Whereas fine art (such as illustration) looks inward by asking the viewer to see the artist behind the art, graphic design looks outward by asking the viewer to see the art and go do something because of it. While these two concepts overlap in places, the purpose of each is very different.
Art
Brief Art Lesson on the Bookstagram
By Sadie Verville @sadieverville
Keeping a consistent brand, no matter how personal the account, is so important. People want to follow accounts that they can trust will post fairly similar art, because they like that art. You wouldn’t commission an artist who gave out a different-styled piece every time someone requested their services; in a similar way, people will not give you that follow if you remain inconsistent and unpredictable.
Rehousing History: Finding a New Home for Our 1885 Chandler & Price Letterpress
By Elizabeth Hughes @elizabig
Last term, boxes were meticulously packed and labeled for either our temporary office or deep storage. Some supplies even lived in managers’ cars during the winter break. There was one item, however, that needed special attention: our 1885 Chandler & Price letterpress.
What Comic Book Stores Can Teach Us
By Brian Parker SwankyPlatypi
Portland is a great town for readers, so it’s hard to know if the trends in book sales here follow those for the rest of the country. Many who study the trends claim that the future of the publishing and bookselling worlds is grim, but you only need to look past the doors of Cosmic […]
The Artist’s Book
By Alexa Goff
Have you ever admired a particularly finely bound book? Perhaps you noticed the quality of paper, letterpressed text, or a foil-stamped embossment on a deluxe edition. Though the book is primarily discussed as a vehicle for ideas, it is still a three-dimensional object with material qualities to consider. The artist’s book as a contemporary art […]
The Role of Craft in Indie Graphic Novels
By Brian Parker
“Self-publish or perish.” These words can be found on every original work created by indie comic superstar Becky Cloonan. It’s more than a personal motto—it’s a call to arms to every creative individual in the comic book community. Traditionally, most graphic novel professionals strove to work for a large comic publisher and devoted their writing, […]