Design Voice Pravin Sevak

Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, USA

Pravin Sevak teaches graphic design at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan. He graduated from the National Institute of Design (NID), India, in 1979, and began his career at Sudharshan Dheer’s Design Studio in Mumbai. Later he worked with the Creative Unit Advertising Agency, Mumbai, and Bidhan Advertising Agency, Ahmedabad. In 1984 he rejoined NID where he commenced his career teaching graphic design. During this period, he also practiced design, successfully completed two permanent exhibitions for the Government of India, as well as designed various publications, book designs, type designs, map designs, and corporate identities for both public and private sectors. In 1998, on sabbatical leave, Pravin was invited to teach graphic design at Ohio University at Athens, Ohio. Next he taught at Truman State University in Missouri and Northern Kentucky University, where he was recognized as the most influential teacher of the NKU design program. “Eventually,” he says, “in this information age, my research goal is to understand, explore, and share crosscultural design needs.” Email: [email protected]

Design is a problem-solving process, and finding a clean, clear, and communicative solution is what a graphic designer strives for. Today, almost anyone can become a designer. What constitutes a good graphic design teacher in this contemporary environment? Throughout the past twenty-five years of his design career he has taught many courses and each has led him to believe that learning never happens in isolation, and should engage a responsible, and creative attitude towards any given problem. The graphic design teacher is the initiator of ingenuity, imagination, and must always represent a source for encouragement in any circumstance. Yet, perhaps the most important role of a teacher is to define, and present boundaries in a sequential manner to the students, whose role in turn is to explore and discover what lies beyond. He or she is responsible for setting high standards such as serious concern, visual sensitivity, and critical evaluation. The platform for evaluation criteria lies in recognizing performance, participation, and professionalism. Students should have the aptitude and confidence in their own capabilities to elicit their creativity and their drive for learning should come from within. Their success is measured not by their grades, but by the quality of their creative work. Technology has significantly altered how both students and teachers value core design principles. Learning to know when, and how to use computer technology, as well as proper visual literacy, can provide an opportunity to students in recognizing true creativity. Adapting technology into teaching methods is essential in learning the design process, but we should not ignore the traditional rules of design because they are upheld no matter what technology is in current use. Keywords: graphic design, teacher, student, design process, technology Introduction In our ever-changing world, graphic design aids in communicating our ideas, concepts, and information through visual forms. Design is a problem-solving process where finding a clean, clear, and communicative solution is what a designer strives for. Yet it seems that almost anyone can become a designer as long as he can access computer and design software, resulting in the visual chaos we see today. However, solely mastering the tools and tips of a design program and simply embellishing an idea into visual form does not make one a master designer. Acquaintance with such tools is feasible without any education in design. Herein lies the façade. For a graphic designer values both the aesthetic and functional principles that the final design communicates. A graphic designer not only knows how to use the tools and techniques but also follows a thorough process to solve the design problem for the intended goal defined by the client. He values bringing order and clarity to information, and above all understands the ultimate purpose of his design — visual communication. I believe that the learning process never happens in isolation. In order to be confident in designing one needs proper inputs in terms of education and rigorous training. Here comes the important role of the teacher who imparts knowledge and professional experience to his students. The teacher, therefore, plays a major role in preparing a graphic designer.

