The art of graphic design
Graphic design is a form of communication using text and images to present information.
The art of graphic design includes many different types of skills and abilities applied in visual arts
and communication design. Graphic design also covers the engineering and creation of design products,
including creative solutions, images, and multimedia compositions.
The history of graphic design spans a long period. In the 20th and 21st centuries, the boundary
between advertising, graphic design and fine art has blurred. After all, they share the same elements,
theories and principles. Design principles and elements such as shape, texture, line, balance, rhythm,
emphasis and colour make up the basic vocabulary of visual and structural design.
According to the classic theory of design, the visual excitement of design work is a result of how
the composition of the design elements creates mood, style, message and a look.
There are research and planning that are needed for most design work. In particular, this is a stepby-step process of combining, using the grid and applying new technologies. For example, the grid helps
to visually improve the design and its usability. And graphic designers are usually the first to adopt and
incorporate new technology in solutions or concepts. But sometimes it can be bad for design or
consumers.
Raymond Loewy. The father of industrial design
Raymond Loewy was a brilliant designer and the most versatile representative of industrial design.
He literally revolutionized the industry by working as a consultant for more than 200 companies and
creating product designs for everything. Many of the products that Loewy designed are still familiar to us
today. For example, he created the Coca Cola bottle, the Shell logo, the packet of the famous American
cigarette brand , ‘Lucky Strike and so on.
Loewy was the first person to understand design as a marketing factor. He believed that the
consumer always chooses among products with the same quality and price the one that is more attractive
to him. Loewy thought that the designer's job is also to research the market, the needs and wishes of
users. This approach was his secret to success.
In addition, the father of industrial design founded three design companies in different countries:
Raymond Loewy and Associates, Raymond Loewy International, and Company of Industrial Design.
Loewy’s principle of creating beauty through function and simplicity is still in tune with the
requirements of industrial production today. His work still influences designer and consumer decisions.
Principles and elements of web design
Web design is a kind of graphic design intended for the development and styling of objects of the
Internet's environment. The main task of web design is the creation of a website or a web page. The
process of designing web pages is very complicated and may combine multiple disciplines, such as
animation, corporate identity, graphic design, interaction design, marketing, photography and
typography.
Website design differs in its content and focuses on the target audience. The attraction and quality
of web pages lie in the content that needs to be presented and promoted.
There are 5 basic principles in web design, including balance, rhythm, proportion, unity, and
dominance. The primary tool for web design is the creative mind. Web designers create the pages, layout,
and graphics for web pages, and play a key role in the development of a website. They develop
composition, choose colour, use graphics, and develop navigation tools. All this requires certain skills,
knowledge and understanding of the latest computer technologies.
So, any web pages must be stylish, using original illustrations.
The importance of colour
Colour is an important part of any design and web design is not an exception. Colour affects a
person, causes certain emotions and feelings. In addition, each colour symbolizes something and has
certain associations. Each country has its colour values, which must be taken into account when designing
international websites.
Blue represents peace, calm, harmony, trust and confidence. In China, blue is associated with
immortality, and with soap in Colombia.
Black represents power, sophistication, formality, elegance, and in the USA - mourning. White is
for purity, simplicity, peace, humility, youth, and marriage. In Japan, white carnations signify death. In the
USA it signifies virginity.
Green symbolises nature, health and youth. In Ireland green has Catholic significance. In some
tropical countries, green is associated with danger. Orange represents energy, balance, warmth and
enthusiasm. Purple embodies royalty, spirituality, nobility and mystery. Red is for love, danger, desire,
speed, violence, and blood. In China red symbolizes celebration and luck.
When designing websites, it is important to choose the right colour, because the text must always
be readable. Therefore, contrast is equally important when working with colour. For example, white and
black always make a good combination, and red and blue are useful for highlighting.
Photo design
For a long time, photography has been used to capture specific moments in time, events, tell
stories, leave messages, and as a source of entertainment.
