The history of design is closely linked to the development of industrial production. But even our distant ancestors, who lived in primitive society, took into account the functional and aesthetic properties of the basic tools produced.
The concept of “design” emerged in the daily life of people in the 16th century in Italy, later spreading to other European countries. At that time it had a different meaning: the word combination disegno intero meant an original idea or the first sketches of a future work of art created by the artist.
At the end of the 19th century, the Arts and Crafts movement emerged in England, the main inspirers of which were William Morris John Ruskin. They were ardent opponents of faceless production and called for the aesthetic and artistic value of products to be taken into account in their design.
In the early 20th century, artists appeared on the boards of many large corporations. Their task was to help business owners in developing their own corporate style and new product designs.
In 1919 the first school of design education Bauhaus appeared, which was located in Germany. A year later, in the USSR was created VHUTEMAS – Higher Art Technical Workshops, which were located not only in Moscow and Petrograd, but also other cities. At the same time the first certified designers appeared in various areas of industrial production.
Since the early thirties of the 20th century, this profession has been in demand on the labor market in capitalist countries. Since then, the demand for competent specialists in this field of activity has remained at a consistently high level.
The 1950s were the peak of a riot of colors: economic growth, new products, beautiful houses. It all had to be sold, showing how much people needed new cars and refrigerators. The hallmarks of this time were changing lines, bright colors and a departure from the idea of unity.
In the ’70s, people began to lean more and more toward individualism, showing their self through interiors, music and clothing. Bright mixes of colors, gradient and photography, and three-dimensional lettering were used whenever possible.
The design of the ’80s was a bit stagnant and did not provide anything super new. This period was most pronounced in the design of records by musicians who presented themselves to the public as punks: dark silhouettes and fonts executed in neon colors were depicted against a blurred background.
The 1990s were the heyday of design art. The first graphic editors appeared, allowing for the development of digital design: the appearance of created objects became more refined. By the mid-1990s, minimalism reached the peak of its popularity, and then moved smoothly into the 2000s. After 2010, we returned to simplified forms and flat design.
Today, almost every new finished product of industry in any sphere of human society can be rightfully called a design solution.