This paper will address the relationship and aesthetic influences between the traditional art of Japan and the contemporary visual communication, especially the Japanese graphic design. The art developed during Japan's period of isolation has significant influence in the aesthetic language of commercial communication. To investigate this relation it will be first addressed and problematized issues about the investigation approach to arts and graphic design in order to define a methodological path to follow. Later, the development of three Japanese artistic languages (ukiyo-e, sumie and rinpa) will be contextualised to create analysis and visual relationships with work in the field of contemporary Japanese graphic design.
Japan; graphic arts; ukyo-e; sumie; rinpa
