Mapping China: Design - Graphic Design

20 Years of Chinese Graphic Design

text /Li Ye

Recent years is a period of rapid development of graphic design in China. With the rapid development of economy, design industry, as the existing biological , also entered the development period of a blowout. The establishment of the design department in the college provided a large number of talents for the design industry.

Some of the work successfully insert modern visual expression elements, some designers setted up their own design company to realize their own design concept. The establishment of the Shenzhen Designers Association and more and more international communication with the western countries who have a rich design history also made Chinese design be more closely with modern design of visual language. From the beginning of 20th century, designers began to reflect on the Chinese design and explore their own path.

At the end of the 20th century, the graphic design industry was at a Warring States era. Different design colleges and various design firms formed different design “states”. The" state "between the" war "is so called design competition. This kind of atmosphere made design constantly exciting and let the Chinese design development in full swing.

Due to the implementation of the policy of reform and opening up, international exchanges become very easy, a large number of foreign designers to China lectures and exchanges, the development of the domestic design level very quickly, Shenzhen is located in the forefront of reform and opening up, Taiwan and Hongkong, the communication is very convenient, August 26, 1995 in this environment, SGDA (. Shenzhen Graphic Designers Association) was founded. In 1998,Shanghai Graphic Designers Association and Ningbo Graphic Designers Association were founded. These associations will be local design companies and designers, continue to explore and create new design works, by the year 2000, China plane design circles formed to eight Academy of fine arts design and various designers association as the leading role, the college and association in various design competitions continue to launch good design works, this period of graphic design in China because this is rich and colorful.

The “Graphic Design in China” exhibition hold in 1992 is a milestone for the Chinese graphic design. The China show by Wang Xu, Wang Yuefei, et al. Planning exhibition received a total of around the country entries over five thousand pieces (sets), a total of 6 items of gold, its projects are posters and newspaper ads, posters, packaging, commercial photography, books and the other. It is the first Chinese professional graphic design exhibition, attracted widespread attention at home and abroad, but also the development of Chinese graphic design logo. The strict international review, the amazing high quality works. The competition can bring people swept away before the chaos impression, greatly inspired and encouraged China graphic designer confidence began to dream and look forward to the design and designer, with international level Chinese of three composed of Westernization design base has become the mainstream design at the time of the wind Shenzhen designers also through this activity, began to consciously explore the design of their own style.

The graphic design teaching system was developing very fast at the same time. the Academy of Fine Arts has basically completed the transformation process by art to graphic design, set up and perfect to the three constitute the basis of design education of.1995 years, China Central Academy of Fine Arts established a design department, Dai Shihe, Ding, Tan Ping as the Creator, and to the design of Germany master Uwe Les to Chinese lectures, the German design style, minimalist design. This doctrine was introduced into China invited master to the school to do the lecture method for students to be accepted in the early design concept to the advanced international, which is beneficial for the development of China design. The overall design style but also let students lack of localization the design of Chinese, to this problem in the late 90's began to pay attention to, and begin to change.

This period is not only reflected in the school teaching, open graphic designers association have established and a lot of competition, design knowledge makes the students learn not only in school, but also get a lot of experience through the competition.

Technology always represents the development of productivity, at the end of the 20th century, a large number of digital technology to infiltrate into the design, movies, animation, all these ideas can form of visual art was dedicated to the audience. Large number of exhibitions, tournaments, and professional design opened, the design industry appeared a high-speed development of the golden age, however, too westernized visual forms enable Chinese design lack of core competitiveness, many designers and scholars in how to research and development with Chinese characteristics of graphic design. The digital medium of the Internet also from this period gradually into people's lives, it will distinguish between digestion media.

Return to the index page