Following on from previous posts and continuing our design journey, this week we´ll examine the principles or rules of graphic design. Being of the creative sort you might feel shackled by rules but like all rules they can be broken, but you must first understand these principles before breaking them. If you take the time, follow and apply each of these principles your work will begin to function effectively and communicate. Although each principle is individual in its purpose, they are all interconnected and work together to achieve effective design.

I repeatedly refer to the term ¨design elements¨ throughout, for a more in depth understanding of what this term means refer to my post ¨The building blocks of graphic design¨.

Alignment

The purpose of alignment is to unify and organize a design. Good alignment is invisible to the readers eye and when alignment is off, its sticks out like a sore thumb. Poor alignment gives a layout a sloppy and disorganized look.

Remember primary school, when lunch had finished and the madness that was the school yard suddenly came to a halt. Each class formed organized lines of kids and calmly, class by class each line followed the other back to the classroom. Imagine for a second the chaos and stampede that would have occurred if that simple aligning procedure was neglected. Alignment results in order and structure, how you align design elements can either help to communicate or cause confusion. Good alignment can guide the reader and enhance understanding, help connect and create a visual tie that makes elements appear interrelated.

Balance:

Try running a race hopping on one leg, while your hopping along and trying to prevent yourself from falling over the competition has left you for dead. Your at a disadvantage using one leg, your off balance. Run the race again, now using both legs with balance restored and unless your a complete snail you´ll at least be able to keep up with the pack.

Balance in graphic design works along the same idea, it comes from making sure your design achieves visual balance for it to function. Visual balance comes from arranging design elements so that no one element appears heavier than the other, like having both legs at your disposal, it stabilizes. In design we can create balance in two ways:

1 – Symmetrical Balance

Balance is achieved by placing design elements on one side of an imaginary horizontal, diagonal or vertical dividing line with corresponding elements of the same size, weight or intensity on the other side of this imaginary line.

2 – Asymmetrical Balance

Balance is achieved by using different elements of size, weight or intensity and pairing them with equally different elements on the other side of an imaginary horizontal line. For example, using a large header on the upper left hand page of a double spread and then balancing it with photo on the bottom corner of the right hand page.

Clarity:

To visually communicate, clarity is essential. For example, your talking on your mobile phone and your hand is covering your mouth piece, although your hand is necessary its preventing you from communicating clearly. Clarity in design works along the same principle, any design element employed in your work should never obstruct or prevent the message been communicated, they should contribute and facilitate communicating the message.

Clarity is achieved by hierarchy, supporting images and the correct use of language, all these design elements working together to support and communicate the chosen message. Clarity will give an audience more information in a shorter period of time once you have their attention.

Contrast:

Living in Spain and enjoying all the splendid sunny weather, I´ve developed quite a healthy tan, a nice shade of brown. For the most part my milky white Irish skin has disappeared except for below my waist line which is normally covered by my swim shorts. If you wanna know what contrast is, its the point where my nice tanned skinned meets my waist line where my my pale white, pasty Irish skin lies unexposed. Its actually quite funny, it looks like I´ve painted white shorts on my body.

Well folks, thats what we call contrast, its created when two elements appear visually different, it can help draw attention and create a focal point. Contrast is best achieved by creating it with strength and impact.

Direction:

Direction can be described as the process used to guide the readers eye through a design. Direction is created by using design elements to lead the reader and direct the eye to follow a chosen path within a design. What does the reader see first, where is the eye drawn to next and where does it finish. Visual hierarchies using design elements help guide the reader and contributes to flow which directs the reader smoothly and effortlessly around a design. The reader should be able to follow a logical progression through a layout, from a definite beginning to a definite end.

Focus:

Imagine for a second starring an advert overloaded with visual messages, cluttered with design elements and exploding with color. What would you think? I know what I´d be thinking, ¨lets get the hell out of here¨. Adverts like this are instantly off putting with to many things competing for our attention, we become visually stressed and our immediate reaction is to turn the page.

To avoid such a reaction, an advert or design should act as a whole and create a focal point for the reader to capture attention. Everything else should support this focal point, its the hook that pulls you in, the attention grabber or the appealing image of a product that arouses interest, focusing our attention. Its about creating a centre of interest and then once that interest has been achieved, its about the message and re – enforcing it.

Harmony:

I once worked for a company where nobody really knew 100% what their role was, their responsibilities or who was their boss was. Nobody appeared to be working towards a common goal and everyone was pulling in different directions, complete disharmony, as you can imagine the company eventually went bust.

Imagine if all the individual parts of the company begin working together as a whole, success might have been achievable. As with this example, harmony in graphic design can be achieved when all the design elements work together to produce a meaningful whole. Its in this working together that harmony can be achieved. Individual parts come together to produce visual combinations that support the message of the design. Disharmony on the other hand, if used intentionally can create tension or points of contrast.

Message:

Simply stated, a message is information received and understood. Any design project you undertake, whether its branding, print advertising, packaging or web design should all have some overriding message. Designers should always ask themselves the question is my design confusing or enhancing the message?

Good design improves the readability and effectiveness of any message.

The message can be communicated on different levels, both on an emotional and intellectual level. A beautifully designed brochure or eye catching flyer that communicates no clear message is a useless as a rubber hammer.

