Form Vs Function

Posted 11 Mar 2010 - 3 Gratefully received comments

This is one of the ongoing debates in graphic design, the reason it keeps rolling along is because there isn’t a definitive answer. It’s up to each of us to form an individual opinion according to the work that we produce.

The whole point of this blog is for me to voice my opinion so here we go!
I first started thinking about this debate when I wrote a short article about functional design a while back. I used road signs as an example of function over form. They are not the most attractive of things, but the whole reason for their existence is to impart information, clearly and without embellishment. In this task they are a huge design success.

I find that this question of aesthetics and application is a perpetual balancing act. Every project is different in it’s aims and how it needs to be perceived by it’s target audience. The factors within the brief need to be considered then it’s part of the designers job to alter their approach according to what a piece of work needs to achieve.

I’ve commented before that design at it’s core is all about communication, so in my opinion function is always the most important thing. A message needs to be delivered, that is the first aim in most design projects, then this is usually tempered by how the message is sent, and ‘dressed up’.

Something cannot be considered to be a piece of art if it has any other function apart from itself. Art is simply an adornment that has no real use. Obviously art has an important part to play culturally and historically but at the time of it’s conception it can be seen as completely self-involved.

A piece of design is far removed from this. Design is created for a purpose, and is made aesthetically pleasing as a means of supporting the message it has to transmit.

Function is paramount in design because it is it’s very essence, it is it’s purpose. The form a piece of design takes is directly linked to it’s function, so in my mind there is no debate at all. In my work it isn’t about form Vs function because the form is a direct result of it’s function.

Let me know what your opinion is on this debate. Do you think about form Vs function before beginning a project? Has art had a bad influence on design? Do you consider yourself an artist even though you have been pigeon-holed as a designer?

Here are a few links to similar articles that you might be interested in:

www.webdesignerdepot.com
The Difference Between Art and Design

www.trippingwords.com
Intelligent Design – The balancing act of form and function

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3 Comments

  • Claire Coullon says:
    March 11, 2010 at 9:58 am

    Well written article Ken. I agree that it’s definitely not so much form vs. function as it is a direct link between the two. While function is naturally the entire purpose of design, I think it’s crucial not to focus so much on the purpose that the visuals are lost. The most successful designs are the ones whose form reflect their function. That way, the message conveyed is much more memorable. I don’t think art can be a bad influence on design, as long as you obviously remember that your design needs to work.

    [Reply]

  • Laura says:
    March 11, 2010 at 2:14 pm

    I think you hit the mark perfectly Ken. Design without function is Art – To all the artists out there, please don’t kill me! After all, that is not to say that art can not have a function, but generally this function is left down to interpretation, while design has a very definite brief to fulfil, a very definite purpose – Enter function. From here, as the designer, you can chose how much to dress up the design, depending on its nature. Some design briefs will not lend themselves well to too much fancy form, such as road signs, but instead the form should add to the function – such as good contrast of colours, clear typography, clear layout, appropriate size and placement, etc. Interesting post, and well written. Thanks Ken.

    [Reply]

  • Ken Reynolds says:
    March 12, 2010 at 8:49 am

    Thanks for your thoughts. All very interesting.
    I might have come across as anti-art in my article which wasn’t my intention.
    Creativity should be at the heart of all design but, as you have commented, it is all about purpose.

    Designers need to create like artists but then package it to the required ends.
    You might argue that designers need to be more aware of how visual stimulus effects the viewer than an artist!

    [Reply]

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Who's Ken?

Picture of Ken I'm a freelance graphic designer living and working in Suffolk. I've been using Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign & Quark Xpress since 1999 but I've been using pens, pencils, paper and most importantly my imagination for a lot longer. I'm always looking for new clients to work with and interesting projects to work on.

 

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