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This post without one particular text what I have read.  When I trying to research about minimalism graphic design references to thinking about how minimalism related to graphic design works.  I was wondering What if not separate to considering minimalism art with minimalism graphic design?  In 1960, minimalism movement was raising up in America.  That moment lots different artists was interesting about minimalism form.  Which could be influence to the modern graphic designers to change the visual space to present their design works.  To concern about the space in the different types of work, it will be investigating the ‘less’.  However, what is the ‘more’ behind the works?  From Noma Bar’s work, he builts different ways to present his contents.  The negative space with positive space might be switch different meaning.  

Firstly, I need to consider what different between simplistic with minimalism.

What is the different between Simplicity and Minimalism?

 Simplicity definition on Oxford dictionary:

 1.       The quality or condition of being easy to understand or do:

‘for the sake of simplicity, this chapter will concentrate upon one theory’

 2.       The quality or condition of being plain or uncomplicated in form or design:

‘the grandeur and simplicity of Roman architecture’

2.1[count noun] A thing that is plain or uncomplicated: ‘the simplicities of pastoral living’

  Minimalism definition on Oxford dictionary:

 l  A movement in sculpture and painting which arose in the 1950s, characterized by the use of simple, massive forms.

 l  An avant-garde movement in music characterized by the repetition of very short phrases which change gradually, producing a hypnotic effect.

 l  Deliberate lack of decoration or adornment in style or design: ‘his living room was a testament to minimalism’

Let us to think about how to make a House for human to live.  Walls, a roof, a floor, a window, and a door.  From the figure, I found the different between the forms of houses.  One is complex style if compare with the little house at right.  For left form, we could think the right one is simplicity. However, if we compare with another figure we could see how different between the minimalism and simplicity.

 An extremely minimalist house would look like this, courtesy of Datar Architecture

If we use the right house to compare with this figure, we could suddenly found out how minimalism work related into architecture form.  In a sense, when we speak of something simple as a contrast to complexity. In simple terms, it is a reduction of complexity.  The red house now becomes the “complex” one and the Datar house the “simple” one and undoubtedly minimalistic. What makes the Datar house minimalist is the reduction of its elements to just the essential parts—the necessary components that makes it a house. In a sense, minimalism is a reduction in quantity.  The “minimal” can be simplistic, but simple is not always minimal.

Minimalism: An Optimal Aesthetic For The Sustainable Design

 CHIM, I. and BLEBEA, I. (2013). Minimalism: An Optimal Aesthetic For The Sustainable Design. ACTA TECHNICA NAPOCENSIS-Series: APPLIED MATHEMATICS, MECHANICS, and ENGINEERING, (56.1).

 This article attempts to develop the best aesthetics methods for sustainable design. Particularly, the author investigated how to apply minimalist into sustainable design. The author stated out minimalism constitutes “the taking to an extreme of a design culture that prefers simplicity to formal excitement, the reduction of signs to superabundance, laconicism to confused representation, reserve to discursive effusion.”  The author suggested theory “less is more” is considered to be the minimalist aesthetics’ “work” principle.  It also can be considered the basic principle of minimalism. This effect can be enhanced by the economy. The “clear statement” is important to apply into work.  I choose this article because I think I learned something wrong that minimalist graphic design is not as simplistic design. Although, the principle bit similar, but the author stated out “Instituting simplicity as a goal, “minimalism in not to be equated with simplicity”, but rather a sum of principles that “go to extremes to create a focus of the recipient, an involvement of the user, and a way of looking at things – a minimal perspective.” However, the graphic design is kind of visual communication medium between artist and audience.  Which mean if I applied minimalist into design and illustration works, I should think about communication and “simple” mean in my work principle.

  The use of abstract images in advertising design “a study of requirements & impact”

ELDESOUKY, DOAA FAROUK BADAWY. “THE USE OF ABSTRACT IMAGES IN ADVERTISING DESIGN “A STUDY OF REQUIREMENTS & IMPACT”. Published online: 01.12.2011.

