Unit 1 -- Introduction to Graphics Design PDF

**Unit 1 -- Introduction** **1.1 What is Graphics Design?** Graphic design is a craft where professionals create visual content to communicate messages. By applying visual hierarchy and page layout techniques, designers use typography and pictures to meet users‟ specific needs and focus on the lo...

**Unit 1 -- Introduction** **1.1 What is Graphics Design?** Graphic design is a craft where professionals create visual content to communicate messages. By applying visual hierarchy and page layout techniques, designers use typography and pictures to meet users‟ specific needs and focus on the logic of displaying elements in interactive designs, to optimize the user experience. Or Graphic design is the practice of composing and arranging the visual elements of a project. Designing the layout of a magazine, creating a poster for a theatre performance, and designing packaging for a product are all examples of graphic design. Or Graphic design is the process of creating visual content that helps to communicate messages with an audience. The art of visual communication is essential, especially for brands looking to connect with their target audience, and graphic design is the perfect solution. Graphic design is an ancient craft, dating back past Egyptian hieroglyphs to at least 17,000-year-old cave paintings. It‟s a term that originated in the 1920s‟ print industry. Graphic designers attract viewers using images, color and typography. In fact, almost everyone today practices some form of graphic design in their daily life --- whether it‟s adding text to an image for social media or color-coding a spreadsheet for work. Basically, if you\'re creating visual content, you\'re practicing some form of graphic design. **What is the main purpose of graphic design?** The objective of graphic design is to convey or enhance a message. Good graphic art streamlines communication. Just picture a spreadsheet with data analytics. A graphic designer might use different colors to highlight which metrics are rising and which are dropping, thus making it easier for the viewer to quickly understand what‟s going well and what needs to be adjusted. **What does a graphic designer do?** A graphic designer creates useful, meaningful, and functional visuals using various means of technology. The work depends largely on a client\'s or company\'s needs, but general designer responsibilities may include: ∙ Developing visual assets to support a marketing campaign ∙ Designing a graphic overlay for social media posts ∙ Formalizing the layout for a print ad ∙ Creating company logos ∙ Retouching photos for digital signage Graphic designers create images and layouts for some of the following: ∙ Company brand identity (logos, typography, and color palettes) ∙ User interfaces on apps and websites ∙ Books, magazines, newspapers, and other publications ∙ Product packaging ∙ Advertisements and commercials ∙ Signage for stores, transportation, stadiums, and event spaces ∙ Video games There are two types of computer graphics: **raster graphics**, where each pixel is separately defined (as in a digital photograph), and **vector graphics**, where mathematical formulas are used to draw lines and shapes, which are then interpreted at the viewer\'s end to produce the graphic. You can use graphics to reflect the following elements: **Objects**---If you are discussing a fuel-injection scheme, you are going to need a sketch or a diagram. If you explain how to graft a fruit tree, you will need some examples of how it is done. Photographs, drawings, diagrams, charts, and schematics are the kinds of graphics that display objects. **Concepts**---If you want to demonstrate how the business is structured, such as the relationship between the various divisions and administrators, you might put up an organisation map, which is boxes and circles linked to lines indicating how it is hierarchically ordered and connected. This will be an example of a philosophical graphic; this style illustrates non-physical, conceptual things and their interactions. **Language**---Graphs may be used to represent words. You have probably seen how some textbooks could place primary meanings in a box, maybe with different colours in the background. The same may be achieved with key points or with expanded illustrations. **Why is Graphic Design Important?** Graphic design is important for a lot of reasons. First, it‟s the basis of every logo design you‟ve ever seen. Second, think about all of the social media content and advertisements you see every day. Yes, all graphic design. In addition, graphic design is a part of book cover design, magazine page layouts, product design, apparel design and more. **1.2 Applications of Graphics Design** Graphic design is everywhere, from the wrappers on candy bars to the logo on your favorite coffee mug. In fact, you see hundreds of examples of graphic design every single day, and most of the time, you don\'t realize it. Graphic design can serve many functions. Just a few of the uses of graphic design include: ∙ Signage ∙ Corporate identity/branding ∙ Packaging (from water bottles to appliances) ∙ Printed materials (books, flyers, magazines, newspapers) ∙ Online art (banners, blogs, websites) ∙ Album covers ∙ Film and television titles and graphics ∙ T-shirt and clothing designs ∙ Greeting cards **9 types of graphic design with examples** Here are 9 of the most common types of graphic design with examples and links to help you get your creative juices flowing. **1. Brand design** Brand