Mixing Messages

by Ellen Lupton

"Graphic Design shapes the meaning and impact of all we see and read. Mixing Messages traces how both the aesthetic value and overall pervasiveness of graphic design have changed over the past fifteen years. In this period, technological innovation and, especially, the rise of the personal computer have drastically altered graphic design practice, triggering explosions of creativity in all forms of visual communication. From the independent producer operating out of the home to the publishing conglomerate, a more diverse design community is creating the images that affect us every day. From the printed page to the Internet, typefaces, colors, logos, and images transmit information and ideas, generating a literacy of the eye that affects us every day. In this important new book, a critical text accompanied by over 300 color illustrations explores the aesthetic, cultural, and technological issues that are shaping the future of graphic design. Featured is work by numerous designers, inclu