The word "photography" comes from Greek words phos (that means "light"), and graphê (that
means "lines" or "drawing"), together meaning "drawing with light."
Photography is the process of recording pictures, through capturing light on a light-sensitive
medium, such as a film or electronic sensor. Photography has many uses for both business and pleasure.
It can also be viewed as a commercial and artistic endeavour. Magazines and newspapers, companies that
have websites, advertising agencies, and other groups pay for photography. The commercial photographic
world can be divided into various specific branches of photography.
For example, there are advertising, fashion, crime scene photography, food photography,
photojournalism, still life, portrait, and wedding photography. Each type of photo has its characteristics
and requires different approaches to shooting.
A person who takes a photograph using a camera is called a photographer. Photographers are often
categorized based on the subjects they photograph. Some photographers explore stuff typical of paintings
such as landscape, still life, and portraiture. Other photographers specialize in themes unique to
photography. The difference between these types may also lie in the personal qualities of the
photographer.
Video design
Video design or, in other words, Motion design is the art of graphic design within the context of
motion graphics such as film, video or computer animation. Typographic elements that appear at the
beginning and end of shows or TV programs are examples of motion design. In particular, these are moving
three-dimensional logos, screensavers and various titles.
Over the past decades, the quality of moving graphic elements has improved significantly.
Computer programs for the film and video industry have become vastly more powerful and more available.
Probably, the leading program used by motion graphic designers is Adobe After Effects, which allows to
create and modify graphics over time. For users of the iOS operating system, there is a separate Apple
Computer's Motion program. It is also a professional video editing tool.
A motion designer is a person who knows the basics of graphic design, successfully combines
sound, space and graphics in a time interval.
Since motion design is created using images and video sequences, a great complementary tool is a
3d software package. Cinema 4D is widely used for its intuitive interface, layered export to Adobe After
Effects.
This makes it much easier to edit video files, add new effects, and create new composites.
Corporate identity
The corporate identity concept evolves over the last 50 years. Corporate identity manifests itself
in the form of logos, company names, and other components of branding. In particular, it has a whole
system of components placed in the brand book.
Every organization, regardless of its size, has a corporate identity. It allows customers, suppliers
and staff to recognize, understand and clearly describe the organization. The function of corporate identity
consists in reflecting on the organization, its goals consistently and positively.
A positive reputation, a unified corporate visual system make up an individual and personal image
that distinguishes the company from others.
Companies establish communications, create associations with their products and services, which
represent it in a positive light. Finally, corporate behaviour and ethics are crucial components of corporate
identity. Today there are many corporations, agencies, products, brands, services and others using an
ideogram or an emblem or its combination as a logo. As a result, only a few of the thousands of ideograms
are recognized without a name.
For this reason, in addition to the logo, the company's identity should include many distinctive
features, such as colour, graphic style, and typography. They should be applied to the design and
presentation of all the company's products and services to create a reliable identification system. A
notable example is McDonald's, whose products are successfully identified and promoted.
The history of logo design
The history of the logo dates back to ancient times. A "logo" is a graphical element that, together
with its logotype form a trademark or commercial brand.
At the beginning of its development, the logo was presented in the form of several letters that
could be combined. Many early Greek and Roman coins bear the monograms of the logos of rulers or
towns.
The Middle Ages were extremely productive in inventing codes for churchmen, artists and
commercial people. In the thirteenth century, logo design evolved from simple code to trademarks for
traders and merchants. Vivid examples include masons' marks, goldsmith's marks and paper maker's
watermarks.
In the information age, the appearance of logos has changed. The company logo must look
professional. Because it's the face of the business to the public and its employees.
The logo is the heart of graphic design. The ideogram is the most effective because it can be
recognized in different parts of the world. For example, the Coca-Cola logo can be identified in any
language because of the standard colour and the well-known 'ribbon wave' design.
Colour also plays an important role. Some colours are associated with certain emotions that the
designer wants to convey. Thus, It also needs to be taken into account when designing a successful logo.