 This article states out use abstract images into advertising design that could achieve influence on audience with effective ways.  Usually abstract art is characterized by the lack of realism and perspective in recreating actual reality.  The author point out three main forms of abstraction apply into advertising design, which include minimalism, typographic and vectored or filtered.  I was interested in this article because for advertising design and graphic poster design, the main point is “target” audience’s attention.  For the age of economic, I would rather choose “less is more” and “white space” to influence audience’s imagination.  As the author stated “The main characteristic of a minimalist design is the breakdown of design elements to bear components. An example of this would be the use of simple lines and shapes without adding shadow or shading effects. Usually there is “bareness” to minimalist designs that are clean and elegant. This type of design can be used almost in any field though it is most useful for events, shows and films.”

  On art's romance with design

Coles, A. (2005). On art's romance with design. Design Issues, (21.3), pp.17-24.

 This article pointed out sometimes have split between art and design in our culture. The author suggested for history and theories is an important way to making design and art connection. Particularly, Neal Jackson was pointed out “Design art could be defined loosely as any artwork that attempts to play with the place, function, and style of art by commingling it with architecture, furniture, and graphic design.”  The modern artist actively develops the term “design art” as minimalism theories.  Sometimes the artist separated two words “design” and “art”, but usually bound that two words together into their own works.  I was interested in this article because basic on “minimalism art” theory, modern designers created minimalist graphic design.  Furthermore, some of design works related to art also.  Such as traditional Chinese ink strokes.  But what is the limits?  The author suggested “So there is no need to get too bound up in the term itself.”  This article was encouraging me how to making individual thinking into own works.

  Abstraction in the Video Game

Wolf, M. (2003). Abstraction in the Video Game. The video game theory reader, (1), pp.47-65.

 This article investigated how “video” as a medium of visual imagery impact interactivity with audience.  The video game began with the hardest visual limits by earlier graphics capabilities. The “video” medium was forced to left abstract graphic for over decade.  This is might be a method to increase minimalist graphic design applied into “video”.  “Because of the limitations of early video game technology, graphics were stark and minimalist for the most part, and rather abstract as a result, which happened to coincide with certain minimalist tendencies of the time.”  The movement could increase Interactivity, also would increase interests between audience.  For example, the early game “ping-pong” shown as minimalist graphic presentation.  

However, audience know that small little circle as a “ping-pong” ball.  I was interested in this article because at the early age we have been forced to apply abstraction and minimalist graphic into mediums.  Although, the minimalist graphic shown on “video” that still did not decrease interactivity (visual language) from audience.

  The Cultural Context of Contemporary Graphic Design

Economou I. (2003).  The cultural context of contemporary graphic design[J].

 The article as a theoretical study of contemporary culture, attempts to analyse the main features and characteristics of major cultural theorists have emphasized how to apply into contemporary graphic design.  The author suggested that graphic designers should become more self-conscious and to reflect on the work.  Firstly, the author mentioned minimalist style apply in modern graphic design, which also pointed out, with market appeal the contemporary graphic designers return to modern origin that featured a minimalist approach while combining aspects of postmodernist thinking.  Secondly, the author pointed out “These “moments” in contemporary culture find their counterparts in this creative cultural practice, as designers seem to move between extremes of exclusive minimalist approaches (the modern) and more inclusive eclectic and elaborate approaches (the postmodern) and at times find the means to “balance” them.”  I was interested in this article because I was struggling about minimalism art and minimalist design, which also called different name is minimalist and post-minimalist.  However, this article taught me contemporary design also basic on traditional theories.

  Icons, symbols related to minimalist graphic design—Visual communication

Zender, M. & Mejia, G.M. (2013), “Improving icon design: through focus on the role of individual symbols in the construction of meaning”, Visible Language, vol. 47, no. 1, pp. 66-89.

 This report was pointed out the fact of icons are become important role during our communication which applied on smart phone and personal computer.  Author was compared two sets of four icons, each made of a different set of discrete symbols.  The author was considering icons have simplicity (PS: Simplicity have similar patterns with minimalist which include “simple” and straight to expressing the contents to audience.  I was wondering simplicity might be basic on minimalist design theory.) of form compared with other visual communication materials which forms are more complex.  “Compared with other visual communications such as print advertising where the message can be nuanced, icon’s intended message is clear, unambiguous and generally well-defined from the start of the design process.”  I was interested in this report because visual communication is one stronger visual language that affects in design.  Icons are become more and more important to use in our daily life, which on our smart phone, pc icons, website icons.  Meanwhile, the design of the symbol is intuitive.  This point inspired me how to related minimalism art theory “what you see is what you see” into my minimalist graphic design and illustration works.  Fox example, poster minimalist design usually would catch mean of features show to audience, such as Hitler’s beard is his own logo.

