Published : 4 years ago, on 22/04/2021

Graphic art is defined by Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary as skill acquired by experience or study, especially in the form of an artistic production usually of a graphic type. A discipline of visual arts, graphic art covers a wide spectrum of visual artistic expression, normally two-dimensional, usually presented on a flat screen. It was the catalyst of new ways of expressing ideas in print. With the advent of photography, print became more accessible to many who previously could not afford the medium. The invention of the camera transformed the ability of man to produce visual art on a large scale and continue to influence artists and critics for centuries.

It was the French artist Paul Gauguin, who is considered to be the father of modern graphic art. He was a printer from Basel, Switzerland who created a series of typography that has become recognized the world over as being among the first commercially successful types of advertising signage. His most notable work, Typographic Surfaces, still serves as the basis for the style of lettering used by some of the most recognizable companies in the world. Others who came after him included Andy Warhol, who created the famous Mickey Mouse image that was reproduced countless times worldwide. Roy Lichtenstein used red and black ink to create portraits that are still popular today.

With the advancement of technology, graphic art has increasingly been applied to different fields of study including television, film, and even amusement parks. One can easily see the influence of typography on this development. Typography is the formal arrangement of characters on a page, which has a profound effect on how readers read. This influential art has been applied to various industries including design, motion graphics, advertising, television, and computer animation.

The term graphic art originally denoted only the output of printers, including those that produced Typeface Sets (letterpress). As technology advanced, so did the scope of artistic endeavors. Today, designers and illustrators are finding new avenues to express themselves creatively through photography and computer animation. The advent of photojournalism and cinema has made innovative use of photographic images and 3D animation. Artists have found new ways to exhibit their talent through the medium of film, while advertising agencies continue to promote and sell products using sophisticated drawing and drafting skills.

Some of the most notable designers of our time have been those who had formal training in either printmaking or art. Andy Warhol is perhaps the most well-known graphic artist of all time. As a teenager, he trained with other teenagers in his town to hone his skill at drawing. As an adult, he pursued his career in art and commercial photography, building a reputation as a specialist in color mixing, and mastering the creation of complex works of imagery.

Art schools offer a wide range of programs in graphic arts, as well as specific concentrations within certain areas of study. Students pursuing an Associate of Arts in Fine Arts or a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Arts enroll in art courses that focus on a particular genre of media and art movements. These can include anything from television to film, from children’s books to sculpture.

Other concentrations within the field of fine arts include everything from photography to dance. In dance, an expressive, visual medium is used to tell a story. Other graphic art forms may use repetitive patterns and textures to produce a particular effect. The techniques that a graphic artist may use may be anything but simplistic. A painter might make use of three-dimensional objects to convey a message; a photographer could utilize motion to create an impression.

One type of more abstract artwork that uses a combination of visual and written expression is called mosaic. These types of works often come in the form of geometric designs or abstract drawings. Mosaic designs were typically created to decorate roofs and walls. However, recent technological advancements have allowed skilled mosaic artists to create gorgeous portraits, landscapes and abstract creations using the computer.