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Throughout the past twenty-five years of my design teaching career I have taught courses from foundation level Drawing, Basic Design, to senior level courses such as New Media, Design for Social Causes, and Graduate Presentation, and many more. I have recognized after all these years that the experiences of a design teacher involve both happy and unhappy surprises. When a student excels the teacher revels in the successful passage of knowledge. On the other hand, I could never understand why and how students would demand the best grade when their work did not reflect it. As a teacher then, it is our duty and responsibility to know our “clients” who are our students, and to understand their needs, strengths, and shortcomings as well as their culture. We are guides to our students and as any other guide we must always be prepared and motivated to teach design with dedication, confidence, and with professional knowledge. We must have the aptitude to teach, to enjoy imparting knowledge to a future generation of infinite possibilities. Most importantly, I believe that a good design teacher must absolutely love what he or she does. Teaching design however is not mechanical. Design cannot solely be taught via lectures. It is not like math or science where facts, figures, and formulae lead to steady solutions. A design teacher brings and offers the real life scenario to the students. Apart from being a good graphic designer, one who is knowledgeable about all that the field encompasses, the teacher must consider how to interact and share with his students as well as how to induce and inform them with balanced approaches. When giving a critique, for example, we must always be unbiased and honest, and should be open to upgrading our own knowledge. Many times I myself have learned from my students and it brings me joy not only to see someone else learn, but also to expand my horizons to their point of view. Teachers should set high standards for the students, those that challenge them to think of unpredictable solutions, which still serve the purpose. Introducing students to higher levels of achievement allows them to develop higher skills. They should motivate weak students to become better, good students to reach excellence, and excellent students to go beyond all expectations. Nevertheless, the teacher should recognize these high standards themselves, should explain them to the students, and should encourage them to meet up to such standards. Once a teacher projects his/her ability as a professional designer he or she gains insight into how to aid the students. Having a clear vision about the profession the teacher should teach design values, and must take care not to impose upon the students their personal design style. Students should be inspired to learn from other successful designers but not just imitate someone else’s style. In some cases students blindly follow what the teacher approves of, or what they think the teacher will like. Yet the teacher is not the ultimate audience of their message. Providing inspiration and encouragement to them to seek their unique style is usually all that is required for students to gain confidence in what they are doing. Apart from avoiding the monotony of following previous examples, giving students challenging and unusual projects ensures that they will research the material related to the assignment on their own, which opens the doors to originality and creativity. Bringing in successful and appropriate examples that have followed a thorough design process initiates their responsibility of seeking better solutions regarding the similar subjects, adding quality and diversity to their learning process. Promoting them to “think outside the box,” to go beyond and search for original and unique solutions drives them to seek that originality. Teaching itself is a design project and as in any other profession a desired outcome results from thorough preparation. Subject related information resourcing, preparing lecture notes, visual presentations, and the syllabus which incorporates the course content, objectives, production processes, evaluation criteria, and university policies, form the heart of the course. In the syllabus, apart from setting all guidelines clearly, “the teacher must balance the requisites of the class, needs of the students, and expectations of the school” as “the syllabus is her [the teachers] blueprint, roadmap, and manifesto rolled into one.” Lectures should be prepared in a way that balances both theory and practice of the subject. If we over-bombard students just with theory, they will be unable to understand its practical uses. Yet if we neglect the theoretical concepts that began the process in the first place, such as form, function, colour psychology, typography, visual aesthetics, media, and design history, students might not appreciate the process for what it truly is and the changes it has