  Emotions related to minimalist design.

Ibáñez, J. (2011), “Minimalist approach to show emotions via a flock of smileys”, Journal of Network and Computer Applications, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 1283-1291

 This article was investigated an approach to convey emotions which related to minimalist. The author considers three major main research which included sensing and recognizing human emotional signals, modelling emotions through digital architectures, and convey expressing emotions via digital media.  The author made example of “approach minimalist smileys faces” with different colours to investigated emotions affects virtual expression.  On the other hand, the author compared different methods with minimalist simple smiley faces during this research.  I was interesting this article because some of minimalist graphics would impact viewers’ visualizations, the meanwhile, this is a way to investigate emotions related to visual effects.  For example, the simple arcuate line would be as a smile if it shows with viewers’ imagination.  However, the minimalist simple graphics covey emotions will be more efficiently.

Also, the emotions due to different colours, for example, red colour in China mean New Year Festival, in the other hand, red colour could show as anger or evil.  I was considering this would be a good suggestion when I apply into minimalist graphic design and illustration works.

  Traditional Carving Art and Modern Advertising Design

Jianwen, L. I., and L. I. Ying. (2014). “Traditional Carving Art and Modern Advertising Design.” Canadian Social Science 10.3, pp. 149.

 This article studies carving art how to relate to advertising design, and demonstrated out different forms of carving art.  I was interested this article because carving art is kind of limits products on stone from calligraphies.  And I was wondering this is might be a good method related to icon design and might be it is a good method to applied into graphic design. The authors pointed out carving art have bit similar principle with minimalist and clearly states out the points of works.  The minimalist and individuation in contemporary advertising design comes from the demand of the transmission of information, which used simple colours and lines, that reflected into some minimalist graphic design works in China. Such as, use ink stroke to present the stronger visual communication with audience. I think this is a new way to present into my illustration works.

  Colour, typeface, and layout convey a superior aesthetic quality within a minimalist paradigm.

—  Thorlacius, L. (2007), “The role of aesthetics in Web design”, Nordicom Review, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 63-76.

This article aim to present four main areas in which was play an important role in website design ‘aesthetics play an important role in supporting the content and the functionality, in appealing to the taste of the target audience, in creating the desired image for the sender, and in addressing the requirements of the Web site genre.’  Particularly, I was interest about author mentioned minimalist style websites which could helped me to use in my design works.  Also, the author pointed out the different type of websites would be fit modernist audiences’ taste.  ‘The modernist taste for minimalist design in a broad perspective originated in the early part of the 19th century with the functionalist movement in architecture and design.’  The author point out functionalist design was raised up with minimalist forms, which could bring visual effects in the form of ‘colour, typeface, and layout convey a superior aesthetic quality within a minimalist paradigm.’  I was interested this article because this is a good point of minimalist design how to fit the taste of target audience in 20th century. This is might a good point teach me how to use simple and high quality minimalist forms in illustration works.

  How Nothing Became Something: White Space, Rhetoric, History, and Meaning

Pracejus, J., Olsen, G. and O’Guinn, T. (2006). How Nothing Became Something: White Space, Rhetoric, History, and Meaning. Journal of Consumer Research, 33(1), pp.82-90.

This article was considering about visual theory how to impact advertising.  Particularly, the author mentioned “white space” was purposeful in different methods.  Firstly, the author points out there are three moments is the minimalist movement as link into American design.  “While there is some debate as to just exactly what the minimalist movement was (Meyer 2000)”. Also, the author points out “white space” how significant present meaning in minimalism.  Secondly, the author investigated the different forms applied in corporate art at historical.  Particularly, I was interested about the author pointed out how significantly effects by minimalist forms and tropes (including white space), which were part of this effect to “bring dignity, trustworthiness, elegance, and authenticity to the public corporation through a carefully designed and articulated public image.”  I interested in this article mostly reason because minimalist graphic design also related to minimalism art.  Historically, design is the one way to follow audiences’ perspectives.  When I use minimalist into illustration or graphic design, I need to use “white space” to increase the viewer’s imaginations.