Graphic Design - The Design Process

THE DESIGN

PROCESS

THE DESIGN PROCESS

• Ready for Press

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SITUATION/BRIEF

• The Problem Statement

• Design Brief • //example So u rc e: Gr ap h ic D esign B asic s - Am y E . A rn tson

RESEARCH

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.

• What are the problem parameters?

• The Audience • Constraints • Format • Budget • Time • Goal of project So u rc e: Gr ap h ic D esign B asic s - Am y E . A rn tson

Research

• Gather and study related materials

• 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

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RESEARCH

• Save personally significant visuals and collectibles

• Approach a design as both prose and poetry

• Be logical and intuitive

So u rc e: Gr ap h ic D esign B asic s - Am y E . A rn tson

RESEARCH

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

• 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 So u rc e: Gr ap h ic D esign B asic s - Am y E . A rn tson

THUMBNAILS

• Exploration of alternative solutions

• Ideas sketches to provide visual evidence of the:

• Thinking

• Searching leads to final solutions • Sorting

• 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



THUMBNAILS

• Demonstrate

• Thinking (flexible, tenacious visual thinking) • Experimentation

• Growth

• 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

So u rc e: Gr ap h ic D esign B asic s - Am y E . A rn tson

THUMBNAILS

THUMBNAILS

• 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

So u rc e: Gr ap h ic D esign B asic s - Am y E . A rn tson

ROUGH

• 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

So u rc e: Gr ap h ic D esign B asic s - Am y E . A rn tson

ROUGH

COMPREHENSIVES/ COMP

• Piece of art presented to client for final approval

• Based on rough but very carefully done

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

• 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, So

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COMP

COMP AND THUMNAILS

COMP

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

• TV, film ideas are presented as storyboards

• 3D comp for package design

• Website can be presented to client with

So u rc e: Gr ap h ic D esign B asic s - Am y E . A rn tson