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designers vs. artificial intelligence

My assumption was that the contemporary seeking of simplicity causes sameness. After searching simplicity approaches in design through history, I realized it is based on function. Previous examples of simplicity do not suffer from the lack of character, as current ones do. Nowadays, simple design is mainly to implement a template without minding the requirements of the specific project. Mass production reaches an impasse when it competes on a price basis only. So, the competition began to be based on esthetic values in many fields. In the book Propaganda, Bernays mentions that the taste and opinion of the authority are recognized by society (1928) and the esthetic values are always guided by monopolies. Manufacture is being modified to suit the economic need and meet the public demand for more beauty. (Bernays, 1928) A monopoly means a company or group having exclusive control over a commodity or service. There are various monopolies throughout history, from Standard Oil (1890s) to Mic

Flash vs Apple

Simplicity and complexity in design have been following each other for ages. Oversimplification to be functional lose its function in the end. Similarly, making something overly complex to personalize leads to lack of characterization. The reason behind sameness in design is to implement a mainstream approach overly or gratuitously. But does it cause from the misperception of designers or the boundaries that design tools set? *** In 1996, Macromedia acquired a vector-based web animation tool called FutureSplash, originally released in 1993. By 2009, Adobe announced that this tool -Flash - was installed on 99% of internet-connected desktop PCs. It grew because it filled a gap. Animations, video, sound, and interactivity were launched to web by dint of Adobe. But it is said that Adobe failed to capture the world of mobile devices, even with its efforts like Flash Lite. When the iPhone came out, Flash wasn't quite ready. But also, I think Apple wanted to create an Apple-only ecosy

complexity vs. simplicity

Communication design can be traced back to cave paintings 30,000 years ago, but it appeared as a term much later in 'New Kind of Printing Calls for New Design' (Dwiggins, 1922). Since, it became a kind of contest area to ​​many opposite concepts, one of which is simplicity vs. complexity. To look at an influential example, Modernism embraced simplicity as Industrial Revolution required (1760). Commercialism and capitalism were the drivers of design evaluation back then. Therefore, Modernism prioritized function over form to create a utopian vision of society. A good piece of commercial art had to be both beautiful and aesthetic. ( Rand, 1947) Although its primary examples are seen in the 1940s, postmodernism occurred as a rebellion against modernism. It shattered the utopian ideals and focused on skepticism, refusing to recognize authority. Simplicity and functionality have been replaced by complexity and contradiction, and many styles emerged from postmodernism between t

simplifying, but why?

Simplicity reduces things to the essence, but this is not its priority in design. The foundation of simplification in design is based on Vitruvius’ principles and Industrial Revolution is its milestone. Centuries before Europe, division of labor - as a primitive mass production - was practiced in China. The Venetian Arsenal (1104) also operated similarly to a production line, but it is industrial manufacturing that is associated with simplification. After Industrial Revolution (1760), mass manufacturing supplanted craftsmanship, and Ford's methods (1913) were quickly adopted by other industries. Assembly lines necessitated the standardization of affordable goods to the average person. Therefore, simplicity occurred. Peter Behrens, Raymond Loewy, Louise Sullivan are the pioneers who address it as a functional way of design and production. Form (ever) follows function. (Sullivan, 1896) The major use of tall buildings was office work, as a byproduct of the Industrial Revolution.

simplifiying things

Simplicity is about meaning. While thinking about contemporary design, I had assumed that the seek of simplicity causes sameness. Then, I realized simplification has always been a leitmotif in the history of design. The sameness is caused by a misunderstanding of simplicity.  As Robert Morris said, “The simplicity of form does not translate into an equal simplicity in experience”.  Simplification is not just searching for aesthetics. It aims to reduce the design to the essence. - - - Simplicity is about function. Simplicity not only has an aesthetic value, but  it also has a deeper perception.  The principles of Vitruvius *  (1st century, BC)  can be regarded as  the foundation of simplification in design. A  continuation of this approach is  “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” statement of Leonardo da Vinci.  The point is to  enhance the experience by r educing  the design to its meaning . A more recent example of the simplicity is Bauhaus movement. It defines the meaning as f

finding a new problem | a new perspective

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Although the  trendsetting  authorities may change over time,  the existence of popular, confirmed styles is a repetitious issue in graphic design. I t is inescapable that  imitating a mainstream approach without questioning causes disidentification rather than creating a sense of belonging. Correspondingly, t he idea is forced to be behind the visuality and design begins to lose its meaning.   Christoph Niemann As  Paul Boag mentions that it is inevitable as our industry matures and good design is about working within constraints. (2016) These trends are likely to occur due to demand and comprehending users' expectations is essential to interpret this monopolized structure in contemporary design. From books to websites, all products have a perceived story in users' minds and p eople tend to prefer things they  instinctively know which calls the  "mere  exposure effect". In terms of design, t hat means the more users are exposed to the same kind of visual elements, th

finding a problem

Design, as a visual practice, distinguishes itself from visual arts in terms of problem-solving. This core value requires the design to be peculiar to the project and thereby content-oriented. Due to several universal consents to visualization, contemporary design has increasingly become a monopolized structure. It vanishes the main aim of design, questioning. To seek an effective solution without an appropriate problem definition is vain. Yet, emulating an existing solution is not a proper problem itself. The trendy replicas in a mainstream style cause misidentification rather than belongingness. Instead of aiming to create customized solutions, designers tend to follow proven paths. The authorities may change in time but the tendency to the confirmed ways is a repetitive issue in design. The corporately confirmed outputs and excessive simplification are only reflections of this issue in contemporary design. Although the fundamental motivation of design is to create within the concept