10 Things About Graphic Design

10

YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GRAPHIC DESIGN

THINGS

CONTENTS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 COLOUR THEORY SCALE

TYPOGRAPHY: TYPEFACE &FONT TYPOGRAPHY: CHARACTERISTICS RULE OF THREE

GRIDS & LAYOUT

READABILITY & LEGIBILITY SEMIOTICS

SOFTWARE

TERMINOLOGY

COLOUR THEORY Knowing basic colour theoary is useful when understanding Graphic Design. There are many different elements to colour and color theory.

These elements are relevent to both on-screen (RGB - red, green & blue) and for print (CMYK - cyan, magenta, yellow and black).

Our eyes contain two receptors: rods and cones. Rods convey shades of grey and cones allow the brain to see a colour.

There are three types of cones: One sensitive to orange, second to green and third to blue/violet. When a single cone is stimulated, our brain perceives the corresponding colour.

Primary Colours Primary colours

cannot be made by any other colours.

Secondary Colours Secondary colours are the outcomes of mixing two primary colours.

tertiary Colours Tertiary colours are

the next stage of mixing by combining primary and secondary colours together.

complementary Colours Complementary colours are opposite ends of the colour wheel.

Analogous Colours Analogous colors

are groups of colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel.

Additive Additive colour (RGB) is used for

on-screen and

digital presen-

tation

UNDERSTANDING PANTONE

It can seem overwhelming at first, but Pantone is a simple, systematic and easy way of identifying colours within design. There are different guides for different textures. For example ‘Pantone Coated’ is used to identify glossy material. ‘Pantone Uncoated’ is used for matte surfaces. Each colour has its own code. These codes are universally recognised within the design industry. This makes referencing easy and efficient when creating specific designs.

In terms of shades, the Pantone guides work with percentages. The percentage represents the colour’s chromatic value.

The higher the value, the stronger its value.

Subtractive Subtractive colour is used for print.

This

is also know as

CMYK

SCALE

SC AL E

Scale should always be taken into consideration when addressing a new design project. If you are working at a large scale, you will need to ensure that you are sizing the content appropriately. Correct proportions are key when aiming to achieve an ideal layout and final outcome. All the elements such as type, image, type and image should be treated equally. Sometimes scale can be the dominant factor in conveying a specifivc message such as a small business card for a small business.

A billboard on the other hand would need to be produced at a very large scale in order to be seen by drivers moving at fast pace with little time to observe their surroundings.

ps ize

oint

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 6point

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 9point

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 12point

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 15point

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 18point

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

21point

1point =

1/72 inches =

25.4/72cm =

0.3527mm =

1pica

TY pO GR AP HY

A basic knowledge and understanding of typography is crucial in Graphic Design.

Fonts make up a typeface.

Different typefaces are used for different contexts. Type plays an important role in emphasising consistency.

It conveys a message in a particular mannner. Type is defined through its characteristics and unique aesthtic.

TYPEFACE

FONT

Helvetica Baskerville Cooper Std Myriad Pro Futura Times New Roman Impact Georgia Gill Sans Zapfino

Myriad Pro Condensed Myriad Pro Condensed Italic Myriad Pro Bold Condensed Myriad Pro Bold Condensed Italic Myriad Pro Regular Myriad Pro Italic Myriad Pro Semibold Myriad Pro Semibold Italic Myriad Pro Bold Myriad Pro Bold Italic

Typeface:

Font:

A collection of characters, numbers, symbols, letters, punctuation etc. which have the same distinct design.

Physical means used to create a typeface, be it computer code, method, lithographic, film or woodcut.

Illustrator

Illustrator is useful for designers, whether they feel confident about

drawing or not. It has all the basic tools to generate a refined image through using pen tools and various other effects.

InDesign is a great way to work with

layout in preparation for printing.

InDesign

A good understanding of the main software is important. Each programme entitles designers to generate a different approach to their work. It could be argued that knowing one programme really well is better than knowing none at all. However there is nothing more useful than being equipt with the skills for every programme.

Photoshop

SOFT WARE

Photoshop

is mainly used for manipulating

images, working in layers.

When

PRINT SETUP

working digitally, it is im-

portant to ensure you are working in the right format.

This

also

means that your chosen images need to be the right resolution for print, not on-screen. It is com-

mon that images appear to be the correct size until it is too late.

To

avoid this issue, make sure you

are aware of the image size and resolution.

For print, images must be a minimum of 300dpi (dots per inch). on-screen, images are usually no bigger than 72dpi. This can cause an image to appear ideal onscreen, yet once viewed to scale, it becomes pixelated and blurry.

