When
you assume graphic design, do you think of art advertisement? Is a fairy
magazine shared? While these samples fit the definition of graphic design, the
term includes many: posters, info-graphics, book covers, stock labels, logos,
business cards, signage, website layouts, mobile apps, APIs – the list goes on.
In
simple words, graphic design visually carries specific ideas or messages. These
visuals can be as easy as a company logo or as complicated as page layouts on a
website.
Graphic
design can be used by companies to develop and trade products through layouts,
on websites to convey complex information in an edible form through info-graphics,
or by companies, among other things, to develop an identity through branding.
It
is also necessary to remember that while several graphic design projects have
commercial objects such as advertisements and logos, they are also used in
other graphic design circumstances.
Graphic Design Basics
What is graphic design? To better know this design, it is important to know the
elements and principles that build up to it. Factors are used in combination or
opposing each other to create visually striking and impressive designs.
These
graphic design factors include:
·
Colour
·
The shape
·
Line
·
The size
·
Space
·
Texture
Graphic
designers also adhere to design origins, which are essentially a set of
guidelines that support designs to achieve effective composition. These basic
policies help create balance and stability at work.
These
graphic design principles include:
·
Balance
·
Contrast
·
Accent
·
Traffic
·
Proportions
·
Rhythm
Types of graphic design
As
discussed earlier, there is no single meaning of graphic design. Graphic design
spans many disciplines and specialties, from print and web design to animation
and motion graphics. Graphic design gives chances and possibilities for people
of most any interest.
If
you ask someone 30 years ago about the meaning of the graphic design, their
reply is likely to focus on print-related examples such as magazines, movie
posters, and advertisements. We are now living in a digital age that has
produced several new types of graphic design.
Some
of these types of graphic design include:
1.
Website
design
Website
design includes creating attractive and intuitive web pages for users. This
involves general layout, colour scheme, and navigation.
2.
User
Experience (UX) design
User
Experience (UX) design aims to make a website or application simple and
pleasant to use. These designers maintain value, usability, adaptability, and
desirability.
3.
Animation
design
Animation
design – or animation – brings visuals to life into special effects, TV shows,
video games, and movies.
Popular graphic design tools
One
of the easiest and most cheap tools that designers use is a sketchbook. Graphic
designers frequently write down ideas or sketches on paper before using a
computer to complete the process.
That
being said, computers and design software are essential in today’s digital
environment, even if you’re planning for print. The type of computer you need
depends on your decision, but when it comes to software, Adobe results like
Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign are the pillars of the graphic design
world.
Graphic
designers draw motivation from the world around them, so if you’re anxious that
you’re not creative enough, go outside, share plans with co-workers, or search
the Internet for ideas. There are many exciting graphic design blogs to help
you unleash your creativity.
Graphic
Design is about molding the User Experience Visually
Graphic
design is an ancient craft dating back to Egyptian hieroglyphs in cave
paintings that are at least 17,000 years old. The term originated in the
printing industry in the 1920s. It continues to cover a range of activities
including logo design. Graphic design in this function is about aesthetic
interest and marketing.
Graphic
designers engage viewers with imagery, color, and typography. However, graphic
designers working on user experience (UX) design need to justify stylistic
choices, such as image placement and type, with a human-centered approach. This
means that you need to focus on specific users and strive to empathize with
them the most while creating attractive designs that increase usability.
Aesthetics
should serve a purpose – in UX design, we don’t create art for the sake of art.
So, graphic designers should be doing visual design. When designing for UX, you
must:
- Consider the information
architecture of your interactive projects to ensure user accessibility. - Use your graphic design
skills to create work that addresses the entire user experience, including
the user’s imaging capabilities.
For
example, if an otherwise nice mobile app can’t offer users what they need with
a few clicks of their thumb, its designer/designers won’t be able to combine
graphic design with a user interface. The realm of graphic design in UX encompasses creating beautiful designs that
users find very enjoyable, meaningful, and comfortable.
Graphic
Design is Emotional Design
While
working in the digital age indicates you have to design with interactive
software, graphic design is yet based on age-old principles. You have to grab
the attention of users at first sight – hence the alignment of graphic design
with emotional design.
As
a graphic designer, you must have a good understanding of color theory and how
important it is to choose the right color scheme. The choice of color should
reflect not only the organization (for example, blue is suitable for banking),
but also the expectations of users (for example, red for alerts, green for
sending notifications). When designing, consider how elements match tone (for
example, sans serif fonts for excitement or happiness). You also need to design
the overall effect and note how you shape user emotions as you drive them, for
example, from a landing page to a call to action.
Often
graphic designers are drawn into motion design for small screens. They will
closely monitor how the aesthetics of their work meet user expectations. They
can improve the usability of their designs by making them continuous and fluid
by anticipating the needs and mindset of users. Taking into account the
psychology of the user, it is important to focus on some particularly important
aspects of graphic design, namely the following:
