Pedagogic research paper written, designed and presented by Susanna Edwards, Maziar Raein and Julia Lockheart. The Codex project was initiated with the aim of focusing on the predicament facing graphic design education, in particular design strategies employed in the advent of the technological revolution.
A number of practising graphic designers, journalists and educators were invited to contribute to this debate. A series of in-depth interviews were carried out in the initial phase of the project, identifying a range of issues that were felt to be significant. The aim was to question how the introduction of the computer in the 1980s has affected the teaching of graphic design and what effect it has had on industry practice.
This paper aims to act both as a primer and a catalyst to a wider discussion about the future of design and graphic design education.
We examined the teaching of letterpress as a teaching model and its relationship to creativity and play. As a result, we were able to establish a basis for the examination of the medium of computers as a design tool.
In order for us to examine the future role of the graphic designer, it seems logical to re-examine previous pedagogies developed for a past age, and formulate new models that relate to our needs today.
Published as an entire paper in Typographics magazine issue 60 and featured in Eye magazine Autumn 2005 issue. Reviewed in Rotovision's New Handmade Graphics, and presented as a paper at St Bride Printing Library's international conference, Twentieth Century Graphic Communication.
Download the Codex paper here.