Graphic design is primarily used in connection with advertising and public relations, with further emphasis on the communication of science and culture.
The task of graphic design is to visually design content with the help of various artistic and technical means in order to convey a certain information or message.
Graphic design began in the early 1920s. Until then, a single person was often responsible for graphic design, and this person was then a designer, graphic artist, typographer, typesetter and printer all rolled into one. William Addison Dwiggins coined the term graphic design and until today it is the case in advertising agencies, for example, that the art or creative director develops the concept and the graphic designer implements the idea graphically.
Now, in graphic design, it is primarily about making information appealing and at the same time conveying it clearly. In contrast to art, where, in addition to the motif or the statement, the art as such is also important, in graphic design the focus is not so much on the actual design, but rather on the information.
Nevertheless, the tricks of the designer and the basic rules of graphic design can also be transferred to sketches, drawings and other projects. Graphic Design is my passion meme and if you are anything like me, you will appreciate these tips.
The Golden Cut
The golden ratio is a mathematical term that describes a certain division ratio between two sizes. Specifically, there is a golden ratio for a route, an area or another size if the ratio of the total size to its larger part and the ratio between its larger and its smaller part are the same.
The larger part is also referred to as the major and the smaller part as the minor. With major as a and minor as b, the golden ratio is calculated using the formula a: b = (a + b): a. The golden ratio appeared in art and architecture as early as antiquity.
It is also used in letterpress printing, and screens, television formats, photography and DIN formats are also based on the golden ratio.
The golden ratio is used in graphic design when it comes to designing surfaces harmoniously and creating an aesthetic overall impression.
Targeted Use of Fonts
The targeted use of fonts makes it possible to convey impressions without actually being aware of the effect. A basic distinction is made between typefaces with and without serifs. Serifs are small ticks on letters and such serif fonts can already be found on ancient stone tablets. Fonts with serifs are supposed to improve readability, but there is no consensus on whether serifs actually help the eye or whether it is not just a matter of habit.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the sans serif fonts developed, which are supposed to appear more modern. As a rule of thumb, no more than three different fonts or three different sizes of a font should be combined.
Otherwise, the eye could be confused, the document could appear too restless and the design could distract too much from the actual information. Calligraphy is a special form of font design. Letters and lettering are elaborately and artistically designed, tools such as brushes, nibs or charcoal pencils are used.
In the age of the computer, however, calligraphy has clearly lost its importance. Nevertheless, artistically designed manuscripts are occasionally still used in modern graphic design when a very special, for example a very noble or nostalgic impression is to be achieved.
Pictograms
Pictograms are compact, to the point pictures or symbols that convey information clearly without the need for further explanations. Everyone can see at first glance that, for example, a crossed-out cigarette signals that smoking is not allowed here.
A small i in a box or circle clearly indicates to everyone that important information is available at this point. In terms of the basic principle, the design of pictograms is comparable to the creation of logos. In both cases, there are only limited resources available to present information in a general, factual, memorable and internationally understandable manner.
In contrast to the logo, however, a pictogram is a little more reduced and the decorative hardly plays a role. Self-created or well-known pictograms are used in graphic design to convey information, to point out a fact or to structure an advertising poster, for example.
The Effect of Colors
Every color has a different effect and the color effect is an important tool in graphic design, which makes it possible to create specific impressions and convey statements. A distinction is made between two color systems, namely the CMYK and the RGB color system. The CMYK color system consists of the colors cyan, magenta, yellow and black.
The respective color tones are mixed from these colors, and special colors are also used to ensure that the color impression is always the same. The colors of the CMYK color system are also known as printing inks. The RGB color system includes the colors red, green and blue. You can even check Magazine Hubs for amazing Effects of colors.
Technical aids
In the age of the computer, it is certainly an advantage if you can draw, paint and illustrate, rather than being necessary. What you definitely have to do is bring with him is technical understanding.
One should be skilled with digital camera and graphics software. In connection with prepress, in particular, it is essential to know sources of error such as incorrect coding or settings when overprinting and consequently to avoid technical errors. In addition, a graphic designer must be able to confidently use style templates and the baseline grid.
