How has the evolution of technology impacted Graphic Designers?
Contemporary technology is growing at an exponential rate therefore the graphic design industry is expanding rapidly. As a result the technology is greatly improving with graphic designers now rely greatly on the use of technology. The technology that has develop the most is graphic design designing programmes such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, the technology that is being used for example computers and IPads. With technology vastly changing and social media growing rapidly, graphic designers are now able to use technology in a different way other then for their products but to build their clientele[1].
When the design industry first started there was artists who would hand draw and design products then in the last few decades the design industry changed as technology came into play. Software companies such as Adobe began creating programmes such as adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator[2].
As technology has improved and grown, various types software has improved allowing anyone to manipulate and enhance images easily. The programmes also have built in features such as textures and filters available to assist in adding complexity to a design. Additionally, vectors can be created and used as unique shapes or details for individuality of a piece.
Through the evolution of technology, graphic designers are able to expand their clientele base by marketing their work online. By promoting their creations over social media or displaying it on a website, customers are able to see the previous work created by the designers and make a decision whether they want to get in contact with them based on the work they have seen[3]. Previously graphic designers could only access clients in surrounding areas to their location however now with the extent of the Internets connectivity, the possibilities are endless.
Although there are many positives to the way technology has impacted Graphic Designers there are also a numerous amount of negatives. The main impact being social media and the Internet are being used predominantly in the world of design to gain publicity and exposure to new audiences, therefore it opens a gate, which allows viewers to plagiarise a designer’s work. To counteract this problem technology and graphic designers have designed a watermark to stamp their work as their own to eliminate plagiarism[4]. The invention of the watermark has prevented people from being able to steal an image without consent[5].
In conclusion, the evolution of technology has both impacted graphic designers in both a positive and negative way. The programs that graphic designers now rely on to produce their work is continuously advancing, allowing them to develop new concepts and unique ideas that differ from their competitors. The Internet has also positively impacted graphic designers, enabling them to have a worldwide clientele through using social media and the Internet. Copywriting will always have a level of impact on graphic designers and cannot necessarily be avoided however; if the correct copyright and watermark procedures are followed the designers will be able to avoid their individual work being stolen.
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REFERENCES
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[1] How Technology Has Influenced Graphic Design n.d., Brighthub, accessed 10 July 2018, <https://www.brighthub.com/multimedia/publishing/articles/121403.aspx>
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[2] Design Technology’s Impact on the Graphic Design Industry 2018, TimBroadwater, accessed 11 July 2018, <http://timbroadwater.com/2013/01/design-technologys-impact-on-the-graphic-design-industry/>
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[3] Technological advances in graphic design n.d., Prezi, accessed 11 July 2018, <​​ https://prezi.com/pvysbdp4kip7/technological-advances-in-graphic-design/>
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[4] Impact of Technology on Graphic Design 2018, UKessays, accessed 12 July 2018, <https://www.ukessays.com/essays/media/thesis-technologys-impact-on-graphic-design-media-essay.php>
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[5] Digital watermark 2018, Webopedia, accessed 12 July 2018, <https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/digital_watermark.html>
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
BrightHub. 2012 . How Technology Has Influenced Graphic Design https://www.brighthub.com/2012/multimedia/publishing/articles/121403.aspx
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Tim Broadwater . 2013 . Design Technology’s Impact on the Graphic Design Industry
http://timbroadwater.com/2013/01/design-technologys-impact-on-the-graphic-design-industry/
Prezi . Technological Advances in Graphic Design.
https://prezi.com/pvysbdp4kip7/technological-advances-in-graphic-design/
UKessays .2018. Impact of Technology on Graphic Design
https://www.ukessays.com/essays/media/thesis-technologys-impact-on-graphic-design-media-essay.php
Webopedia . 2018 . What is a Watermark? Digital Watermark