art

The documentary Graphic Means by Briar Levit, is a snapshot look at the historical developments in technology that have taken place in the field of Graphic Design in a window of 30 years. 

The doc explores graphic design production of the 1950s through the 1990s—from linecaster to photocomposition, and from paste-up to PDF. The title refers to how the actual "Means" of production is intimately linked to the ways the "Graphics" are produced.

Up until just over 30 years ago, when the desktop computer debuted, the whole design production process would have been done primarily by hand, and with the aide of analog machines. The design and print industries used a variety of ways to get type and image onto film, plates, and finally to the printed page. Graphic Means is a journey through this transformative Mad Men-era of pre-digital design production to the advent of the desktop computer. It explores the methods, tools, and evolving social roles that gave rise to the graphic design industry as we know it today. 

For a visual of some of those tools and methods covered in the film:

https://www.instagram.com/graphicmeans/ Links to an external site.

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/graphicmeans/302126709 Links to an external site.

https://vimeo.com/218256865 Links to an external site.

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/graphicmeans/302025332 Links to an external site.

https://vimeo.com/251475599 Links to an external site.

write a paragraph(10 sentences) that shares your reaction to 1)how graphic design was practiced pre-digital and early digital, 2)thoughts about how things have evolved/changed, and 3)discuss the ways that transition to digital has made graphic design as a field and a profession more democratic. (accessible to more people).