1. GRAPHIC DESIGN What is graphic
design?
DSU GDES 241
Graphic Design 1
Online Course Lecture Module
Darla Hueske, Instructor

2. LOOK AROUND. GRAPHIC DESIGN IS
EVERYWHERE.

3. GRAPHIC DESIGN
The art of producing ideas
into visual experiences.
Physical and Virtual.

4. GRAPHIC DESIGN IS
VISUAL
COMMUNICATION
A Graphic Designer arranges
 type
 form
 image
To create posters, advertisements,
packages, information
visualizations, graphics
for newspapers and magazines.
Source: AIGA American Institute of Graphic
Designers

5. GRAPHIC DESIGN IS
EVERYWHERE
Graphic design is used
everywhere to the extent that we
stop noticing it.
Graphic design stands out most
when it is poorly done.

6. LET’S TALK
ABOUT
DESIGN.
THOUGHTS.
COMMENTS.

7. PAUSE RIGHT NOW
Look around you.
Jot down 3 things that you see
that a graphic designer has
created.
Challenge: sketch the designs
in your sketchbook.

8. GRAPHIC
DESIGN IS
VISUAL
and sends a message.

9. GRAPHIC
DESIGN
…
It is not about software or
computers.
It is about VISUAL
COMMUNICATION.
Every project has a set of
GOALS.
These goals might include
anything from persuading
someone
to buy a candy bar
to organizing a large amount of
information in a meaningful
way.
A graphic designer seeks to
accomplish project goals.

10. GRAPHIC DESIGN IS
EVERYWHERE
 Identity: logo & branding
 Publications: magazines, newspapers, books
 Print advertisement
 Posters
 Billboards
 Websites: graphics, user interfaces
 Signs
 Product packaging

15. GRAPHIC DESIGN
COMMUNICATES A MESSAGE
The designing part in graphic design is for CREATING A
SPECIFIC MESSAGE in a professional and artistic way.
The aim is to produce a piece of visual information for a
TARGET AUDIENCE.
The term graphic design also stands for visual
communication or communication design.
Delivering information in a graphical way.
Graphic Designers are problem solvers.

16. GRAPHIC DESIGN
COMMUNICATES A MESSAGE
SPECIFIC MESSAGE.
TARGET AUDIENCE.
Graphic Designers are problem solvers.

17. HOW TO BE AN
EFFECTIVE
GRAPHIC
DESIGNER
What is the message?
Who is the target audience?

18. GRAPHIC
DESIGN IS
COMPETITIVE
It is important to understand the
value of graphic design and your
task as a designer.
Graphic design has a big role to play
in the competitive business
environment.
Businesses need the services of
graphic designers to create
impressive marketing materials:
brochures, business cards, websites,
leaflets, stationeries, newsletters
and so on.

19. VISUAL COMMUNICATION
Every design project starts with two very
important questions. You must ask and
understand:
What is the message?
Who is the target audience?

20. LEARN
HARD
SKILLS
1) Good Typography Choices
2) How to work with type.
3) Proofread anything that has text.
4) Understand color.
5) Use White Space.
6) Avoid pixelated graphics.
7) ALWAYS Proofread anything that
has text.
8) Package your file properly for
print.

21. LEARN
SOFT
SKILLS
1) Good communication.
2) Active listening.
3) Good proofing skills.
4) Understand basic grammar
and punctuation.
5) Time management.
6) Persistence.

22. DEVELOP
GOOD
GRAPHIC
DESIGN
HABITS
 Every designer has design projects that
are short of award winning.
 Some designers try to save time and
neglect steps that should be done in their
project.
 If the client is pleased, it’s easy to take a
short cut the next time, skip a step or
two.
 Soon, you develop bad habits. Bad habits
eventually show up in your work, like lost
files or always having issues with crop
marks and bleeds.
 Learn to follow good practices. Keep a
checklist.
 It’s just as easy to work toward good
habits as it is to revert to bad ones.
 It’s a matter of scheduling, re-checking
the project along the way, proofreading,
making a production proof and never
taking shortcuts.

23. PRACTICE
AND
EXPERIMENT
1. Practice good composition using
design principles.
2. Study typography and learn how
to organize text.
3. Study images. Look at high quality
photography. Learn about image
file sizes, resolutions, and aspect
ratios.
4. Use vector graphics.
5. Study color. Learn how to use
appropriate colors for the
message and audience.

24. GOOD DESIGN USES RULES
•Line, Color, Shape, Form, Texture, Space
Design Elements
•Balance, Unity, Harmony, Dominance/Emphasis,
Pattern, Rhythm/Movement, Scale/Proportion
Design Principles
Typography and Typesetting

25. SOMETIMES
GOOD DESIGN
CAN GO WRONG
What unintentional messages are you
sending?

28. NICE
TYPEFACE

29. STRENGTHEN YOUR
PROOFING SKILLS
ALWAYS Review your design for spelling errors or format
errors.
Proofread EVERY single piece of text.
Pay attention to your design and any double entendre.
Get input from others.

30. GRAPHIC
DESIGN
VS
FINE ART
What’s the difference?

31. Good design
is understood
Good art
is interpreted

32. GRAPHIC DESIGN VS FINE ARTS
Graphic Design
Visual information used to
convey a message, typically
client-designer relationship
Normally used for
commercial purposes
Convey a specific and
persuasive message to a
large audience
Provoke the same reaction
in everyone who sees it
Fine Art
Visual conveys message from
individual artist’s
interpretation
Normally, not intended for
commercial purposes
Seek to inspire emotion in the
observer
Encourages the observer’s
individual interpretation and
response
Speak to the observer in an
individual way

33. FINE ART CAN INSPIRE GRAPHIC
DESIGN
A graphic designer works in the commercial world.
A graphic designer must take very calculated steps
to make sure the objectives of a project are
met. The graphic designer works within a defined
process.
The artist is free to express his or her style in any
medium and color scheme, using any number of
methods to convey a message or not.
Many designers are artists and many artists are
designers.

34. Flora on sand, Paul Klee, 1927

35. GRAPHIC
DESIGN
PROJECT
INSPIRED
BY PAUL
KLEE
Artist project on Behance

36. GRAPHIC DESIGN IS
BEYOND A SOFTWARE
PROGRAM
Take time to learn the principles of design.
When you get to a software program, your design
senses won’t be clouded by learning the
technology.
The only way to get started is to get started.
You don’t have to be wildly creative to succeed as a
graphic designer. Persistence and good work
ethic…showing up…will take you further than
creative genius.
Learn to experiment and try new things.
Don’t limit yourself by thinking you can’t do
something or don’t have the knowledge.
Working in a creative field takes effort, ongoing
study and hands-on time.

38. DSU GDES 241
GRAPHIC DESIGN 1
THIS LECTURE WAS
COMPILED FOR
ONLINE GRAPHIC DESIGN
CERTIFICATE
Ms. Darla Hueske, M.A.
Instructor