Graphic Design
SKILL DEFINITION & VOCABULARY
What is Graphic Design?
Simply put, Graphic Design is "the art or skill of combining text and pictures in advertisements, magazines, or books"...and it is everywhere. Much of the content you see in the media incorporates at least some of the elements and principles of Graphic Design.
Here are some of the terms associated with Graphic Design
Elements of Design
LINE:
Lines, in graphic design, can be used for a wide range of purposes: stressing a word or phrase, connecting content, creating patterns and more.
COLOUR:
Color is used to generate emotions, define importance, create visual interest and unify branding. See our post on Color Psychology for more detail.
TEXTURE:
Texture relates to the surface of an object. Using texture in graphic design adds depth and visual interest. This can be applied graphically in the form of pattern or through the choice of printable surface.
SIZE:
In graphic design, size is used to convey importance, attract attention and create contrast.
SHAPE:
The three basic shape types are Geometric (Circles, Squares, Triangles etc.), Natural (leaves, trees, people etc.) and abstract (icons, stylizations and graphic representations). Use carefully to create a visually pleasing design and eye-catching design.
SPACE:
A vital part of any good graphic design, Space is the area around the elements in a design. It can be used to separate or group information. Use it effectively to give the eye a rest, define importance and lead the eye to where you want it to travel.
VALUE:
Value is how light or dark an area looks in a design. It is everything from the darkest of blacks through to the brightest of whites. Used correctly it will create depth, contrast and emphasis.
Principles of Design
CONTRAST:
Creating contrast for elements means that discrete elements stand out. Contrast is all about making things stand out. A call to action that is red on a black and white website will stand out in a big way. Users know where to look first, second, third, last. This helps with scanning, especially with making ‘special’ things stand out.
REPETITION:
Repetition, for instance making a header and footer the same color, makes scanning a website easier. Bullet lists are easy to scan, right? Because the repetition of the little dots makes it so. This can create a cohesive look to a website. Obviously, color and shapes are important with repetition.
ALIGNMENT:
Columns within a page makes it easier to scan horizontally. Newspapers use this to great effect. Aligning a whole bunch of elements with one another makes them scan faster. Alignment makes things easier to read.
PROXIMITY:
Proximity means that things are associated with one another – or not. The closer things are, the more they are associated. The farther things are away from one another, the less they are associated. This helps immensely in navigation. This kinda folds into the ‘chunking‘ method of making data more digestible.
TUTORIALS
InfoGraphics
Typography
Color Theory