Summary of Graphic design School

Graphic design School – The principles and Practices of Graphic design (Fourth Edition)

Authors: David Dabner; Sheena Calvert; Anoki Casey

Publisher: Wiley

Research and early concepts (1)

Module 1: Basics of research

To be interesting u must be interested first.

As designer u must be aware of the things around you, like work of other artists, cultural trends, technological developments and world events.

·         Read more than one newspaper per day and compare the stories u read and note the differences.

·         Read enough books, not just only about graphic design, but also about things that will broaden your knowledge like architecture, math’s and sculptures.

·         Have a variety of experiences. Do things you would not normally do. And go to places you do not normally go to.

·         Observe and absorb. Talk to other people and listen to their stories. Share insights, listen to what inspires them, learn their languages and share ideas.

Contextualization: Process of placing something within the interrelated system of meaning.

Primary research: Material that does not pre-exist. Photography, drawings/sketches, interviewing people, est.

Secondary research: Material that pre-exist. Design work, color samples, est.

Means of recording:

Every designer must always carry some kind of recording device with them wherever they go. Sketchbooks, cameras or voice recorders are the basic devises to carry with. When something grabs your attention or you get a great idea, sketch or write it down, take photos.  This way you will build yourself a catalog of inspiration, and someday you might get to use that for a project. This also helps you to define your own outlook and develop a personal “signature”.

C.S Lewis said:" What you see and hear depends on where you are standing and what kind of person you are."

Research Techniques:

1.     Primary research (Factual):	·         Previous Knowledge ·         Observation ·         Conversation ·         Analysis ·         Role- play ·         Interviews ·         Questionnaires ·         Focus groups ·         Written dairies ·         Ethnographic research
2.     Secondary research: (Factual):	·          Museum ·         Newspapers and magazines ·         Public interviews ·         Films, TV ·         Transcripts ·         Books ·         Music ·         Internet ·         Surveys ·         Statistics ·         Organizations ·         Lectures
3.     Primary research: (Visual):	·         Photography ·         Drawing ·         Media experimentation ·         Casts ·         Typographic experimentation ·         Compositional experimentation ·         Image manipulating ·         Photocopy ·         Video recording ·         Audio recording ·         Writing
4.     Secondary research: (Visual):	·         Exhibitions ·         Images from internet and magazines ·         Work by other designs ·         Printed maps ·         Packaging, tickets (Ephemera) ·         Found or bough photos ·         Imagery taken from TV, films est. ·         Architecture
5.     Other general approaches:	·         Do group work ·         Generate visuals in response to one idea ·         Explore capacity of visual language ·         Put own point of view in subject

Module 2: Linear reasoning/lateral thinking

Linear reasoning and lateral thinking are visual opposites.

Both are equally useful as research tool.

Linear reasoning:

·         Strategic thought process

·         Step- by-Step logic

·         Follows a specific path

·         Split up the idea into components (color; type) and work each one through

Lateral thinking:

·         Indirect exploration

·         Ideas less readily than linear reasoning

·         The emphasis is on indirect, creative form of inquiry and thinking

Brainstorming:

Sketching in a non-linear diagrammatic way. It helps you to explore problems in a component in depth and breadth, and to find connections to strengthen a concept. This also helps you to push boundaries.

Ø  Brainstorming in a spider diagram: allow unexpected paths to open.

Best way to do thinking is to begin in a lateral way (by brainstorming) and moving to a more linear process at a later stage.

Module 3: Exploratory drawing

Purpose of exploratory drawing is to explore ideas. Translating the outside world into abstract ideas, by drawing and sketching (It’s a constant  process of looking and aiding to understand the world around us).

Drawing is the basic of expressing your design ideas.

Observational drawing (used to document):

This makes you see the subject as a shape and the colors as tones.

You will learn how an object exist in space, and to create illusion of space and depth (convey texture and density).

You should experiment beyond your comforts zone and practice makes perfect. Drawing should be a lifelong activity. Use different tools and media and keep it  interesting.

