Intro to Graphic Design- Ch 1 Definition of Graphic Design Some Basics Design Process Graphic Design Fundamentals.

Intro to Graphic Design- Ch 1

Definition of Graphic Design Some Basics Design Process Graphic Design Fundamentals

Defining Graphic Design

Defining Graphic Design

Not about Software (just tools) Visual Communication/ Functional Art Problem Solving “Information Architects” “…The designer conceives, plans, and executes

designs that communicate a specific message to a specific audience within given limitations…”

Some Basics

Logos- simplified forms Contrast- attention Visual Hierarchy- comprehension Layout- organization Integrating Type and Image Visual Themes

The Design Process

Defining the Problem Research (Audience, Constraints, Goals)

Build your Visual Vocabulary- search for samples Build on the work of others- combine in a new original way

Thumbnails Roughs Comprehensives Presentation Ready for Press

It Starts With Creativity

Good design is created with a basic understanding of:

- Design processes

- Theories and concepts of design Designer/client relationship governs the entire

design process

Fundamentals of Design Design elements

Line, Shape, Value, Color, Texture, Space

Design principles Balance, Proximity,

Alignment, Unity, Emphasis, Rhythm

Elements of Design- Ch 2

We have a catalog in our brains that filters the information.

How the eye sees and the brain organizes to give meaning.

Big Idea- Purposeful use to create meaningful designs

Basic Design Elements

Line Shape Value Texture Size Color Gestalt Principles

Lines

Begins with 4 lines-

edges of the page/screen Type Direction Quality

Shape Lines to create 3-D world General outline of something Geometric, Natural, Abstract Design is the arrangement of shape. Figure and Ground

Geometric Shapes

Square- What does a square symbolize?

Circle- What does it symbolize?

Triangle- What does it symbolize?

Grouping Shapes

Shapes affected by surrounding shapes Begin to understand by identifying overall

pattern Tend to recall letters if grouped in words. Group marks into recognizable/repeating

shapes is the simplest way to perceive

Figure and Ground

What is the object and what is the background?

Figure and Ground-Categories

Stable Reversible Ambiguous

Figure and Ground-Conditions

Enclosed area Textured area Convex Simplicity Familiarity Lower Half (gravity) Black tendency

Value

Lightness/Darkness Gives the image detail and texture Contrast is the relative emphasis Create Movement

Lead the Eye

Texture Tactile- actual paper Visual-

Objects in PhotosPhotoshop effectsPictures of TexturesSymbolic Textures

Choose textures that relate to the concept of the piece and are appropriate to the design

Size or Mass

Need to hold content Expectations Mood and Emphasis Contrast Creating Balance

Creating Balance

“Successful communication requires balance, the directing and conducting of visual tensions.”

Equal tension created by all elements pulling equally

Symmetry and Asymmetry

Balance- Symmetry

Traditional balance thru mirrored images left to right

The traditional book Good is looking for a

“quiet sense of order”, tradition and stability.

Balance Asymmetry

Balance thru contrast Visual Weight-

dominance of an object

Visual Direction- way the eye is drawn between elements

Direction

How to move thru the information? Text and Images are intentionally placed

to direct the viewers eye and to achieve visual unity

How do we get them to look at what we want and see the connections?

Use of contrast and unity

Intellectual vs. Visual Unity

“One is thinking of subject matter (intellectual unity); the other is looking at the design (visual unity).”

Intellectual is idea and word Visual is placement for the eye

Ideally work together to create the message.

Visual Dynamics

Top to bottom – comfort of gravity Vertical and Horizontal- comfort in stability

(diagonal lines- dynamic flux) Left to right- comfort in reading

Weight and Direction Influences

Location Spatial Depth Size Texture Isolation

Subject matter Value Shape Structure Color

Color-

Color Wheel

Properties of Color

Hue- name for the color Value- degree of light/dark Intensity or Saturation- purity and

brightness

Psychology of Color

Colors evoke specific emotional responses (personal or universal)

Warm – Stimulate Cool- Relax

Psychology of Color

Associations- personal and cultural Red- aggressive, sexual, national color

Example- sports car Blue- authoritative (darker), cleanliness and honesty

(middle), overall calming color Example- power blue suit

Yellow- warmth, good health and optimism… (in the past-weakness and cowardliness)

Example- food packaging Green- natural, environment, soothing and cooling

Example- cigarettes

Selecting Color

Cultural Color Associations The profile of the audience and its color

preference The character and personality of the

organization presented The designers personal relationship to the color An awareness of current color trends

Understanding Electronic Color

RGB vs CMYK

Gestalt Principles

Whole is the sum of its parts Each part is influenced by those around it. The eye seeks to create a whole

Similarity Proximity Continuation Closure Figure and Ground

Application Practice

Read the Golbeck Handout on Art Theory Before Friday, meet in your groups and

find a website to examine. Friday, come in with a website example

and be prepared as a group to discuss how basic graphic design principles were applied to this site.

