What Exactly is Graphic Design?

Suppose you want to announce or sell something, amuse or persuade someone, explain a complicated system or demonstrate a process. In other words, you have a message you want to communicate. How do you “send” it? You could tell people one by one or broadcast by radio or loudspeaker. That's verbal communication. But if you use any visual medium at all-if you make a poster; type a letter; create a business logo, a magazine ad, or an album cover; even make a computer printout-you are using a form of visual communication called graphic design.
Graphic designers work with drawn, painted, photographed, or computer-generated images (pictures), but they also design the letterforms that make up various typefaces found in movie credits and TV ads; in books, magazines, and menus; and even on computer screens. Designers create, choose, and organize these elements-typography, images, and the so-called “white space” around them-to communicate a message. Graphic design is a part of your daily life. From humble things like gum wrappers to huge things like billboards to the T-shirt you're wearing, graphic design informs, persuades, organizes, stimulates, locates, identifies, attracts attention and provides pleasure.
Graphic design is a creative process that combines art and technology to communicate ideas. The designer works with a variety of communication tools in order to convey a message from a client to a particular audience. The main tools are image and typography.

Image-based design
Designers develop images to represent the ideas their clients want to communicate. Images can be incredibly powerful and compelling tools of communication, conveying not only information but also moods and emotions. People respond to images instinctively based on their personalities, associations, and previous experience. For example, you know that a chili pepper is hot, and this knowledge in combination with the image creates a visual pun.
In the case of image-based design, the images must carry the entire message; there are few if any words to help. These images may be photographic, painted, drawn, or graphically rendered in many different ways. Image-based design is employed when the designer determines that, in a particular case, a picture is indeed worth a thousand words.

Type-based design
In some cases, designers rely on words to convey a message, but they use words differently from the ways writers do. To designers, what the words look like is as important as their meaning. The visual forms, whether typography (communication designed by means of the printed word) or handmade lettering, perform many communication functions. They can arrest your attention on a poster, identify the product name on a package or a truck, and present running text as the typography in a book does. Designers are experts at presenting information in a visual form in print or on film, packaging, or signs.
When you look at an “ordinary” printed page of running text, what is involved in designing such a seemingly simple page? Think about what you would do if you were asked to redesign the page. Would you change the typeface or type size? Would you divide the text into two narrower columns? What about the margins and the spacing between the paragraphs and lines? Would you indent the paragraphs or begin them with decorative lettering? What other kinds of treatment might you give the page number? Would you change the boldface terms, perhaps using italic or underlining? What other changes might you consider, and how would they affect the way the reader reacts to the content? Designers evaluate the message and the audience for type-based design in order to make these kinds of decisions.

Image and type
Designers often combine images and typography to communicate a client's message to an audience. They explore the creative possibilities presented by words (typography) and images (photography, illustration, and fine art). It is up to the designer not only to find or create appropriate letterforms and images but also to establish the best balance between them.
Designers are the link between the client and the audience. On the one hand, a client is often too close to the message to understand various ways in which it can be presented. The audience, on the other hand, is often too broad to have any direct impact on how a communication is presented. What's more, it is usually difficult to make the audience a part of the creative process. Unlike client and audience, graphic designers learn how to construct a message and how to present it successfully. They work with the client to understand the content and the purpose of the message. They often collaborate with market researchers and other specialists to understand the nature of the audience. Once a design concept is chosen, the designers work with illustrators and photographers as well as with typesetters and printers or other production specialists to create the final design product.

Symbols, logos and logotypes
Symbols and logos are special, highly condensed information forms or identifiers. Symbols are abstract representation of a particular idea or identity. The CBS “eye” and the active “television” are symbolic forms, which we learn to recognize as representing a particular concept or company. Logotypes are corporate identifications based on a special typographical word treatment. Some identifiers are hybrid, or combinations of symbol and logotype. In order to create these identifiers, the designer must have a clear vision of the corporation or idea to be represented and of the audience to which the message is directed.

5 Things Graphic Designers Can Learn From Computer Hackers!

I know what most of you might be thinking…what in the world can a respectable graphic designer learn from a notorious hacker? But hold you horses everyone, don’t jump to conclusions just yet. Let me explain the purpose of my topic. I’m not implying that you go rogue and turn into a design outlaw. What I wish to establish is that “You can learn from anyone…even your enemy.” We all are familiar with hackers and their work. A hacker is someone who thinks unconventionally and works with curiosity and ambition. He is someone who perceives rules as barriers to innovation. A hacker is a person who tests the freedom and limitation of systems to satisfy his curiosity. Now we don’t need to emulate the notorious actions of hackers, but we can surely learn from their positive points. Here are 5 things that graphic designers learn from hackers:

1. Think Outside the Box:

The first thing that graphic designers can learn from hackers is to think out-of-the-box. Hackers are people who wish to make a name by achieving the impossible. They desire accomplishing those feats that no one has ever achieved. In order to make that happen, they think out of the box and develop new tricks and techniques to tackle any barriers coming in their way. For them, creativity has no limits. Similarly, graphic designers should also come up with out-of-the-box solutions for their graphic design problems.

2. Break the Rules:

Now don’t get me wrong here, I don’t mean that graphic designers should go around breaking signals and others laws of the society. What I mean is that you should not blindly follow the conventions and trends prevalent in the graphic design industry. This doesn’t mean that graphic designers can go around stealing others work. On the contrary, it means that you don’t bound yourself with design trends and should strive for uniqueness. This reminds me of the theme of the movie Men of Honor…“History is made by those who break the rules.”

3. Curiosity to Explore:

There is one thing that you will find constant among every hacker…the curiosity to explore. It is this curiosity that drives them to explore the loopholes of the system and exploit them to their requirements. Arnold Edinborough once said, “Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only the cat died nobly.” Graphic designers should also learn to be curious and inquisitive in nature. They should learn to explore every areas and realms of graphic designing in order to keep themselves up-to-date.

4. "Never Say Die" Attitude:

As I mentioned earlier, hackers have a “never say die” attitude. No matter how strict the security controls are used, they will always find a way in. Hackers are constantly updating themselves with the latest security features searching for loopholes and walkthroughs. This similar approach should also be adopted by graphic designers in their field as well. They should also keep themselves well apprised of the latest events in the graphic design and stay updated with the latest software and techniques.

5. Desire for Information:

We have learnt from Julian Assange, owner of WikiLeaks.com and one of the people to revolutionize internet, that hackers also desire information. After the advent of WikiLeaks, a large vacuum of information has been filled, courtesy the hackers who wanted to expose the ‘real information’ to the world. For graphic designers, the desire for information is essential as well. Some graphic designers avoid obtaining information from their clients regarding the project. In the end, the client shows his dissatisfaction with the work. Hence, information collection is critical to the success of any venture.

22 Great Examples of Street Art

One of the most controversial forms of artwork is street graffiti. It has been prevalent since centuries and has matured and refined over the years. It was used by the Romans as a sign of protest and criticism against their rulers. Street graffiti is still a common way of expressing political and satirical remarks on the walls of both public and private property. But conversely, it is also considered as a devious and notorious form of art as it exploits and harasses public and private possessions.
As graphic designers, graffiti is always an inspiration point as it helps in learning new and innovative ways of expressing feelings and emotions in the form of art. This technique of artwork has swiftly crept into the field of design including logo design as well. Today, I have collected a fresh compilation of 22 street graffiti artworks that will leave you amazed. I personally enjoyed each and every one of them thoroughly and hope that you will also like them.