Jordan's unique geographical position results in its experts choosing self development, which include graphic design. Experts are also involved with developments occurring in neighbouring countries and the internet was extremely useful in putting interested parties in both of these fields in touch with one another and sharing possible development tools. The development of GRAPHICAL DESIGN can be assisted by annual exhibitions and specialised conferences held both in Jordan and beyond your Arab world.
The academic and professional specialists for the foundation in developing graphic design through the forming of local learning institutions. In read more , programmers and graphical design teachers can talk with professional designers and discuss the way business is continue and requirements of the labour market.
Practical training is definitely the foundation of Graphic Design, upon which the academic skill of the student and his creativity are built. Employed in a design office is considered to be the main and effective tool in measuring the amount of academic learning. It also gives an indication of the effectiveness of teachers in producing a generation of students capable of coping with the academic ethos and engaging with certain requirements of the profession. This training supplies the students with opportunities to polish and develop their skills by working along with established practitioners. Today's graphic design tools rely on information technology for producing visualisations of scientific developments. This visualisation requires an understanding of the scientific theory and the visualisation tools available, which in turn depends on the expertise of graphic artists.
In this paper I am going to focus on the profession of graphic design and its own development by discussing its early development. I am going to review the positive and negative areas of that development and how they related to changes on the market and the size of the marketplace and labour force. I am going to also discuss the academic concepts, and the requirement for graduate graphic artists.
In this paper I draw from my experience of employed in Jordan since 1987 at the MIDAS Establishment and my roles in student training at Yarmouk University and the SYSTEMS University, which I had been mounted on since 1999. This paper addresses many questions and aims to explore the mechanics of enhancing graphical design in the academic and professional sectors.
The historic and technical initial stages of graphic design in Jordan
Graphic design developed alongside the printing and it industries. Printing was brought to Jordan in the 1940s by individuals who had learnt the trade far away. Jordan's printing evolution was much like that of other countries. Printing started using wooden moulds, then zinc clich�s and letterpress, as well as other printing tools, symbols and shapes. It had been the printing technology that restricted the scope for producing new designs. The range of items printed was limited by newspapers, cards and stationary. Printing started mainly in black and white, and was then developed to make photo made clich�s by which the printers were able to print completely colour. Typolography, or raised printing was the main method and continues to be used today. Offset printing enhanced the quality of production, providing improvements in colour and picture reproduction. Around the same time the role of the graphic designer was developed, relating to the preparation of makettes and film montage and plates to be ready for printing (prepress); this relied on the professionalism of the film montage technician for the preparation of backgrounds for the pictures and words. Prepress was considered the most important process in the production of the final printed article. This technique was carried out at the prepress service centre that was limited to a single institution until 1987. This centre had the capability and technology to perform a range of techniques where an artistic touch was required.
In the late sixties, design pioneers were not graphic artists, but had learnt the technologies of collage and calligraphy. They were able to imitate designs from abroad and in some instances reproduced them. Their work initially ranged from greetings cards, business cards, social stationary, letterheads and envelopes, then progressed to brochures and folders. The task was mainly limited to newspaper advertising which relied predominantly on the offset printing method. We shouldn't forget the air brush technology that provided designers by using graded colours, achieving 3d effects for a few designs, although the number of people by using this was limited.
From 1980-87 design was performed by specialists in Plastic Arts and Architecture, plus the first graduates of the faculty of arts at Yarmuok University and similar institutions. By the end of the eighties, the computer Linotype was used as a publishing tool by newspapers to get ready text for layout and paste it on the required pages next to advertising. Some publishing houses have graphical design offices which also acquired these systems to ensure the production of books and magazines to an identical quality. Linotype was also used to prepare the design of brochures and advertising materials that can't be hand drawn. With time Linotype was also useful for the preparation of other material by this method, including greeting cards, posters and advertisements.
