What is graphic designing?

Usually when we talk about graphic design, we think about an artistic advertisement or eye catchy graphics. Or a process of image editing with cool fonts and symbols. Although these are some examples of graphic design, the term covers a lot; illustration, banners, posters, info-graphics, book covers, product labels, logos, business cards, website layouts, mobile apps, software interfaces—the list goes on. In fact if you look around, you should be able to spot some examples of graphic design around you. A logo of your mobile phone manufacturer is also an example of graphic design.

Graphic designing is an art to communicate effectively and solve problems through the use of images, illustration, fonts and tools. It involves effective visualization of communication concepts, primarily in print and electronic media.

The term graphic design was invented by William Addison Dwiggins in 1922.

5 Elements of Graphic Design

To understand graphic design, it’s important to understand the elements and techniques that are used to create a graphic. A graphic design can include various combinations of the following elements.

Line – Line is the most fundamental art and design ingredient, the basis that other elements are built on. Line is a one-dimensional element measured only in length. The basic characteristics of a line are length, weight (darkness/thickness) and direction.

Shape – In the study of art, a shape is an enclosed space, a bounded two-dimensional form that has both length and width. At its most basic, a shape is created when a line is enclosed. A shape can be categorized in two types –

• Geometrical Shapes – shapes that are regular and have a name

• Organic Shapes – Shapes that are irregular and/or based from nature

Colour – Colour or the absence of colour is the most vital element of any design. Colour is a powerful tool in graphic design. It can be used to catch the attention, organize content, highlight elements, evoke emotion and help a design look aesthetically enjoyable. Colour consists of three properties –

• Hue – the name of colour based on spectrum

• Value – the lightness or darkness of a colour

• Intensity – the brightness or dullness of a colour

Type of colours

1. Primary Colours – Red, yellow and blue are the primary colours. These are the basic foundation colours from which other colours are formed

2. Secondary Colours – Secondary colours are made by mixing the primary colours. Orange, green and violet are the secondary colours.

3. Tertiary Colours – Tertiary colours are blue-green, yellow-green, yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple and blue-purple. They are formed by mixing a primary colour and a secondary colour together. For example, as the name implies, blue-green is made from mixing blue and green. Tertiary colours help create a wider colour palette.

Type Type has capability to transform a simple paragraph or a message to a nice piece of design. Different fonts, combined with customized alignments, spacing, size, and colour, can add power to the point you are communicating to the world. White Space Depending on the requirements of the project, white space can be a very effective design tool. It helps to send a very direct message and is easier for the brain to process than a more cluttered design.