Year 1950 was the beginning of the development of graphic design movement in Swiss, which began to show a unique and clear style of graphic design because the emphasis on clarity of information, objective and rational composition and typography in which the dominant element. Because this style has certain advantages, the Swiss Style Graphic Design is used and created by graphic artists at the time, and finally this graphical style is widespread throughout the world.
The Swiss Style Graphic Design has become a revolution in the world of graphic design and immediately adopted by all the graphic design artist. The 1970s began surrounding the time, Swiss Style Graphic Design style started to really spread throughout the world. One of the unique style that looks at this in the beginning of its appearance are: user's dominant font as a graphic element in a work of graphic design. So the Swiss Style Graphic Design, also known as the International Typographic Style.
This graphic design style originated from Russia, Germany and the Netherlands during the 1920s and spread to Switzerland after World War II. In Switzerland, Swiss Style Graphic Design 'is growing rapidly and became a revolution in the world of graphic design. Works that use the Swiss Style Graphic Design is seen not only in poster design, but equally in each element, such as a train ticket design, newspaper layout, paper medicine, and others. Swiss Style Graphic Design has a huge impact for the three decades after its appearance even today.
One of the Swiss Style Graphic Design pioneers is a graphic design artist named Josef Müller-Brockmann, he is a graphic design artist from Switzerland. He is a graphic design artist who popularized the use of grid systems in graphic design. His role in the development of the Swiss Style Graphic Design is very large, one proof of its worth is in the year 1958 - 1965 that he founded and also being a co-editor of the journal in three languages : Neue Graph (New Graphic Design) who spread the principles of Swiss design internationally.
The use of a mathematical grid to create a structure that is organized and intact, asymmetrical layout, prioritize the use of photography rather than illustrations, sans serif font, especially Helvetica and Akzidenz Grotesk is characteristic of the Swiss Style Graphic Design. As the influence of modern architecture and industrial design who fight for the principle of "form follows function", Swiss Style Graphic Design more emphasis on the minimal use of visual elements such as typography and content layout, rather than texture and illustrations.
Swiss Style Graphic Design managed to create simple but effective work, because basically people do prefer simple yet interesting shapes, than the complex. Adheres to the principle of Swiss Style Graphic Design, graphic design artists can experiment with creating abstract geometric patterns, unusual color combinations, text manipulation, and abstract visual interest to convey a clear goal, the addition of unnecessary elements without exploring potential of these elements is considered as a vain thing. That's why Swiss design further highlight the elements of typography as a more efficient communication.
Many graphic designers are stuck on the idea that the more complicated design produced the more powerful and admired their work. That is an idea that is actually not appropriate because a true graphic designer is required to put themselves in the position of the audience. Starting from a minimal visual elements, Swiss design invites us to better understand, explore, and reflect on the meaning of a simplicity, not only in design but in a more universal meaning.