SR3

Visual communication is an aspect within design that presents a specific responsibility towards the subject.  It is present due to the need to attract attention and viewers thus leading them to the product.  As technology has dramatically evolved over the years, the use of grids and visual hierarchy and the ability to customize them to properly display images and type has changed. 

An example of this can be seen through the publication, Reader’s Digest.  The Reader’s Digest, a family oriented magazine has evolved tremendously in terms of grids and aesthetic design.  The first issue of the magazine was published in February 1922, whereby traditional letterpress applications were utilized in production. 

The image above is of that first issue.  It presents a very simplistic design structured around the repetitive use of a single typeface and black and white illustration.  The entire publication is printed in the centered format on simple white copy paper.  As seen, there is no immediate appeal to the cover thus implying a non-aesthetic design for the audience.  Although presented as a simple structure, the minimal use of colour doesn’t do any justice.  The obvious reason to this, is the technological age of that era.  Letterpress during these earlier years presented singular typefaces, controlled type sizes, and a limited grid structure. 

In our day and age, according to visual hierarchy, it is obvious to say that the technology has advanced immensely, in particular, the ability to utilize different typefaces, the ability to easily customize position and structure of images and type, the utilization of colour is no issue, and additionally, the internet has played an important factor through online subscriptions of magazines etc.  Below is an image of the January 2008 issue of the Reader’s Digest, and it is impeccably easy to distinguish the differences from earlier publication designs and designs in our time. 

The typefaces in terms of customization from type size, leading etc. has advanced due to programs and applications allowing these edits to be so hands on and simple.   The grid structure has advanced and in terms of audience attraction, it appeals.  The text is justified along the outsides of the page, caving in to the images, that possibly represents the highlights depicted within the issue.  Colour is utilized properly and simply, by creating certain highlights with words due to the use of red as a stand out colour tone. 

Letterpress presented numerous limitations within visual hierarchy, and thus due to the emergence of digital technology, visual communication of magazines, websites etc. have become easy to customize and alter and therefore allowing these products to become aesthetically designed products that attract either specific or all types of audiences.