First Things First

I have always been aware of the vast difference between fine art and graphic design. Before coming to USF, and really before I decided on being a design major, I was always very bias towards fine art. I saw graphic design as being unmoving, and having no relationship to the viewer. Graphic design was two dimensional and therefore not as tangible as fine art can be. I saw fine art having a better relationship with not only the viewer, but with the artist as well. Fine art is a hands on skill that requires a physical pull from the artist. Graphic design is not like that anymore. It used to be more interactive before computer programs changed graphic design and the direction it was going into for good. So, I was very wary of the role graphic designed played other than advertisement, signage, packaging, and brand development. It seemed less personal and having less of an impact to the art world. I really had no idea what I was talking about before my introduction to graphic design at this university.

Both fine art and graphic design share the quality of being able to communicate anything in any platform or medium. Graphic design has had huge influences on its audience not only in a social context, but politically and historically. Although fine arts has a longer history, graphic design has evolved more dramatically than fine arts since the introduction of the internet and online media. Pertaining to the First Things First 1964 a manifesto, this is when graphic designers have demanded to have a different platform other than social media and advertisement. This manifesto calls for a new look towards graphic design and rejects the point of view I originally had.

I feel this manifesto calls for a revolution of graphic design artists. Graphic design is art, and the people creating it are artists. Fine art and graphic design have worked together in our history to call for social change. Without either platform, public voice would be very lost.