. At the same time, the Bauhaus in Germany had Russian Constructivism emerging. 

Bauhaus was a school which believed less is more, reductionism, minimalism. Reductionism is reducing things to their bare minimum. 

Bauhaus School Building - Walter Gropius (Germany 1926)

Mondrian has become emblematic of Modernism.

Composition - Mondrian

Russian constructivists absorb futurism and cubism to create a new movement which unifies communist ideology with visual form.

Constructivist Propaganda – Red, Yellow and Black. Diagonals. Sans-serif. Tilted axis.

 Poster - Political - El Lissitzky (Russia 1919)

TO BE CONTINUED...

New Art? ...Art Nouveau

Sinuous designs, yet restrained and elegant, Art Nouveau is a freer organic line than Arts & Crafts. Arts & Crafts would pack lines making things hectic, whereas Art Nouveau would allow the lines to flow. Function and Form work together.

Banister - Victor Horta (Belgium 1898)

The dominant visual motifs included energetic and organic plant-like line and vine tendrils.

Staircase - Maison & Ateller Horta (Belgium 1898)

Art Nouveau designers embraced the Arts & Crafts  philosophy of honesty to materials and fitness of purpose. The decorative use of these motifs was less an attempt to cover up than a way to enhance the function of the material.

In the 1800’s the Europeans had a fascination with anything Japanese. Artifacts and art from Japan influenced many artists. This inspired flat colors and simplified shapes due to the technique. 

Woodblock Print - Hiroshige (Japan 1857)

Simplified figures and silhouettes in art such as that of Degas.

"Le Cafe-Concert Des Ambassadeurs" - Edgar Degas (France 1977)

Joining colors gives unity and direction for the eyes as used by Toulouse-Lautrec.

Poster - Toulouse-Lautrec (France 1892)

In the 60’s and 70’s, the psychedelic era revived a lot of Art Nouveau, such as fonts and abstracted hair styling.

Poster - William Bradley (USA 1896)

Okay kids, it’s time for Arts & Crafts

Arts & Crafts came about as a reaction to the poor aesthetic quality of factory made goods in the industrial revolution and to the Victorian Era. It was a socialist reform movement (socialism being a necessary reaction to the industrialism of the era) that embraced artists, scientists, architects, designers, etc, of all types. It is recognized as the bridge between traditional Victorian Values and the modern movement.

Book - JM Dent (Great Britain 1906)

William Morris dedicated his life to rediscovering the traditional standards that existed prior to the industrial revolution and fighting “ugliness in all its forms”. He believed in a Truth to materials (eg not painting the wood but letting it show).

William Morris (1834-96) "The Father of the Modern Movement"

Wallpaper, Carpet, Upholstery, Glassware - William Morris (c.1888)

Frank Lloyd Wright was heavily influenced by the Arts & Crafts movement with the use of a lot of geometry. It’s a geometric concept. It's like a box with boxes inside. He had a love of materials and an honesty to materials. Wood is not covered. No garish colors, very organic, earthy tones. A lot of natural timber.

Living Room - Frank Lloyd Write (USA 1908)

Oh My Victorian

What began with cave walls, the first printing was done for mysterious reasons, evolving to petroglyphs and the hieroglyphs of Ancient Egypt being the first to use Rebus.

The Greeks developed the Phoenician alphabet so that philosophy and science could be written down, using chisels to create the first serif fonts. From this came the Latin Alphabet, the Romans reappropriating what the Greeks developed.

Away from the West, in the East China had calligraphy, symbols meaning words, and their paper and leaf prints reached Europe by the Silk Road. This gave way to the print press in Europe, beginning with Gutenberg and his movable type, inspiring many fonts still used today.

“Graphic Design” used to be called “commercial arts” and prior to the industrial revolution, just “art” which grew during the industrial revolution die to mass production and the need to move goods to the people through advertising. The industrial revolution allowed for goods to be manufactured and produced at a faster rate, requiring effective advertising to make use of a the increased amount of goods. This called for designers, people of a mind to create posters that covered walls, made to catch attention and persuade patronage. The requirement of advertising and design provided for rapid advancements in the technologies of print and design, the reproduction of works becoming easier on a large scale through devices such as print press and lithographs which came later. Much of the early design and reproduced type began with the reproduction of religious scripts. Design elements recurred thought the ages, elements of early typography recurring in Victorian design with typical elements such as type on a curve and cloth banners reminiscent of the Renaissance period. Other elements of Victorian design included ornate borders, busy layouts, lack of white space, symmetrical designs and use of mixed fonts.

Advertisement (USA 1943)

Advertisement (France 1869)

Poster (Holland c.1870)