Proximity:

Proximity´s primary purpose is to organize. Proximity creates a bond between design elements, how close together or how far apart elements are, suggests a relationship or lack of. Visual connections should be used to organize related elements helping to make a design more accessible. Proximity works by grouping related elements together so they are seen as one cohesive group rather than a bunch of unrelated design elements.

Proximity or closeness implies a relationship. It does not mean everything needs to be closer together, it means design elements that share a connection or common purpose should be visually connected in some way.

Repetition & Consistency:

Imagine the confusion created from working with a designer, who on a daily basis changed what they charged, one day was x amount, the next day x amount plus 20 and the following day it changed again, depending on the whims of the designer. Eventually, clients would just get feed up with the designer and take their business else where.

As in design, repetition and consistent use of design elements throughout a layout help unify a design and avoid confusion. Using consistent type styles, margins and design elements throughout a layout creates repetition and makes individual pages appear part of a cohesive whole that visually unifies all parts of the design. It presents a consistent look and feel.

Next week, we´ll wet our feet in the world of typography.

The Rules of Graphic Design is a post from: Cloud Mixer - Mixing New Media Ideas

Exactly, who needs designers when you can purchase this set of instant design solutions. The attached video is a break through for all the ¨know it all¨, ¨do it yourself¨, ¨add a turkey fart¨, business owners. These sprays and creams let you take control of your companies communication output, no need to hire a professional and endure their educated advice, save money and do it yourself, you know best, the results are instant, see for yourself. Why pay to get it done professionally when you can get it done for three easy payments of 29.99, thats good business if you ask me. I smell a good deal!!!!

Who needs designers??? is a post from: Cloud Mixer - Mixing New Media Ideas

Welcome to part two of understanding color. We’re going to look at each individual hue and what they communicate. Each color has its own unique qualities that resonate with certain personality types, and when trying to design for a certain market this information can be invaluable.

Sometimes, colors can mean different things to different cultures but generally they share common meaning. For example, traffic lights throughout the world use green for “GO” and red for “STOP”, these colors, establish an instant connection so understanding and establishing the right connections is critical when using color. Interestingly, scientists believe, our brain perceives color in the same way our stomach perceives food.

Black

Black communicates sophistication and power. Woman sometimes wear black because it makes them look thinner. It is considered stylish, mysterious and timeless. It also communicates submission, in western culture many catholic priest wear black to signify submission to God. Black can also be associated with evil, death and mourning. Villains or criminals in movies often wear black, witches or vampires are always depicted in black outfits. Black can communicate secrecy, in military terms ¨Black operations¨ are top secret missions. A black market is a secret or illegal trade in goods or money. People who wear black might consider themselves sophisticated, stylish or dignified. People who like black as a color are often moody people, who perform well under pressure or in difficult circumstances.

Blue

Out of all the colors, blue is probably the most popular. It communicates peace, tranquility, harmony, trust and confidence. It appeals to people who are sensible and responsible and is considered a safe color. It is found everywhere in the business world. It is the color of the sky and the ocean and triggers peaceful feelings. Because of its therapeutic and calming power it is often used in bedrooms. Studies show people are more productive in blue rooms. Bodybuilders are able to lift heavier weights in blue gyms. Blue is also considered to signify loyalty, someone who is ¨true blue¨is thought to be loyal and faithful. First prize is normally a blue ribbon. People who like the color blue are caring, loyal and reliable. Deeper blues may mean sadness or depression, ¨getting the blues¨.

Brown

Brown is the color of the earth and found everywhere in nature. It is the color of fertile soil and is mainly considered a neutral/conservative color but sometimes it can evoke feelings of warmth. It communicates steadfastness, simplicity and dependability. Its a popular color among men. People who like Brown are normally considered solid and steady with a good sense of responsibility. Light brown is considered genuine while dark browns can be considered sad, dull or even boring.

Green

Green symbolizes nature, growth, harmony and balance. Green stabilizes, its can’t be described as hot or cold. It communicates clearness and understanding. It is the easiest color on the eye and helps to relax people. Hospitals use predominately green color schemes to relax patients. Green is considered a healing color and communicates life and growth. Dark greens can imply masculinity and can be a sign of wealth. People who like green are usually balanced, stable and law abiding with a good morale back bone. Green can also mean jealousy and envy. Someone is said to be ¨green around the ears¨ is thought to lack experience.

Orange

Orange is happy, vibrant, big and alive. If your looking to stand out in a crowd wear orange. Orange appeals to almost everyone, its bright, healthy and juicy and is believed to stimulate appetite. Many food and drinks companies use orange to market their products. Its attention grabbing and stimulating. Wearing orange is considered confident and adventurous. People who like orange are outgoing, fun loving, determined and agreeable. They embrace new ideas, seek to explore and enjoy change. Orange is a warm color but less serious and aggressive than red.

Pink

Pink is red with aggression removed. It is sweet, innocent, and naive. Pink is the color of romance and love, it communicates feelings of tenderness and caring. It supports friendship and goodwill while calming and dissipating aggression. The symbol for hope in the fight against breast cancer is the “Pink Ribbon”.  People who wear pink appear calm, non-threating and approachable. Its a feminine color and people who like pink are considered romantic, gentle, caring and lighthearted.