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undergone. It is also important, throughout the stage of preparation, to divide the total time unit into its specific phases so that the content is taught in a hierarchal, connected, and flowing order. Organizing the detailed inputs to be given at each phase should be considered well in advance. For imagine walking into a class and introducing concepts unprepared at random. It would be immensely time consuming and difficult for the students to link the content they are learning. The first day of the class is always appointed with the task of getting to know and understand my students and vice versa. Not only do we introduce ourselves but also share our likes and dislikes regarding some aspects of our lives, dreams and aspirations, our hobbies and backgrounds, interests in other arts such as music, theatre, or dance, sports and movies. We begin to become a team who can share each other’s knowledge and ideas comfortably, interacting freely, and learning together throughout the course. And then we get down to business, so to speak — I hand out the course syllabus. Students always complain that their syllabus has either been crumbled, torn, is right side up, or up side down. The sequence of paragraphs is distorted, the spacing of all bulleted paragraphs justified into very close spacing; titles and headlines appear everywhere; random usage of bold and italic type and different type styles daze the eye. I never deny any of these complaints though, for the mess in this first syllabus is intended, after which the actual syllabus is distributed. It is my way of making my point, the point being that they should realize that the graphic design profession involves the ordering of information in a proper hierarchy with appropriate emphasis. They should never overlook legibility and readability aspects in communicating with the various type styles that are at their disposal no matter what idea it is they are conveying. Delivering their design in an effective and presentable manner, one that integrates their individual design style should always be a top priority. They must not forget that the prime objective is to communicate, and to communicate clearly. The design profession is very planned and organized, a sensitive subject where, if visual information is not introduced properly to the audience the solution will not have served any purpose. Information haphazardly put together with no connection, clarity, or hierarchy does not clearly reveal the main point. I call it the “Pudding Process.” Often, students put too much “sugar” into their final design. When they try to solve a design problem and try to make it look good, their tendency is to put all the “goodies” together into one concept and emphasize everything in their design. But emphasizing each and every element is no emphasis at all. It is therefore important to teach them how much “sugar” to add and when to add it. The manner in which preparation and presentation of the pudding is done results in success only through trial and error. Questioning the flavour and exploring new avenues are what I demand from the students — experimentation with the purpose in mind. The approach a teacher should take when introducing a new concept or principle to a class is to take students from the known to the unknown. As a teacher, I also believe that for basic level courses more emphasis should be put on solidifying the student’s knowledge about learning the basic design elements, the fundamental design principles, and design tools and techniques. Teachers should provide clarity about what the design fundamentals incorporate and develop projects that have immediate relevance to the student, which makes it easier for them to understand. For example, when introducing them to the colour wheel, I ask them to bring as many objects as they can find for the colour they like. Later, working in teams during class, they arrange the objects sequentially into a circle creating the colour chromes, hues, and values of the colour wheel. I have found that it is more effective at the foundation level to take students from something they know and understand, to completely new concepts they learn together in class. When introducing typography I ask students to cut 20 to 30 letterforms pertaining to the initials in their name. They categorize them in class into light, normal, or bold, small and big, thin and thick, and narrow and wide forms. In this case they begin at something they know on a daily basis, namely their initials, and are introduced to the various typography elements in use. On the other hand, senior level courses should emphasize the design process, concept development, and communication. They should be given the opportunity of solving complex design problems. For this is the stage at which students should be trained in how to develop an idea for a given project

