Graphic Design Theory and Some Ideas

7/27/2019 Graphic Design Theory and Some Ideas

1/10

Graphic Design Theory. There are many specialist areas of design that use a variety oftools, however these basic principles are a common foundation on which all great work is produced.

Design Principlesin graphic design.Successful design employs solid conceptual ideas,the result of a thorough brief and the initial creativeprocess. It's in the application of these ideas that thedesign really takes its shape. During this time thedesigner has a set of guidelines in their toolkit thatthey consciously use to develop their design.

The five design principles:

Balance provides stability and structure to a design. Balance is the consideration of visual weightand importance. It is a way to compare the right and left side of a composition. Balance revolve

into three basic types, Formal balance, Asymmetrical balance/ informal balance, and Radial Balance.

Hierarchycreates organisation and direction. Also known asVariety - You create varietywhen elements are changed. Repeating a similar shape but changing the size can give variety

and unity at the same time. Keeping the same size, but changing the color can also give variety

and unity at the same time. In visual composition, there are many ways you can change

something while simultaneously keeping it the same. Size Variation can apply to shape,form, etc. Notice how size can affect how close or far something can appear to be from the

viewer.

Contrast is the most effective way to emphasise and generate impact with a design.Synonymous with Depth- effects of depth, space, projection toward the viewer add interest.A linear perspective in the real world make things looks smaller in the distance. Some artists try

to avoid depth by making large things duller and small things brighter, and so on, to make the

objects contradict realism. Many artists don't believe in realism even though they could do it if

they wanted to. It seems too boring to them. Realism wouldn't be art for some artists.


2/10

Repetition unifies & strengthens a design by tying together otherwise separate parts.Repetition - Some ways to use Repetition of the Visual Elements are:

o Repetition can be used on all of the Visual Elements. If things are repeated

without any change they can quickly get boring. However, repetition with

variation can be both interesting and comfortably familiar. Repetition gives

motion.

o Variation can be used with all of the visual elements. See "Variety" above. You

can do this with all the elements. Artists do this all the time.

Alignment creates a sharper, more unified design. The whole point of the alignment principle is thatnothing in your slide design should look as if it were placed there randomly. Every element is connectedvisually via an invisible line. Where repetition is more concerned with elements across a deck of slides,alignment is about obtaining unity among elements of a single slide. Even elements that are quite far aparton a slide should havea visual connection, something that is easier to achieve with the use of grids.

When you place elements on a slide, try to align them with another element. Many people fail to make aneffort to apply the alignment principle, which often results in elements being almost aligned but not quite.This may not seem like a big deal, but these kinds of slides look less sophisticated and overall less

professional. The audience may not be conscious of it, but slides that contain elements in alignment lookcleaner. And assuming other principles are applied harmoniously as well, your slides should be easier tounderstand quickly.

Typographyin Graphic Design

Good design uses type in a constructive and visuallyeffective way. It creates balance and hierarchy to deliver aclear message that has impact. Visual communication hasexisted for hundreds of thousands of years. Whether it be a

coffee table book on gardening, an Art Nouveau sign for theMetro in Paris or an ancient inscription on a column inRome, typography plays a significant role in getting themessage across to its audience.

It requires great typographic skill to design something withtype that is clear, simple and visually arresting. ShillingtonCollege teaches the basics of technical typography, thecorrelation of art movements and type, the role of designprinciples and type, through to its usage with theapplications InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop. Everylesson is another step in understanding that successfuldesign is about good typography.


3/10

Colourin graphic Design.

Visually, the sensation of colour affects us more thananything else. It has the remarkable ability to alter ourmoods and, when used in graphic design, can evoke arange of, often sub-conscious, emotional responses.

Colour psychology and colour trends are important areasof consideration for a graphic designer.

What colour would you apply to an annual report for amajor financial corporation, a sign that signifies danger ora poster advertising an exhibition for Picasso? How aboutthe menu for a juice bar? Designers are given theresponsibility to create and apply a colour scheme as amajor part of answering a brief.

Some Ideas About

Composition and Design

Elements, Principles, and Visual Effects

Everybody immediately responds to subject matter in art. In addition to subject matter*, the formal aspects of visual

composition are like the grammar of a language. In writing, a story is written with words - subject matter. Like good literature

and good poetry is more than words and subject matter, art is more than pictures. The organization, the sentence structure, the

style, and so on can make or break a good story. In art, the way the formal elements are arranged can make or break a good

picture idea.

"Subject matter" is similar to "topic" or "content" when teaching art. "Content" may also include interpretations that go beyond

the obvious subject matter used by the artist. Content generally includes "symbolic" meanings implied by the work

The use ofdesign principles applied to the visual elements is like visual grammar. When children learn art, it is like learning to

read and write the language of vision. When they develop a style of expressing visual ideas, it helps them become visual poets.

Looking for the visual effectsof design principles does not have to limit an artist's options. It can focus an artist's

experimentation and choice making


4/10

Six Visual Elements (art elements) .We think of the elements as the basic visual material with which to make art. Is hard to imagine anything visual without the use

of one or more of these elements. We think of the principles as ways to work with and arrange the elements.

