A Quick Introduction to Graphic Design by Clement Zheng

A Quick Introduction To Graphic Design

hello!

This introduction was designed for you to kick start your graphic design process. Whether you are drafting a resumĂŠ, poster, web page, slide deck or book, the guidelines laid out here will help you organize the content to be more legible; and probably more visually pleasing too. This is not a textbookâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;rather, it is a series of practical considerations to keep in mind while designing. Remember: start simple, and begin exploring from there.

7 Composition

Contents

19 Type 29 Paragraph 37 Grids

Composition

Canvas We begin, quite literally, with a blank canvasâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; but already, many decisions need to be made. What is the size of our canvas? Is it going to be printed, or distributed digitally? Is it portrait, or landscape (or square)? What are the appropriate parameters for our audience?

size

aspect ratio

spreads

The media size and aspect ratio of our canvas often follows standards set by

Consider spreads for printed publications with

printing paper or screens, such as the ISO A system, US paper system and

multiple pages, rather than a page by page layout.

conventional screen sizes. However, when we do get to specify a size and

Spreads not only extend the size of our canvas,

aspect ratio (such as with large format printing), consider the presentation

giving us more room to arrange our contentâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;this

environment of this media, and how it relates to its audience. For example,

additional space also enables us to create more

in the context of a research fair, a large landscape poster might be effective

dynamic compositions to engage our audience.

when seen from a distance, however, its content might become too uncomfortably big and awkward when one is standing right in front of it. Consider the different audience touch points your media will encounter.

Position Position is the first question you will probably encounter when placing content on the canvas. Where should I place this? With good positioning, you guide your audience through the content the way you want them to read it! Conversely, arbitrary positioning can muddle the story you are trying to tell.

Placing a strong element right in

Placing an element in the top

the middle of the canvas establishes

corner is comfortable as it

an air of importance around that

follows most reading conventions.

element. The audience’s attention

From there it is easy to create a

is drawn and caught at the center

flow that guides your audience

of your media, and can then be

through the rest of your content.

directed to other elements around it.

Placing a strong element at the

An element can help guide the

bottom of the canvas gives a

audience to “exit” the canvas; kind

sense of gravity to that page. It

of like a full stop in a sentence. It

activates the white space above,

is helpful to signify the end of the

and creates a margin that anchors

content, or conclude the story.

the audience’s attention.

Scale The scale of an element affects our perception of its importance, especially when compared to other elements around it. This applies to text, pictures, diagrams, and even empty space. Use scale to divide your canvas, and establish an order of importance among the elements that make up your content.

Use scale to differentiate between key elements and supporting elements.

Giving elements the same scale encourages the audience to compare them. It can create a visual tension between these elements, and guides the audience to shuttle between them.

The size of the space between elements can also separate distinct elements from others, or group related elements together.

Direction There is probably a sequence to the story you want to tell; a trail that you want your audience to follow. The way you arrange content on a canvas should support that! Through the position and scale of the elements on a page, you can create a trail for your audience to follow. A well designed trail speaks for itselfâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;you do not need to accompany the work with verbal presentation for your audience to follow the story.

Leftâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Right, Topâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Bottom; this

Trails can be designed in a non-

Multiple flows can be incorporated

trail follows the English reading

linear fashion too, for example,

into the same canvas. Such a

convention, and thus feels natural to

the audience can be directed in a

strategy might be useful for

audiences who are used to this flow.

circle around the canvas center.

presenting multiple pieces of information that can stand alone.

Negative Space Negative space, or â&#x20AC;&#x153;whiteâ&#x20AC;? space, is the space between different elements in a composition. Negative space is as important to a composition as the content elements themselves. In fact, we can argue that the negative space in a canvas should receive the same care and attention during design that we give the contents.

1. Improved Legibility Appropriate space between content elements helps us parse the information fluidly. Conversely, a cluttered page adds cognitive stress as the reader has to mentally separate each piece of information.

2. Focus & Balance

3. Neater (nicer)

Just like choosing a frame for a painting, the space around elements in graphic design helps the audience focus on the content. A well designed layout balances the appreciation of each individual element, while coherently uniting them all together to deliver the message.

A layout that balances space and content feels visually neat and elegant. Which in turn creates a nicer reading experience for the audience.

Type

Typography Type is one of the smallest elements on your canvas, and its the basic building block for most informative graphic compositions. Typography has a long, rich history, and its development is fueled by technological progress especially in the area of publishing. Today, we hardly think twice about putting words on a digital document and sending it off to a desktop printer. Despite its democratization, many rules that apply to type decades ago still hold true today! In fact, it is easy to fall into sloppiness because it is so easy now. It is important for us to understand a few basic principles that will help improve the legibility and structure of type on your canvas.

Type Types Serif

Sans-serif

Serifs refer to the small lines or flares at the ends

Sans Serifs are typefaces that do not have serifs.

