Design is a part of everything people see and something that is quite easily taken for granted. Your laptop or smartphone that you are reading this on has been designed, the couch or chair you are sitting on has been designed, the branding of your coffee – you guessed it, has been designed!
This piece is going to take a look at why exactly design is essential to our society and to understand a little more about it.
Read on to find out more.
What is Design?
A design is essentially a plan of the construction of an item, whether that be a building, a piece of clothing, branding for a product, or a piece of art. To design is to create this process! Designs are everywhere you look – in fact, you would be hard-pressed to find something that has not had some sort of design process. It makes up the fabric of everything people know and enjoy, which is one of the reasons why it is so essential to society.
The History of Design
Design is definitely not a modern invention. The first signs of design actually date back to 38,000 BCE in the form of intricate cave paintings! These paintings were just some of the ways in which people communicated from one generation to another, passing down information in what could be referred to as their version of a journal.
Visual language – signs and symbols – were yet another means of design that served a unique purpose at the time. Something that is still used to this day!
Styles of Design
There are countless numbers of styles in the world that have all to be created and adapted for their own reasons, and it will not come as a surprise that some designs work better than others for specific reasons. For example, schools and hospitals are built in very similar ways because their design is best for the purpose they serve. In terms of art, for example, you have Monet and Van Gough – two very different styles of design.
There are countless examples everywhere of the styles of design, though it is important to note that practicality and art design both often have different objectives, even though they work together.
Who Can Design?
The short answer is that anyone can design. All you need is to let your inhibitions go and get creative! While certain training can be essential for job roles, if you are designing for yourself, you do not need anything but a piece of paper and a pen to get started.
If you are new to this kind of creative endeavor and want some guidance on how to start, then are some very simple but effective options. For example, you could try out one of the paint-by-number kits to introduce the use of colours and shapes. As you get used to painting this way, you could try out more freestyle options with paint.
In addition, you could try out a plane model kit – this can be an excellent place to start with understanding how individual pieces all matter in the overall design. Kits like these have everything you need to get started and offer guidance and structure, which can be useful to beginners. This can be perfect as you embark on designing your own project.
Design is a wonderful part of life that help makes the world go around, and anyone can be a part of it, including you! Give it a go.