If we had to talk about graphic design that occurs more frequently today and that represents creative minds (in general terms) of today ... What would you say? What artistic currents do you recognize as habitual, recurrent and successful in the current aesthetic scene?
Next we are going to see the five movements that best represent the graphic designer of today:
- Minimalism: The essence is what defines the identity of an element and what gives it value and quality so that everything that is not essential is a redundancy, a burden, almost an obstacle. The concept of minimal was first used on the lips of Richard Wollheim, the psychologist, in the XNUMXs. The implications of his term were clear: Any object that had a very high intellectual content but low formal content was minimal. Some of the most notable characteristics of this artistic trend are abstraction, economy, precision and elemental geometry bordering on structural purism. Everything seems to be concentrated in the minimum space necessary to be able to define itself as an object. Currently the clearest expression of minimalism in graphic and web design is flat design. This movement dispenses with three-dimensionality, details and nuances. Everything is gathered in a clear construction, with pure colors and using only and exclusively the base elements.
- Retro and vintage: Both currents evoke bygone times and worship the artistic models that reigned in ancient times. The etymological origin of the word vintage comes from the evolution of the Latin word “vindemia” and it was used to refer to the oldest and highest quality wines. This word mutated and crossed the limits of fashion, acquiring a new meaning: All those elements of the furniture, wardrobe or any type of accessories that were at least twenty years old and aesthetically provide values of the moment in which they were designed, would become authentic relics. Treasures of times past. But the term retro has been mixed with the term vintage, which although they have many common characteristics, they really are different and refer to different trends. Vintage elements are all those works that originally come from the past without receiving any type of modification, at least they have not undergone major modifications. These are creations from other times that have been preserved and like a good wine, time has given them more and more value. Retro creations or compositions are current creations, carried out with current procedures but imitating the guidelines or models created in ancient times. In this way, all the graphic proposals that we elaborate as designers are retro proposals. These currents are as present in the world of photomanipulation and photography as they are in web design, lettering and layout.
- Cubism: It is the origin of all the avant-gardes of the twentieth century and the truth is that it was from its appearance that it stopped speaking in lesser terms to officially declare the break with the previous artistic cycle. It is baptized as cubism due to the continuous use of cubes to represent anything and any work. Multiple perspective is the fundamental resource of this new artistic era. All the parts and faces of the objects are represented simultaneously, that is, everything that is known about it is shown on the same plane. This scientific and technical aspect is very interesting because it works with art from a totally experimental perspective and that somehow opens the door to a parallel universe and a new conception of art. And it is that this perspective is still valid in many designs, that is the irrefutable proof of its quality. Despite the time that has elapsed, their records and contributions continue to be a trend in all types of proposals. We can find remains of Picasso, Blanchard, Braque or Gris in any type of work: Sculptures, cinema, advertising posters ...
- Surrealism: It is one of the most attractive artistic vanguards of the XNUMXth century. Figures such as Bosco or Goya were in charge of paving the way for the term surrealism to appear later. The quote from the great teacher Goya could very well introduce all this. "The dream of the reason produces monsters". But when do we allow our reason to sleep and dream? When do we allow ourselves to detach ourselves from the rules established by science, society and tradition? Perhaps that liberation caused by dreams is the food of the true creative monster that we have inside. The greatest legacy that all these antecedents left us was the rebellion against reality and logic. Reason seemed suddenly to become the greatest enemy of the human being by limiting it and reducing it to a mediocre condition. It is a moment, where the recreation of the imaginary and the importance of fantasy dominate canvases, cinema and art. The absurdity of dreams and the irrational world is represented to accommodate all kinds of proposals, however surprising they might seem. Today it manifests itself above all in photomanipulation, illustration and those areas that allow greater freedom and are less subject to formalism and academicism.
- hipster: In some way, we could say that the hipster movement is a mixture of several of the traits of the previous currents. The current or the hipster movement is the most representative of today's youth scene. At first it was associated with independent music but as often happens this conception ended up encompassing other fields of art and the creative world. If we talk about its main characteristics, it stands out for being eclectic and bringing together a good part of the ingredients presented by the alternative postwar movements such as beatnik, hippie, punk and grunge. In graphic design this is manifested by the hand of retro elements, minimalism, surrealism and perhaps also cubism, although to a lesser extent.