Sunday, January 9, 2011

Reading Response #1

THE VICE A TO Z OF DESIGN

This article, a caustic list that was originally published in the Dec. 2004 issue of Vice Magazine, provides a satirical look into the world of design, as seen by a experienced designer. Although some might find the humor a bit off-color (both design concepts and sexual organs inhabit this A to Z), it is still worth a read, as it provides both a short (okay, extremely short) introduction to some significant design concepts, as well as insight into some of downfalls of the design profession.

 Being a fan of Vice Magazine's brand of humor, I really enjoyed this list. Although the list is mainly intended to entertain rather than to inform, I felt it served as an important reminder that being a designer is more than just "black turtlenecks and designer glasses" (as Tim Brown put it). The author shone light onto some of the cons of being designer, such as the lack of creative freedom necessitated by the need to satisfy both clients and their intended audiences. The list at the beginning of the article served as interesting fodder for Wikipedia searches, allowing me to learn a bit about historically significant designers. I was also was interested to learn about the origins of the word "stereotype".

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