The design and printing sectors found the computer to be an effective way of improving productivity. In 1988 with the arrival of the first design computer by Apple Macintosh, the amounts of workers in the field increased and performance progressed in the pre-printing stages such as film making and separation. However, the expense of computers meant that there use was still limited. The production of personal computers by competitors of Apple Macintosh plus the ease with which film can be processed through its programs, created a huge increase in the number of professionals interested in graphic design. This became evident by the growth in the number of agencies, design offices, publishing houses and service centres.
Computers affected the technical and artistic areas of production. Some production centres could actually develop their skill base and by recruiting experienced designers and developing them by organising training courses. These highly trained individuals achieved high standards of work within and outside Jordan and were able to contend with others in the Arab regions and captured a share of the markets, producing many publications. Jordanian specialists became serious competitors against other Arab countries which had previously monopolised the fields of design and printing. Jordan is rolling out so that it can meet the demand for design and printing within the country. Jordan has turned into a magnet for many publishing houses in the Arab region. Many production and publishing organisations could actually catch up to the levels of the latest technology. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that they'll develop further, using modern production tools, which will ensure there are enough local specialists who can continue steadily to produce work of the best quality.
The pace of technological development managed to get essential for the academic institutions to provide the Jordanian market with the skilled workers who is able to work to the high standards required. These institutions have to continually adapt to the advancing technology as well as support the academics in their quest to improve the artistic, scientific and technological aspects of production and publishing. Relationships must be strengthened by co-operation between business leaders and academic institutions in order to provide the mutual advantage of improve standards, with the best aim of maintaining both local and international developments.
The easiest way to guage the standard of design and printing in a country is through the newspapers, magazines and books published. Television also provides a showcase for visual communication through locally produced advertisements. The speed of printing development has made impositions on graphic design and the designers themselves. Designers have to continuously update their training to help keep up to date with new technology. get more info permits them to be at the forefront of improving quality and creativity in all aspects of production.
The advantages and disadvantages of sectors allied with graphical design
When discussing the organisations involved in design and production in Jordan you can easily become overwhelmed by the variety and abundance of them. These organisations saturate the marketplace. One of the reasons for the amount of organisations is the variety of production formats, all of which has its own structure. Computerisation has result in many operators being made unemployed.
Production sources can be divided into;
- Design
- Commercial printing
- Publishing houses
- Pre-press services centres
- Software applications training centres
They are the organisations where people often search for graphic designers, although a lot of them do not have academically trained staff who specialise in graphic design. Many of the individuals who own these organisations have chosen to specialise. A number of them specialised as the profession does not need a large capital outlay, others specialised since they had an understanding of the various tools used. Most may actually have specialised because this gives them with status in their community.
Although there are many organisations working in graphic design, the workers and owners in these establishments often lack awareness of the professional graphical design concepts as they have not studied the subject in depth. Employment opportunities for graduates only began to develop after 2000 when some organisations recognised the need for such skilled workers and academic institutions could actually produce professionals of the standard. The impression of graphic design graduates has changed so companies are no more choosing graduates who studied abroad. Design establishments have noticed the high quality of products which trained graduates can produce making use of their competence and skills, and their ability to use the full range of design and printing equipment. Without this properly structured training curriculum, experience have been gained through hap-hazard on the job training.
Among the weaknesses of those producing the designs is they are not always confident about how exactly to use the most recent techniques. They often times ask advice and prefer to work of their comfort zones, failing woefully to produce designs that could demand a great deal of time, effort or care. Graduates are convenient with change and ready to develop new skills. There are many professionals, however, who have been invaluable in the development of graphic design by training others and developing their very own technical and professional skills. These people also have monitored the pace of development in the fields of printing and graphic design.
Lots of the professionals have established themselves thorough the top quality of the task they produce. This is not possible with out a capable, aware and educated body of co-workers, who've scientific knowledge and so are creative rather than imitating the task of others.
The increasing gap between academic designers and employers, or art directors and creative managers is often because of misunderstanding the role of graphic designers. In industry, the priority of some designers or agency owners is profitability whatever the quality of the outcomes.
