Graphic Japan: From Woodblock and Zen to Manga and Kawaii

by Natalie Avella

From the kitsch cuteness of Hello Kitty to the cult of manga and anime, Japanese design has long paved the way for the West to follow. Graphic Japan goes beyond this well-known territory to reveal the myriad styles of design produced in Japan today, from packaging to posters, and typography to new media. Contemporary Japanese graphic design is a unique collision of traditional cultural influences and a focused thrust toward modernization on global terms, and the book reflects this marriage of tradition and hypermodernity. Essays on today's innovators are beautifully printed in a simple, elegant manner that is typical of traditional Japanese work, and are combined with bold and colorful visual material which reflects the brash, global commerciality of much new material. This book is an inspirational "must" for designers in the West.

Genres: Art

223 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Natalie Avella somehow made a interesting subject very boring, and for a book on graphic design the layout was pretty ugly.