A Thin Assembly Line

“There is no such thing as a new idea” (Twain and Kiskis). Mark Twain may have a somewhat dismal outlook on the subject of ideas—which may be especially disheartening to visual artists whose sole purpose is to develop a unique idea that can effectively convey a message or solve a problem.

Graphic design has a rich history of influential movements and notable practitioners who shaped design into what it is today. These significant phases of design occasional seep through the years and reflect into current trends. This can be seen with the emergence of hand lettering, and retro and vintage design that has been a focus in the past few years.

As we look back, we must be cautious to not let the ideas and principals of the past take over our current designs. Although they can help influence, we must be sure to skate the fine line of not mimicking and to allow current design principals to surface. Otherwise there will be no additional contribution to design history for the designers of tomorrow.

Taking a look back at the Assembly Line trope which is captured below in Charlie Caplin’s Modern Times movie, it can easily be seen how it directly influenced I Love Lucy, We Bare Bears and countless others.

However, in the case of Wayne’s World parodying the Laverne and Shirley TV show’s opening sequence, you can begin to posit the problem of losing your idea and message in lieu of maintaining a clear and concise concept and aesthetic.

We must ask the question: at what point, if any, does taking a glimpse into the history of graphic design become a hindrance, and in what ways can we avoid the pitfalls of allowing past design to overtake our trends of today? Does this imitation of past design muddle the significance and original circumstances that it arose from?