The first problem is that a number of the art directors or creative managers are not aware of the importance of these position, and frequently the employer is equally ignorant of this. Job titles are often arbitrary so artistic or creative managers frequently lack experience and expertise.
There is an absence of a standard language between academic designers and managers or employers. This often frustrates designers, creating insecurity and hindering creativity. Such an environment can be an try to reduce a designers` status and restricts him from engaging in the creative thinking he would have been taught and university.
Adequacy of the professional reality
Graphic designers are distinguished from other fields when you are just about the most creative professions; they work with information technology and visual communication. It also involves dealing with the business world, where credibility and ability are necessary to achieve the creative work. Qualifications and talent are crucial for this.
A graphic designer is not only an artist but also a technician who's in a position to use software and ways to tackle the project at hand. His approach is going beyond communication with the audience, to effective promotion and display. His aim is to produce clarity and he will be able to do this from the information using the techniques available to him. The aim is to connect the info and to carry out this must understand the development and design of the software that could be used. He has to understand all of the innovations and ways of designing texts.
The design sector requires professionals to have the experience to be able to select and classify information, also to create links between related elements. However, this will not be enough if they can not interpret this and transform it into definite forms. It is also vital that you understand the vocabularies of with language, sound and music because they are the most important tools of communication. Put into this, the designer must learn how to utilize the specialised design software to write texts, prepare drawings, animated cartoons and websites. The designer ought to know about design, timing, transformation, rhythm and visual presentation.
The potential of the design sector should be realised by knowledge of the necessary theories and techniques to improve communication with the audience, enrich the design proposals and understand the reflective aspect of the design process, studies and research.
There's much variation in the qualifications of staff within the look sector. It is important to differentiate between the craftsman and the academic designer. The graphic designer is really a complete cultural and intellectual entity that's noted in the sensational theory, linguistic theory, visual eloquence and the cultural history of art, literature, science, technology, industry and humanity. They can not isolate themselves from developments in theories of communication, information development, and from management and criticism. Moreover to boost the added value of the final product, all methods and tools found in production and publication ought to be understood. They must understand the stages before the design, and they must understand the printing process and its implications on the look.
The marketplace is crowded with many people working in graphic design. As a result of wide use of graphic design in lots of fields of work, the widespread use of computers and availability of basic software packages there is a role for people using graphic design without any prior knowledge. The expression of graphical design is still not adequately understood by some employers in industrial and commercial firms and organisations that require graphic design services.
I do not doubt the potential of the vocational sector but this can be a reality of graphical design. It should be remembered that well qualified people now occupy high status positions in the Jordanian market, showing its expertise and its ability to demonstrate the best levels of graphic design.
The size of the marketplace and people employed in graphic design
There are now more than five hundred establishments working in graphic design. There are several who not classify themselves being an agency, centre or office, because they have found their very own market niche. Therefore these classifications can't be meaningfully applied in Jordan.
The sector is large compared to the market. The establishment of new graphic design organisations peaked in 1999. Since that time, some have declined while others have expanded. Some have stagnated or changed management, while others have merged.
A quick consider the design sector will show that 85% of those working in the field could be classified as;
- Computer science graduates
- Architecture graduates
- Interior design graduates
- Graduates in 'Computers and the Fine Arts' from community colleges
- Fine arts graduates (both graphical design specialists and non-specialists)
- Graduates of design courses run by computer centres
- Unemployed people who are interested in computers
University educated graphic design graduates fulfil an important role because;
- Universities produce GRAPHIC ARTISTS with a different outlook to those mentioned previously.
- Organisations run by people who understand graphic design will undoubtedly be better able to develop designers skills and adapt to the future
I am concerned for students who study graphical design at university but do not make an effort to improve his rate of innovation and creativity as a way to improve. This can affect whether he could be employable.
Academically and scientifically talented students will have few problems because good employers need students who are able to form ideas quickly, use appropriate design programs for his ideas and in a position to produce those. Other organisations aren't ideal for the academic designer. They are the push-pull level of the graphic design sector which reflects the degrees of knowing of the concepts and functions of graphical design.
