Graphic Design as Consumer Product

• By: Ellen Lupton
• | Thursday August 16, 2007

One of the themes looked at in the Triennial is the rise of graphic design as a consumer product. It used to be that graphic design was strictly a business-to-business service. Now, everyday citizens have access to professional quality software, fonts, printing services, and more. It’s a whole new world out there.

One example of this is Blik, whose precut vinyl graphics can applied to walls or windows in any home or office. Available at Target, Urban Outfitters, and other retailers, Blik’s products have converted a professional service (custom-cut vinyl graphics) into a direct-to-consumer commodity.

If you want to design your own vinyl graphics, create a vector-based image file in a program such as Illustrator or Corel Draw, and take it to a sign company. (Focus on flat, single-color designs, such as lettering, ions, and silhouettes.) Most urban areas in the US have dozens of fast-service sign companies geared to the needs of small businesses. For ideas, visit Blik.