Aside from architecture, applied art received its biggest boost from the growth in commerce during the 19th century, following the Industrial Revolution. Suddenly, competitive manufacturers and service providers needed to ensure that their products and services "looked good" as well as functioned properly. This demand for improved aesthetics led to the establishment of numerous design schools and courses, from which a new generation of commercial artists and designers emerged. Later, as the range of products multiplied, and new printing techniques appeared, they were joined by graphic designers and most recently computer graphics designers.
