Graphic Design Fundamentals: Getting Started
Lesson 18 of 18
Fundamentals are Forever
Graphic Design Fundamentals: Getting Started
Lesson 18 of 18
Fundamentals are Forever
Lesson Info
Fundamentals are Forever
We're bringing it all together, we've just brought it all together in terms of sort of the range of practice areas and sort of kinds of media and image because the fundamentals are forever no matter how complex or simple the project, no matter how seasoned a designer you are or how much of a newbie, you're always coming back to the same principles, the same ideas over and over again in the same way that a wheel is shaped a particular way because it does something, the principles that we have been talking about work a particular way, they affect our perception in a particular way and our minds in particular ways and we can never ignore them. So, just some thoughts to live by, and this is a little bit of a recap, we really talked about to kind of understand what it is that designers do and always remember why you're designing, you're not designing for you, you're designing for other people, you're solving a problem, you're trying to make the world a better place, you're trying to connect...
people, you're trying to elevate our lives as humans. We talked about so the evolution of the profession and I think it's important no matter what area you're working in is that part of your expertise comes from knowing the history of your discipline. So, you want to know why it is that designers think a certain way about certain kinds of things, where did that come from and what is it, you know what knowledge are we building upon as we move forward, and of course history is a great source not only of inspiration, but also for problem solving because chances are in the last four to five hundred years somebody has encountered a similar kind of a problem and they've done it already and you can learn from that. The next is to choose and use your tools wisely as that is to understand what you have available to you. What's in the toolbox, there's so many options, and you know people run to certain go-to's. I want a really clean photograph of this, I want an icon for that. It should look this way, explore. You'll have imagery of so many different kinds, whether it's abstract or pictorial, color is a rich and powerful part of the communication medium that you really want to get in touch with. Typography is a very very dynamic component of designing and layout is the thing that pulls all those things together into a place, so you want to investigate those really carefully, and that actually is what we'll be covering tomorrow form an image color, typography, and layout segment by segment throughout the day. So, it will be really diving into each of those sort of tool areas in tremendous detail. And last is to follow a rich and thorough process is don't jump to conclusions, don't preconceive, don't try to see the end result in advance, is allow the process of discovery to take you to where that communication needs to go and to let it live in the best way possible. Now, your turn.
Class Description
AFTER THIS CLASS YOU’LL BE ABLE TO:
- Identify and apply fundamental graphic design elements
- Add essential design skills to your toolkit
- Approach and manage the creative process through varied projects
ABOUT TIMOTHY’S CLASS:
You don’t need to have a background in fine arts or be an Adobe InDesign whiz to create compelling designs. In this class, Timothy Samara takes you back to the fundamentals of graphic design - the same principles he has consistently returned to in his 25-year career.
Through real-world projects, you’ll learn the basics of:
- Form and image
- Color theory
- Typography
- Layout and composition
Most unique about Timothy’s class is his demonstration of how design theory manifests in actual projects; he cracks open his professional portfolio and takes you into the world of how real designers work. With an extensive career behind him, Timothy’s design services have spanned from web design to print media, to interface design, and to building brand identity. By walking through Timothy’s creative process, you not only see how design elements interact and impact an overall product, but you get a rare view of the problem-solving graphic designers do and the decisions they make. What rules exist and when are they broken? How do you juggle meticulous research vs. spontaneity?
Whether you want to design a poster, flyer, or logo - this class will give you the insights you need to design with confidence. Welcome to the art and science of graphic design.
WHO THIS CLASS IS FOR:
This class is designed for beginner and intermediate graphic designers as well as more experienced designers looking for a brush-up on design principles, career-changers, marketing team members, and anyone interested in graphic design fundamentals.
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR:
Timothy Samara is a New York-based graphic designer and educator whose twenty-five career has so far focused on visual identity and branding, communication design, and typography. Since 2000, he has split his time between professional practice and academia, defining a highly respected reputation as an instructor at the School of Visual Arts, Parsons/The New School for Design, Purchase College SUNY, New York University, The University of the Arts, and Fashion Institute of Technology. Mr. Samara is a frequent university lecturer and contributor to design publications both in the U.S. and abroad. He has written eight books on design to date (all from Rockport Publishers), which have been translated into ten languages and are used by students and practitioners around the world.
Connect with Timothy online: LinkedIn
Lessons
- Introduction to Graphic Design
What exactly do graphic designers do? What is the overall goal of design? We see many products that designers create - from logos, to t-shirts, to newsletters and invitations - yet what do graphic artists actually do to produce these products? What design skills do they use and what factors influence their decisions? What roles do graphic designers play in business, the economy, and within communities?
- Graphic Design: Areas of Specialization
With the advent of technology, not only have tools like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator transformed the graphic designer’s process of creation, but the possibilities of design have expanded into far reaching areas. Timothy gives a quick overview of areas of specialization as a graphic designer; from editorial design to wayfinding, and advertising to motion graphics and branding, learn about the possibilities the field offers.
