As i might have mentioned before, i’m not a big fan of modern art, nor am i a supporter of societies driven/ruled by technology. That’s the main reason why i often get a claustrophobic feeling and a general unease whenever i think about Japan or watch photos/videos of that country. From an outsider’s point of view, who’s never been there, it feels like an overly crowded bee hive, where people live and work like small robots, while ever changing futuristic technology is slowly replacing centuries old traditions. A land where herd mentality meets strange customs or prejudices which surely don’t make sense to westerners. A mind boggling environment in which you’ll find the elegance and simplicity of past millennia next to swarms of brightly (almost abrasive) colored Harajuku girls and anime graphics. If i were to trust some of my friends’ opinions concerning this country, I’d have a hard time making up my mind: some are loving every minute spent there, while others have sworn to never return again.
Yet, despite all these clearly negative reactions to the Japanese society, i have to admit that there are aspects of it which intrigue and inspire me. That’s why i was more than curious when i saw “Japanese Graphics Now!” in one of the local bookstores from my hometowns. I had seen several page previews on Taschen’s website, but other than that, i didn’t know much about the book, and being a sealed copy meant no flipping through. Still, i had a good feeling about it. Plus, the price was more than decent, given it’s size and the quality I’ve grown to expect from this wonderful publisher.
As my recent work revolved largely around package and graphic design, I’m constantly looking for valuable sources of inspiration in these areas. Although i was able to find some interesting websites related to them, i keep coming back to the books that i love. Unlike checking out a website, while I’m turning printed pages i can totally immerse myself in the experience without having to worry about emails, twits, feeds or direct messages distracting me.
“Japanese Graphics Now!” is a perfect companion during those times when you simply want to get away from your work and refuel your creativity. It’s part of the lovely 25 Anniversary collection, which already recommends it as a great value for money item and, at 350 pages, it has a great variety of examples. Originally released in 2003, my current 2006 edition feels as relevant today as I’m sure it did back then. Just so you don’t get the wrong idea, there’s hardly any text in it besides the short introduction at the beginning. It’s a colorful showcase of full/half page visual samples accompanied by titles and designer names placed discretely on the pages so they don’t distract from the visuals. The lack of descriptions can also be a blessing in disguise because it forces you to take a closer look and spend a little more time analyzing the minor details of each design if you truly want to get the most out of it.
The whole book is structured into three main chapters: “Packaging”, “Posters & Ads”, “Print”. The reason why i think it still works, more than half a decade later (given its type), is that most of the chosen designs have a timeless quality to them. The great variety of styles and the lack of any easily recognizable trends, keeps it from being boring or outdated. It’s a collection of great designs, which just work in getting the message across in an elegant and effective manner. If you were indeed to pinpoint certain dominant traits, you’ll probably realize that most items revolve around one of these two extremes: subtle minimalist design and bright bubblegum extravaganza. As far as visual themes go, there’s a mix of traditional organic motifs mostly inspired by nature, naive or cartoon styled drawings and elegant understated futurism.
The Packaging chapter has roughly 100 pages and it’s mainly focused on several type of products: food, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Without necessarily counting them, I’d say most samples are bottle (and similar recipients) designs followed by less common boxes, (plastic) jars, bags and other types. You’ll find examples of both inexpensive, everyday products and high end, luxury goods, which is often appropriately suggested by their look. Strangely enough, there aren’t featured any technology related package designs which might be due to their often quickly antiquated look.
Posters & Ads it’s the largest chapter of the book and its nearly impossible to describe, given the incredible variety of styles. Based on my personal taste, and taken out of context, I’d say there are quite a handful of these printed ads which look more or less like crap. However, no matter how far they stray away from conventional beauty, these pieces are very well put together and you can learn a lot about how to effectively use ugliness and the shock factor. It includes everything from minimalist black and white, typography based posters to rainbow colored chaotic cartoons.
Print is the last and shortest chapter of the book and somewhat expands on the previous one with a collection of visual identity and stationary designs, book and magazine covers, brochures and other printed promotional items.
From my personal perspective, the only thing that might put me off buying this book, if i were to do it all over again, is the cover jacket, as shallow as it may seem. The two graphics on the front and back simply don’t bring justice and actually might give you the wrong impression about the wonderful material contained within. Of all the Taschen books that i own, this is one of my favorites and i really enjoy revisiting it every once in a while when i need a quick creativity boost.
