History of Graphic Design

1276 – 1890

1276Printing arrives in Europe with a paper mill in Fabriano, Italy.

1450Johann Gensfleisch zum Gutenburg credited with perfecting the system for printing type in books. 

1460

Albrecht Pfister the first to add illustrations to a printed book.

1470

Nicolas Jenson, considered one of history’s greatest typeface designers, sets news standard for Roman type.

1530

Claude Garamond opens first type foundry, developing and selling fonts to printers.

1722

First Caslon Old Style font developed, later used for the printing of the Declaration of Independence.

1760

Industrial Revolution begins, setting the stage for advances in graphic design production.

1796

Author Aloys Senefelder develops lithography.

1816

First sans-serif font makes a subtle entrance as one line of a book.

1837

Godefroy Engelmann  is largely credited with bringing lithography to France, and later, commercializing Chromolithography. In 1837 he was granted an English patent for a process of chromolithography that provided consistently high quality results.

1861

Williams Morris, who became a highly influential figure in design history, sets up art-decorating firm.

1880

Development of halftone screen allows for first photo printed with a full range of tones.

1890

Art Nouveau movement begins and changes design, making its way into all types of commercial design and utilizing all types of arts.

1900-1990

1917

James Montgomery Flagg designs famous “I Want YOU for the U.S. Army” poster. The poster, a self-portrait, was actually an American version of a British poster by Alfred Leete.

1919

The Bauhaus, a German school, is founded, eventually providing the framework for modern design.

1932

Stanley Morison oversees design of Times New Roman font, commissioned by the Times of London.

1940

First issue of Print Magazine printed.

1957

Max Miedinger designs Neue Haas Grotesk font, later renamed Helvetica.

1959

First issue of Communication Arts printed.

1969

Douglas Engelbart develops first computer mouse, setting the stage for the future tool of graphic design.

1984

Apple releases first Macintosh computer, featuring bitmap graphics.

1985

Aldus, formed by Paul Brainerd, develops PageMaker software.

1990

Photoshop version one released, and physicist Tim Berners-Lee develops the world wide web, along with HTML and the concept of website addresses.