Purple

Purple is the color of the royal elite, it communicates luxury, creativity and wealth. Being the combination of two opposites, the warmest color (red) and the coolest color (blue) it is considered balanced and perfect. People who like purple are mysterious and intriguing. Its the favored color of Artists who see themselves as quirky and individualistic. A “purple heart” is a U.S. military decoration for soldiers wounded or killed in battle. Purple in a child’s room is common and is said to help develop the imagination.

Red

Red is the hottest of all the colors. Red speaks of extremes, intensity and passion. It evokes feelings of danger, heat, speed, excitement and aggression. To much red can be irritating and cause restlessness. Its dominating and powerful and can communicate confidence. ¨Seeing red¨is the term used to describe somebody who loses their cool and becomes extremely aggressive. Red can be sexy and lustful, if a woman wears a red dress it usually is associated with sex appeal. People who like red are passionate, energetic and sometimes suffer from emotional instability and a volatile temperament. Watch out for the guy wearing a red tie, he means business.

White

White is the color of innocence and purity. It can communicate cleanliness, openness and truth. White is probably the most used color because it is neutral, and goes with everything. Doctors and nurses wear white to imply sterility. A white flag is the universal symbol for truce. Angels are usually depicted wearing white robes. In most movies, the good character always wears white while the bad guy wears black. It’s considered good luck to be married in a white garment. People who prefer white tend to be clean, organized and shrewd business people, but can often be critical and picky.

Yellow

Yellow is an attention grabber, its the color of sunshine and communicates optimism. If overused it can be overwhelming or off putting. It produces sensations of brightness and warmth reminding us of sun and summer. Scientists believe if used correctly it can enhance concentration, check out the page color of A4 legal pads. Because it is visually striking its often used on road signs to warn of a danger or hazard. It is also the color used to signify a quarantined area. People who like yellow are intelligent and can sometimes be perfectionists. The shade of yellow determines the meaning. Yellow green can communicate deciet. If someone is said to have a “yellow streak,” that person is considered a coward. ¨Yellow journalism” refers to irresponsible and alarmist reporting.

And there you have it, color explained!!!

Understanding Color and Color Theory in Graphic Design Part 2 is a post from: Cloud Mixer - Mixing New Media Ideas

Following last weeks post outlining the elements of graphic design, this week we´re going to take a more in depth look at the element of color.

I’ve dedicated two posts to color because its such an important and fundamental part of design and its needs serious attention. Color creates mood within a design and contributes to the overall experience for your audience. Human emotions are very often triggered by color and you need to know what colors trigger which emotions.

Cool colors like blue and green can evoke a sense of tranquility and calm, while warm colors like red or orange can evoke feelings of excitement and energy. Color is the first thing to catch our attention and the last thing we forget. I ´m a 100% you can tell me fairly quickly the colors Vodafone, Heineken, Coca Cola, and Skype use. Color is to our eyes what taste is to our mouths.

Everyday we experience mountains of color and without a second thought we classify them into certain moods and emotions. When designing if you don´t understand color and how to use it, you might as well be blind. Color gives meaning, helps create mood and triggers emotion.

Color Theory

Color wheels are based on color theory, which is based on the physics of light. Without light, no perception of color is possible, we´d be surrounded by blackness. Light contains a spectrum of color, from red through to violet, with orange, yellow, green and blue in between, and when all these colors are present in equal amounts we see color as white.

An object is considered a certain color by the way it reflects or transmits some of the color spectrum and absorbs the rest. When any portion of that spectrum is missing, the object containing the remaining portions of the spectrum gives the object a specific color.

When light is present, the eye can read color in one of three ways, reflected light, transmitted light, or a combination of reflected
and transmitted light.

1 – Reflected Light

Reflected light is created when light from a light source, reflects off an object. The amount of light reflected depends on the surface area of the object and the brightness of the light source.

2 – Transmitted light

Transmitted light is created when light from a light source, passes through an object. The amount of light transmitted depends on the density of the object and the brightness of the light source.

Creating Color

Color is made up of Hue, Saturation and Value. By combining these visual properties together we can determine what makes color.

1. Hue

Color and hue essentially mean the same thing. It is color with no Black, White or Grey added. It is the pure form of color, red is red, green is green, no variations. When we look at the color wheel we are looking at hues.

The primary colors Red, Yellow and Blue are all hues and it is from these three colors that all other colors are derived. Mixing other colors together can not re-produce primary colors. Children seem to gravitate towards primary colors, check out a childrens toy or clothes shop, the color schemes usually contain predominately primary colors.

I read somewhere it has to do with their eyes, not being fully developed and primary colors being the first colors they can interpret, has sense I suppose.

When we mix two primary colors together we get what is called a secondary color.

These secondary colors are, Green, Orange and Purple so when we mix the primary colors red and yellow we get the secondary color Orange, likewise, when we mix the primary colors yellow and blue we get the secondary color green. When we mix Secondary colors together we get what are called Tertiary colors, the six tertiary colors are: Red-orange, yellow-orange, red-violet, blue-violet, blue-green and yellow-green.

2 – Saturation:

The intensity or purity of a color is called Saturation. Adding or subtracting grey determines the saturation of a color. The grayer a color is, the less its saturation. A color completely absent of gray is fully saturated.

The primary colors are considered fully saturated. If colors appear dark, they are over saturated while colors that appear washed out or faded are said to be under saturated.

