Graphic design in the 1990s experienced changes due to new digital technologies. Single designers could now create artwork that previously required many people using computers like the Macintosh. This reduced specialization in the field. The internet also became a new outlet for design through websites. During this time, a "grunge" or chaotic design style emerged in alignment with the music scene, exemplified by the works of David Carson and Art Chantry. Stefan Sagmeister also introduced revolutionary design techniques using the human body.

2. New Technology
 Starting in the 1990’s, graphic design
experienced a change from its previous
postmodern look.
 Digital technology enabled single designers
to create artwork that used to take countless
numbers of people to create.
 As technologies such as the Macintosh
computer, PostScript programs and
PageMaker progressed, so did the face of
design.

3.  Before digital technologies, graphic designers,
typesetters, production artists, camera operators,
platemakers and others were all involved in the
process. From the 1990’s on, these narrow
specializations were no longer needed.
 Using a desktop computer saved massive amounts of
time and money, and by the mid-90’s, the number of
designers working on their own increased
exponentially.

4. Internet Explosion
With the explosion of the
internet, the web
became another media
outlet to solve design
problems.
Websites can bring
images and messages
to the mass market in
a much more
appealing way
because of the
incorporation of video
and audio.

5.  Wired magazine
started in 1993.

6. The “Grunge” Look
 Keeping with the music
scene of the time, graphic
design also adopted a
chaotic, blurred type of
look in the early 90’s.
 It was a controversial
design style, and part of
the controversy of the
“grunge” look came from
consumers’ distrust of
advertisers use of “hip”
designs to sell.

7. “MTV” generation

8. One publication on the cutting edge of
the Grunge design scene at the
time was Ray Gun.

9. David Carson
“inspired young designers while angering others who believed he was
crossing the line between order and chaos” -Meggs
 David Carson was one of
Ray Gun’s most
controversial art directors.
 His unorthodox
typography was near
illegible at times.
 His page design was a
combination of blurred,
overlapping and faded
images and type.

10. Carson’s
motto

11. Art Chantry
“…a part of the anti-establishment subculture while on the other (hand)
working selectively for mainstream commercial clients” -Eskilson
 First found work for
concert and band
publicity.
 Chantry blends
photographs,
chaotic lettering,
bright colors and
doodled drawings

14. Stefan Sagmeister
“yearns for design that means something, that connects
people at a human level” -Eskilson
 Came up with a revolutionary stylistic
device, a “tattooed look.”
 He even went so far as having his
assistant carve letters into his body with
a knife for his legendary poster for a
lecture at Cranbrook Academy.

17. More Digital Designs

21. Resources
 Meggs, Philip. Meggs’ History of Graphic
Design. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons,
2006.
 Eskilson, Stephen. Graphic Design: A New
History. New Haven: Yale University
Press, 2007.
 Gibson, William. Ray Gun: Out of Control. New
York: Simon & Schuster Editions, 1997.
 www.philipsleingallery.com/view.php?todo=viewall&rt
st=42&n=Art+Chantry