design is the practice of setting guidelines and best practices for a company to use across all branded materials to ensure a consistent brand identity. Brand designers help communicate the personality, tone, and core messaging of a company, so this work involves a lot of strategy. Brand design work includes but is not limited to: ∙ designing logos and setting clear guidelines for how they‟re to be used ∙ designing letterhead, icons, and various illustrations ∙ selecting brand colors and setting clear guidelines for their usage ∙ creating or selecting fonts and typography guidelines ∙ creating templates that follow the brand guidelines and can be used by marketing, growth, and other teams ∙ packaging design and graphics for product design **2. Marketing design** Marketing design is graphic design for marketing initiatives. Marketing designers may work on small projects, such as the layout of a promotional email, or large multi faceted projects, such as designing the booth, hand-outs, and print materials for trade shows. Marketing designers may work on visual design for: ∙ emails ∙ newsletters ∙ billboards and other signage ∙ posters ∙ print ads ∙ trade show booths ∙ physical mailers ∙ website assets Marketing design and brand design do share some commonalities, but where brand designers look to set the overall guidelines and messaging for a brand, marketing designers typically focus on communicating a specific message for a single campaign or even a single type of asset or platform. **3. Web design** Many graphic artists work on visual elements that will be used on a website. But it‟s important to note that web design and graphic design are different. Designing a great website is a multidisciplinary undertaking because websites are interactive, rather than fixed assets like a brochure or a magazine. You need graphic design skills as well as experience with user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design, which is why many websites are designed by teams of multiple professionals with complementary skill sets. Web designers may work on projects including: ∙ Creating icons and buttons ∙ Creating images, illustrations, and other graphics ∙ Designing web page layouts ∙ Creating various interactive design elements on a website ∙ Creating videos and gifs ∙ Helping ensure visual elements are optimized for all devices (desktop, mobile, etc.) ∙ Working with web development, UX, UI, and marketing design teams to improve overall experience for site visitors **4. Illustration design** Illustrations are often included as part of web, marketing, and brand design --- but they‟re also used in other ways. Some designers focus solely on offering illustrations and will work with larger design teams, contributing individual assets for various projects. Illustrators may design visual assets for: ∙ children‟s books ∙ t-shirts and other wearables ∙ cards and stationary ∙ websites ∙ social media ∙ video and interactive media ∙ marketing campaigns Illustration style and design process can vary drastically from designer to designer. Some artists work almost exclusively in digital formats using tools such Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or Procreate and others blend digital media with physical media, preferring to begin with a pencil and paper. **5. Type design** Some graphic designers specialize in creating or selecting typography, typeface, or fonts. Type design can include: ∙ Creating custom lettering and numerals ∙ Writing or digitally creating typography assets ∙ Selecting fonts and creating typography guidelines for a brand Humans rely heavily on words to communicate messaging, so type designers collaborate on a wide array of projects. Type designers may be hired to create logos or wedding invitations and they sometimes contribute to brand design by creating, selecting, or pairing fonts. It‟s also common for type designers to create assets for web, marketing, product, or package design. **6. Infographic design** At their core, infographics are simply representations of data or information that can be consumed visually. Infographics come in the form of 2D illustrations, interactive elements on a website, or even videos. The common thread is that they help the viewer more easily understand a bulk of information or complex concepts. **7. Textile and surface design** Textile graphic designers may create designs for: ∙ fabrics ∙ wallpaper ∙ carpets ∙ furniture Many textile designers have experience not only designing graphics, but actually printing or creating the textiles themselves. To be a great textile designer, you need to have an understanding of design principles, such as color theory and hierarchy, as well as an understanding of what‟s possible when using different dyes and fabrics because the material itself will affect the final look of a design. **8. Packaging design** From food to gadgets to designer jewelry, the packaging that items are transported in is often just as important as the items themselves. Product packaging designers aim to show off or complement the items inside the packages. **9. Editorial design** The term "graphic design" originated from editorial graphic design and today it is still a very important part of both print and digital editorial publications. Publication design spans: ∙ books ∙ magazines ∙ newspapers ∙ emails and digital publications Editorial graphic design helps set the tone for a publication and can amplify the written word. Just picture a well placed pull quote in a printed interview or a beautifully laid out recipe book. **1.3 Basic shapes of Graphics** The art of graphic design is about communicating visually; instead of using words, you use colors, layout, and --- shapes to speak through only images. **Circles** One of the most classic shapes is also one of the most popular in graphic design for its strong connotations. To understand the meaning of circles, you first have to understand one of the basic tenets of optics: the human eye instinctively follows lines. With that in mind, because a circle is a line that never ends, it represents both movement and completeness. In graphic design, that opens the door for a lot of uses.  