Literature review, first draft.
This research, being focused on a visual development of identity in motion design, is effectively based on the principles and theories of graphic design. As motion design can be visualised as graphic design with the added dimension of time, the literature of graphic deign will form a significant portion of the resources. This will give the study a grounding in the principles of design before moving into broadcast identity.
William Addison Dwiggins is the man many consider "the father of the term 'graphic design'" Quentin Newark 2002. In 1922 he coined 'graphic design' in describing the layout of artwork and type, an alternative term he also used was 'super-printing'. As far as Dwiggins was concerned "The printing designers whole duty is to make clear presentation of the message - to get the important statements forward and the minor parts placed so that they will not be overlooked."
His approach, developed through a career of commercial messages, contrasted that of Francis Meynell, a poet and printer who dealt with literature including Shakespeare. In a piece entitled 'With twenty-six soldiers of lead I have conquered the world' Meynells aesthetic leaning is reflected.
"All the heights and depths and breadths of tangible and natural things - landscapes, sunsets, the scent of hay, the hum of bees, the beauty of which belongs to eyelids (and is falsely ascribed to eyes); all the immeasurable emotions and motions of the human mind, to which there seems no bound; ugly and terrible and mysterious thoughts and things, as well as beautiful - are all compassed, restrained, ordered in a trifling jumble of letters. Twenty-six signs!"
The opinions of these two men represent "the poles between which the graphic designer must choose a position." Function versus Aesthetic, an opposition of design philosophies which applies universally to any kind of creative endeavour.
Since Dwiggins coinage of the term it has evolved to concern a far wider range of disciplines and shifts within culture and technology. Through research it can be found that the term 'graphic design' has a more fluid than defined application. Christopher Prendergast points out the the error in offering a defined meaning as "A single, generalising description misses too much and is destined to do so, if it is offered as 'the' description". As a result this research will only be concerned with some of the more relevant disciplines enveloped by the term; Typography, Logo design, Photography and Illustraition. With the introduction of motion, further areas are required to be considered; Screen writing, narrative, editing, directing, animation and cinematography. Every one of these feeds into the successful development of a visual identity, they also represent areas in which a designer can fall short and jeopardise a project.
Judith Williamsons 'Decoding Advertisments' will play a key role in deciphering what effects each area of graphic design, and by extension motion design, has on its audience. In the words of Quentin Newark her book "remains the most thorough analysis of what some designers and critics flippantly refer to as 'visual language' (without ever exploring implications)." He goes on to point out "It is depressing that this book was written in 1978, yet nothing taking on or developing its arguments has appeared since." It is also noted that "Most books by or about designers need to be read with a pinch of salt. Invariably, the writer is treating her subject with reverence, and withholds a freer, more analytical view of the work."
These theories of design and their effects will be studied further in order to achieve a greater understanding which is hoped to lead to a more successful analysis of the combined materials. In the context of this research 'further' refers to the philosophies of aesthetics and the values of design movements. The writing of Immanuel Kant, as one of the more highly profiled aesthetic philosophers, among others will be analysed and compared for any differences. The most interesting and potentially relevant line of influence from Kants work was on a movement within philosophy to develop a practical application of aesthetic ideas using psychology. The Gestalt school of thought has had a more fundamental influence on design with the aid of John W Cataldo distilling it's findings into 5 laws in order to, in his own words, "provide the graphic designer with a reliable psychological basis for the spatial organisation of graphic information."
In the briefest of summaries the five laws are as follows: equilibrium, closure, continuation, similarity and proximity. Within each Cataldo describe the psychological implications of varying their elements. One modern philosopher of aesthetics, Denis Dutton, presented an attractively simple view of aesthetics in a talk entitled 'A Darwinian Theory of Beauty'. He gives a very compelling reasoning behind why some things are more visually desirable than others summing up with the statement: "we find beauty in something done well".
Looking to the movements of design and style Ellen Lupton and J Abbott Millers 'Design writing research' provides an insight across recent history. Through the book movements and styles are explained and questioned with theoretical conclusions proposed. The nature of their work lies somewhere between a theoretical and historical piece with a surprisingly eclectic nature. 'Graphic design, A Concise History' by Richard Hollis is another indispensable resource in bringing together a short history of design.
Although specific aesthetic philosophies and design movements have been established and written about across history, it is practically inconceivable that they take all views, ideas and creative manners into consideration. With a basis of opinions collected from literature it is necessary for any creative, and therefor anyone trying to understand the processes of creativity, to immerse themselves in as wide a variety of cultures as is possible. Within literature one of the most eclectic collections of ideas is Alan Fletchers 'The art of looking sideways' which is described as having the potential to become "the most cornucopia visual emporium we will see in our lifetimes"Newark 2002.
Moving from the field of graphic design into that of motion design there is less of a surplus in literature. One Key work that has been identified is 'Motion by Design' by Spencer Drate, David Robbins and Judith Salavetz which, similar to this study, begins with a brief introduction to graphic design before moving into motion design trough the study of a series of studios. The greatest amount of content on the subject is found in the form of monthly magazines, for example 'Computer Arts', and web sites, Motionographer.com. These do not so much discuss the design theory or creative process as they do the practical creation of work. This falls in line with Kyle Coopers observation that design, in many cases, is being created as a result of technology rather than using it as the tool it is.
In the Specific area of broadcast design the amount of literature decreases yet further, Bjorn Bartholdy remarks that "Bearing in mind the undeniable prominence of the theme of broadcast design and television branding, it seems strange that very little has been published on the matter." He has published one book on the subject, 'Broadcast Design', within which the aims and development of channel identities are discussed with industry professionals involved in the range of selected examples. One of the example organisations is the UK broadcast company 'Channel 4'. Bartholdy discusses the current branding, the center of which is a '4' made up from 9 blocks. The astonishing thing about these 9 blocks is that they have lasted the entire life span of broadcast branding. Originally introduced in 1982 it is the first example of a TV company presenting itself as a brand and has become an icon of design.
This research shall combine the theories of design established in the initial objective with these studies in order to produce an objective presentation of the processes used in their design development. Another publication of Bartholdys, 'Showreel.01', providers a wider context of design development with a range of studies from TV and film design (titles and trailers) to music videos and short films.
As media converges it brings the requirement that a channels visual identity be transferrable to a plethora of new and unknown future devices in all their varying formats. The design must possess a flexibility that will test a studios ability and become a deciding factor in it's success. This is over and above the fact that "a seasoned broadcast designer is expected to command a baffling array of professional abilities that include, among others, the typographic chops of a print designer, the motion and timing smarts of an animator, the stylistic rendering talents of an illustrator, the narrative skills of a writer or editor, the music sensibilities of a composer and the cinematic and live action directing abilities of a film maker." Kyle Cooper, 2006. It is hoped that the result of this effort will allow a well built foundation of knowledge on which to develop design where it is "set to contribute to the transformation of what is still our number one medium." Bartholdy, 2007.
Han Kjøbenhavn short film from Han Kjobenhavn on Vimeo.