I’m currently living in Rotterdam in The Netherlands and as you’d expect the majority of everything is in dutch. As I don’t speak any dutch I depend heavily on visual rhetoric and visual associations to understand the message. For example, I was looking for some biscuits I came across a shelf full of different varieties, I found what I wanted purely based on the colours. For some reason dark chocolate is nearly always associated with the colour red and milk chocolate with blue. I’m not sure exactly why but perhaps it’s because red is usually associated with being a rich colour, a regal colour, which links back to the rich dark chocolate.

There are a lot more examples; dark blue and light blue milk cartons, full-fat milk and semi-skimmed milk respectively. Red/White combination is closely connected with ‘Sale’ or ‘Value’. These colour associations are basic, perhaps somewhat obvious but are an intrinsic part of visual rhetoric. Aside from colours, images too are reliant on their rhetorical value. This is a tricky area as different cultures and environments will have vastly different reactions to the same image. A solid understanding of the audience you are trying to communicate to is imperative to appropriate rhetoric.

Having said that I am not suggesting that you should settle with whatever image is most obvious, and ‘does the job’. In the case of chocolate cookies maybe it is more valid to do just that; I don’t believe that a package design for cookies should be challenging cultural issues or perceptions. On the other hand when presented with the challenge of designing something that needs to engage with the end viewer then I feel it’s important to augment the meaning and touch the heart of the viewer.

Objectivity

Quite often, particularly in advertising I feel there’s a lack of personality and heart in the work we see. This links back to the cookies example earlier, the packaging is a form of advertising, but what about other pursuits. So often design becomes too objective, lacking in any personality of the designer. Frequently I see a very mechanistic approach to graphic design; I sometimes think you could interchange many of the graphic elements of two polar opposite designs and it wouldn’t make a difference to the message because they are purely empty ornament. Perhaps I’m being purist but there’s sincerity and reason behind what I’m saying. Since living in The Netherlands it has opened my eyes to a wealth of solid, considered design, it’s part of this countries culture. Coming from Ireland, which doesn’t have such a rich design history like most of Europe, however it is progressing internationally, I don’t see as much of an understanding for design in Ireland as I do here in The Netherlands. Dare I say it, but making this comparison is much similar to comparing the master and his apprentice.

Quick thought on Irish Graphic Design

In Ireland when mentioning graphic design, it’s quickly followed by confusion about what it is, usually with a blank opinion. This is possibly because graphic design was never a huge part of Irish culture and life, it’s their but it’s for the most part frivolous. I find there’s a massive ignorance of what we do and what it means to be a designer. Only a select few, generally those involved in the industry know what ‘graphic design’ implies. In recent years many Irish companies have sprung up, producing some great work that is pushing forward and experimenting. Ireland has a very closely knit design community which allows for collaboration and awareness of whats going on. I think it’s growing and will continue to do so, but slowly.