The introduction of digital technology greatly influenced and revolutionised graphic design in the early 1980s (Staples, 2000). Prior to this everything was handmade using a range of different techniques. Digital technology advances allowed for design exploration and a challenging of the norms of visual communication, writing and reading.
April Greiman was one of the first designers to use and experiment with computers in her designs. She graduated from the Basel School of Design in Switzerland and in the mid 1970s began her design career in New York City (AIGA, 2018). While she was well educated on the standard practises of design and typography, in her own career she began to push these design boundaries. Seeking something different Greiman moved to Los Angeles, in which offered a limited aesthetic (AIGA,2018). However it allowed Greiman to further push design boundaries.
With the Macintosh computer entering the market in 1984, many designers were opposed to its existence and highly skeptical of its advantages to the field (AIGA, 2018). Intrigued by the technology, Greiman experimented with digital imaging and typography within her printed work (Staples, 2000). This digital platform allowed Grieman to incorporate pixellated letterforms and pictures in her design practise and style. Soon Grieman would also explore the use of video imagery and New Wave typography (AIGA, 2018). “Iris Light” was the first of Grieman’s successful pieces that utilised digital technology.
Greiman is an interesting design figure to analyse as while she was educated in a classical design practise, she incorporates modernist design elements in her later work. She welcomed digital technology in design at a time when the majority of design influencers were against the transition.
By Chelsea Buswell.
References:
Staples, L. (2000) ‘Typography and the Screen: A Technical Chronology of Digital Typography, 1984 amp;#8211;1997’, Design Issues, 16(3), pp. 19–34. doi: 10.1162/07479360052053306.
AIGA (2018) April Greiman, AIGA | the professional association for design. Available at: https://www.aiga.org/medalist-aprilgreiman(Accessed: 11 October 2018).
the work of Bryan Rackleff: April Greiman Inc. my 1st job in Design (2018). Available at: http://bryanrackleff.blogspot.com/1991/01/april-greiman-inc-my-1st-job-in-design.html (Accessed: 11 October 2018).
April Greiman | “Iris Light”the poster made from a combinati… | Flickr. Available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/128049035@N05/15646707981(Accessed: 11 October 2018).
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