(terminals) of some letters. Most serifs exhibit

They are known for their legibility at a distance,

variation in stroke thickness along a letter.

such as on highway signs and advertising.

Monospace

Script

Monospace typefaces began with the typewriter, as it

Script typefaces mimic handwriting. Their calligraphic

could only move a fixed distance with each letter. Each

nature makes them more casual, and they are typically

letter in a monospaced type exhibits the same width.

used in more personal settings such as invitations.

Typeface > Fonts A typeface is a family of fonts. Fonts are different variations of that typeface, such as weight (bold, regular, light) and italics.

Font Weight A typeface usually consists of fonts with varying weights, enabling you to different between different text groups while using the same typeface. 22

Acumin Ultra Black Acumin Black Acumin Bold Acumin Semibold Acumin Medium Acumin Regular Acumin Light Acumin Extra Light Acumin Thin

Font Size

Hello Hello Futura PT Book Font Size 60pt

Georgia Regular Font Size 60pt

Font size determines how small or large text renders on the canvas. It is important to note that different typefaces can be geometrically different even though they have the same font size! Judging font size on a screen can be tricky. It is helpful have a printout of multiple lines of increasing font sizes with one typeface as a physical reference.

Kerning Kerning is the space between letter-pairs. With the exception of monospaced fonts, letters should not be equally spaced, as each letter forms a different negative space with adjacent letters. With proper kerning, each letter in a sentence will appear to be evenly spaced—even though they are not!

Notice how V begins before

Notice how E begins after A ends.

A ends. This balances A and

This provides space between

V’s matching slopes.

A’s slope and E’s vertical.

Tracking Tracking is the spacing across all letters. It is often decreased as font size increases, to compensate the impression that larger type is more â&#x20AC;&#x153;looseâ&#x20AC;?. Tracking can also affects the rhythm of a sentence.

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. (Tracking -50pt)

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

Heading

Subheading

(Tracking -30pt) (Tracking 0pt)

(Tracking 0pt)

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. (Tracking 25pt)

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. (Tracking 50pt)

Hierarchy You can establish a structure and hierarchy for the words on your canvas through varying typeface and font parameters. Good type hierarchy is coherent, and establishes an order of importance among different elements while still preserving a sense of family. Create one structure per document, and stick to it throughout! As a start, stick to no more than two typefaces in your document.

TITLE

Heading

Subheading Body Caption

TITLE

Heading Subheading Body Caption

TITLE Heading Subheading Body Caption

Paragraph

Width It is tempting to use the entire width when inserting a paragraph into a canvas, but such arbitrary decisions usually lead to paragraphs which are too wide. A common strategy for dealing with long paragraphs is to break them up into multiple columns or text boxes. Wide paragraphs makes it easier for readers to â&#x20AC;&#x153;skipâ&#x20AC;? lines while reading as it is difficult to trace the start of the next line upon reaching the end of a line. Conversely, narrow paragraphs can be awkward and tedious to read.

Leading Leading is the space between lines of text, measured from baseline to baseline. Good leading should help the reader easily transit from one line to the next line.

Font size: 12pt

Leading: 12pt

Leading: 18pt

Leading: 25pt

Tet qui doluptur ad magni te volo ma vel et dit, nienihil ma sequae. Um dolenem eum reiur, que doluptatus consectatur? Inis asimustia es dolorestiore di dolorem poreperitae laut volenda exceria volesti aectur?

Alignment Alignment affects the way paragraphs behave vertically. The three common alignment options are left, right and centered, and justified options for each. While different cases will demand the use of different alignment options, it is important to note that English readers are used to reading text from left-to-rightâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;one reason why left-aligned text is the default. As a rule of thumb, do not justify paragraphs. Justifying a paragraph creates inconsistent spacing between words, compromizing on overall readibility!

Tet qui doluptur ad magni te volo ma vel et dit, nienihil ma sequae. Um

dolenem eum reiur, que doluptatus

vel et dit, nienihil ma sequae. Um

dolenem eum reiur, que doluptatus

consectatur? Inis asimustia es

Tet qui doluptur ad magni te volo ma

consectatur? Inis asimustia es

dolenem eum reiur, que doluptatus consectatur? Inis asimustia es

dolorestiore di dolorem poreperitae

laut volenda exceria volesti aectur?

Align Left

Centered

Align Right

Tet qui doluptur ad magni te volo ma

vel et dit, nienihil ma sequae. Um

dolenem eum reiur, que doluptatus

consectatur?

Inis

asimustia

dolorestiore di dolorem poreperitae laut volenda exceria volesti aectur?

Left Justification

Inis

asimustia

Inis

asimustia

dolorestiore di dolorem poreperitae

laut volenda exceria volesti aectur?

Center Justification

Full Justification

Notice the â&#x20AC;&#x153;riverâ&#x20AC;? of spaces

Tet qui doluptur ad magni te volo ma

that run through an arbitrarily

vel et dit, nienihil ma sequae. Um

justified paragraph. Ergh!

dolenem eum reiur, que doluptatus consectatur?