As borders or frames, circles --- and other circular shapes like ovals and ellipses --- represent both unity and protection. Lacking any sharp or jagged edges (which we explain below), circles are a much friendlier shape than the others for encompassing other images within. Because they tend to "invite" the viewers into their "completeness," circles exhibit a strong sense of community. For these reasons, they are one of the most popular choices for logos, or at least to frame logos inside them. As decorative shapes, such as background decoration or building blocks in other images, circles are playful and graceful, and put viewers at ease. Circles never stop, and so neither does the eye when viewing them, giving them a childlike whimsy. **Spirals** Regarding the principle about how the eye naturally follows lines, spirals take that principle to extremes. They maximize the effect of a circle "drawing you in," almost hypnotizing the viewer by keeping and holding their attention. Spirals have a powerful effect in graphic design, and so should be used carefully. They‟re visually "busy," and so they counteract images that strive to be calming or easygoing. They‟re also highly magnetic, so they tend to compete with any other nearby visuals. On the other hand, when spirals are used alone and are the central focus, they can effortlessly create a dynamic and intense visual. **Squares and Rectangles** Considering their structural integrity, square and rectangles signify stability and, by extension, trust. They are the go-to shape for order and organization, as well as all other traits associated with these, such as logical, calculating, and above all, efficient.  However, as a consequence, squares and rectangles can be a little bland by undermining other attempts to be vivid or fun. Their straight lines present a clear-cut and neatly defined pathway, and so there‟s not distraction --- the fastest route, not the scenic route. In the business world, squares and rectangles are a favorite emblem of serious industries like insurance or finance. You can further customize the message rectangular shapes send by tweaking the angles of their corners. While perfect right angles highlight the emphasis on stability, slanting those angles can create interest hybrid shapes, depending on how sharp the corner is (more on this below). This is one technique to make otherwise boring rectangular shapes more exciting. **Triangles & Arrows** When finding the meaning of triangles, the most important factor is which direction the point is facing. Triangles and arrows change their meaning entirely based on whether they‟re pointing up, down, left, or right, and blend those meanings for degrees in between. Upward-facing triangles are structurally sound (like rectangles) and therefore symbolize stability and trust. But because the point draws the eye upward, they also represent growth and success, and tend to signify leadership or even domination. Downward-facing triangles are almost the opposite. Because they look like they can tumble at any moment, they represent risk and can cause slight tension, which can be used to intentionally create an edgy visual. If triangles are facing left or right, it represents progression: either forwards in the sense of moving onward, or backwards in the sense of backtracking or dwelling in the past. Consider the iconic "play" button for videos. It‟s worth noting that which side represents which depends on the direction that culture reads; in Western cultures that read left-to right, a right-facing arrow represents forward progression. **Sharp Edges** When dealing with squares, rectangles, and triangles, the sharpness of the angles also communicates its own meaning. Considering the main rule of optics that the eye follows lines, pointier angles create more eye movement, which translates into a more energetic visual. In excess, this effect can be jarring or disruptive, though, but if that‟s the aesthetic you‟re going for, extra sharp angles are a perfect fit.  Likewise, flatter or wider angles are much calmer. They work well if you‟re trying to find a good medium between energetic and calm, but if you‟re aiming for a truly relaxed look, your best choice is to round off the corners altogether. **Curved Edges** A curvy or wavy line takes the fun and whimsical properties of a circle and applies them to otherwise straight-edges. The severity of the wave --- think "frequency" --- determines how much eye movement it causes; just like sharp edges, wavy lines with a high frequency can be jarring and disruptive, although not quite as much as pointed edges. One of the most useful applications of curves in graphic design is to temper the more serious effects of shapes with hard corners to make them a little friendlier. You see this often in web design, where rectangular buttons are given rounded edges to soften their look. Curved and rounded corners are a practical graphic design tactic for finding the perfect balance between the serious properties of rectangles and the playful properties of circles. **Parallel Lines** With the way they occupy a viewer‟s eye movement, a series of parallel lines largely acts in the same way as a basic shape. What they communicate, though, depends on their direction. **Vertical Lines** A series of vertical lines consistently guide a viewer‟s eyes up and down, suggesting strength or even aggression. Just like an upward-facing triangle, vertical lines symbolize dominance and leadership, and as such work against more peaceful visuals.  **Horizontal Lines** By contrast, horizontal lines symbolize stability and balance, like the very ground we walk on. Horizontal lines can be calming and showcase security, with the drawback that they‟re a little on the boring side. **Crosses** What happens when you combine a vertical and a horizontal line or two perpendicular diagonals? As you might expect, crosses signify conflict or contrast, which in certain instances could be exactly what you‟re going for.  Depending on how they‟re stylized, crosses sometimes carry external symbolic meanings with them. Vertical-horizontal crosses, for example, are usually associated with religion, specifically Christianity, and may drum up any personal opinions the viewer has. However, they also represent health and hospitals, so you can influence the interpretation with the right context. Similarly, diagonal crosses may appear as an X, typically associated with restrictive signs. To avoid signifying a "do not" sign, don‟t use other images in front or behind the cross --- place them in the empty triangles above, below, and to the sides instead. Like the basic shapes, you can modify the meaning of a cross by adding more visual weight to one line over the other. For instance, if you use a thick horizontal line but a thin vertical line, the cross will insinuate stability and balance primarily, but still retain some of the vertical‟s power and aggression. In this way, you can customize the cross design to suit your needs. **Symbol** Sometimes the meanings behind certain shapes don‟t have to be cryptic. You can always fall back on universally accepted symbols to immediately and clearly communicate a particular message. With common symbols, an easily recognizable shape is essentially the same as using an actual word. Everyone knows a heart represents love, for example. If you want to display love, it‟s as simple as including a heart in your image. There‟s plenty of symbols like hearts, as well --- stars represent success and achievement, scales represent justice, clocks represent time, diamonds represent wealth, etc. Keep in mind that these vary depending on the culture: because of a country‟s street signs, to some people an octagon represents "stop," to others a downward-facing triangle. Animal shapes are especially popular in graphic design for the same reason. Many animals each have their own distinct associations, so you have a diverse arrangement to choose from when finding a specific set of traits to you want represent: a wise owl, a clever fox, and dangerous shark, etc. With graphic design done well, you can even take a common symbol and make it your own, like how a friendly and flighty bird came to represent one of the largest social media sites to date. On top of that, symbols also reflect the traits of the shapes that make them up. Returning to the heart example, the two curves at the top display the cheerfulness of circle while the triangular bottom adds the risky excitement of a downward-facing triangle. You can even personalize your own depiction of the heart by sharpening or widening the sharp angles to create a frighteningly sharp heart or a more plump and playful circular heart. **Abstract Shapes** Above all, graphic design is a creative field, and so it‟s not limited to a rigid selection of basic shapes and lines. Instead, designers are free to invent entirely new shapes --- whatever they need to serve their purposes. Do be afraid to create your own abstract shapes. You can use multi-sided polygons, fluid circular blobs, or any mixture in between --- you‟re the creator, so the only limits are your imagination. When using abstract shapes, however, keep in mind that the individual aspects you use retain their symbolism from their original shapes. What that means is, if you use the top half of a circle and the bottom half of a square, you will create an abstract shape that exhibits both the playful features of a circle and the serious features of a square. Like the square with rounded corners we mentioned above, you can craft an abstract shape to meet whatever needs you may have. Maybe you want to create something the world has never seen before in order to stand out from the crowd.  **1.4 Overview of Canva** Canva is a cloud-based graphic design tool used to create on-brand marketing content, sales presentations, training videos and more by companies of all sizes. This solution includes features such as drag-and-drop design and photo editing with access to custom fonts, frames, shapes, grids, and icons. Canva helps you design everything from posts, flyers, and stories to resumes, magazine covers, banners, logos, and presentations instantly. Canva is also useful for students for making different projects. **Benefits of using Canva** Canva offers a variety of features due to which has gained popularity among millions of people. The benefits of using Canva are − **[Free Design Platform ]** Canva is free to use and open for everyone. You can use it for creating compelling designs for social media, marketing campaigns, or projects. There are few features in Canva that are useful for professionals. To access those features with a premium library of stock photos, fonts, shapes, and templates, you can get Canva Pro. You can also make in-app purchases if you don\'t want to buy the Pro version. **[No skills or experience required ]** You don\'t need any prior experience as a graphic designer to use Canva. With a variety of tools and layouts available, you can swap between fonts and images to create a professional design. Ease of use with multiple templates, and fonts Canva has a library of different backgrounds, templates, images, fonts, stickers to ensure that you get the best results. You don\'t have to be a techie to use these features. In just a few clicks, you can create an engaging design with these tools. The only thing you need is creativity. **[Endless possibilities ]** Canva has every digital design possibility covered from Facebook and Pinterest posts to e−book covers, Infographics, and Resume. You can also make GIFs, animations, videos. It also has an option for you to create custom designs. **[User−friendly interface ]** The layout of Canva is easy to use. It contains templates, photos, stickers, background, fonts, color palettes, and other formatting tools. With the drag and drop feature, you can use these tools in your design in a few clicks. **[Create a team ]** You can create your team on Canva so that they can have access to the designs. You can determine the kind of access your team members or employees through the shareable links to make edits. **Limitations of Canva** For marketing or promoting your enterprise as a brand, Canva is one of the best options for graphic designing. But you might want to rethink using it as a primary platform for your business. Although Canva offers great features and a user-friendly interface, it also has a few drawbacks that you should know. **[Canva does not have local file storage]**. This means if the website is down for some reason, you will need to wait to access your designs to make new changes. **[Overuse of Designs]**. You might feel that your design isn‟t that unique because a lot of people have used your favorite template. But you can solve this issue by using more creativity in your designs. **[No Source File]**. Unlike Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign, you cannot edit, share, or export your design without your Canva account. You cannot access your design as a raw file to make advanced edits. **[Pay for some good features]**. You might like an image, font, or template in the Canva library that you will have to pay to use. **[The mobile app has less than half the features of the desktop version]**. Compared to the site, mac, or desktop version, the mobile app of Canva does not have the same number of features. Moreover, it is tougher to access the different elements in the mobile designing tab. **1.5 Exploration of Canva Dashboard** Canva is a free graphic designing tool that allows you to create professional designs without any prior skills. Before you dive in and start designing with Canva, you should know about the dashboard of your Canva account so that you can use the features. This is how your account‟s dashboard on Canva will look like. Here a few things you can do through your account‟s dashboard. **[Creating a design ]** ∙ You can go to the design tab through various ways from your dashboard. ∙ You can click on the „create a design‟ option present in the top-right corner. ∙ You can scroll down and select the suitable template to start creating your graphics. ∙ You can click on the quote or welcome area on your homepage. It will redirect you to the design tab with a template that has a quote. ∙ You can select different options available below the quote area. **[All your designs ]** You can access the designs you previously created on Canva through this option on the left−hand side of your dashboard. You can download, use, edit, or delete your previous designs from here. Here is how the „all your designs‟ tab looks like.  **[Brand Kit]** Brand kit as an option available only in the premium plan of Canva. It is a useful feature especially if you wish to build your brand or if you work with the promotion of a company. The brand kit allows you to keep a chosen set of brand logos, color palettes and fonts. You also have the option to upload your fonts. You can access your brand kit in any design you wish from the different tabs on the left-hand side of the page. **[Content Planner ]** Through the content planner, you can choose or create your designs beforehand for the specified date. This feature is useful to maintain an orderly schedule. **[Your folders ]** You can access your folders through your dashboard where you can arrange your designs. In the freemium plan, you have only 2 folders to arrange the designs you create. With the Pro version, you can arrange your designs and images in unlimited folders.  **[Trash ]** The designs that you delete are moved to trash. They are permanently deleted after 30 days or after you delete them from the trash. **[Search toolbar ]** The search toolbar is present on the top right area of the homepage of Canva. You can search for anything you need related to designing.  **[Recent designs ]** ∙ You can access your recent designs in two ways. ∙ You can click on the recent designs option on the left-hand side of your dashboard. ∙ You can access them through the Recent Designs area by scrolling through your dashboard.