Typography

Typeface- design of the letters Font- complete set of characters (software

typeface)

Above all else, the audience must be able to read it!

Typeface Categories

Serif- conservative and highly legible San-Serif- casual and legible Scripts- hand written Novelty-immediate tone setting and hard

to read

Type Characteristics

SizeMeasured in pica or points- 72 points in an

inch… 12 points in a pica… 6 picas per inchComputer screen can be deceptivePrinted proof to see actual sizeWeb design should be judged on a screen

Type Characteristics cont.

Line LengthMeasured in picaFlow to fill predetermined column

StyleLegibility prime concernEither stick to one type family or they need to

be very different

Type Characteristics cont.

LeadingVertical Space between linesReadability concerns

SpacingKerning- space between lettersWord Spacing

Type Characteristics cont.

FormatJustified-all lines same lengthUnjustified- flush left or right, center and

asymmetrical Style and Content

Visual toneAffects image of client

Type Characteristics Examined

Type Type Type Type Type Type

Type Type Type Type Type Type

Typeface Layout Tips

Serif body/San Title or vice verca No novelty in body Italics for emphasis Never all caps Limit 2 fonts per page Limit 3 font sizes per page Simplify

Text Contrast Layout Tips

Contract title and body text for interest Vary size, weight, style, separation, color

differences Best legibility (black text/white paper) Reduce legibility (black text/dark paper) Simplify

Text Format Tips

Consistent space Separate paragraphs with either line space or

indent, not both. 50-70 words per line Leave plenty of white space Balance Look at the whole Simplify

Type Design

Type Design

Images- Ch 4

Creating Graphics Illustration- using images that represent or

express to make a visual statement Can show something that cannot be

photographed Purpose- present product, tell story, clarify

concept, or demonstrate a service.

Basic Types of Graphic Creation Programs Drawing- Vector programs

Illustrator- draws object… no layers Paint- Bitmap programs

Photoshop- working in pixels and layers

.bmp .jpeg .gif .pic .tif

What is a Pixel?

Building Blocks # of pixels and color determine image

quality, size and the look of the image Cannot delete a pixel, just change its color More pixels, larger file size… so eliminate

unnecessary pixels # of pixels per inch determine resolution,

the key to image quality

Pros/Cons of Bitmap images

Most appropriate for photo-realistic images and complex drawings

Large file size, inability to resize or scale without effort and loss of quality

Bit-depth determines # of colors that can be displayed by individual pixel

Can grab from screen, scan it, download or capture it

Can manipulate it, adjust it, cut and paste it

Pros/Cons of Vector images

Most appropriate for shapes (mathematically expressed)

Can be filled with color and patterns Use a fraction of the file space as bitmaps For web, downloads faster Most programs can export vector to bitmap Vector images require a plug-in to display on the

web (Flash) Can not be used for photo-realistic images

File Formats High Quality for printing

TIFF- high image qualityEPS- less common

Compression Formats for ScreenJPEG- photos and illustrationGIF- text, logos and chartsPNG- need transparency around the graphicPDF- design intact- paper files

Basic Photo DesignIssues

Aspect Ratio Scanning and Essential Area- Over scan Information Density

Watch for information overloadTry not to crowd too much info into one space

Digital Cameras and Scanning

Choosing the Best Resolution? Input and Output

How distribute? 72 for web, 100-300 for printing

Formula for resolution- x 1.5 or 2 Pros use 1,200 or 2,400 hundred for

original and link to file

Impact of Photography Not capturing reality

Fact that camera is there can change thingsEditing and Manipulating

Website Requirements Gathering

Site Owner’s goalsWhat do you want? A job

Site User’s goalsWhat matters to that specific employer

Human and Technical ResourcesWhat can you do? What can the host server do?

Content Needed

What is the goal(s)?

Owner’s Goals Business aspect =

Making money Measure the audience Brand Positioning =

Personality

User’s Goals Information Commerce Easy Useable Identifiable

Defining Owner’s Goals

How do you make money? How are they successful?

What are the goals for the site? Research size of market opportunity What are the competitors doing? Identify the user’s behaviors that will best

support the site? Decide on Brand Personality or Positioning

(3 key adjectives)

Identifying Business Goals

Let’s use the website your group is working on.

What would be some goals for a site? What is their market? What are the potential user behaviors? What are the 3 key adjectives for brand

positioning?

Defining User’s Goals

Analyze the users habits and environment What characteristics would affect the

user’s interaction with the site? What is the user looking for? What steps are involved for the user to

perform tasks ?

Identifying User Goals

Again, let’s use the website your group is working on.

What would be some user goals for a site? How would they use the site? What do they want from this site? How many steps would be acceptable to perform

a task?

Technical Considerations

What tech resources do you have? Any technical restraints? (security,

bandwidth, etc.) Who will host the site? Is there people to maintain the site?

Determine cost, timeline, and tasks

As a general rule, three variable are time, money, and people.

