More Wiki Stuff

So i have found that when it comes to learning about graphic design, Wikipedia is quite good. Now i love Wikipedia and use it as much as possible. Here is some more info to make your life easier.

Now this is for those of us that work on any kind of website. Even if you havent gotten into the whole web design thing its till good to look at.

The 8 C’s to web design-

• Context – Aesthetical and functional look and feel – contemporary, traditional, hip, edgy, utilitarian, emotional — the “how” of site design. Color, humor, focus, graphics.
• Content – Any digital subject matter on the site: text, video, audio, and graphics — the “what” of site design.
• Community – A feeling of membership in a group and a strong sense of involvement; shared common interests — the “why” of site design.
• Customization – The site’s ability to tailor itself to a user or to be personalized by each user — the “touch” of site design.
• Communication – Dialog between the site and the user — the “muscle” of site design.
• Connection – Extent of formal linkages between the site and other sites — the networking of site design. This is becoming very important as people are becoming more comfortable with using web sites to gather information and make purchases.
• Commerce – The actual sale of goods and services on the site — the commerce of site design. If the primary focus of the web site is to sell, this becomes paramount to the design.
• Color

Link – http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Graphic_Design/Web_Design

The Book

Here is the book finally available for you to buy. Basically its a business book for anyone starting or already working with a start up company. Its also very helpfully to anyone that wants something to help their company grow. I did all of the artwork for it and the cover and layout stuff. I must say its a lot of work but very rewarding to see your name on Amazon. So buy a book and enjoy.

Heres the book website: http://www.mapsformodernmagellans.com/

You can buy it here and see that im the illustrator. http://www.amazon.com/Maps-Modern-Magellans-Captains-Commerce/dp/0979478901/ref=sr_1_15/102-5071826-6940142?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180310871&sr=8-15

And to finish things up…

So continuing from where we were yesterday…so…

Gastalt-

Sometimes considered a distinct principle of design, gestalt is the concept that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Gestalt is a concept from psychology, where theorists note that humans have a propensity to conceptually group things together to make a meaningful whole. When viewing designs, humans apply this principle unconsciously by seeing connections and relationships among and between the elements in the design. The overall perception of gestalt in a design is created through harmony, unity, balance, proportion, proximity, and other visual cues. Designers can use this principle to create visual connections and relationships that clarify and strengthen the overall “feel” and meaning of the design.

Harmony-

As with music, graphical elements can be said to be working in harmony – the individual parts come together as visually compelling and a meaningful whole. Disharmony can also be used just as it is in musical compositions: to enhance the emotional complexity, to challenge the viewer, and to provide a contrast within the overall composition.

Movement-

Movement is creating an instability, making motion to blur the image. Movement can be achieved by using graphic elements that direct the eye in a certain direction such as arrows that point the way overtly or a series of lines or dots that get progressively larger or smaller, creating a more subtle sense of movement. Movement can be accomplished simply by using a photograph or clip art of something moving – a runner – as opposed to something stationery – a person standing.

Proportion-

This indicates the relative visual size and weight of particular graphical elements in a design composition.

What is Graphic Design?

Thought I would start off today with something simple.

Graphic design is the art of visual communication that involves the use of images, words, and ideas to give information to the viewers. Graphic design can be used for advertising, or just for entertainment intended for the mind.

Now what does Graphic Design consist of:

Alignment-The way different objects within a composition are spaced to each other.

Balance-

Designs in balance have the parts of the design arranged in a planned, coherent visual pattern. “Balance” is a concept based on human perception and the complex nature of the human senses of weight and proportion. Humans can evaluate these visual elements in a wide range of situations to determine a sense of balance. A design composition does not have to be symmetrical or linear to be considered balanced. It is also true that perfectly symmetrical and linear compositions are not necessarily balanced. Asymmetrical or radial distributions of text and graphic elements can achieve balance in a composition.

Contrast-

Distinguishing by comparing/creating differences. Some ways of creating contrast among elements in the design include using contrasting colors, sizes, shapes, locations, or relationships. For text, contrast is achieved by mixing serif and sans serif on the page, by using very different type styles, or by using type in surprising or unusual ways. Another way to describe contrast, is to say “a small object next to a large object will look smaller”. As contrast in size diminishes, monotony is approached.

Graphic Design Websites You Should Look Into

Now over the years, which hasn’t been many, I have come across some great inspiring websites. There is no particular order, they all have their advantages and what not. Its up to you to decide which one works better with you.

http://www.semipermanent.com/sc/ – a great place to show off your work for free. You may not win but hey you get your name out there.

http://www.stocklayouts.com/Default.aspx - this is a great place to just get inspired. Sometimes when your just not able to think of anything, here you can find something that will work.

http://www.totaltraining.com/ – every once in a while you can find that they have great free tutorials on all of the programs that you use. In addition, if you buy their videos you will not be disappointed. Some of the best tips and tricks that you can think of they will show you.

http://www.layersmagazine.com/ – another place to get free tutorials. The magazine that they produce is fantastic. Lots of good advice and tips on how to use photoshop, illustrator, indesign, golive, dreamweaver, flash, and some video editing software.