Graphic Design - The Design Process

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

THE DESIGN PROCESS

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Situation/Brief Research Thumbnails Roughs Comprehensives Presentation Ready for Press

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

THE DESIGN PROCESS

SITUATION/BRIEF

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

• The Problem Statement • Design Brief • //example

RESEARCH

• What are the problem parameters? • The Audience • Constraints • Format • Budget • Time

• Goal of project

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

Selling a design to client will be more effective and easier when it is supported by research and justified from a perspective the client will understand.

Research • • • • • • • • • •

Information gathering Visual research What has been done before What is being created locally and nationally for this type of design situation Study design annuals, periodicals and Websites Search for creative approach to design problem Build a visual and conceptual vocabulary for the situation Dictionary definition of the topic at hand For additional background, consult an encyclopaedia, Internet Make a word association list of everything you can think of that is associated with the topic

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

• Gather and study related materials

RESEARCH

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

• Save personally significant visuals and collectibles • Approach a design as both prose and poetry • Be logical and intuitive

RESEARCH

• Never copy other designer’s solution • Lifting isolated parts from a someone’s else work will not give a unified design • However, looking at how someone else solved a particular problem is part of your education • Designers are expected to build on the work of others • Do not create from vacuum • We are influenced by good and bad design

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

Build a file • Interesting materials • Previous projects • Samples for ideas • Organise into different categories/ chronological order • Build on your visual vocabulary (to build new designs)  just like word vocabulary for authors

• Subscribe to Graphic Design Magazines • Online websites

THUMBNAILS • Exploration of alternative solutions • Ideas sketches to provide visual evidence of the: leads to final solutions

• Exercising the mind with thumbnail sketches is like exercising any muscle – the more you exercise, the more powerful it gets • The more you work to develop ideas through small, preliminary sketches  the richer will be the range of solutions available to choose from for the design • Never to be short-cut  it determines the strength of the final design

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

• Thinking • Searching • Sorting

THUMBNAILS • Demonstrate

• Keep the thumbnails the ideas in them can be used in other projects • Thumbnails are usually small drawings  they are not meant to be fast and not detailed • 5 x 8 cm – drawn in proportion to the dimensions of the finished piece • Fill a sheet of paper with ideas

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

• Thinking (flexible, tenacious visual thinking) • Experimentation • Growth

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

THUMBNAILS

THUMBNAILS

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

• Never reject an idea – sketch it on the go • Work through the idea with pencil/mouse from every perspective possible • Take one good idea and make several variations on it

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After exploration of range of ideas Best thumbnails are selected for refinement Can be presented to other designers, instructors for discussion These refined selected thumbnails (roughs) are presented to an art director and to clients for review • Roughs can undergo redefining and rethinking • Thumbnail process may begin all over again • Full size roughs can be done on the computer • To test whether the original idea works on a larger scale

• Gives the opportunity to work out small problem areas that was not dealt with during thumbnail stage • Type style, shapes, colour can be redefined

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

ROUGH

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

ROUGH

COMPREHENSIVES/ COMP • Piece of art presented to client for final approval • Based on rough but very carefully done

• Client can judge the design solution from the comp, because it looks much like the finished piece • Comp is usually computer generated, with all components assembled and exactly positioned • Include diverse elements: photographs, computer generated type, electronic illustrations,

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

• Consult with art directors, editors, instructor before choosing the rough idea to refine for your final solution

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

COMP

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

COMP AND THUMNAILS

COMP • TV, film ideas are presented as storyboards • 3D comp for package design • Website can be presented to client with

Source: Graphic Design Basics Amy E. Arntson

• Comps take different forms: depends on media for which they are intended