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  • Hello and welcome to this beginner's guide series to graphic design.

  • From what graphic design is, skills to be a graphic designer, design theory, education you need,

  • equipment you need, to the graphic design portfolio and interview advice,

  • this series is for anyone at any level. So if you're interested in graphic design

  • and considering becoming a graphic designer,

  • join me as I discuss series of graphic design topics.

  • So you're interested in graphic design, perhaps considering becoming a graphic designer

  • and looking to learn more

  • in this video I'm going to discuss what graphic design is. Now a lot of people on

  • my channel have asked me this question

  • mainly youngsters and people who are thinking about pursuing graphic design

  • and want to know what graphic design is and if it's right for them.

  • Now I have often found this a really hard question, as it does not really have

  • a simple answer without some degree of explanation.

  • Now if you google this it will tell you that:

  • 'Graphic design is the art or skill of combining text and pictures in advertisements, magazines or books

  • So quite a simple and accurate explanation there, though I happen to think there's

  • more to it than that.

  • In this video I'm going to attempt to answer this question and give you my take on it from my experience.

  • so what is graphic design?

  • Well let's start simple.

  • So with graphic design we have two things:

  • We have graphic and design.

  • Graphic is visual, which is associated with art, imagination and expression, involving many mediums such as drawing painting engraving or lettering given clear and explicit detail.

  • So the graphic part of graphic design is made up of visual elements, the building blocks of design.

  • The basic visual elements that combine to create graphic design include the following:

  • Line, Colour, Shape, Texture, Space, Form and Typography

  • Through the harness of our artistic expression we choose these visual elements and arrange them on a surface in a layout

  • to convey an idea.

  • Now the second part is design, which is to decide upon the look and function of something before it is made.

  • So design is thinking, problem solving and practicality.... theory.

  • In graphic design there are rules that can be considered.

  • These rules are called 'The principles of design'.

  • These principles all have a relationship between each other

  • and appear in every well designed piece of work you see.

  • So the design principles make the design in 'graphic design'.

  • A good grasp of design theory will mean there is always substance behind your work.

  • The key principles of design are:

  • Contrast, Hierarchy, Alignment, Balance, Proximity, Repetition, Simplicity and Function.

  • When we bring both the visual elements and the design principles together we have graphic design.

  • Graphic design is not drawing,

  • graphic design is not painting, graphic design is not creating a poster

  • or a quick logo on your computer,

  • these things are the means to the end and are skills in their own right.

  • Graphic design is not about making things look pretty,

  • graphic design is the organisation and presentation of information,

  • developed through a creative process for a particular function.

  • In graphic design we must first understand information, a message or a brief

  • and then research, think, imagine and develop and create a solution, a concept in order to

  • communicate that information, tell a story, a message or idea in a visual way.

  • It's only once we have a solid idea developed through the design process we can use our skills with

  • layout, colour, typography and creative tools to bring that idea to life

  • Once upon a time that would have been with just the aid of a pencil or a paint brush on paper.

  • Today it's all those things and more. Today we also have cameras, computers and printers,

  • since the invention of the print press which enabled reproduction on a mass scale

  • graphic design has been used to communicate and spread messages worldwide.

  • Through the evolution of technology, today we are surrounded

  • by an abundance of visual communication. Today graphic design is implemented across a

  • broad spectrum of media both print and digital such as:

  • Advertising, Branding, Web design, Interface design, Magazine layout, Paper engineering and packaging, TV, Motion graphics, Infographics, Signage, Art and Installations and Digital art.

  • If you are looking to pursue a career in graphic design you will inevitably end up creating work across one of those sectors.

  • Over many decades in the past

  • graphic design has shaped culture through pop art, political art and commercial art.

  • Today graphic design has a big commercial side, it's associated heavily with commerce and

  • used to sell and advertise things, but that's not all it has to be.

  • The power of graphic design to inform, influence and instruct on a commercial level can also

  • be used to educate and inspire a generation

  • I believe graphic design is the unity of two opposing forces, artistic expression and practical application,

  • design theory.

  • As a graphic designer these two forces will always be at odds with each other in your mind.

  • when you can harness these two forces together in harmony,

  • then you can create great visual communication.

  • So that's an introduction to what graphic design is. For any of you that were unsure of what graphic design is.

  • I hope that has helped to explain.

  • In this video I mentioned that graphic design is made of two things

  • visual elements and design principles. Over the next seven episodes i'm going

  • to talk more about design theory and talk in detail about 'Visual elements'

  • that make a piece of graphic design work. In the next video I'm going to start by talking about 'Line'

  • as a visual element and graphic design, so see you in the next video!

Hello and welcome to this beginner's guide series to graphic design.

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