Ebook: Graphic Design School: the Principles and Practices of Graphic Design

Graphic Design School is a foundation course for graphic designers working in print, moving image, and digital media. [It provides:] practical advice on all aspects of graphics design-from understanding the basics to devising an original concept and creating successful finished designs; examples are taken from all media-magazines, books, newspapers, broadcast media, websites, and corporate brand identity; packed with exercises and tutorials for students, and real-world graphic design briefs. This revised, fourth edition contains specific advice on how to adapt designs to suit different projects, including information on digital imaging techniques, motion graphics, and designing for the web and small-screen applications. --Publisher description;Introduction -- Unit I : Research and early concepts. Basics of research ; Linear reasoning/lateral thinking ; Exploratory drawing ; Visualizing ideas ; Theories of image and text ; Audiences, markets, and concepts ; Scheduling, organizing, and finalizing -- Unit II : Fundamentals of composition. Basics of composition ; Form and space ; Symmetry/asymmetry ; Basic principles of layout ; Styles of layout ; Pace and contrast ; Size and format ; Coordination and identity ; Photography and illustration -- Unit III : Fundamentals of typography. Typography and meaning ; The anatomy of type ; Understanding and selecting typefaces ; Spacing ; Readability and legibility ; Typographic emphasis and hierarchy ; Typographic rules/boxes and ornaments ; Typographic rules/boxes and ornaments ; Text as image -- Unit IV : Fundamentals of color. Color terminology ; Color legibility, contrast, and harmony ; Color associations ; Color as information -- Unit V : Tools and technologies. Photography basics and image sourcing ; Photoshop ; Photomontage/collage ; DTP applications ; Illustrator ; 3D graphics ; Flash/after effects -- Unit VI : Production process and issues. Lithography ; Printed color ; Digital printing ; File preparation and sending ; File types and compression ; Workspace, monitor, and calibration ; Paper stocks and finishing ; The role of PDFs ; Correcting color proofs ; Press check ; Electronic media production -- Unit VII : Web design basics. Visual design and coding ; The languages of the internet ; The building blocks of a web page ; The graphical user interface ; CSS ; Web standards, validation, Doctype, and SEO ; Designing for different browsers and platforms ; Web design software ; Web-based self-publishing -- Unit VIII : Commercial applications. Core/specialist skills ; Logo design and brand identity ; Motion graphics ; Web design ; Editorial design ; Game design ; Advertising ; Information design