Breaking the Graphic Design Framework - Design Manifesto

UX/UI, Print, Branding

Tools: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Figma

Project Goal: Write a manifesto based on my perspective of graphic design, how I view the role of graphic design in society, what I feel are the most important issues in design, etcetera, and design a poster, digital artifact, and physical artifact that are all conceptually linked to the manifesto’s message through their designs.

Process: After narrowing down the elements of graphic design that I wanted to explore, I decided to focus my manifesto around how to break the framework that has formed around graphic design today. Designs are becoming increasingly similar to one another and designers seem to be getting comfortable with following what is “popular” rather than taking risks and creating something completely new, and I decided to explore how to break free of that in my manifesto. From there, I wrote out my entire manifesto, and ultimately formed my poster, digital artifact, and physical artifact designs around the idea of actually “breaking” the graphic design framework.

Result: The final series includes the poster design, an interactive website, and an enamel pin set all inspired by the theme of breaking the graphic design framework. By utilizing bright colors and a shattered glass effect, I hoped to achieve a feeling of actually breaking through a monotonous wall and accessing the bright, creative world of graphic design that lies within every designer.