Image and Text: Themes in the History of Communication Design

Course Content:

This module presents a chronological history of illustration and graphic design production
from the middle of the nineteenth century to the present day in Europe and North
America. In doing so, its aim is to consider the different factors that have affected and influenced the production of imagery during this period.

The first part of the module focuses on issues of processes and practices, and seeks to
chart the developing relationship between the illustration and graphic professions, whilst
conveying the overarching attitudes and ideas that have coloured artistic and design
production and discussion.

In the second part of the module students will consider the professional development of
design for communication and media, the evolution of ?popular? mass imagery and the
role of changing technologies and techniques, including the moving image and
animation, in the development of image and text production and reproduction.

The module engages with critical texts to allow students to examine the relationship
between theory and practice in design and to gain an understanding of the development
of graphic design and illustration as a cultural response to modernity. This module will
provide a historical and critical framework through image-based lectures, screenings and
study visits.

Autumn semester summary:
? Introduction to the module; Key themes in Modernism
? The Manifesto
? The avant-garde and Expressionism
? Sans serif, sans style?: the Persistence of International Modernism
? Is Ornament a Crime?
? Sub-, Counter-, and Youth Cultures
? Cities of Signs, Signs of Cities
? The Films of Charles and Ray Eames
? Television Delivers
? Exhibition Proposal Feedback and Review

Spring Semester summary:
? Introduction to the module; Children?s Book Illustration
? The Designer As?: Authorship and Independent Publishing
? Design It Yourself: Bricolage, the Designer-Amateur and Design for Interaction.
? Copy-Paste: From Pastiche to Piracy
? What?s News?: the Photo-Essay and Reportage
? The Graphic Novel
? Protest and Critique: Possibilities of Graphic Resistance
? Design and Gender
? Video Game Narratives
? The Digital Book
? How Do We Visualise Information?
? End Credits: Title Sequences in Film
Teaching: Image-based lectures, discussions, screenings and study visits

Assessment:
STUDY OPTION 1:
? Exhibition proposal, 1000 words (30%)
? Essay, 2000 words (70%)
STUDY OPTION 2 OR 3: Assessed essay (1,500-2000 words) (tbc)

Study Option 1 = Whole Year
Study Option 2 = Autumn
Study Option 3 = Spring/summer