Budget is total of estimated hours for each task at hourly rate

Have contractors and consultant work off-site and with own equipment, so they are not employees

Project Bid

The cover and package Table of contents Needs analysis and description Target audience Creative strategy Project implementation Budget

Content Acquisition

Self produced Third party content sources (clip art, stock

footage library, public domain sources) Public Domain has no owner, but never assume Copyrighted material can not be used without

permission If in doubt, don’t use it unless you paid for it.

Using Talent

American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) or Screen Actors Guild (SAG)

Talent Agency Auditions and Casting Calls Union Contracts ($540/8 hour day) Release Forms Always think about future use, when working

with release forms.

Layout- Ch 5

Balancing Act Diverse Elements of the Design that

communicates and looks good Every element affects how the others are

perceived

Review the Fundamentalsof Design

Design elements Line, Shape, Value,

Color, Texture, Space

Design principles Balance, Proximity,

Alignment, Unity, Emphasis, Rhythm

Size and Proportion Organization of several things into a

relationship (size, quantity, or degree)

Visual Rhythm

Repetition of shapes, values, colors, and textures

Life is rhythm

Grid Layout

Grids provide order, but are flexible Choosing a grid

Elements- CopyArt- Photos

Path Layout

No grid Designer visualizes elements on blank

sheet of paper Unity relies on Unit Forming

Focal PointClear Path to next element

Path Layout

Focal Point TipsMake an object brightMake an object dark and the rest lightMake an object sharp and all else soft focusGive object different texturePlace object in an unusual direction/position Isolate the object

Path Layout

Integrating Type and ImageNear focal pointAlong the path of the focal point

Visual Hierarchy Importance of the infoFollow path of understanding based on size,

color and placement.

Path Layout

UnityEach object has a relationshipAlignment, color, direction, shape, etc.

Symmetrical/Asymmetrical LayoutSymmetrical is not always engagingAsymmetrical more conscience of placement

and balance.

Photo Layout

Dynamic photos, strong in design and human interestCropping-focus and dramaResizing- ratioSelecting- Quality, Merit,

Strength

Multi-panel Design

3-D design Each unfolding

present new facet of design1st panel- lureBuild interest / themeMailer?

Designing Content Elements

Using Photographs Effectively

Tell story or relevant to text Attention grabbing Clear, sharp, look good Well cropped and focused Do you have permission to use it?

Designing Content Elements

Text Design

Emphasize headings Text to background contrast Use Sans-Serif fonts, not Serif. Larger Type Size Shorter Lines NO ALL CAPS Avoid excessive italics Use plenty of blank space around text

Logo Design- Ch 6

Types of Logos Creative Process

Simple little marks that communicate an enormous amount of information.

Must be visually uncomplicated

Logos

Ease of RecognitionQuick or partial viewingHow fast can you recognize logos?

Logos

Ease of RecallToo many details are hard to rememberGood logos with simple marks are easy

How many logos can you put on paper right now?

Logos

Ease of ReproductionVariety of sizes and mediaMust be crisp and clear.Limit number of colors (1 or 2)-CostBlack and White repo- Do greyscale

Logos

They must encapsulate the company without focusing on one aspect.

Types of Logos

Logotypes Initials Abstract Symbols

Allusive Abstract Symbols Pictorial Symbols

Associative Symbols

Creative Process

Understand the Problem Get inspired Brainstorm Sketch Produce

Creative Process

Understand the problemRestate in own wordCommunication GoalAudienceResearch client and industryUnderstand organization, product and

competitors

Creative Process

Get InspiredLook around youOthers art can be an inspiration to your

creativity Brainstorm

Generate as many as possibleDon’t judge- No bad ideasEdit after.

Creative Process

Sketch Thumbnails Always use paper before keyboard

Produce Need a clear idea Create many options Get Feedback Rehearse explanations (concepts and choices)

Creating a Logo

Font choiceTry typing name in many fonts

Designing a symbol Iconic or Symbolic pictureColor combinations

Key is simplicity in form

Visual Themes- Ch 7

Unify the overall look of multi-page publications.MagazinesWebsitesBrochuresAd Campaigns

Inconsistent themes confuse and lose.

Creating Visual Themes

Color Choice Typeface Image Style Layout

Visual Hierarchy Editorial themes Tactile effects

Costs?

Computers connected to thousands of printers outputting more paperwork than ever before

Difficult to store, retrieve information Environmental concerns 1992 Adobe Solution: first version of the

Portable Document Format (PDF)

Electronic Publishing and Printing

Compression

Lossless- less compression but preserve original file

Lossy- high compression but lose some info (JPEG- high frequency)

Preparing Electronic Files

Assemble files in page layout program Bring all your images Select automatic trapping option in layout program and

ask to check All files must be CMYK if you are doing full color output In Photoshop, check color picker for an alert symbol (will

not print) Include all original scans and vector graphics Be sure all documents are linked. Supply all fonts Organize and label all the files on a disk