Inis

asimustia

dolorestiore di dolorem poreperitae laut volenda exceria volesti aectur?

Hanging Punctuation By default, most text editors keep punctuation within a text box. This is particularly apparent with bulleted lists; by default, most text editors will even indent the bullets. Maintaining a straight left margin of text improves its readability by keeping the starting point of the contents of each line consistent. To maintain this straight line, we create a negative indent to accommodate punctuation that appears at the start of a lineâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;this is hanging punctuation.

Nit volore id molupta quat lantiur reperit vel maiosa venissum at. Sandis parum velia elit, et rent iumquatio quam esequid qui renieniate simet fuga. 1. Empores ecatio et rem estia porrovitam, quistrume dolupta tionsecto et fuga. 2. Ita voluptata sequam, esciatem faccatqui iumet eturerrum is et fugia. 3. Et lam unti aut aut qui ditin conseque sandebi taeserruptat resequis ditate.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nit volore id molupta quat lantiur reperit vel maiosa venissum at. Sandis parum velia elit, et rent iumquatio quam esequid qui renieniate simet fuga.â&#x20AC;? Hanging quotation marks.

Dolum re necestio mintus quae omnimenihita dolorec eaquaeseriae as pra volestium seculla utaepudiam, omniet labor molore vera cullupta dolorpo repedignim.

Hanging bullets in a list.

Grids

Anatomy of a Grid Margin The space inset from the canvas boundary. The margin frames the content, and helps distinguish it from content in other canvases. Margins need not be uniform; left, right, top and bottom margins can have different widths to suit your purposes. Column & Rows Columns are vertical sections distributed uniformly across the width of the margin. They are typically defined by the number of columns spread across the canvas width. Similarly, rows are the horizontal sections distributed across the height of the margin. Gutter The space between rows and columns. 38

gutter margin

column

row

Creating a Grid How do we go about deciding on the columns, rows and gutters of a canvas? As a rule of thumb, first, look the content you need to organize, then, consider the least number of columns and rows you would need to organize both content and space. Kind of like finding the greatest common factor of a set of numbers in Math!

Case 1—Resumé

Case 2—Images+Paragraphs

Most resumés have a larger section detailing career

Let's say you have two important images to

experience, and a smaller section for other information.

present, and two descriptions accompanying each

A five-column grid makes sense in this case to create

image. A three column, four row grid is a simple

a 3:2 ratio that serves the different sizes of the two

solution to organizing these elements, while still

sections, while maintaining a decent paragraph width.

providing some room for different arrangements.

The gutter plays an important role in ensuring that there is sufficient space between the two sections.

Case 3â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Image Sequence Taking the same grid in case 2, we can arrange six images in a variety of ways. Use the grid to align images but also activate the negative space around the images to create direction and flow. In addition, notice how you can arrange images with the same grid even when they are different sized.

Baseline Grid Each line of text progresses along a baseline, and leading is the spacing between lines measured from baseline to baseline. The leading and font size of body text on a page can be used as a base multiplier to determine font sizes for headings and titles. This gives a sense of added structure to the way type interacts with each other on the page.

Title

Ro quas adigniam int eum abo. Et ommoditas res sunt. Magnis aut aperspe ruptur? Solorest estiat. Icim sam, et ilic tento comnimet quamusci conserf ercimpor magnatem es erate aut officit la duci autam quodita quoditia denemo cone nem explatus everect iuntius ut autatium fuga.

Title

Using a Grid Grids are important in graphic design as they help us position, scale and create direction for our content. Without grids, we would be arranging individual items on a blank canvas without systemâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;even renaissance painters employed grids and guidelines in their paintings!

Use grids to align and distribute content on the canvas. The audience should have a clear sense of how the content was organized.

Use grids to organize both content and space. Explore how to group related elements, and separate different content groups within the same canvas.

Grids can be used to create dynamic layoutsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;while maintaining a sense of organization on the canvas! Do not let grids restrict you. Learn how to work within its constraints first, then explore all the different ways you can make your content flow.

Grid Examples

Dieter Rams 10 Principles of Good Design Poster for brand Vitsoe

Muji Rhythm Webpage for Muji Rhythm

Openhouse Zurich Poster by Josef Muller Brockmann

UT Campaign 2009, 2014 Campaign webpage for Uniqlo

end?

This introduction is a work inspired by many teachers and materials that I have encountered during my journey to become a more proficient graphic designer. It covers a few fundamentals of graphic design and I hope it will be a useful checklist as you embark on your next graphical project. For further reading, I recommend this text by renowned designer Massimo Vignelli: http://www.vignelli.com/canon.pdf It expounds in greater detail (and much more finesse) some aspects of graphic design which was covered here, like grids, and much more. Lastly, remember that these are just guidelines! First, learn to follow the rules, then, learn how to break them. Most importantly, keep iterating and refining your work to suit your audience! 51