Visual EffectsWhen we analyze artwork we often start with visual effects. We notice something happening. Then we try to figure

out why it happens.

Motion. Motion isn't a principle. It is one those magic effects when a still picture hasmotion. There are lots of ways to get motion.

MOTION EXAMPLES

Sometimes it has to do with orientation.

o A diagonal line is more dynamic than a horizontal or vertical line.

Sometimes motion depends on the character of the element itself.


5/10


6/10

A tertiary color scheme is made up of tertiary colors. Tertiary colors are made of a primary color mixed

with a secondary color that is next to it; for example, a color such as yellow-orange or blue-green.

Analogous color scheme

Analogous colors are colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel. Some examples are green,

yellow green and yellow or red, red violet and violet. Analogous color schemes are often found in nature

and are pleasing to the eye. The combinations of these colors give a bright effect in the area, and are able

to accommodate many changing moods. When using the analogous color scheme, one should make sure

there is one hue as the main color.

Complementary color scheme.

Complementary colors are colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel, such as blue and

orange, red and green, purple and yellow. Complementary color schemes have a more energetic feel.

The high contrast between the colors creates a vibrant look, especially when used at full saturation.

Complementary colors can be tricky to use in large doses.

Split-analogous color scheme

An analogous color scheme includes a main color and the two colors one space away from it on each side

of the color wheel. An example is red, violet, and blue.

Split-complementary color scheme

A split complementary color scheme includes a main color and the two colors on each side of its

complementary (opposite) color on the color wheel. These are the colors that are one hue and two equally

spaced from its complement. To avoid fatigue and maintain high contrast, this color scheme should be

used when giving powerpoint presentations, or when using a computer for an extended period of time.

Additionally, certain colors should not be mixed, like red and green. Colors that should be used are

red/violet and yellow/green.


7/10

Triadic color scheme

Triad color schemes are formed by three equally spaced colors on the wheel. An example is red, blue and

green - spaced with two colors between.

Tetradic color scheme

The rectangle or tetradic color scheme uses four colors arranged into two complementary pairs. This rich

color scheme offers plenty of possibilities for variation. Tetradic color schemes works best if you let one

color be dominant. You should also pay attention to the balance between warm and cool colors in your

design.

Neutral color scheme

A color scheme that includes only colors not found on the color wheel, called neutrals, such as beige,

brown, gray, black, and white.

Accented neutral color scheme

A color scheme that includes neutral colors, like white, beige, brown, gray, light brown or black, and one or

more small doses of other colors (e.g. brown and beige with blue, gray and black with red).

Warm and cool color schemes

Warm colors range from red to yellow. This includes red, red-orange, orange, yellow-orange, and yellow.

Cool colors, however, range from green to violet, including green, blue-green, blue, blue-violet, and violet.

Yellow-green and red-violet are considered neither cool nor warm, as they are in between the two - in the

case of yellow-green, for example, yellow is a warm color and green is a cool color. The color yellow-green

is composed of both a warm and cool color, so it cannot be classified as either one. The same applies for

red-violet.


8/10

The Rule of ThirdsThe rule of thirds is a guideline that is used to create more engaging paintings, photographs, designs

and cinematography. In rule of thirds the design is divided into nine imaginary parts by two equally-space

horizontal and two equally spaced vertical lines. See below:

When creating art using the rule of thirds subject matter gets aligned on the lines or utilizes the hot spots

(areas circled above). See below:


9/10

Aligning subject matter with the four points circled and/or the lines creates more tense andengaging composition

than simply centering the subject matter. Design examples that utilizerule of thirds:


10/10

Graphic Design RulesKnow the rules before you break them!

Design is informationalThough form and function does not necessarily improve the content of your message it can improve the ease withwhich it is accessed--and design can effect how well it is understood.

Design is a visual language

Use icons as prompts - On paper, scissors mean to cut something out, a clock means time-sensitivity, a knife and forkmeans food, and so on. Think of innovative ways to spare words and prompt action with illustrations.

Design makes a statementMake it informational - A book typically contains editorial information to entertain or to educate--not to sell. You cando the same by mixing your selling message within the editorial coverage of your subject.

Design leads the viewers eyeGuide the reader - Use subheads and visuals to draw the reader through your booklet. Words and visual cues tell thereader where they are and help them focus on one subject at a time.

Use icons instead of wordsPeople from any language can understand them. Plus, you don't need to read anymore, instead you lead the viewer's

eye to what is important.

Design follows rules such as balance, contrast, dominance, harmony, rhythm and unity.Be stylistically consistent - Try to stick to one illustration style throughout. Using images from different sources candegenerate into a patchwork. You can for example double your image - The small version of this illustration conveysthe message it was designed to. The large version is a design element used to echo the idea and add interest to thepage.

Things to keep in mind:

Everything on a page should align with something elseRepetition reminds the viewerUse enough white spaceWhen space is a premium, drop smaller and less important graphicsWhen in doubt, dont use itDont let graphics distract from the messageUse few fonts (preferably no more than two different fonts on one page)

Graphic Design Theory and Some Ideas

Documents

Transcript of Graphic Design Theory and Some Ideas