3 – Value

The lightness or darkness of a color is called its value. Simply put, it is how much white or black is contained within the color. Adding white to a color is known as tinting while adding black to a color is known as shading.

Toning a color means adding either white or black. Midtones are the medium values between black and white.

How a color is perceived is influenced greatly by its value or saturation.

Additive and subtractive colors

There are two common types of color referred to as additive and subtractive colors. Red, Green and Blue (RGB) are considered to be additive colors, you add them together to produce white. RGB values is how a computer or TV thinks about color.

While Cyan, Magenta and yellow are considered to be Subtractive colors, you subtract them to get white. These colors are usually made up of ink or paint and they produce color by subtracting white. The offset print process that involves CMYK works along this principle.

So lets say, we subtract the additive primary color red from white, and we are left with the primary additive colors blue and green, combining these two colors gives us the subtractive color cyan. In essence, a subtractive color is a mix of the two additive primary colors when one additive primary color has been removed from white.

Print color and Monitor color

The color space of light is RGB, as mentioned above monitors and T.V’s use this color space. So by adding color we get white and by removing color we get black, hence RGB values of R 0 G 0 B 0 produce black and values of R 255 G 255 B 255 produce white.

The color space CMKY is used for offset printing, the absence of ink on paper is white and by adding Cyan, Magenta and Yellow on top of each other the result is black. Because inks don’t absorb light fully, black ink is necessary, hence the “K” (Black) in CMYK.

Color Schemes

Color combinations will either make or break a design. Overloading a design with to much color can be uncomfortable and off putting while using to little color can be dull and boring. Like everything in design its about balance.

Monotone Achromatic

The use of a single neutral color describes a monotone achromatic scheme.  It consists of colors ranging only from black to white.

Monotone Chromatic

The use a single color from the color wheel and the different tints, shadows and saturation of that particular color. A color scheme like this can unify a design because all elements work in harmony together sharing different variations of the same color but on the down side, it sometimes can be dull and monotonous.

Analogous

Analogous colors are neighboring colors on the color wheel, for example Red, Red-Orange and Orange. That particular group can communicate a warm, cozy feeling in a design while Blue, Blue-Green and Green can communicate a cold, icy feeling.  In a design cool colors can appear farther away while warm colors can appear closer.

Complementary

Complementary colors are total opposites of each other on the color wheel. They compliment each other and as a result work well together. Blue is complementary color for orange. Purple is complementary color of yellow. Placed together they grab attention and seem to energize and contrast each other. The act to balance each other, one is always warm and the other always cold. Red placed with Green seems even redder, as with blue placed with orange or yellow placed with purple.

Next Week

I know for some the above isn´t the most interesting or exciting but to understand color and how to use it, you must first understand what is and how its made. So, Having gone through the most mundane part of color, next week, we´ll look at the individual hue´s and what feelings and moods we associate with them and what they communicate when used as an element of design.

Understanding Color and Color Theory in Graphic Design Part 1 is a post from: Cloud Mixer - Mixing New Media Ideas

Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of attending the Costa Del Sol Business Awards 2009. I´m usually not a fan of events like these, mainly because I´m just not very good at networking and don´t feel very comfortable talking to people with the purpose of getting some business, but yesterday was different. I came home happy, relaxed and content having viewed some inspiring presentations and met some interesting people, plus one or two beers always makes for a good evening.

The Costa Del Sol Business Awards Speakers

My compliments to CADE Marbella, they put on a good show. The host, one Maurice Boland (an Irish man who runs Talk Radio Europe) was entertaining, lively and engaging but for me, the guest speakers stole the show.

First up was Olga San Jacinto of Google Spain and she didn´t disappoint. Google just seem to be two steps ahead of everyone else, the way they work, the way they think and the way they run their business. They’re modern day pioneers, going places with the internet nobody has been. Check out the youtube video below, it was part of an excellent presentation.

Next up was Claus Rohrer, C.E.O of the Buchinger clinic Marbella, who gave a thorough presentation, highlighting his excellent staff and the high standard of care each patient receives at his clinic.

And to finish up, Chris Chaplow, president of Andalucia.com, gave a superb presentation on the early days of the internet and what its developed into today. He recommended a few books, “Outliers” by Malcom Gladwell of which I’ve read and good call Chris, its a brilliant book as is most of Gladwell’s other books, I’ll add “Blink” to that list.

He also recommended a book called “The Black Swan” by Nassim Taleb, I’ll be keeping an eye out for it.

The Nominees and Awards

Around 7.00 pm came the awards and our very own cloud mixer author Frank Knipschild and his company Quan Vision was nominated for the best company award, fair play Frank!

First prize went to Creative Web Advertising based in San Pedro and I’m sure I speak for all the team here at Cloudmixer, in saying a big, warm congratulations, well done Jackie and Juan!

So, all in all it turned out to be quiet an interesting evening, I’ll definitely be attending next year.

Costa Del Sol Business Awards 2009 is a post from: Cloud Mixer - Mixing New Media Ideas

Continuing our Graphic Design journey, this week, we’re going to have a look at some design basics and highlight some of the elements that help create effective Graphic Design. These elements are considered the building blocks of visual communication. The information below outlines briefly each one and should only be treated as introduction to each element.

