Chip Kidd
For those who missed the very entertaining Chip Kidd last night I found this Dwell video/interview.
For me the best thing in the interview is when he says that the next evolution for graphic design is for designers to begin generating their own meaningful content, moving beyond the client. Having operated in this mode of making for years and confronting practitioners who argue against that it was nice to hear one of the most revered practitioners say that philosophy. I personally believe the “noodle-doodling” of making your own content and exploring your own ideas only makes your personal work for clients stronger.Enough of my soapbox.
Chip Kidd’s contribution beyond book covers are two very entertaining works of fiction. The Cheese Monkeys which documents the first year of graphic design at a university, and his latest book The Learners which documents the first design job out of the university. While I have not read all of The Learners what I have read is quite funny. He is also in a band that sings about design, they are playing at Grand Valley State this month, fun stuff. Check out this nice little trailer for his latest book:
by Ryan M | 03.07.08 | Miscellany, Print | 4 Comments »
very cool! I wish I could have made it to the lecture. I like that so much of his work is simple, compelling, and bold. It’s not as easy a task as it might appear. I also really liked seeing inside his home.
The singing part really surprised me. I didn’t know he had a band!!
It was a cool lecture, and I wish I went to the book signing at Borders. I’ll probably pick up The Learners sometime. I’m a fan of Chris Ware, so I found the thing he said at the lecture about getting him to write the title in that fancy script interesting.
I agree about generating your own content… how can you design a person’s ideas whom you’ve never before met, if you don’t know how to express yourself through design? This should be something people naturally do, and I’m happy I got the chance to do some of that at EMU.
totally wish i could have made it there.
design is an art form – how is generating your own content scoffed at? you become your own client. doesnt really sound like anything new to me.