- The History of Graphic Design
History repeats itself. Learn about the evolution of graphic design and the origins of many of today’s design trends. Timothy takes you on a fascinating journey through the 36,000 year old history of graphic design, from cave paintings to the Industrial Revolution in New York, to the arts and crafts movement in England to the birth of Modernism, Bauhaus, and the development of corporate identity. How has visual language evolved from past to present?
- The Designer's Toolkit
Every designer carries a basic toolkit of the fundamental graphic elements in a design - these are the elements a designer plays with and manipulates to create a final product, be it a web page or a series of comic books. Starting with form and image: how do graphic designers choose the images they use? How do geometric and organic forms influence a design? How do designers use form and image to create a narrative, or meaning?
- The Graphic Designer's Tools: Color
Color is a dynamic tool. What elements of color can be adjusted, and how does this impact overall design and the effect on your audience? What relationships do colors have with each other and how do you choose a palette? What biological changes do our bodies go through when we perceive color - and how do you harness the power of color as a designer?
- The Graphic Designers Tools: Typography
Sometimes overlooked, typography is essential to user experience; the right combination of factors can create a comfortable and engaging experience that piques your audience’s interest. How can you use typography to guide your audience’s attention and best communicate your message?
- The Graphic Designer's Tools: Layout & Space
Graphic design is made up of different, and at times competing elements: typography and imagery. How do you merge these to create harmonious and compelling visual compositions? You will learn how to manipulate space in your design and organize elements to influence how your audience reads your message.
- Typical Work Processes
You have a project - now where do you start? Creative processes differ from person to person, however the typical design process goes through the same stages: research, ideation, refinement, and execution. Timothy describes the factors to consider at each stage.
- Designing an Advertisment
Witness Timothy’s graphic design skills in full force as he takes you through the journey of a project from his own professional portfolio: an advertisement for an expo. Timothy demonstrates the iterative process, from image selection to concept sketches to color manipulation, and his reasoning behind every decision along the way. He calls to attention an important factor in editorial design - on what scale and in what format will this advertisement live, and how does this affect the design?
- Designing a Poster
What unique opportunities does poster design offer? How does the size of media affect a reader’s experience? Timothy walks you through his process of designing a poster for a theatrical performance and the more complex concept and image development this design work requires. We see surprises and new ideas surface through the process of refinement, as well as the value of broad research.
- Designing a Book Layout: Basic Concepts
Timothy designs the layout of a book, a retrospective of an artist’s work. He raises and answers compelling questions throughout the process: How do you work with multiple stakeholders on a single project? How do you turn limitations into positive challenges? How do you problem-solve when a client is not satisfied? How does using a layout grid actually create, rather than hinder flexibility? Timothy shows you how to explore compositional ideas within the format of a book with extensive images and text.
- Designing a Book Layout: The Details
Typeface, alignment, transitions, even the color of the cloth of a hardbound book: these are all factors in cover to cover book design. Timothy demonstrates the process of creating a book cover in line with his client’s artistic vision, finalizing the process, and bringing the project to execution.
- Designing a Website
Web design presents a playground of opportunity: how does interactivity influence design? How do page layout, flow, and navigation affect the user experience? How does hierarchy, or the order in which the audience perceives information, translate into the interactive context? Timothy takes us through a web design project; we see his research process, concept sketching, use of grids, and problem-solving in the context of a web page.
- How to Design a Brand Identity: Preperation
Graphic design at full volume is the creation of brand identity. Timothy models beginning the process of designing a brand identity for a client with the core component: the logo. What are the best research practices for logo design? How do you create a powerful logo? Does it need to communicate a message? How do you problem-solve for its applications in various forms of media?
- How to Design Brand Identity: Showing the Client
Timothy shares his best tips for working with a client in logo design. How many options should you present and in what context? How do you involve your client in the problem-solving and refinement process?
- Building Brand Language
Brand identity may start with a logo, but a logo is just one part of a brand - it needs to exist within a world with context. Timothy models how to flesh out the rest of a brand’s visual language, from website content to color palettes, icons, and taglines.
- Designing the Touchpoints
If you want to take your client’s brand to its audience and not only increase exposure, but build and strengthen the relationship between brand and customer, you need to design brand touchpoints. Packaging, letterheads, and business cards all add to the narrative. How can you develop a simple and effective advertising system?
- Fundamentals are Forever
Timothy closes where he begins - with the fundamentals. What is the mission of the designer? What can you learn from the history of the discipline? How will trusting the process of discovery push your practice to the next level?
Reviews
a Creativelive Student
Wonderful class! I loved getting the info as to the creative process. Great!
Øyvind Hermans
I love this class, clear and precise information with very interesting examples. I have worked as a graphic designer for 6 years but have no design eduction, so at times I feel like there is these gaps of design-knowlegde in my decisions, this was the perfect filler of these gaps.
sixtina maculan
Thank you for sharing your experiences in this class. It's been a pleasure to listen, learn and understand, as well as a wonderful motivation.