What Is Graphic Design - Part 1

Today we presented the 10 images that are displayed on the blog 'Why am i here? What do i want to learn?' to our blog groups. Giving them a insight to what aspects of graphic design we are all interested in. 
     Whilst each person in our group was presenting we all took down notes on the different areas everyone was interested in. 

Danielle

• Contrast 
• Paper cut 
• Wedding invites 
• Painting 
• Vintage 
• Woodcut 
• Packaging 

Suzie

• Illustration 
• Urban Culture 
• Layout 
• Traditional 
• Infographics 
• Stich 
• Collage, vintage 
• Mathematical 
• Vectors, Illustrator 

Adam 

• Attention to detail 
• Linoprint 
• Illustration 
• Poster design 
• Layout 
• Different materials 
• Rodchenko 

Andy

• Experimental Photography 
• Colour 
• Animation, concept art 
• Awareness campaigns 
• Layouts 
• Digital 
• Photo manipulation 

Jasper

• Interesting book designs 
• Publishing 
• web interaction 
• How type and image work together 
• Clean crisp, aesthetically pleasing 
• Simple but effective 
• Witty element of graphic design 

Me

• Print, mono, lino, woodcut ect 
• Infographics 
• Digital 
• Olly Moss 
• Texture 
• Interesting/playful use of type 
• Illustration
• Use of colour 

After collecting this list of what people are interested in we picked out criteria that kept on cropping up through most/everyones lists, so we could narrow down the selection.   

The list created was:    

• Type - Creative, innovative
• Stefan Sagmeister - Interesting packing design 
• Layout - Book, Web 
• Illustration 
• Colour - Bright, meanings, bold 
• Print - Paper cut, Wood/laser, Texture 
• Infographics - Boring information made attractive, Information is beautiful 
• Editorial - Magazines, book covers 
• Photography 
• Music - Larna Del Ray, Joy Division album cover 
• Message - Wit, awareness, communication, tone of voice 
• Digital - Digital media, concept art, web design 

When every group had finished doing this we again narrowed it down, each group selecting  one they felt was more prominent than the rest. 

This then led to this list: 

• Creative use of type 
• Visual quality 
• Tone of voice 
• Detail 
• Simplicity/ Minimal 
• Meanings/ Messages 
• Interactive, audience engagement 
• Style/ Aesthetic 
• Media + Production 
• Form, Format 
• Personal interests 
• Visual Content 
• Language 
• Structure + Layout 

TASK

 The task that has been set now is to select 5 of the pieces of criteria above and provide at least 5 examples of current design that reflects our creative interests. 

My selection is: -Creative use of type  -Detail   -Simplicity of design   -Interest in content   -Visual quality  

SO What is Graphic Design?

'Graphic Design is the most universal of all the arts. It is all around us, explaining, decorating, identifying: imposing meaning on the world. It is in the streets, everything we read, it is on our bodies. We engage with design in road signs advertisements, magazines, cigarette packets, headache pills, the logo on our shirt, the washing label on our jacket.
     Graphic Design performs a number of functions. It sorts and differentiates, it distinguishes one company or organisation or nation from another. It informs, it tells us how to bone a duck or how to register a birth. It acts on our emotions, and helps to shape how we feel about the world around us.' 
                                                                    ('WHAT IS GRAPHIC DESIGN?' Quentin Newark)


'Graphic Design is a creative visual arts discipline that encompasses many areas. It may include art direction, typography, page layout, information technology and other creative aspects. This variety means that there is a fragmented landscape for design practice within which designers may specialise and focus.' 
                                   ('The Fundamentals of Graphic Design' Gavin Ambrose + Paul Harris)




Creative use of type

I have chosen the first image because i feel its really clever in its design, the shape of a question mark makes you think its asking, 'did you know?' Because it contains a range of random facts that when explained in a sentence by somebody usually start with 'did you know?' So the facts and the shape being a question mark work really well together and is very clever. The second image i selected because i like witty and clever use of type as well, it also engages the person who looks as it, because it makes you think and look twice at it. The third image i really like because it takes your eye from one side of the picture to the other, it also looks like the sentence has spilt out of the group of letters. The next image is a very strong example of type and image working well together, i especially like when type and image are joined together, this one is very simple but effective. 

This is an example of how typography can be used on screen in an interesting a clever way, so it can be moved across different types of media, from print to web to kinetic typography. Within this video the type changes depending on the intensity of the speech, how angry it is and whats actually going on, it helps to give you a picture of the anger and emotion just through the use of type. 

Detail

I selected the first image because there is a lot of detail and when you look close you realise its actually a map, so again it makes you look twice and i also love this style of illustration. The second i really like because of the small simple illustrations on around the edge that contrast with the bright colours in centre. The packaging has been created by stefan sagemeister and the paper cut is very intricate and detailed adding another dimension to the plain picture behind. The next image i really like again because of the simple illustrations that stand out from the black type. The last image i like because of the detail thats gone into not only the packaging but also how the detail comes out into a 3dimensional object. 

Simplicity of design

I feel all of these images are really strong, i like the fact that they are all so simple but what is trying to be presented can easily be understood. Each image uses simple shapes and illustrations that are put onto a plain background so stand out. i especially like the first image where only lines have been used to form the circles, but it is obvious what it is trying to display. Again the same applies to the final image, just a simple triangle has been used and if the writing was there you could still tell it was displaying sailing. 

Interest in Content

i am also interested in how a piece of graphic design helps to inform you, i really like the 2 info graphic pieces because they are so simple but provide you with a vast array of data that can easily be communicated. I also really like how packaging works with the content, again helping to inform and educate the person on whats inside. i feel the 2nd image shows this, and is a very clever way to show what the product is!    

Visual Quality

I really like images that look visually pleasing and have a clean crisp finish to them. the fist image i really like because it is so clever, it also stands out contrasting with the bright orange and pale background, it also explains the film very well. The second image is more of the same, being very clever with the use of image to explain films, the illustrations are so simple but have a big impact on the whole image. The next image again i really like because its so simple, but also the colours compliment each other, the same applies to the image below. This poster is also very visually appealing. The final design i chose because i like how a set of objects/packaging can work as a set, such as the spine on books when all lined up, in this case the images swoop across the three bottles almost forming one piece of work in its self.