Computer Arts Projects issue 99

Frank Zappa may have made some boring records in the 60s, but when he said, “The mainstream comes to you, but you have to go to the underground”, he hit the nail on the head.

The 60s, though, have become history, and society has changed beyond recognition, as have our perceptions of underground culture. Back when Frank was fashionable, the underground really was inaccessible – you had to seek it out and it had its own secret codes and practices. It also had its own graphic language.

It’s this that we’re celebrating in this issue of Computer Arts Projects – the graphic design that has been at the heart of every counterculture and youth culture movement, underground publication, fanzine, book and record cover since teenagers in the late 60s decided to opt out of the mainstream.

Whether you’ve got a wide knowledge of design at the margins or are a new refugee from mainstream culture, there should be plenty here for you. There’s a great survey of underground design from 60s California to modern day London, in-depth articles on protest design and poster art, a look at the work of some underground heroes, and two fascinating profiles. On the practical side of things, we go back to basics with fanzine design, create a piece of protest design, and draw inspiration from 60s psychedelia to create a stunning concert poster.

You’ll also find a copy of our very own black-and-white fanzine and a stunning foldout poster by our new discoveries from Brazil, Mulheres Barbadas.

Oh, and don’t worry, we won’t mention Frank Zappa again. Well, not much.

Dom Hall, Editor

IN THE MAG

FEATURES

Going underground
From hippy to punk to club culture - every underground youth cult has a graphic look. We lift the lid on underground design to discover its past, present and future

Protest and design
Whenever people take to the streets to protest, they look to graphic design to help them get their message across. We find out how and why

Off the wall
We track down some of the poster art world’s most legendary designers and find out why the art form has endured for so long

Last word
Underground overground – designers Spencer Drate and Judith Salavetz on why the mainstream always cashes in

PROFILES

Space Hijackers
A group of London-based ‘anarchitects’ who use graphic design as a tool for mischief, chaos and subversion. We track down its head agent to find out about hoax adverts for luxury flats, organising parties on the London Underground and the art of innovative protest

Dalek
Dalek, AKA James Marshall, has a foot in both underground urban art and uptown art galleries. As one of the best-known street artists working today, how does he balance his underground and overground activities?

TUTORIALS

Fanzine design
Fanzine design is all about attitude and tearing up the rule book. To celebrate the inky world of the A5 Zine, we look at how getting busy with the photocopier and Letraset can inject fresh style into your design work

Create protest art
If you’ve got a point and want to get it over in the most direct way you can, Derek Lea’s brilliant step-by-step guide helps you use the style, iconography and look of underground protest art to create a design which will cause a stir on the barricades

Psychedelic poster art
Turn on, tune in, drop out with Zip Design’s hands-on guide to the art of creating 60s-style poster designs with a modern twist

Distressed effects
How to give your designs a weathered feel for that authentic bill-posted look