William Morris'  Impact on Graphic Design 

This discussion post looks at the popular piece from the famous artist, designer, and socialist William Morris. Morris is considered one of the fathers of modern graphic design and, therefore, obviously crucial to the history of graphic design. He is regarded as one of the fathers for his concept of the well-designed page. These pages included a sense of design unity while establishing a hierarchy using different typefaces. The piece we are looking at is called Strawberry Theif, a decorative textile design from 1883. Inspired by medieval elements, Morris’ work has many romantic and naturalistic features. This textile-esc style makes up a lot of the borders of his books. 

Morris also significantly impacted the Arts and Crafts Movement due to his push for using handcrafted work that would be useful every day. He influenced and participated in the 19th-century public sphere by advocating that all should produce and enjoy art. The creation of the Kelmscott Press exemplifies his hope for a collaborative, artistic community. The Kelmscott Press was Morris’s last creative endeavor. Here, he set out to revive the medieval aesthetic and create limited-edition books while rejecting the standards of 19th-century mass production.