So, off we go:

1 – Line

Lines are everywhere, straight ones, thin ones, fat ones. curved ones, and even diagonal ones. So what’s the big fuss? Well, strangely enough, lines can communicate all sorts of things. Lets take for example a curved line, when a curve is arched downwards like a bump or a frown it can indicate unhappiness or discomfort as opposed to a curve arched upwards like a smile, which can communicate joy or playfulness.

What about a horizontal line? Get a blank piece of paper and draw using a pencil, a pen or whatever, a straight horizontal line, once completed put the paper with the horizontal line facing up on a table and look at it for a few seconds. What do you feel? Correct me If I´m wrong but I almost certain your feeling a sense of stillness and calm. Picture the sun setting on the horizontal line of a still ocean, pretty chilled out, right? Horizontal lines can also be used to highlight information, when a word is underlined it grabs our attention. In school, my english teacher seemed to spend his time underlining the majority of words in anything I wrote, I wasn´t really that bothered either until my college years, when spelling mistakes seem to continually crop up in some of my work. Now the ¨spell checker¨ has become a regular and important part of my workflow.

When we examine vertical lines, we usually associate them with organization or strength. In magazine layouts vertical lines are used to define and separate text columns, while on roadways their used to identify lanes. Spain is the exception though, even though lanes are clearly marked, it seems you can drive or park where you like. Vertical lines, like the strong and upright lines you find in tall buildings can communicate strength. Think of the empire state building, its pretty impressive and strong looking and its full of vertical lines.

Diagonal lines on the other hand can imply movement or action, and even add depth to an image. When you´re walking, examine the lines of direction your arms and legs take? On the other side of the piece of paper with the masterpiece you created earlier, draw two diagonal lines joining in the shape of a mountain peak. By doing so, it almost suggests that the page is not flat, and gives the appearance of depth.

2 – Shape.

Everything in one way or another is made of shapes. We can class shapes into two categorizes: two dimensional shapes like squares, circles and triangles which have width and height, and three dimensional shapes like cubes, spheres and pyramids which have depth as well as width and height. These types of shapes are called geometric shapes, so for anyone whose not a maths nerd, geometry can be defined as the mathematical study of shapes, figures, and positions in space (don´t worry, its not something I knew either, I got the definition from a dictionary). We also have organic shapes which are naturally occurring, they include the shapes of leaves, animals, and even humans. I think you´ll agree, humans come in all shapes and sizes. Ok, now lets examine the three most common shapes (primary shapes) and what they communicate:

Don´t be a SQUARE

Have you ever heard the saying ¨Don´t be a square¨? Well, a square shape, with its balance and symmetry could be described as the most dull and boring shape. Its sturdy and straightforward, and can signify strength. It can be used to frame an image, define an area, attract attention, and exclude or include information.

My CIRCLE of friends

The most obvious examples of circles are the sun and moon and have significance throughout our history to symbolize time and spirituality. Ask yourself, why are most clocks round? Somebody who is said to be well-rounded like myself, is thought to have a wide range of interests, hobbies and lived a full life. In graphic design a circle can be used to bring focus or draw attention, it can communicate infinity, completeness, unity, oneness and wholeness.

The TRIANGLE, an instrument for the musically inept.

As a shape, the triangle is both dynamic and energetic. It has religious connections, the father, the son and the holy spirit is referred to as the Holy Trinity. Pointing upwards it symbolizes masculinity while pointing downwards it symbolizes femininity. When using a triangle in graphic design it can give direction, create tension and communicate power. From its base comes power and stability but from its peak comes tension.

Finishing up, generally sharp, angled shapes are perceived differently in comparison to curved, soft shapes. Any shape you create is considered a positive shape while a negative shape is formed from the space around a positive shape. A simple way to remember the difference is, positive shapes use or occupy space while the empty space between these positive shapes creates negative shapes.

3 – Texture

Texture in graphic design can be both a tactile and a visual experience. In print design the selection of paper and the type of finish on the paper can effect the overall perception of the design. Stationary produced on high quality stock can enhance and add value to the identity of a company. Honestly, I once received a business card that appeared as if it had been printed on an A4 ink-jet home printer,
I don´t believe for one second that person was serious about doing business or even being taken seriously.

The use of tactile textures in graphic design helps a design go beyond visual communication and include our sense of touch to re-enforce a message. Visually, texture can be created on screen, using layered images, experimenting with shape and color. With the power of software like Photoshop, we can accurately replicate tactile impressions on screen, the distressed or grunge design trend that became so popular a few years back, comes to mind. Because texture in graphic design has the power to be both visual and tactile, it communicates to more than just one of the senses and can be quiet a powerful tool.

4 – Value and Color

Value relates to the range of shadows and highlights within an image. Value can be used to focus our attention on a certain area within a design, a bright object on a dark background for example. It can also be used to add depth giving objects an almost three dimensional feel. In paintings, see how the illusion of light is simulated, casting highlights and shadows on objects.

The significance of color in design can never be overstated and it actually deserves a post to itself, so next week my entire post will be dedicated to the importance of color in graphic design. Imagine life without color, how boring, dull and depressing would that be? Color has such a big impact on our well being and emotions. Think of waking up with bright warm yellow/orange sun shine filling your bedroom, as opposed to waking up with dark grey clouds emptying buckets of rain on your window. Colors are the visual form of moods and emotions in an object and the intelligent and intuitive use of color is vital to support and re-enforce the message of a design. For a much more in-depth look at color, dial up again next week.

