Graphic Design Fundamentals: Getting Started
Lesson 6 of 18The Graphic Designers Tools: Typography
Timothy Samara
Graphic Design Fundamentals: Getting Started
Timothy Samara
Lesson Info
6. The Graphic Designers Tools: TypographyLessons
Introduction to Graphic Design
11:27 2Graphic Design: Areas of Specialization
14:10 3The History of Graphic Design
40:12 4The Designer's Toolkit
11:30 5The Graphic Designer's Tools: Color
06:01 6The Graphic Designers Tools: Typography
01:42 7The Graphic Designer's Tools: Layout & Space
06:33 8Typical Work Processes
09:14Designing an Advertisment
41:46 10Designing a Poster
29:20 11Designing a Book Layout: Basic Concepts
36:02 12Designing a Book Layout: The Details
20:55 13Designing a Website
26:54 14How to Design a Brand Identity: Preperation
25:42 15How to Design Brand Identity: Showing the Client
18:25 16Building Brand Language
14:12 17Designing the Touchpoints
11:16 18Fundamentals are Forever
03:40Lesson Info
The Graphic Designers Tools: Typography
Typography is about words and letters and text. And designers need to know sort of how letter forms are constructed and what their parts are. And what kinds of variations there are. And when some are lighter or bolder, how their weight changes, or some are wider, more extended or more condensed, that there are different styles, and how you might choose combinations. We have to be able to look at combinations for their visual qualities as well as what kinds of readings or interpretations we get just from the style, the quality of the drawing of the typed form. And we also have to be concerned not just with the visual, but with the verbal aspect of it because type is there to read. And there are aspects of it, how the letters are spaced within words, the space between words, the space between lines of text. How many characters fit on a line within a column of text. That either contribute to a more comfortable and engaging reading experience, or a very tiring and confusing reading experie...
nce. We have to look at type from a compositional standpoint and kind of merge the decision making that we're doing between the visual, how we affect the optical display of the text and its result on what we understand among the different parts of that text, how that text is arranged, what parts of it are important, that is the hierarchy.
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
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a Creativelive Student
Wonderful class! I loved getting the info as to the creative process. Great!
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.
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.