Graphic Design Fundamentals

Graphic Design Fundamentals

• Graphic design: a form of visual communication using visual elements to convey information or a message to an audience. It includes the creation, selection, and organization of visual elements to persuade, inform, identify, motivate, enhance, organize, brand, and locate.
• Visual communication: aims to solve problems or address concepts and targets a mass audience.
• Graphic design and advertising are essential components of contemporary visual culture.
• Graphic design is categorized into various disciplines and formats.

Categories of Graphic Design Disciplines

• Branding and Identity Design: systematic visual and verbal program aimed at establishing a consistent visual appearance and personality. It includes logos, business cards, letterheads, and more across various media.
• Corporate Communication Design: communicates internally and externally with a consistent corporate voice, including annual reports, brochures, and websites.
• Editorial Design (Publication Design): designs content for print or screen, like books, magazines, newspapers, and online platforms.
• Environmental Design: considers surrounding parameters (interior/exterior spaces) to enhance visitor experiences.
• Experimental/Self-Initiated Design: includes self-initiated and collaborative projects.
• Illustration: handmade images accompanying printed, digital or spoken text.
• Information Design: enhances or clarifies the message of the text, making complex information clear and accessible.
• Interactive/Experience Design: design for screen or device interfaces with user interaction, including websites, mobile apps, and games.
• Motion Graphics: Screen-based communication design in motion. This involves film, TV, and digital media.
• Package Design: strategic planning and design of product packaging, showcasing the brand, providing information, and creating brand experience. This includes promotional efforts.
• Promotional Design and Advertising: Creates visual and verbal messages to persuade or motivate across various media formats.
• Typographic Design: Focuses on creating and designing letterforms and type treatments.

Design Elements

• Shape: Enclosed space defined by other art elements; categorized as geometric (e.g., circle, square) or organic (irregular).
• Form: Three-dimensional shape (e.g., cube) that encloses a volume.
• Figure/Ground: relationship between shapes and the area surrounding them (positive vs negative space).
• Color: a property of light. Its three properties are hue, saturation, and value.
• Line: A mark with length and direction; used to form shapes, define space, and create outlines, patterns, and visual illusions of volume, which can be 2D, 3D, or implied.
• Texture: the surface quality (e.g., smooth, rough). May be actual or implied.
• Pattern: repetition of a visual element.
• Space: the area between, around, above, below, or within things, which can be 2D or 3D, flat, positive, or negative.

Design Principles

• Balance: Arrangement of elements to achieve equilibrium. Types include symmetrical and asymmetrical.
• Emphasis: Making an element stand out; guides viewer attention.
• Contrast: use of differences in value, color, texture, shape, line, form, or space to create visual interest.
• Rhythm/Pattern: Repetition to create visual flow; conveys order, energy, and a sense of visual movement.
• Movement: sense of action in the design; uses diagonal lines or repetition of elements.
• Harmony/Unity: unity of all elements to achieve a cohesive whole.
• Alignment: orderly placement of elements in relation to one another; creates a visual sense of organization.
• Proportion: The size relationship between different parts of the design.

Design Process and Media (Chapters 4-9)

• Series of steps for creating effective visuals.
• Orientation: understanding context, client goals, and target audience.
• Analysis: examination of gathered information.
• Conception: creating design concepts.
• Design: creating visuals.
• Implementation: producing deliverables (print or digital; print-related or screen-based). Formats/media include: posters, pamphlets, logos, annual reports, or environmental graphics.

Visualization techniques, color palettes and Gestalt principles in design

• Visualizations encompass a wide array of representational, abstract or nonobjective visual depictions.
• Color schemes can be described as (monochromatic, analogous, complementary, split-complementary, triadic, or tetradic)
• Gestalt Principles: include Similarity, Proximity, Continuity, and Closure, which explain how people perceive and group visual elements.

Logo Categories

• Wordmark, Lettermark, Pictorial symbol, Abstract symbol, Nonrepresentational or Nonobjective symbol, Character Icons and Emblems
• Designing logos involves the use of visual components such as color, texture, pattern, composition, forms or shapes, etc.

Type and Image Relationships

• Understanding type and image relationships is key for effective visual communication and guides the viewer through the composition, use of positive and negative space, and creating connections or contrasts.

Brochure and Packaging Design

• Brochures and annual reports are used for communication, promotional and promotional materials.
• Brochures are multiple-page formats with considerations for context and design.
• Annual reports are used to communicate financial information to shareholders or investors.
• Packaging design involves the science, technology, and art of protecting and distributing and presenting products.
• Different types of packages include primary, secondary, and tertiary packages.