The Web Browser as a Tool: A Programmatic Approach to Graphic Design on the Web

Abstract

In recent years, the web browsers rendering capabilities have grown considerably. However, it remains a window through which design is seen rather than being used as a tool. This thesis seeks to develop a programmatic method that questions the web browsers original role as a display and redefines it by investigating its alternative role as a tool in the graphic design process. Through exploratory work, this research demonstrates that the web browser can be a fertile space for visual experimentation. This thesis demonstrates that graphic designers can benefit from a more pragmatic and logical approach to creation and invites them to adopt a process similar to a programmers process using the web browser as a tool.