TERMINOLOGY Ascender:

The portion of a lowercase letter that sits above the x-height, such as b, d, and k.

CMYK:

The abbreviation for cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.The colours used in the four-colour printing process.

Descender:

The portion of a lowercase letter that sits below the bassline, such as g, q and p.

DPI:

(dots per inch): The resolution of an image once it is printed is measured in dots per inch.

Optimum print quality is achieved with a 300dpi image reproduced at actual size or smaller.

Font:

Another word for typeface, or more specifically a particular weight (e.g. bold) or size from a larger type family.

Four-colour process:

colour printing using the three primary colours of cyan, magenta, and yellow, plus black. Images

gsm or g/m²: The abbreviation for grams per square meter, which is used to describe the

weight and therefore thickness of paper.

Halftone:

A photograph that has been screened so it can be reproduced as a series of dots

using the four-colour printing process.

Hue:

The main attribute of a colour, e.g. its redness or blueness, rather than its shade or saturation.

Layout:

The overall arrangement of a piece of design (e.g. a page from a magazine)

Point Size:

Type is measured in points, and its is size referred to as point size. One point is approximately 0.35mm (0.014in). Rule thickness is also defined using points.

ppi: (pixels per inch): Image resolution is measured in pixels per inch. The higher the ppi, the larger the image can be printed. The optimum resolution for a good-quality print is 300dpi.

RGB:

The abbreviation for red, green and blue.

These are the three additive colours used to create an image on a monitor, or digital photo.

Rule:

Sans Serif:

The generic term for a font that doesnt feature extentions at the end of the strokes.

One of the best known examples Helvetica.

is the text used here:

Serif:

The generic term for a font that features small extentions at the end of the strokes and the short extensions themselves. serif font.

Georgia is an example of a

Stock:

When professional designers or printers refer to the type of paper or board specified for a print project stock.

, they call it

Vector:

A single straight line. The width, or

Graphics that use points, lines, curves and polygons to form the image. Math-

weight of a rule is often specified in

ematical eqations calculate the position

points but can also be given in milimetres

and size of the points and shapes which

or inches.

means that vector images can be reproduced at any size without any loss off quality.

GRIDS AND LAYOUT

“The use of the grid implies the will to systematize, to clarify the will to penetrate to the essentials, to concentrate the will to cultivate objectivity instead of subjectivity the will to rationalize the creative and technical production processes the will to integrate elements of colour, form and material the will to achieve architectural dominion over surface and space the will to adopt a positive, forward-thinking attitude the recognition of the importance of education and the effect of work devised in a constructive and creative spirit.�

JOSEF MULLER-BROCKMANN

FIBONACI SEQUENCE

Fibonacci Sequence is: ‘The sequence of numbers, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, . . . , in

5 8

which each successive number is equal to the sum of the two preceding numbers.’

& 1 1 2

EXPER

IMENT ATION OF TEXT

3

This is also known as the ‘Golden Raitio’.

IMAGE

RULE OF THREE

It is commonly argued that effective design should use no more than three typefaces at once. This is because it can become distracting and less effective. When looking at a piece of design, consistency is important. For example, if a book were to jump between typefaces it would be more difficult to read. In the same way, if a poster consists of a wide range of type choice, it appears inconsistent and clumsy.

One.. Two.. Three

The same ptriciple is commonly applied when using colour. Too many colours can become distracting, overcomplicated and busy. Three colours or less generally provides an effective balance and contrast whether it is text alone or a combination of text and stock together.

READABILITY

The ease in which text can be read and understood.

Influenced by line length, primary and secondary leading and justification.

Acoirdcng to a recaersh at Cambrdgie Urivenisty, it dsoen’t maettr in what oderr the leterts in a word are. The only impoatnrt thing is that the first and last letetr be in the rhigt pacle.

LEGIBILITY The degree to which glyphs (individual characters) in text are understandable or recognisable based on appearance.

SEMI OTICS

“the study of signs and symbols, esp the relations between written or spoken signs and their referents in the physical world or the world of ideas.�

SIGN

A sign for Macdonalds

SYMBOL

Symbolises

SIGNIFIER

the letter

M

Signifies

fast food, known worldwide

TYPEFACE CHARACTERISTICS Serif

Archaic

Sans Serif

Cropped

Handwritten

Contemporary

Typewriter

Digital

Modern Traditional

Script Bold

Western

Light

Futuristic

Retro

Caligraphy Cowboy Expressive Rounded

Basic Type Principles

Terminal Stem

Ascender

Bowl

Handglovery Eye

Serif

Ear

Bracket

Crossbar

Overshoot

Counter

Axis

Finial

Tail

Descender

BY LIZZY GOSNEY