HHIS-240: Graphic Design History 1

This course traces the development of visual communication from the first evidence of human image-making through the mid 20th century, including the evolution of letterform design from the earliest pictograms into the Middle Ages and through the Industrial Revolution. Social, scientific, and technological development are stressed as factors impacting the field. Through lectures, readings, and assigned essays, media presentations, and exams, students hone their ability to recognize conceptual and stylistic trends from the past and how they communicated ideas in the service of education, political messaging, business/commerce, and arts and culture. This knowledge will help students solve problems in today's studio graphics classes and clarify the current influence of graphic design on how society thinks about itself and the products it consumes, plus the role of visual communications in politics.