The Chronographical Survey

I love print stuff and have a lot of it (not as much as I’d like, though). Anyone who’s visited my office can testify to this. They’ll also confirm that it’s dangerous to start picking things out and asking me to comment upon them. Where to start? Where to stop!

One reason I’ve never personally referred to myself as a design critic was because of my highly selective and sporadic output. Once, maybe twice a year isn’t even warming up. But I’ve wondered what a sustained graphic design criticism would look like.

As many design commentators have noted, there isn’t any regular, on-going criticism of graphic design happening. Music and film reviewing (to name just two other cultural forms) is commonplace in print and on line. The design reviewing that’s occurring is very selective and intermittent. Simply taking the mass of printed material that gets produced, there’s no shortage of material. Fold in web and interactive and any sensible mind will be boggle if it considered trying to critique it all.

So, combining these considerations with a practical need to fill these pages, I’m self-declaring The Chronographical Survey.

This ponderous title simply means I’m going to review everything graphic designerly I get in the next year. My approach will be situational and improvised. Meaning, some things will get the full essay treatment, most not so much. At least, I’ll acknowledge everything sent to me, and document my design purchasing habits (not that much of a mystery, really). To start out, I’ll actually reach back to give mention to a few things I’ve acquired over the past couple months. Here goes.