The market is with the capacity of absorbing all graduates. This is influenced by the development of visual communication methods through graphic design. Such development requires the presence of skilled workers with the capacity of meeting the requirements of the market. This places incentives for educational organisations that cope with design to intend to suit the graphical design market.
The academic reality of graphic design
The emergence of academic institutions that specialised in the arts started at the Yarmouk University where the first arts and music department was established in 1980. This became a faculty in 2001, teaching drama, design (industrial, interior and graphic), plastic arts and music. The university awards bachelor degrees. It were only available in 2001 at the height of the computer revolution within the design sector in Jordan. In1991 teaching graphic design started being an independent specialisation within the Arts Department at the SYSTEMS University. This was followed by the Ahiya Amman University, the Petra University, Philadelphia University, AlZaytouneh University, the University of Jordan, and later the Israh University.
Apart from universities, at that time when graphic design became popular and a profitable profession, community colleges started teaching graphical design. These included the Al-Quds College, Granada College, Middle University College and Princess Alya College.
The work of the universities that award bachelor degrees is similar to colleges that grant two year diplomas, because both produce students with a certificate in graphic design. However in reality where creativity and technical skills are concerned we find differences. The differences are in the course curricula, you need to include understanding the production process, product identity, knowledge of software and design innovation.
There is confusion between graphic design and graphic art. These differences affect the student, particularly when he enters employment. He could be judged by both his creativity and innovation in producing new ideas and his capability to use technology which now involves the computer, the primary graphic design tool.
The reason for these differences becomes clear whenever we look at the number of workers on the market and where they graduated from. During the time that the largest amount of graduates were being produced, the best quality graduates were made by well-known institutions and these were recruited by the most successful companies.
A distinction has developed between technicians and designers. This is due to some academic institutions concentrate on technology and the practical aspects of design software, whilst others developing the opportunity to use knowledge and know how to connect ideas to the psychological and social context and include qualitative studies of theories and design curricula.
The reasons for this are;
- The lack of specialised academic experts in graphical design and the poor quality of some of the teachers.
- The lack of appropriate study plans for creating graphic designers
- The absence of a system defining the role of universities and colleges in teaching graphic design
- The lack of entry examinations to graphical design courses, unlike courses in the art specialisations
- The absence links to the outside world, apart from through books.
- Some universities and colleges do not understand the concept of graphic design within an industrial context.
- The lack of official government support for finding ways to set up a core curriculum for university courses.
I've taught in the art departments of a number of universities and also have assessed many graduation projects. These gave me the opportunity to find out about graphic design teaching, the standards of students, and showed the need for appropriate study plans. There is a lack of competitiveness which may improve educational standards and there is an arbitrary usage of teaching methods. Objectives could be clear, but often mistake in not using the appropriate teaching methodology leads to them not being achieved.
In order to develop and improve, the graphical design sector needs skilled and competent workers. The workers will never be able to react to the changes in technology unless they have a formal academic training. To experience this advancement it is essential that graduate students are employed as graphical design specialists.
Conclusion
You will find a requirement in the Jordanian arena for the academic and professional sectors to review their experiences and identify their strengths and weaknesses. That is used by them to create a strategy with the capacity of giving graphical design the respected position it deserves.
There is a requirement of government intervention to provide arena where specialists in graphical design may discuss a lot of the concepts that help them make company owners and managers alert to how to make the best use of graphic designers.
And also teaching graphical design, universities and community colleges must support the markets needs for designers and artisans within the new specialisations which have to be introduced so that you can reduce unemployment.There exists a need for a professional body in graphical design to give support to designers, co-ordinate educational and technical preparation and to make contacts with the outside world. You should hold workshops and symposiums that improve the competence of teaching staff, designers and students; these should be held with the help of international institutions which are respected in this field.
It is also important to hold national and international competitions to encourage creativity and innovation. This can develop a competitive atmosphere where graphic design can flourish.
Finally, you should develop a national identity in graphic design, that may cement its position in the international arena.
The State Of Graphic Design In Jordan
·
14 min read
