VisCom - Apple Logotype - subliminal cross-marketing

Class Demo

Applying Design Princples to Graphic Design

Steps for Establishing Visual
Hierarchy & Evaluating Designs

1. What is your primary message?
2. Which element best communicates the primary message?
3. Is there a secondary message?
4. Which element best communicates this secondary message?
5. Is there a tertiary message?
6. Which element best communicates this tertiary message?
7. Which element is most interesting?
8. Which visual element is the most likely to attract or spark the reader’s attention?
9. Is there a piece of information, which, if unemphasized or unclear, could undermine the usefulness of your message? For instance, if you are designing a charity poster for a play, the location of the play is absolutely critical information; without this information, you may send people roaming in the streets searching for the theater.
10. What, if any information, can you afford to delete from your page? Simpler is often better: simple designs make it easier for you to establish a clear visual hierarchy. Jut because a design is simple doesn’t mean it can’t also be sophisticated.

Emphasis Techniques

1. Making it the biggest
2. Making it the boldest
3. Making it the brightest
4. Clustering text to suggest visual weight.
5. Setting type in bold or italic or both
6. Adding a special visual effect to the element; for example, adding texture to it.
7. Placing the element within a shape that is different from the other graphics of text on the page.
8. Adding a border to the shape around the element
9. If an image, silhouetting it
10. Changing its color so it is different from other visual elements
11. Using contrasting colors in it
12. Surrounding the element with lots of white space
13. Adding a drop shadow
14. Tilting it an angle when other elements are horizontal
15. Making it full intensity when everything around it is faded
16. Making it bright if everything else if dull, or vise versa
17. Making it sharp if everything else is out of focus, and vise versa
18. Position the item so all of the other elements lead to or point towards it
19. Position the item in the optical center of your page

Contrast Techniques

1. Placing very small elements on the page with very large elements, such as small type with large type or small images with large images.
2. ALL CAPITAL LETTERS next to all lowercase letters; elaborate decorative type next to plain sans serif type
3. Thick type or lines with thin type or lines
4. Warm colors with cool colors
5. Vertical columns of text broken by intruding strong horizontal elements (headlines, subheads, or even a solid line)
6. Back type and light gray type

Balance Techniques

1. Use black shapes, solid backgrounds, or rectangles with white reversed out.
2. Try thick rule lines in gray, thin rule lines in black or vice versa. Contrast thick rule lines with thin.
3. Use gradations from white to black in rule lines, in type, in shapes, in the background.
4. Try photographs and illustrations with a wide range of gray tones.
5. Use plenty of white space.

Alignment Techniques

Aligning text with edge of images | Aligning body text with headlines.

 Basic Text Alignments

1. Flush Left | 2. Flush Right | 3. Centered | Justified

 

Advanced Text Alignments

1.Runaround | 2. Asymmetric | 3.Concrete

Flow

1. Align columns of text with columns.
2. Position elements so that they lead the viewer into the design, opposed to off
   the edge of the page.
3. Place headlines near articles.
4. Choose an easy-to-read serif typeface such as Times Roman or Garamond and us
   it consistently through an article.
5. If articles flow onto other pages, keep type sizes, color, and column widths
   consistent.
6. Use columns that are neither too wide nor too narrow
7. Avoid extra wide leading
8. Keep listed items together
9. Cluster text
10. Place quotes on the page with the text it reinforces, instead of several pages
    over.
11. Keep captions with pictures and statistics with charts.
12. Place linked columns of text next to each other, instead of intermixing the
    columns of text from two or more different articles.

Layout Strategies

Project #1 - Professor Groat Class Demo

Project #1 Study - Thirds Guidelines

Groat Project #1 Study

Project #1 - Form Expressing Content

Art 125- Groat | Introduction to Computer Graphics

FORM & CONTENT

Black, White & Gray

TYPOGRAPHICAL DESIGN

 

Your assignment is to create a grayscale typographical design involving the words: emphasis, contrast, balance, flow and repetition.  The “forms” of the words must reflect the “content”—meaning, the design of the type must visually express the meaning of the word. Emphasis must be positioned as the center of interest, flow must appear in rhythmic, fluid motion, repetition must be repeated, etc. The design must include all six concepts and conform to the “Rule of Thirds” within the grid.

 

Emphasis | Contrast | Repetition

Alignment | Balance | Flow

Learning Outcomes:

Ø  Create a unified and balanced typographical design consisting of various forms that express content.

 

Ø  Articulate how the design principles emphasis, contrast, balance, flow, alignment and repetition have been used to create a unified and balanced design.

Size:

11”x8-1/2”  |   Media: digital  | Grayscale Combined with Color  |

Printed on Gloss or Matt Photo Paper

 

What’s Due:

9/3        10 Thumbnails – FIRST ROUND

9/5        5 Thumbnails – SECOND ROUND

9/26     Full Size comprehensive (digital – posted on blog with essay)

10/1     Final Digital Printed and mounted on black foam board

 

What’s Required:

Ø  Mounted Comprehensive on black foam board. 2.5 inches all around, 3 inches on the bottom.

 

Ø  Thumbnails, Rough and Comprehensive presented on blog and in class during critiques!

 

Ø  The design must include all six concepts and conform to the “Rule of Thirds” within the grid.

