ID kid seeking info regarding Graphic Design trends

Design Discussions general design discussion
1

Hey There coreKids-
So my degree is in Industrial Design, but I’m very much interested in Graphic Design, but I’m not quite sure where to begin my research- I’m putting together a presentation as part of an intern project.

I’m looking to develop an understanding of current and projected Graphic Design trends, as well as who’s who/big names in the following areas:
Print (editorials / spreads)
Digital media
Consumer product goods / packaging
Advertising

I’m looking for anything to get me on the path to understanding, be it books, blogs, magazines, whatever - anything that can verbally tell me, or visually embodies the most forward thinking or fashionable in the graphic industry.

Thanks, I look forward seeing what you can throw at me!!

2
3

Yep, that should just about do it.

4

and maybe I’m missing something here-

I’m not looking for how to be creative- I was merely assigned to assess the industry - I work for a strictly product consultancy-

blogs like www.thedieline.com, or names of firms such as Tank Design, or Tomorrow, even publications such as Wallpaper, or Arkitip magazine - http://www.arkitip.com/magazines/, or maybe just websites or media that are well designed/have good layout- I can look at a million sites but it helps to have a few names that people in the design community might know just as a jump off point.

5

notcot.org frequently has good stuff.

of course there are also the industry mags you could check out for trends, firms, award winning projects, etc. Communication arts, How magazine, Graphis, etc.

pretty much any big bookstore or design bookstore should have lots, not really sure what more you want.

R

6

Hi,

You wouldn’t go wrong by starting with Pentagram, who generally do amazing work, Michael Bierut in particular. In the UK, Non-Format, N.B Studio, JohnsonBanks, Poke (interactive) would all be good to look at.

Good reference points are;

www.designobserver.com

http://www.creativereview.co.uk/crblog

http://ffffound.com/

Nosing around all of their archives should fill you in. Failing that, the book to read would be ‘79 Short Essays on Design’ by Michael Beirut, or there is an extensive reading list at;

[url]http://www.underconsideration.com/speakup/archives/002514.html[/url]

7

I’m with RK. I have found the combination of Communication Arts magazine and any book from Graphis is more than enough to satisfy my graphic desires.

Comm Arts
http://www.commarts.com/home/

Graphis
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=graphis&x=13&y=24

8

The Design Religionist:
http://web.mac.com/jdcog/Site/Blog/Blog.html

I think I saw this guy on DO. Come to think of it, I might have seen gapingvoid.com on there too. That or Digg. Regardless, I think it’s important to get informattion from all sides.