5 – Size

Each element has a size and therefor has height, weight, thickness and depth. The size of design elements plays an important role in visually hierarchy and dictates which elements grab our attention first. Size reflects varying degrees of importance and relevance. It can make some elements appear very evident and others less prominent. It can be used to contrast smaller objects with larger ones. SIZE  MATTERS!!!!!!

6 – Space

Space is the area in which all the other design elements interact. For an artist its a blank canvas, for a designer it can be a blank page in a sketch pad, its the background to which everything is applied. Each element added to the space adds meaning but also decreases the amount of space so when you fill space with positive objects you must be aware that you are also creating negative objects that can impact the meaning of the positive shapes you´ve all ready created, read again slowly and you´ll understand!!! The use of space helps a design flow and create composition (composition is the way in which elements are combined and arranged visually to communicate a message).

When a design appears busy or to complex, with little space it can become visually uncomfortable. When designing magazine layouts the use of space can allow the reader a respite before continuing to digest the remainder of the information. The correct use of space makes a design accessible and organized. For example, the advertising for luxury brands usually involves minimalist and simplistic concepts that communicate luxury, rarity and exclusiveness,  while on the other hand, bargain basement store´s advertising usually involves busy, overloaded concepts that communicate volume and value for money.

Conclusion

Each design element works as part of a team and for the team to be effective they have to work together. So when working on a project, pay close attention to each of the above elements and how they contribute and support the message of a design. Finally, test your knowledge and examine the above image to see what elements you can spot?

Next week: COLOR…

The Building Blocks of Graphic Design is a post from: Cloud Mixer - Mixing New Media Ideas

What does Graphic Design actually do? So, we have an idea where it came from, what it is (see my previous posts) and now the big question is ¨WHAT DOES IT DO?¨. I could rattle off a few more definitions or write some more ¨Industry talk¨ about what it does but for the sake of common understanding, lets have a look at a real world example of the power of Graphic Design and what it can help achieve.

The 2008 American Presidential Election.

Really, this was one enormous marketing campaign with a budget in the millions and graphic design not only supported the democratic victory, it laid the foundation for change. Never before has an American presidential candidate understood so fully the power of Graphic Design and used it so effectively. Ask yourself, what do you remember most about the election, what message stands out?

Was it Hilary Clinton´s Brand?

Kinda says more of the same to me, the serif used is an old style font which could be interperted as established, conservative or traditional. The logo doesn´t exactly flow, I´m drawn first to her name and then up the right to the italics and then back down the bottom for the graphic.

Was it John McCann´s Brand?

The way the star and the stripes are rendered gives this logo and almost military feel to it. Everything is square and symmetrical, it communicates order to me. The use of yellow is interesting, the color used sparingly can be an attention grabber but in this instance, and don´t quote me, I think it has something to do with the way a yellow ribbon is said to be a sign of support for soldiers at the front. To be honest, I wouldn’t`t be 100% comfortable with a military man running the most powerful country in the world, no offence John.

Or and I´ll bet my banged up Seat Ibiza on it, it was Barrack Obama´s effective and appealing branding.

His campaign showed great ingenuity in crafting a brand that represented visually what he stood for and the values he wished to communicate to the American people. In a branding strategy straight out of corporate America, the president developed a logo that communicated clearly his message, connected with his country men and their desire for change while at the same time promoting loyalty to his campaign. The circle in the logo represents many things,

• Equality and unity (two axes of equal length)
• Strength (distributes weight perfectly)
• Oneness (no end, no beginning)
• Loyalty and security (similar to the meaning of a wedding ring)
• And finally, ¨O¨ for Obama

The colors red and blue obviously represent America but cleverly the color red (normally an aggressive color) is curved away from us (less threatening) over a horizon symbolic with a new horizon/new day/new beginning/change. The white in the logo represents purity, light and hope. Whether or not consciously you are aware of these associations, believe me subconsciously, you are. This symbol represented and signified everything Obama´s campaign stood for and obviously having won the election, it had the desired effect.

I´m not saying brand Obama won him the presidency single handedly, but it was an extremely important cog in the campaign wheel. Put simply, they identified what the people wanted ¨CHANGE¨ and then based their whole campaign on this simple message. This message was then converted into visual form to communicate with the masses. His message of change, was repeated consistently over and over again, (repetition is one of the ways the mind learns) and communicated through practically every medium available: television, printed material, online, mobile devices and billboards. In this instance, Graphic Design facilitated Obama´s victory, helped him to successfully communicate with his target market, and ensured his message was understood, in part resulting in the majority voting  for him and electing him president.

What does Graphic Design do?

Well, as you can see by the above example, Graphic Design has enormous power to influence, it helps attract attention and arouse interest within an audience, it helps break down information to make it accessible, ensures uniqueness of message, helps craft a preferred response, and makes communication effective and memorable.

What does Graphic Design do? is a post from: Cloud Mixer - Mixing New Media Ideas

I’ve now reached the grand total of three posts, I’ll have a mini stroke when I reach four. Ok, down to business, having discussed briefly some of the origins of Graphic Design in my previous post, lets now look at what the profession has become, in the 21st century.