Abstraction – Abstract Drawing:  concept meaning something is drawn from the real, but has been distilled to the minimum form, color or tone. Removed from its original context.

Figurative Drawing: draw to describe the scene.

 Module 4: visualizing ideas

As a student u need to develop the skill of putting ideas on paper by using rough sketches.

The process between bruin, eye and hand is very fast, and by working and sketching, u can generate many ideas and concepts.

Size and visualization: In roughs there is no specific size.

Computers and visualization: Once u decided on a concept, you can use the computer to change the color, typeface, est. and by this you create a variety of one idea.

Module 5: Theories of image and text

Rhetoric: Style of arguing, engaging a dialog or an image or sound.

Semiotics: Communication system where the sign can be broken up into a signifier and a signified. Can be denotative ( what a sign means) or Connotative (things associated with sign).

Signs and Symbols: representing an object or word through an image or sound.

Metaphor: Word or image that set up associations

Didactic: A pragmatic and unambiguous method of giving clear information.

Poetic: Style less clear and more artistic, more open to interpretation.

Module 6: Audience, markets and concepts

Research into audience is a primary tool of effective design.

Audience: The customers, voyeurs, and occasionally participants of design work, in its broadest sense.

Consumer profile: Creating a series of parameters or set of information. Has to contain info that define the desired so that the design can be pitched or marked to them.

Market research: Process of collecting and collating data from questionnaires, interviews est. Do market research by going to the library to search for reports and statistics, Look at companies website, speak to customers, speak to the people who work for the company est.

 Elimination process:  

         

1.     Make sketches.

2.     Discard complex sketches.

3.     Select the strongest idea.

4.     Work on detail. Simplest is best.

 

Module 7: Scheduling, organizing, finalizing

Organization of thoughts is the last step of design process, although organization starts from the beginning. U must have narrowed your ideas down so that you are now ready to finalize and resolve.

Timescale:

 Research is very time consuming, so there must be points that you cut off, so you can start generating a visual concept.

 Remember: 

·         Write everything down (don’t count on memory).

·         Without a concept your visualization has no meaning

·         Create a diagram (spider of flowchart)

·         Look for professional criticism

·         Talk about your work and show it to people.

 

Organize your thoughts:

·         Alphabet – A-Z

·         Category – By type

·         Chronological – By type

·         Continuum – From good to bad

·         Magnitude – By size

·         Location – By place

You must: schedule and organize; develop a storyboard; and have a Flat plan/page plan (a document with a series of numbered thumbnails).

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Fundamentals of composition (2)

Graphic designers must be masters of visual fundamentals. A project should be designed to be interesting, but has to bring together a variety of text and images.

Composition: Arrangement of elements or parts of a design on the page.

Module 1: Basics of composition

A practical understanding and exploration of composition is very important for visual communication. It teaches control, so that the desired effect can be achieved, and also so that the intended message can be communicated.

Positive and negative space:

Positive: A form, image or word on page

Negative space: White or colored area around the positive space (sometimes forms an element on its own.

Relationships between the two spaces is very important. Negative space must support the positive space. Be in control of the space to create a more effective composition.

White space: creates tension and contrast. Also highlights and focuses attention on the shape/image.

·         Point: a dot on page

·         Line continues  a form between the points.

  

Tim McCreight says: ”Line are a human convention. We perceive objects because of the dozen of ways they differ from their surroundings. We abbreviate these differences by drawing a contour line. “

Module 2: Form and Space

Form is experienced in relation to the space it occupies and the other forms in the format.

Figure: any object in a given space.

Ground: Background. Area where design will be placed.

Visual elements are seen in relation to a visual field, frame or background. We see figure before ground and we see what is in the space before we see the space itself. Well known from gestalt and a example: Rubin vase.

Gestalt psychology: Law of closure – we tend to close objects that are not closed. Our eyes and mind see an object and find.

Module 3: Symmetry/asymmetry

Refers to a spatial relationship between elements, but specifically  to a situation where the elements in the layout is centered.

