Graphic Design as the Branch of Visual Art and Daily Communication - Essay Example

Having watched and listened to a video of a talk about design given by David Carson, I walked away with certain understandings about graphic design. Carson talked about effective and ineffective design strategies and how they have developed over the years.Graphic design is the branch of visual art dedicated to communicating messages. It is most used in marketing strategy and brand recognition. Some methods are more effective than others. Furthermore, what is effective in some places may not be so in others.

By effectiveness, we mean how much power a design has to motivate people or help them identify a company. For example, where a one or two-letter sign may be effective in identifying a company such as BP, it is not effective for another company simply identified as B. Plus; presentation of an idea does not necessarily mean it was communicated accurately. A scribbled "keep off grass" sign is not as effective as a neatly designed "keep off grass" sign with an appropriately designed logo. Also, just because a sign communicates effectively does not mean what it communicates is good.

Governments have become masters at influencing citizens with graphic design by communicating messages sometimes to support darkly political objectives.