The Digital Revolution

Computers and digital imaging did not play a part in design until very late in the 20^th century. Everything was done by hand, from setting out layouts to making good use of a darkroom. Everything was much more practical and was a hand- on experience, but was also very time consuming for simple things that we take for granted today. When computers that were able to modify text and images together came out it was huge and completely revolutionised design and the world around type. This was around the 80’s and 90’s and was a time when the world was constantly seeing new digital technology.

First Apple Macintosh, 1984

When Steve Jobs was on the Macintosh Project, he had a dream that he wanted the Macintosh to be for anyone and everyone, from the garbage man to the grandma in a cottage. The film ‘Jobs’ explains just how simple he wanted Apple computers to be, and how he reached that goal. When the Mac came out, it gained huge popularity and the main reason was that anyone could use it. Software on the Macintosh did exactly what Jobs wanted it to do, and was simple and easy to use.

Apple Mac advert

When the Mac came out, everyone saw it as a tool for endless opportunities, as anything could be created and edited. Anything was possible. Designs could be made without even having to spend ages creating one from scratch on pen and paper. Because of this, more and more people used the Mac, which allowed many more creations to be seen and made. Since then, the Macintosh has had a high reputation for all things design, and is mostly used in the art and design field all over the world. It is because of its simplicity that makes it what it is, and is not complicated to use at all.

The software that allowed you to create layouts and designs were user-friendly and people found it much easier to create designs on the computer rather than with a paper and a pen. What the computer did that paper could not do was give typesetting and layout tools, which gave users the will to experiment with their work without completely losing it if they lost it. They could see what went well with what and did not have to pay the consequences if it did not look good.

First Photoshop

Because so many people were using and creating great things with the early software, companies became aware of this and advanced their software to push the creators and to aid them in creating newer and different layouts and designs. This meant that scaling an object was introduced, as well as things such as stretching and opacity control. Crazy and wacky creations were made due to these tools.

Interface of first Photoshop

When the Internet was released to the public and for everyone, this opened up a whole new opportunity for design. As more and more people began using the internet, people began sharing their creations on the Internet, meaning that ideas were formed and inspired others to create things based off what they saw. Because of this, design and type companies began using websites on the Internet, which meant that they too saw the opportunity in the internet and how it could be used a tool for graphic design.

As the Internet was global, this allowed users and graphic designers to communicate with people halfway across the world, meaning that they shared their ideas and saw what the current trends were in that part of the world. They may have chosen to incorporate that into their own work, adding a new element of design to their designs. People could now swap ideas and create more based on these combinations, which led to some astounding work.