Asymmetry: Designs without symmetry. When elements are not centered, but utilize the whole format. Do not mirror the elements on the page.

Symmetry: Where the elements are balanced or mirrored on the page.

Module 4: Basic principles of layout

·         Baseline grid: Lock text in horizontal points.

·         Column: vertical block of text.

·         Grid: Horizontal and vertical lines on a page. Visual guide for alignment.

·         Gutter: Gap between two text block. Either side of the book folds a binding.

·         Hierarchy: Different weights given to a image to emphasize different aspects.

·         Layout: Placement of images and words on the grid of the document – organizing information.

·         Recto: Right hand pages in books.

·         Verso: Left hand pages in books

There is 3 basics stages in producing layouts:

1.     Designer receives brief from the clients , like what should be included.

2.     Format and budget

3.     Organization – develop a grid.

A Grid must have a degree of flexibility of layouts. It must provide an underlining system that coherence across the series of pages. Must consists contras, rhythm, consistency and body text, and margins is also important.

Checklist for beginning a layout:

·         Who is the audience?
·         Kind of text to be used?
·         Will there be imagery?
·         How many colors?
·         What format and size?
·         What must be emphasized?
·         Is the client looking for a particular style?

 

Module 5: Styles and layout

·         Symmetrical style: Traditional approach (centered)

·         Asymmetrical style: non centered, dynamic

·         Symmetrical layouts: seen on title of pages

Integrate styles of typography. Two u must know: April Greiman and Philippe Apeloig.

Module 6: Pace and contrast

Vital qualities to maintain a readers interest in a design.

The pace of a document or design will be dictated by the content and space available. You don’t always have to use images to catch a reader’s eye. You can use text only spreads and white spaces.

Draw thumbnails

Create moment and rhythm (larger headings, changing of color, different size pictures, est.)

  

Magazines and books:

Pace and contrast is very important in magazines. It’s different, because the way readers see the product of a magazine is unpredictable. Unlike books, which layouts the she same most of the time.

Module 7: Size and format

This is very important in print design, and budget plays a big roll and then a designer is limited.

Content determines format: Look at things like big illustrations – the need big space.

Folds and binding:

Concertina folds	Fold alternative directions
French folds	Paper sheet folded in half for double thickness. Bound on the edge
Gatefold	Fold that the outer quarters of page are folded to meet in center. Like symmetrical doors.
Paper grain	Direction of wood fibers.
Perfect bind	Similar to paperback binding.
Rollover folds	Fold a page so that successive folds turn in on themselves.
Saddle stitching	Where sheet is folded in the centre, stitched along the fold, them glued into cover spine.

Module 8: Coordination and identity

In the world of commercial things, very few things stands alone. The use different elements, like the logo and advertisement, and put them in a set.

Creating identifying characteristics:

A book is a good example for a campaign. The design of a book cover advertise the product and also the publisher.

 Know the content:

·         Is the book fiction or non-fiction?

·         Is it the authors first book, or are there a band of followers?

·         What’s the genre?

·         What is the subject matter?

·         Who is the being aimed at?

Module 9: Photography and illustration

A well – coordinated design is always a success.

The difference and boundaries between photographs and illustration is getting very blurry, because of digital art techniques. Much of what you do will depend on the industry in which you work.

Creative constraints:

Sometimes clients give you pictures you must work with. Photography might not always work (because of budget or difficulty gaining permission), so then the best is to create an illusion.

Budget and schedule:

Big illustrations might not be appropriate, unless you have a large budget. Photographs is better, but then again it can also be very expensive (models and make-up for models).

Where to start:

·         What would be suitable for the market?

·         Research a source that does the job within the constraints of budget.

·         You can create design yourself, of hire a freelancer?

·         You can use copyright free clip art.

Checklist for selecting images:

1.     Age/gender/social class of the target audience

2.     Shelf life

3.     Clarity of information

4.     Perceived value

5.     Design criteria

6.     Theme

7.     Be contrary

8.     Budget and schedule