Graphic Design Fundamentals: Getting Started

Lesson 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.

You don’t need to be a trained pro to make great designs. In this class, Timothy Samara will explain the fundamentals of graphic design and help you get started. You’ll learn about:

The skills essential for graphic design
Which tools designers use
How to manage the creative process

Timothy will demonstrate a design project from start to finish and provide a thorough introduction to the design principles professionals rely on everyday. You’ll learn the basics of:

• Space and form
• Color theory
• Typography
• Layout and composition

Lessons