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independently, and consider what other alternative possibilities exist for the same problem. One other crucial aspect at this level is that of decision-making, for teachers here should emphasize how students consider which idea or concept to select for further development. Introducing senior level students to projects that challenge their creative abilities brings them to broader levels of understanding. Introducing design projects about real life scenarios and case studies offers students a better awareness about their immediate society. At the senior level, not only should the curriculum focus on various media, but also focus on the content, subject-related research, production techniques, and the message. Apart from teaching Brand Identity, Publication Design, Package Graphics, and Multimedia Design, courses such as Design for Social Causes should also be incorporated into the curriculum, for it provides the students with inputs that help in preparing better designers who are conscious and concerned about their own society and also helps them for their future design career in the real world. Indirectly, not only do they learn from designing for such complex subject matter but it also instils confidence in the tasks that they are about to undertake. The design curriculum of the graphic design program should not only include courses such as Drawing, Elements of Design, Graphic Design Principles, Colour, Form & Structure, and Typography, but should also incorporate Environmental Exposure, Design Process, and Design Software for Illustration, Image Manipulation & Typographic Layout at the introductory level. Design for Social Causes, and Professional Exposure (Internship) at senior levels should also be considered. Environmental Exposure is an important course, which allows students to develop basic skills and attitudes about the world around them. The objective is to develop perception skills, study the immediate man-made and natural environment as well as the culture and its activities, and finally document it. The Design Process course would provide a thorough understanding about design problems where students can develop proficiency in how to solve such problems in a methodological manner. One of its main ingredients then should be emphasizing the process through dealing with hypothetical problems presented during the course. Professional Exposure (Internship) allows seniors to work with a real design firm, giving them some level of professional experience and confidence. Learning design is rather expensive where students have to spend an enormous amount in order to complete their study. As a result most students not only attend school for learning design but at the same time, work outside the educational environment at different capacities. I still recall the shock I experienced regarding the students’ attitudes upon beginning my first semester in the United States. I would walk into the class only to find students with headphones on, listening to music, or chewing and popping bubblegum; even worse, one even had her feet on the worktable! The bitter truth is that there are different kinds of students that a teacher encounters. There are those who are sincere and dedicated; those who understand that the learning process is just as important as everything else in life. There are students who like to learn but lack motivation. Some students are just there in class for the sake of being there, nothing more. Lastly, there are those students who are always “full of excuses.” One such student’s grandmother died four times before he finally attended the critiques! It is very important then for students to have the aptitude to learn, the yearning to gain knowledge, and the thirst to seek it. Being a student does not just mean completing assignments, as the teacher demands, rather being motivated to do so upon realizing that it is a part of the learning process. Students usually strive to satisfy the teacher and are unclear about what it is they themselves want to accomplish. They are more concerned about their final grades than asking themselves what they have gained. However, students should worry more about the process than their progress. Once they don’t receive the grade they want they begin to disrespect the teacher as well as the course claiming, “I did what you wanted me to do.” As a result, in art and design education, it seems that there are grade inflations where teachers give every student either an A or a B. It is completely wrong though because the success of students is measured by the quality of their work rather than their grades. Students should respect their teachers at all times, a crucial aspect of discipline. But their drive for learning should come from within themselves and they must realize that the learning process will benefit only those who are eager to learn.

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Once motivated and given the freedom to explore and discover the boundless possibilities that exist for any given problem, students do in fact put their mind and heart into their work. During review sessions, however, when asked what they think of their end result some say, “I like it.” “But why?“ “I don’t know. I like it.” In such instances their design solution is subjective rather than the objective approach they need to inculcate in order to achieve a feasible outcome. For design is for people, and to design one needs to understand people, human behaviour, psychology, and sociology — considerations that in many cases are the missing links to successful results. When a designer says “I like it,” it should not only be his/her personal viewpoint; rather he or she must have confidence that the audience for whom they are designing is kept in mind, why the design is for them, and if the message is clear to that audience. Therefore, students must always consider that not only does a good and effective solution require sound craftsmanship, communication process, and creativity, but it also results from understanding the message itself and knowing the audience that receives it. There are four criteria that teachers must take into account when evaluating students – participation, performance, presentation, and professionalism. In many ways, participation breaks the teacherstudent barrier as insight is shared freely and fluidly between the two in order to reach a successful result. Participation is a very important factor in learning, especially in a visual art like Graphic Design. Since learning never happens in isolation, critiques are a healthy manner by which participation can be fostered. They create a platform for dialogue where one can learn positively and meaningfully from each other. It is a platform where students develop skill in communicating with an audience, creating confidence in them. Critiques generate discussions that bring different perspectives and views from both the student and the teacher. For the students, critiques are one of the best ways of learning about themselves because feedback from peers allows them to relate to each other better, to communicate with each other more easily, and to objectively analyse together what processes have been followed to reach the feasible solution. I always incorporate as many critiques as I can into the course, be it mid-process critiques or the final critique itself. Each one of them is equally important for gaining insight into the progress made at that stage as well as to reflect the level of performance of each student. I am a strong believer of the process. I ask students to show each step in detail before presenting their final solution. During class I help students with the tools and techniques they use on the computer and at the same time encourage them to follow the process thoroughly. When giving feedback, I try not to sound like giving advice as a teacher; rather I share my views as a member of their audience, asking them how the end user will look at their design. I bring in questions regarding design principles they learned in foundation level courses so that they do not overlook the fundamentals no matter what level of complexity the project might demand. Spending time generously with students and discussing the concepts, visual aesthetics, and the ultimate message broadens the scope of evaluation. Students should always seriously evaluate each stage of development, and should consider visual aesthetics and sensitivity throughout the process. How well a student performs is determined by the amount of research carried out regarding the project, the level and process of ideation, explorations, eliminations, and selections. The entire process including development, finalization, and documentation also determines their performance. Presentation does not only mean visual presentation, but also verbal communication of ideas with the audience. One must learn how to present a design in an effective manner to his or her client. The process is the designer’s argument that supports their choices in reaching the final solution. One must be clear, concise, and confident in presenting what has been done, and the logic and reasoning behind it. Professionalism is reflected not only in the final presentation or final submission of a design, but is also revealed throughout the course. How well the students work in a team, how well they conduct themselves, their attitude in the learning process, how attentive and punctual they are, as well as how well they resolve complex problems and issues without overlooking basic fundamentals are all

