Task 4 - Communication Theory

For the purpose of this communication theory exercise I will be analysing a front cover of IdN (International Designers Network) magazine, a graphic design periodical that is designed and published in Hong Kong.

(IdN Volume 15 Number 6 2008/2009, the visual identity issue: retail desire)

The simplest way to start analysing the communication theory behind IdN magazine is probably by first looking at Laswell's maxim - "Who says what in what channel to whom with what effect?" - IdN magazine presents certain topics and areas of interest within the graphic design field through it's bi-monthly publication to it's readers, with the effect of informing them of news and trends within the industry.

IdN magazine covers traditionally vary wildly issue to issue due to the design of each one being constructed from content of that particular edition which decreases it's predictability. At the same time however, this signifies that they are in a certain way always identifiable through being packed with overflowing type and image that appears to stretch beyond the boundaries of the page with just the IdN logo being the sole element to occur in the same location every time. The edition above is no different and encapsulates what the magazine is all about.

In attempting to break down the levels of communication within this example, I feel it could be said that the IdN cover has indications of both redundancy and entropy that actually work together cohesively. It speaks in a manner perfectly suited to the intended audience, as, in amongst the abundance of visual elements, all the necessary information and semantic language is not too difficult to pick out but it is presented in a beautifully creative way. On the contrary, it's unconventional layout, organisation and production means the publication becomes more entropic. For example, information that leaks out in the form of written text printed in clear varnish or metallic ink may be lost on an eye that is unfamiliar to the magazine compared to those who know how and where to look for it. The sheer volume of predominantly visual but also written information could be defined as noise but yet at the same time they are essential components that are needed to communicate with the graphic design community it aims at. These components are in-fact redundant in the sense that they explicitly show actual content from the issue, albeit in a more abstract fashion than how it appears within a spread inside the magazine. 

Essentially, the covers of IdN are quite contradictory and unusual to analyse from a communication theory sense as they present several layers of readability depending on your knowledge and understanding of graphic design.