As much as the industry has tried to educate the business world, unfortunately few people still understand fully the work we do and this still remains one of the challenges this profession faces. I often wonder why this is the case and then I ponder to myself, do I know the ins and outs of what a chemical engineer does? Excuse my ignorance but all I know is it has something to do with chemistry and working on a pharmaceutical plant, and I’m fairly certain there’s much, much, much more to it than that.

One could say that graphic design is more visible in our daily lives and therefor should be more widely understood, but then do we not take pills and vitamins on a daily basis that come from somewhere, maybe its these pharmaceutical plants where the chemical engineer works?

So understanding that there is little understanding, I usually kick off my first client meeting by having my potential client explore their beliefs and ideas about Graphic Design.

Frequently, one´s beliefs is one of the factors that will dictate the effectiveness of a design project. Before the designer and a client can carry out effective graphic design, the client must first understand what Graphic design is and believe me, very few people have a good grasp and understanding of the role and importance of graphic design in communication. Ironically, the first step toward understanding graphic design, lies in knowing what is isn´t:

Graphic Design is not:

• Art
• Making things look pretty or cool
• Putting lipstick on a pig
• Graphic decoration
• Dependent on personal taste
• Self expression
• Visual enhancement

Graphic Design is:

• The process of combining and giving order to words, color, images, sound or
  animation to communicate information or a specific message
• The process of creating targeted visual and strategic communication
• About the client and their communication needs
• The process of developing unique and creative visual solutions to a client’s
  communication problems
• About helping a client communicate with their target market effectively
• Connecting with a target audience and evoking a preferred response
• A collaboration between the client and the designer
• Always about the end user

A Changing Industry…

Any discussion about what graphic design is or isn’t must also include what the term means to the industry today. I mentioned in my previous post that the industry now encompasses many creative disciplines and the boundaries between these disciplines seem to becoming increasingly more blurred.

Therefore the question must be asked, is the term “Graphic Design’  a relevant or even sufficient title to describe what the profession has become? This very topic is the subject of a on-going debate within the industry and the profession appears to be split on the way forward. Marketing, advertising, branding, packaging, editorial design, web design, print design, animation, interactivity, audio, multimedia, content creation, GUI´s and now even film have become part of what we do.

• Have we outgrown our job title?
• What title would be more accurate?
• Would a new title further confuse the business world as to what we do?
• How would such a new title be implemented?

The questions are many and the debate will continue. My personal opinion is that the term is outdated and no longer defines fully what we do, but it is an internationally recognized term and to avoid further confusion within the mainstream we must continue under the title of graphic design with more specialized terminology falling under this title and yes, its a boring and dull solution.

How can we regulate?

I questioned myself wether or not I would discuss this, and the last thing I want to do is appear arrogant or superior, but I do feel it is a very real problem for the industry today. With new technology and user friendly software, some of the tools of the graphic design profession have become more widely accessible.

This has lead to an influx of self thought designers who may be proficient with using design software but lack the design education to understand and carry out effective graphic design. With little or no understanding of graphic design, they offer cheap and ineffective design work that often results in superficial solutions leading to disillusioned clients and further damaging the industry´s reputation and the work we do. You might say that every industry has the high and low end of the market, even the aviation industry with all those big and expensive planes works along this understanding so why can’t graphic design.

Well to help you understand why not, lets say for example you bought a plane ticket to travel from Malaga to London, would you be happy if your final destination without your consent and no remuneration became Madrid, and then after all that, you had to buy a new ticket to get to London.

Something similar could be said for employing an uneducated or unqualified designer, the project is never fully completed, the design process is never carried out correctly (dropped off in Madrid), and usually with an extra cost a professional designer is called in (a new plane ticket to get to your destination) to sort the mess out. I would say to anyone thinking of hiring or working with a graphic designer, look for evidence of an education/qualification in graphic design first.

The Future

I see the design industry having a bright, diverse and vibrant future that will continue to evolve and push the boundaries of visual communication. Technology will obviously continue to play a huge part in the evolution of graphic design, it has already revolutionized the industry and will continue to change and improve the way we work. Look around, there´s new visual digital based technology appearing like acne on a teenagers face, its everywhere, the need for educated designers is only going to increase.

Until next week, adios…

Graphic Design for a New Century is a post from: Cloud Mixer - Mixing New Media Ideas

Being completely honest, this is the only the second post I’ve ever written anywhere online, so please be gentle. Although I read blogs regularly, I’ve never felt the need to blog myself, that is of course until Justin opened my eyes to whole social media/blogging thing. Where once I was lost, now I’m found.

As I mentioned, I visit a lot of different blogs sites and although the information is mostly top drawer, my personal experience has always been that most blogs contain random posts sometimes with little order or structure. So in an effort to bring some structure to my posts, over the coming weeks and months, I will start our journey at the beginning and work my way forward.

The Big Bang!!!!

We now know that within moments of the big bang which created our universe, roughly fifteen billion years ago, the building blocks of design were also created. These being color, shape, size, texture, direction, tone and line.