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components of a true professional. A professional should always be critical of his or her own creative process and must have a good attitude towards everyone. In teaching design today, the computer plays a very important role as it has almost replaced the basic tools of the trade like the pencil, brush, ruler, and right angle. It seems like design has taken on a predictability and sameness primarily because it offers readymade solutions. The computer does provide simultaneous control over different parts of creating a design, but the computer is nothing more than a calculator, a machine, and if operated on properly yields quick results. I call it the “magic box” that says, “Your wish is my command.” In the studio students only have a one ft. to two ft. space apart from that which the computer monitor and CPU occupies. There is hardly any workspace. When introduced to an assignment, students directly begin working on the computer without any thought of sketching their ideas on a sketchpad or an unlined piece of paper. Students should delve into their own creativity instead of relying on the magic box to do so and must know when and how to use computers. Computers are not designers. Similar designs result from the computer because it is not as unique as the designer’s own aesthetics and inspirations. Students must be taught visual literacy and must be able to recognize true creativity as opposed to the “fad” because just knowing how to use a particular software program does not make one a designer. Even teachers should realize that we should not ignore the time-honoured principles of design because they are upheld no matter what tools and technology are in current use. The human mind and hand are capable of much more than the computer itself; after all, the computer was created by the human mind and hand. The graphic designer plays a crucial role in our everyday lives. We serve to inform, to persuade, and to move through graphic form. In designing, however, we must always pay heed to the processes we have undertaken, the audience for whom the design is created, and the message that we are conveying. Design education is learning by teaching, and in this process the teacher and the taught explore together. Albert Einstein once said, “ It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” It is our duty, as teachers, to dedicate ourselves to our students. A teacher must understand, encourage, inspire, and respect his students in order to be effective. We must aim to help students experience the world beyond pure facts, and guide them towards becoming more confident, independent, considerate, and open-minded. Striving to get the highest quality work possible will not only make them professionals, but will also make them aware of the greater world around them. Teachers should demand perfection, ask students to reach, and expect them to try. Unconditional generosity to help students outside the class is a pleasure because it ensures their future success. There is a joy in seeing the best students excel, the pride of the average student in completing a project, and the satisfaction of the lesser student persevering when they thought they could not make it. Teaching may, but learning never ends. There will always remain a quest for knowledge and understanding, and as long as this need is present, so is the role of the teacher.

References Heller, Steven. Teaching Graphic Design: Course Offerings and Class Projects from the Leading Graduate and Undergraduate Programs. USA: Allworth Press, 2003. Kelly, Rob Roy. Everything is a Work in Progress: The Collective Writings of Rob Roy Kelly on Graphic Design Education. Rochester, USA: Design Lab, 2001. Meggs, Philip. A History of Graphic Design. USA: John Wiley & Sons, 1998. Oldach, Mark. Creativity for Graphic Designers. Cincinnati: North Light Books, 2000.

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