Writing about graphic design can feel like a paradox. As graphic designers, most of us find inspiration in books, magazines, design galleries, and on Pinterest. But let's face it, how many of us actually read the texts below the images? Nevertheless, the deeper you look for references and the more complex your work gets, the greater the need for expanding your scope of knowledge in all areas concerning graphic design itself. The cultural scene, economic and marketing context, and of course the ability to historically review trends and changes in this broad field, as depicted in books, magazines, and blogs of this kind – all lend us the capabilities and tools to understand and develop our craft in a more profound and meaningful way.
Thankfully, a new magazine is now joining the local graphic design scene, which is a great reason to review the current state of the Israeli blogosphere. It turns out that there are quite a few blogs that discuss the many topics related to the field – interactive, motion graphics, typography, and of course print design. But this time we will only cover those that focus on the general topic of graphic design.
Graphic Buster – Oded Ben Yehuda
Oded is a graphic designer and one of the most seasoned and prolific writers on graphic design in our small country. In his reviews of the scene in Israel and around the world that are featured in Xnet (a Yedioth Ahronoth publication), he keeps his readers updated on the latest developments in the graphic design world. Oded doesn’t shy away from leveling criticism when he feels the need to. He posts a new blog entry at least once a month, and you can subscribe to the Xnet newsletter or the column’s mailing list by sending Oded a personal email. Full disclosure: Oded is also one of our writers when he finds time for us in his very busy schedule as a writer, speaker, and international design tourist.
Portfolio – Yuval Sa’ar
This magazine, founded in 2005 (!) by Yuval Sa'ar, the former design writer for the Haaretz newspaper, highlights the subjects of art, design, and fashion and is updated with new posts every few days. As you can see in the link below which leads to the archive of articles about the entire field of design, there are quite a few articles on the various aspects of visual communication. Another great reason to stay updated through the magazine is the public announcements of competitions and exhibits that you should definitely attend.
“All Design” (or “Kula Itzuv”)
If you look at the magazine’s "About" page, it is clear that this blog is written and intended for the students of the Faculty of Design at the HIT Institute of Technology, featuring reviews of the activities of the various departments. Naturally, we chose to focus on the Visual Communication Department, to which we’re directed by the link above. We invite you to enjoy the writing presented exclusively by the students of the department and updated several times a month. This positive trend, which we strongly encourage, allows students in the department to specialize in the literary field as well, while the rest of us get to enjoy reviews of the department’s activities, as well as other relevant stories and events from across the country and around the world.
Design Museum Holon Magazine
The magazine is published once a season (based on the museum's schedule) and is regularly updated with content related to the exhibits on display. It also features reviews of current cultural design trends in broader contexts. The magazine doesn’t have a special graphic design section, but as you can see from the themes of the exhibits – you can almost always find content that is relevant to your work as graphic designers, and of course, learn more about the featured exhibits before you choose to attend them. Full disclosure: One of the magazine's content editors is also one of our most talented writers – Stav Axenfeld.
Uncoated
And here is the new and youngest sibling in the blogging family. This magazine started out from a graphic design group on Facebook and was founded by Haim Shoshan, designer and graduate of the WIZO Haifa Academy of Design. Eventually, it transformed into a magazine that covers the fields of illustration, art, and print, mainly in the local scene but some global coverage as well. It provides a platform for young creators to showcase their work processes. The magazine's editors – including graphic designer Tal Solomon-Vardi, who is also one of our writers, envision the magazine as an edgy alternative that reviews more esoteric trends than those reported in the aforesaid magazines and the printed press, and also serves as a market for designers and creators who are active in the areas it covers. Sounds absolutely fascinating and we wish them the best of luck!
'OT-OT-OT' Magazine (Letter-Letter-Letter)
And of course, there is us too! ‘OT-OT-OT’ Magazine, which focuses on typography and all things related. Our magazine includes a host of sections that highlight contemporary issues, especially in the local graphic design scene. We strive to provide weekly updates on content that we think is relevant and can be of interest to graphic designers. In addition to the variety of information, you can find in the hundreds of articles we’ve posted, you can always follow us and receive special graphic treats that you won't find anywhere else.
And there's more…
If all of the above goodies aren’t enough, you are welcome to catch up and enjoy the “Hatzi Gilayon” magazine (Half Edition) of the Visual Communications Department, which is updated periodically with new content, as well as other magazines that focus on design in general and occasionally touch on the topic of graphic design, such as: “Kavim VeNekudot” (Lines and Dots) by Yigal Zorea who recently joined our writing team; “Bezalel“ – by the Department of History and Theory at the Bezalel Academy; “Blue Collar Blog“ – written by Lahav Halevi; and of course, the legendary “Untitled” magazine that is no longer updated but contains some gems that you really should discover.