Roughly 14.75 billion years later these building blocks began to be used in very primitive ways by the first humans on this planet, no macs, no sketch pads and no internet, just sticks and some home made paint. Hats off to our cave men ancestors, it can’t have been easy to design or illustrate something. Their stories were told and passed from generation to generation by these prehistoric cave paintings. Although extremely primitive, these cave paintings were probably the very first examples of visual communication. Being the local cave man designer might have been a pretty fatal career, I can’t imagine the alpha male taking to kindly to a miss-interrupted brief. And so began man’s search for ways to give visual form to ideas and concepts, to store knowledge, to communicate through signs and symbols, and to bring order and clarity to information.

Darius The Great Designer

Around 5000 BC, the world’s first great empire was ruled by a clever and dynamic leader called “Darius The Great”. The Persian empire spanned twenty nations, from the Mediterranean in the west to the Indian Ocean in the east. Darius faced the impossible task of communicating with millions of people across a vast empire with many different languages.

After much hair pulling and random executions, he had a brain wave, his inspired solution can probably be seen as the first appearance of an international brand or logo. He depicted himself as an Archer and had this image engraved on coins and etched in rock right across his empire. The Archer was an image familiar to everyone across this enormous kingdom, it was symbolic of military prowess, wisdom and leadership, and a good archer was believed to posses great balance and control. This was the identity he wished his people to associate with him. His ingenious idea sowed the seeds for the branding we interact with today.

Addison Dwiggins

The term “Graphic Design” seems to have been invented by one Addison Dwiggins, an unusual name to say the lest, around 1922, to describe his profession as an individual who brought structure, order and visual form to printed communications. Where once producing designs and printing had been one of the same, the demands of a growing market led two separate disciplines. The result was the birth of the graphic designer and the profession as we know it. Little did Addy realize it would turn into a multi million euro industry before the end of the century.

World War II

The power of graphic design and its influence was quickly recognized in pre-World War II Germany, by Adolf Hitler. Although he was completely crackers and hell bent on destroying the world, he understood that image and word combined, was an extremely effective cocktail. Germany and her people were seduced by Hitler’s powerful vision of Nazi Germany which he communicated through mass publicity design. The Swastika became Germany’s brand, its identity during this period and although the original meaning of the symbol means “well being” it is now associated with a very dark period of the 20th Century.

Design In Digital

In the late 20th century, the introduction of computers and new technologies revolutionized graphic design. Many manual processes such as typesetting have been completely done away with. Just picturing how the profession used to be, with all that manuel work, seems like something from the dark ages. Imagine the time involved in typesetting, you’d want pretty patient clients.

The introduction of desktop publishing software brought the means of production into the studio and greatly increased the speed at which work could be produced. Pixels have become an alternative to print, the mouse and wacom tablet have become an alternative to pen and paper. It was once said that the pen was mightier than the sword, would it be true to say; that the mouse has become mightier than the pen? Color has become more alive and vibrant through improved printing processes and monitor displays. The internet provides instant inspiration and information at our finger tips, online communities of designers can share ideas, educate and connect. We live in a digital world that moves a such as speed, if you stop to blink, your yesterdays news. We´re overloaded with so much information, and at such a fast pace, that keeping up to date with what´s going on seems like a full time job in its self. I’m sure I’m not alone in this belief.

Today

The profession of graphic design has gone from being an ¨S¨ to an ¨XXXXXXXL¨and now encompasses many creative disciplines and the boundaries between these disciplines seem to becoming increasingly more blurred. This is probably due mainly to the internet, access to a global economy and this new digital world. I see more and more employers looking for designers with print and web skills, although designing for the web is a completely different medium to designing something that will be printed and requires a different approach and understanding. That is not to say an experienced designer can’t do both but the relevance of that statement would be in the word “experienced”.

Some of the design work being produced today is mind blowing, inspiring and engaging. I find myself saying more and more ¨how the f#ck did they do that” and please excuse my language but I’m just being honest. The industry is bubbling with talent and creativity is exploding on our monitors, TV’s, billboards and magazines. Being designers allows us to explore and develop a very healthy and positive part of being human, our creativity. The tools and technologies at our disposal have enhanced and energized our ability to be creative. We live and work in interesting and exciting times…

Sources: A Century Of Graphic Design – Jeremy Aynsley, Graphic Design for the 21st Century – Charlotte and Peter Fiell

A Brief History of Graphic Design is a post from: Cloud Mixer - Mixing New Media Ideas

Hailing from the Emerald Isle (Ireland) and now resident and living in Marbella, Southern Spain, Peter´s background is mainly Design for Print, although in recent times Web Design has tickled his interest, specifically Flash and CSS. He studied ¨Design for Print¨ in Cork Institute of Technology between 2000 and 2003 and barely a month after graduating, he was offered the opportunity to come and work in sunny Spain. Without a second thought, a bag was packed, a plane ticket bought and the rest, as they say, is history…

In his nearly 7 years of professional experience, he has designed, developed and implemented branding strategies, spear headed a team of designers in producing a high end luxury lifestyle magazine, managed the creative department of a PLC and currently operates as Creative Director of Studio 54, his first endeavor into the business side of Graphic Design.

In the weeks and months ahead, Peter hopes to share his knowledge and experience of everything design.

Current Project – Designing a series of children´s books for a Dutch client, number 2 in the series is wet and just off the press.

You can connect with Peter on Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin

Feel free to browse Studio 54´s portfolio here

Introducing Peter Goulding – Cloud Mixer Author is a post from: Cloud Mixer - Mixing New Media Ideas