Ideas from the History of Graphic Design

Four eras, one narrative

The course surveys four periods of Western graphic design, starting with the Industrial Revolution and running to the mid-20th century. It deliberately follows one Euro-American thread, so its story is a focused one rather than a global history.

Who it suits

It is a good match for designers who know the software but have never been asked to explain where modern conventions came from. Anyone writing about design or preparing a design-history reference will also find the timeline useful.

Themes to watch

• Mass production and how it changed the look of printed work.
• Modernist principles and their influence on professional standards.
• The shifting relationship between words and images on the page.

Because the scope is deliberately narrow, treat the course as one lens on design history and pair it with broader reading if you need the full picture.