Thomas Kryton (bio)

Chapter one provides an overall introduction to the "How and Why" of design and introduces basic terminology such as semiotics, discourse, methodology, method, and others. It also examines how this terminology has been borrowed from other fields and has become incorporated into the language of visual communication. The case study presented at the end of the chapter focuses on how one designer has responded to a client request by providing a visual brief that describes the working methodology that he will employ in providing a visual solution. The methodology used by this designer is presented in a flow chart fashion with accompanying text detailing key areas of the design process.

"Methods: Ways of Thinking" are covered in chapter two. Various research methods are examined in relation to each other and where they concern authorship and audience. Also covered in this chapter is project life span and the qualitive and quantitive analysis of the success or failure of a design. The first case study examines one designer's visual solution in providing a unique mapping system that documents cultural and political ideologies, types of graffiti, and various relations between them in a city map. The second case study delves into a designer's investigation of the love-heart symbol, such as in "I love New York." This designer has examined the various connotations, history and uses of the love-heart symbol and has presented them in posters and examining them.

Chapter three digs deeper into visual research and provides definitions for connotation versus denotation, the context of a design, and semiotics in relation to the signifier and the signified. The case study presented here examines Sharon Stone's endeavor in creating a visual language based upon her created symbols that attempt to portray "Englishness" to the reader. The symbology created is examined on the basis that the viewer will have the appropriate cultural background to read and understand the symbols.

"Audience and Message" is examine in chapter four, the author suggests that not only the relation between the audience and message is important but also the relation between the client and the audience in the context of the design. The case study presented in this chapter advances this notion further by investigating one designer's solution to scoring music for a acapella group which she is also part of. The visual solution proposed by the designer provides the audience, her vocal group a new way of visualizing music in relation to their specific needs. The other case study presented examines the creation of a phonetic alphabet that can be used across a variety of languages in order to help individuals learn a new language.

Materials, and text as materials are looked at in chapter five. The author examines how materials and form evoke different connotative meanings. The examination of Bram Stocker's "Dracula" is presented in the first case study and how various treatments such as descriptive text detailing the time of day events in the story take place offer a richer audience experience. The second case study examines one designer's attempts at creating a universal postage stamp and postage marking for the European Union that attempts to operate on the basis of inclusion rather than being culturally specific to one country.

The final chapter examines synthesis in relation to the research methods presented in the book, ie. at the end of research comes synthesis and how the resulting visual solution is expressed in the studio. The final case study examines a designer's investigations into alternate letterforms and the creation of a series of glyphs that act as an alternative to traditional letterforms.

Overall the book feels a little sketchy in its description of the various research methodologies suggested, but after all it's only an introduction to the materials presented. It does provide an in depth glossary of terms at the end that help further define the content presented and a two page further readings sections for individuals looking to examine the topics closer.

Digital Paint Graphic and Web Design