Welcome to the Graphics 217 blog, the somewhat forced, but hopefully enjoyable exercise in blogging that you will be engaging in this spring as part of your introductory graphic design course. More importantly, welcome back to school after a much deserved break. I'm very excited to be working with you this semester and getting to know you all well over what is going to be an amazingly fast 15 weeks.
This blog is a class exercise yes, but more importantly it is an opportunity for our interactions to extend beyond the classroom. Throughout the semester you will respond the Lupton reading for the class, comment on current events happening in the world of visual communications and add your graphics projects for the rest of the class to view, respond to, learn from and enjoy.
The world of design extends much further than we can even begin to breach in 15 weeks. There are daily examples of the importance of design in your various industries of choice. The presidential campaigns have already given us a number of talking points in design in the past and again this past fall. In the past few months we’ve seen the
much discussed emblem of Barack Obama’s campaign. There were also some recent issues surrounding the meaning, or really added meaning, of a scarf worn by
Rachel Ray in a Dunkin’ Donuts web advertisement. Those in the communication industry must think and respond to these issues. They must think about whether the
redesign of a magazine is appropriate for their audience or how they can use design in their web or print public relations campaigns to not only attract an audience but to disseminate information in a clear and concise manner. Photography plays an important role in this as well. Not only does it play a prevalent role in all of these forms of communication, but the issues surrounding the use and purchase of photography are challenged daily as new forms of photo stock-houses like
IStockphoto and
stock•xchng change the business models set up in earlier generations of design.
You will face these issues and you will discuss them not only here, but as you begin or continue your career outside the walls of Newhouse in the not too distant future.
To help you along the way and to introduce you to some of my favorite blogs in this industry I’ve started a blogroll to the right that will point you in some interesting directions. Use these as starting points, but don’t forget to use your eyes. You may think I’m crazy right now, but in a few short weeks you will look at the world in a very different way. If I do my job you will understand why you perceive things the way that you do, you’ll criticize the typefaces in movie posters and highway signs and in the packaging of your favorite brands. You will see all that you’ve seen in the past, but with a new layer of understanding that will add to your value as a professional in the communications field. The beauty is watching as you make these discoveries and begin to understand their meaning and share their power. If you see something out in the world as you walk the streets of Syracuse or your hometowns, take a picture or scan it or grab a link and post it up to the blog.
You will be required to post a set number of posts and responses each week of this class as highlighted in the syllabus. These will be graded based on your adherence to deadlines for each post and will also take into account the quality of your posting. By all means feel free to post MORE THAN YOU ARE REQUIRED. We all want to hear what you have to offer and your participation in these discussions will only make for a richer experience for those of you that are vocal and those of you observing the conversation, and really everyone that reads this blog. Just remember, this is open to the public. Your classmates, your instructors, strangers and possibly even potential employers will read the comments you make here. That’s not meant to scare you or censor you, but to remind you that this is a professional exercise that is searchable and readable to all.
My last an final word before things get going is to remind you to ENJOY YOURSELF THIS SEMESTER. These short weeks go by in a blink and there will be times of stress and I hope times of laughter and enjoyment and very little pain. I take this class seriously and hope that you do as well, but there’s some levity to be had in serious times and that’s the kind of environment I hope will be present in the class and this blog.
Let the blogging begin...
Greg
When I look at the Dunkin Donuts logo, the bright colors attract me. However, the font of the text is the most important thing. The designers of this logo opted for a rounded font, which isn’t necessarily childish, but it reminds me of something a bit less serious. It is welcoming, unpretentious, and less assuming. Take a look at the Starbucks logo. The woman in the center draws allusions to mythical characters, and the sans serif, large block typeface is very serious and more sophisticated. The typefaces play to the clientele of each company. 
Starbucks sells a higher-priced, “fancier” type of coffee, and they have a fancier, almost more-educated type of logo. Dunkin Donuts has a less expensive, more home-y, and regular person-feel to their logo. This isn’t to say that only a certain type of person drinks each type of coffee; people should choose the caffeinated beverage that is most tasty to them. However, I’m sure that much of America is more concerned about the image of their cup than what is inside of it. Either way, (and it should be no surprise) both Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts have successfully used typefaces to sell their products across the United States and even around the world.
