Evolution of graphic Design

early 1900

in the early 1900's there was a German man by the name of Peter Behrens and he played a big role in the in graphic design. Behrens developed a new philosophy "new objectivity" in design which emphasized technology, manufacturing processes, and function, with style subordinated to purpose. after peter was made artistic adviser for all of AEG’s activities (AEG is a large electrical manufacturing firm) his work grew more famous and alot of competing companies/groups started to follow Behrens philosophy almost setting the standard for the time

World War 1

in addition to such aesthetic, commercial, and corporate purposes, graphic design also played an important political role in the early 20th century, as seen in posters and other graphic propaganda produced during World War I. Colour printing had advanced to a high level, and governments used poster designs to raise funds for the war effort, encourage productivity at home, present negative images of the enemy, encourage enlistment in the armed forces, and shore up citizens’ morale. The ability to successfully use graphic design for propaganda purposes during the war was a pretty big factor for success in the war

1920s-1930s

during this decade we were going to witness the next step in graphic design. Building upon the formal design experiments from the beginning of the century, between the world wars, European graphic designers utilized the new forms, organization of visual space, and expressive approaches to colour of such avant-garde movements as Cubism, Constructivism, Futurism and surrealism. In England, E. McKnight Kauffer, who was one of the first designers to understand how the elemental symbolic forms of Cubist and Futurist painting could be applied to the communicative medium of graphic design. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, his posters, book jackets, and other graphics achieved an immediacy and vitality well-suited to the fast-paced urban environment in which his visual communications were experienced.

World War 2

A war stops everything, from services (water, electricity, fuel) to the supply of food and the forms of communication of the population, so it was necessary to find some way to inform, and graphic design was an effective tool during the war.

The governments involved in the conflict of this period used graphic design to make propaganda and broadcast perceptions, information on offensive and defensive attacks, education, or to weaken a culture.

It is well known that the German government used the design to promote Aryan culture as supremacist and extol the Nazism.

The United States and England used designs with the colors, phrases and situations of their culture that gave them good results among the civilian population.

When American men had to go out to fight in Europe, the women were left in the care of the children while they returned; However, the factories lacked a labor force, which until then was exclusively male.

Faced with necessity, women filled these jobs in the textile, arms and munitions sectors, although with lower salaries.

The poster "We can do it”was a way of representing that new feminine force that took the place of men in the war, and now it is a symbol of the Feminist movement that every day spreads all over the world.

1940's

After World War II, designers in Switzerland and Germany codified Modernist graphic design into a cohesive movement called Swiss Design, or the International Typographic Style. These designers sought a neutral and objective approach that emphasized rational planning and de-emphasized the subjective, or individual, expression. They constructed modular grids of horizontal and vertical lines and used them as a structure to regularize and align the elements in their designs. These designers preferred photography as a source for imagery. They created asymmetrical layouts, and they embraced the prewar designers’ preference for sans-serif typefaces. The elemental forms of the style possessed harmony and clarity, and adherents considered these forms to be an appropriate expression of the postwar scientific and technological age.

1950's

When it comes to graphic design in the 1950s, the aesthetic is a rainbow of eye-popping pastels. However, just like today, there wasn’t any “one” look. Some looks became timeless classics as they gained popularity when technology, tastes, and social evolved.

The 1950s was the post-war era, so designers developed a feeling of idealism. After all the horror and tragedy of the second world war, the design shifted to accommodate the need to rebuild and reconstruct, making things more open and democratic. As a result, there was a sense of social responsibility among designers. Many experiments were happening. The high modernist period started to be broken down, rationalised and codified. The so-called “international typographic style” or Swiss-style emerged.

1960's

Graphic design in the 1960s emerged after the brutality of the Southeast Asia wars, an increasing racial divide, and the rebellion of the youth against the cultural norms. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll dominated the scene, and the art and design of era reflected these changes. From the geometric layouts and clean and prim forms of the 1950s, graphic design in the 1960s evolved to incorporate asymmetrical experiential styles and messy grunge abstracts.

The change

during the 20th century graphic design changed so much. in the early 1900's we were still using traditional feature in our designs but as the years went on and with the evolution of technology and different philosophy becoming popularized design changed into a more morden and colourful kind of design

Over time people created new ways to create better desing and it has only gotten better over the years