A History Of Arab Graphic Design

The first-ever book-length history of Arab graphic design PROSE AWARD WINNER, ART HISTORY & CRITICISM Arab graphic design emerged in the early twentieth century out of a need to influence, and give expression to, the far-reaching economic, social, and political changes that were taking place in the Arab world at the time. But graphic design as a formally recognized genre of visual art only came into its own in the region in the twenty-first century and, to date, there has been no published study on the subject to speak of. A History of Arab Graphic Design traces the people and events that were integral to the shaping of a field of graphic design in the Arab world. Examining the work of over eighty key designers from Morocco to Iraq, and covering the period from pre-1900 to the end of the twentieth century, Bahia Shehab and Haytham Nawar chart the development of design in the region, beginning with Islamic art and Arabic calligraphy, and their impact on Arab visual culture, through to the digital revolution and the arrival of the Internet. They look at how cinema, economic prosperity, and political and cultural events gave birth to and shaped the founders of Arab graphic design. Highlighting the work of key designers and stunningly illustrated with over 600 color images, A History of Arab Graphic Design is an invaluable resource tool for graphic designers, one which, it is hoped, will place Arab visual culture and design on the map of a thriving international design discourse.

Arab graphic design emerged in the early twentieth century out of a need to influence, and give expression to, the far-reaching economic, social, and political changes that were taking place in the Arab world at the time. Examining the work of over eighty key designers from Morocco to Iraq, and covering the period from pre-1900 to the end of the twentieth century, A History of Arab Graphic Design traces the people and events that were integral to the shaping of a field of graphic design in the Arab world.

An inspirational guide to designing with Arabic script, for native and nonnative speakers alike The Arabic-speaking world is growing in political and economic power, but for nonnative speakers, using Arabic script in graphic design can be daunting. This visual resource book, written by a designer-typographer from the Middle East with extensive experience working for Western agencies and type foundries, considers the challenges and pitfalls of producing work for a Middle Eastern audience, from cultural misunderstandings to the finer points of font design. Using vibrantly illustrated case studies, from logotype conversions for European and Middle Eastern television networks to websites and printed media, the book shows the importance of cultural knowledge to good design and demonstrates the evocative power of Arabic script. An introductory volume, the book presents a brief history of Arabic calligraphy and modern type design. Two chapters are devoted to typography and logotype design, followed by a substantial section of case studies that give real-world examples and the lessons learned from them. The only accessible book on the subject, Arabic for Designers will open up a new world of possibilities to students, practicing designers, and art directors, guiding them to a greater understanding of how to produce the most effective and enduring design solutions.

Despite their rich tradition of calligraphy, the Arab World and Persia are not known for their contemporary graphic design, illustration and typography. Especially now, it's worth taking a look at the region's creativity. Young designers are just beginning to chart their own compelling course between local visual convention and a modern, international style. Arabesque investigates the creative potential of the Arab World and Iran. This book features examples of recent innovative and groundbreaking design work that is inspired by the richness of the region's visual culture. Given the important role of calligraphy in the Middle East, Arabesque focuses on typography. The book presents a wide range of Arabic fonts and typefaces inspired by traditional calligraphy; these are accompanied by a rich selection of applications. Further examples of design and graffiti serve as powerful demonstrations of how text can be used illustratively. This work is particularly relevant to those now creating street art and poster design. Arabesque also features graphic design, logos and illustration by young designers and activists from Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which is complemented by selected projects by Western designers, who are strongly influenced by Arab culture. Regardless of the location and ancestry of their creators, all of the examples included in Arabesque combine modern design with the traditional, letter-based canon of Arab forms in striking ways. Supplemental texts describe the environments in which the featured designers and artists work. Arabesque also includes a CD-ROM that features a typeface created by the book's editors, Ben Wittner and Sascha Thoma.

Exploring visual culture, design and politics in 1960s Beirut, this compelling interdisciplinary study examines a critical period in Lebanon's history.

Baseline Shift captures the untold stories of women across time who used graphic design to earn a living while changing the world. Baseline Shift centers diverse women across backgrounds whose work has shaped, shifted, and formed graphic design as we know it today. From an interdisciplinary book designer and calligrapher during Harlem's Renaissance, to the invisible drafters of Monotype's drawing office, the women represented here include auteurs, advocates for social justice, and creators ahead of their time. The fifteen essays in this illustrated collection come from contributors with a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. Baseline Shift is essential reading for students and practitioners of graphic design, as well as anyone with an interest in women's history.

An astonishing collection of graphics, uncovered from long- forgotten sources, mostly in China itself. From posters and advertisements to book covers and magazines, this book presents a dazzling panoply of modern graphic design in China. Beginning with the basic traditions of Chinese graphics, the authors show how the writer and artist Lu Xun became the center of cultural revival in the new China. We see Art Deco coming to China in the Shanghai Style, and the birth of a dynamic national design style, born of Russian Constructivism and China’s own drive for new technology. The Socialist Realist art of Mao in turn adopted folk art traditions to fuel the Revolutionary machine, while the continuing search for a new identity can be seen in the graphic images of protest from the summer of 1989.

Now in its second edition, this wide-ranging, seminal text offers an accessible account of the history of graphic design from the nineteenth century to the present day. Organized chronologically, the book makes an important critical contribution to the subject by presenting graphic design and typography as deeply embedded in the fabric of society in every era. This distinctive approach enables Stephen J. Eskilson to discuss the evolution of graphic design in light of prevailing political, social, military and economic conditions, as well as nationalism and gender. After surveying typography from Gutenburg to Bodoni, he traces the impact of the Industrial Revolution and the influence of Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movements on the graphic arts. In the richly contextualised chapters that follow, he chronicles the history of the early twentieth-century modernist design styles, the wartime politicization of American and Soviet regional styles, the Bauhaus, the rise of the International Style in the 1950s-1960s, and the post-modern movement of the 1970s-1980s right through to the challenges facing the world's designers today. This second edition has been carefully reviewed and revised throughout to best reflect contemporary scholarship. In addition to over 80 new colour images, there is a revised final chapter that includes an up-to-date survey of the wealth of aesthetic, conceptual and technical developments in graphic design over the last few years.'The book provides a sensible and coherent timeline of historical development in graphic design. The new text addresses issues of how and why, as well as of the when, in our discipline. Terrific!' Dr Paul Rennie, Head of Context, Graphic and Communication Design, Central St Martins, London