Designing for the Future

See what caught the eye of one frog last month: trends, images, and snippets of news.

Iranian Typography

With the political climate what it is, there has been much discussion as of late about the intersection of Western and Middle Eastern culture. Wherever you fall in the political discourse, one positive side effect of this increasing dialogue abroad is the cross-pollination of the arts. In literature, we have seen Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner – the first book by an Afghan novelist to be written in English – rise to best-seller status. We have endured a literary scandal around Azar Nafisi's Reading Lolita in Tehran, with allegations of Western centrism. And we have seen an increasing influence of Middle Eastern art in the American cultural scene. Design has been no different. In the past few years, Iranian graphic design has gained increasing recognition throughout the world, blurring the line between typography and calligraphy. Poetic or political, these texts are bringing great beauty into the world.

Calligraphy painting by Mohammed Ehsaei, reprinted from www.pingmag.jp

Western Semiotics

Also of interest to designers may be the recently released symbols.com, an online encyclopedia that offers an extraordinary compendium of graphic symbols and their varied meanings. Whether creating a logo for a company or a product for the market, this site is a valuable source for ideas and inspiration.