 

Ø  Variation of Grayscale

 

Graded On:

Ø  How well you address the needs of the assignment

Ø  Craftsmanship and meeting due dates

 

 

Essay Outline:

 

1. Describe how the design principles: emphasis, contrast, balance, flow, alignment and repetition have specifically been implemented to create a single unified design conforming to the rule of thirds.

 

2. Describe how the typographical forms of the words: emphasis, contrast, balance, flow, alignment and repetition have been altered in order to visually communicate (or express non-verbally) the content (what the word actually means.)

 

Full credit will only be given to very specific and thorough essays.

 

Concepts to consider in the development of the design:

 

· Where’s the focal-point?

 

· How do the secondary and tertiary elements direct the viewer’s eyes to the focal- point?

 

· How has visual flow been established?

 

· Is the design balanced, how?

 

· What elements have been repeated?

 

· How has alignment been implemented, and could it further enhance the design?

 

· Is there enough negative space within the design?

 

· Does Contrast in scale exist: Big, Medium and Small?

 

· Vary the thickness

 

· Vary the value – work with grayscale

 

· Vary the font style

 

· Overlap words

 

· Crop-off words at edge of page

Art/Com 125-01 | Professor Hall Groat | Fall 2012

Introduction to

Computer Graphics   

Art/Com 125-01  |  Professor Hall Groat | Fall 2012

Course Blog: http://www.bccgraphics.blogspot.com/

Meeting Times and Days: Monday and Wednesday, 9-10:50 | Location: AT 217

Office Hours:  Monday & Wednesday 3-4PM |

Office Location: Applied Technology, Rm.#217A

Phone: 778- ________________  |  E-mail: Groat_H@sunybroome.edu

Course Description

The study of Visual Communication theory connected with applied arts fields such as, advertising, editorial design, animation, motion graphics, gaming, and web design.  Students are introduced to Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator on Machintosh Computers, and learn how to develop initial thumbnail sketches into final digital comprehensives. Other topics include digital photography, scanning, image manipulation, color correction, basic design theory, typography, blogging and graphic design history.

Learning Outcomes

Art/Com 125

Introduction to Computer Imagery (Visual Communication I)

Students will be able to:

• Apply classical design theory to combining images with typography to communicate a message visually.

• Employ knowledge of raster digital software to classical design.

• Articulate the inherent process for conceiving a visual communication piece, such as a poster, print media advertisement or program cover. 

• Recognize significant cotemporary and historic graphic designers that were integral to the development of several design movements.

• Describe verbally and in written form distinguishing characteristics relating to several design movements.

• Investigate various professions relating to various visual communication fields, such as editorial design, advertising design, corporate design, book design, music/record design, information design and animation. 

Time Frame

August 27                          Introduction / Course Overview / Requirements / Biographies / Course Supplies

__________________________________________________________________

August 29                          Project #1

                                             Form & Content: Typographical Design

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September 5                     Project #1

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September 10                  Project #1

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September 12                  Project #1

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September 17                  Project #1

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September 19                  Project #1

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September 24                  Project #1

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September 26                  Project #1 Due | Critic #1

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October 1                          Project #2 Begin    

                                             Visual Communication Print Ad

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October 3                          Project #2

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October 10                        Project #2

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October 15                        Project #2

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October 17                        Project #2

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October 22                        Project #2

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October 24                        Project #2

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October 29                        Project #2

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October 31                        Project #2

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November 5                     Project #2 Due  |  Critic #2

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November 7                     Project #3 Begin 

Visual Communication Arts Career Poster

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November 12                   Project #3

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November14                    Project #3         

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November 19                                  Project #3

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November 26                                  Project #3

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November 28                                  Project #3

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December 3                                     Project #3

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December 5                                     Project #3

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December 10                                  Project #3 Due | Critic #3

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December 12                                  FINAL CRITIQUE 

              

Course Format

The course will be comprised of selected readings, discussions, traditional studio work, digital studio work, blogging, and critiques.  At the beginning of each class a reading will be assigned that directly relates to the current graphic project.

Assessment and Grading

25 %    Critiques & Class Participation

            (Contributing thoughts during class discussions & critiques)

75 %    Projects / Digital Portfolio on Blog

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory.   If you miss more than three classes your grade will be dropped one half a letter grade—unless you have a written medical excuse.  (Attendance will be taken each time class meets)

Materials and Supplies

Purchased at Office Max, Ames, AC Moore

• Digital Camera with USB Cable
• Ruler with metal edge
• Sketch Pad (for sketches and roughs)
• 8.5”x11” Graph Paper
• Mounting Tape (preferably acid free type)
• Flash Storage Disk / Jump Drive 1 Gigabyte or greater
• Black Ink Felt Tip Pen & Soft Lead Pencil
• Black Foam Board 18”x24” – Two Sheets

Classic Design Styles

Art Nouveau (Late 19th Century to Early 20th Century)
Bauhaus (1920’s)
Constructivism (1913-1920's )
Art Deco (1920-1930)
International Typographic Style
(Swiss School of Design) 1950-1970
Modernism / Modern Movement/New York School
Post-Modern Design

Golden Ratio

Golden Ratio

Golden Mean in Nature

Golden Mean in Nature

Position of Focal Point

"The Golden Ratio"

The Grid