The Complete Graphic Designer

Offers insight and information to help design students apply their skills to the commercial industry. Graphic design is a fast growing industry with thousands of new designers and students joining its ranks every year. The explosion of the graphic design field has resulted in the release of hundreds of new books, with subjects ranging from logo design to web design, design history to design criticism; today there are very few subjects related to the industry that have not been written about in one form or another. While the wealth of information and resources available to the graphic designer is extensive, it makes it hard to gain an overall perspective of graphic design and its practical applications in the field, as the content and subject matter of most books is very specialized. Design educators, especially at the collegiate level, have an increasingly difficult task of teaching a well-rounded course in graphic design, as they have to pull curriculum ideas from many sources, and require the students to purchase numerous texts. The Complete Graphic Designer is that well-rounded course in graphic design. It is not an instructional “how to� book, nor will it feature a series of suggested curriculum or problems for designers or students to solve. Rather, this book will be a concise overview of the many facets of graphic design, such as communication theory and why it is important; various types of problems that designers confront on a daily basis; and the considerations that must be made when trying to solve those visual problems. In addition, it features prominent designers and design firms that are renown for work in a certain type of design, and frequent “sidebars� or articles that include useful information on graphic design. This book provides a complete an comprehensive look at what graphic design is and what it means to be a graphic designer from an applied perspective, with chapters including Design for Communication, The Design Process, Page Layout, Visual Problems, Corporate Identity, and Branding.

If you can dream it, you can design it Whether your goal is to design your own marketing materials, launch a visually compelling blog, or just have some fun creating your own CD covers, The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Graphic Design is your one-stop reference. Presented in an intuitive, accessible format, here are the fundamental elements of design and design principles, as well as instruction on how to apply those elements and principles to a variety of projects. • Covers art supplies, software, concept development, reproduction needs, and much more • Sample projects include business cards, print and web ads, and graphic T-shirts • Follows the success of other titles aimed at the aspiring artist, including the Complete Idiot’s Guide® titles on digital photography, drawing, and manga

A visually stunning review of the fast-changing world of graphic design, this book will be essential reading for anyone involved in this broadest of industries. Its succinct but comprehensive coverage of the multitude of technical issues confronting todays graphic designers, coupled with breathtaking examples of graphics from around the world, makes it ideal for those already employed in graphics who feel the need to improve their technical and theoretical skills, as well as for students. Starting with a showcase of some of the best practitioners in the fields of print, exhibition design, advertising, signage, packaging, multimedia and the Web, this profusely illustrated and authoritative handbook also provides in-depth information on design basics such as type, colour and images.

The principles and practice of graphic design Graphic Design School is a foundation course for graphic designers working in print, moving image, and digital media. 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.

A new edition of the market-leading guide to signage and wayfinding design This new edition of Signage and Wayfinding Design: A Complete Guide to Creating Environmental Graphic Design Systems has been fully updated to offer you the latest, most comprehensive coverage of the environmental design process—from research and design development to project execution. Utilizing a cross-disciplinary approach that makes the information relevant to architects, interior designers, landscape architects, graphic designers, and industrial designers alike, the book arms you with the skills needed to apply a standard, proven design process to large and small projects in an efficient and systematic manner. Environmental graphic design is the development of a visually cohesive graphic communication system for a given site within the built environment. Increasingly recognized as a contributor to well-being, safety, and security, EGD also extends and reinforces the brand experience. Signage and Wayfinding Design provides you with Chris Calori's proven "Signage Pyramid" method, which makes solving complex design problems in a comprehensive signage program easier than ever before. Features full-color design throughout with 100+ new images from real-world projects Provides an in-depth view of design thinking applied to the EGD process Explains the holistic development of sign information, graphic, and hardware systems. Outlines the latest sign material, lighting, graphic application, and digital communication technologies Highlights code and updated ADA considerations If you're a design professional tasked with communicating meaningful information in the built environment, this vital resource has you covered.

Graphic Design for Architects is a handbook of techniques, explanations and examples of graphic design most relevant to architects. The book covers a variety of scales of graphic design, everything from portfolio design and competition boards, to signage and building super-graphics – to address every phase of architectural production. This book combines and expands on information typically found in graphic design, information design, and architectural graphics books. As architectural communication increases to include more territory and components of a project, it is important for designers to be knowledgeable about the various ways in which to communicate visually. For instance, signage should be designed as part of the process – not something added at the end of a project; and the portfolio is a manifestation of how the designer works, not just an application to sell a design sensibility. In thinking about architecture as a systematic and visual project, the graphic design techniques outlined in this book will help architects process, organize and structure their work through the lens of visual communication. Each chapter is titled and organized by common architectural modes of communication and production. The chapters speak to architects by directly addressing projects and topics relevant to their work, while the information inside each chapter presents graphic design methods to achieve the architects’ work. In this way, readers don’t have to search through graphic design books to figure out what’s relevant to them – this book provides a complete reference of graphic techniques and methods most useful to architects in getting their work done.

Take a peek inside the heads of some of the world’s greatest living graphic designers. How do they think, how do they connect to others, what special skills do they have? In honest and revealing interviews, nineteen designers, including Stefan Sagmeister, Michael Beirut, David Carson, and Milton Glaser, share their approaches, processes, opinions, and thoughts about their work with noted brand designer Debbie Millman. The internet radio talk host of Design Matters, Millman persuades the greatest graphic designers of our time to speak frankly and openly about their work. How to Think Like a Great GraphicDesigners offers a rare opportunity to observe and understand the giants of the industry. Designers interviewed include: —Milton Glaser —Stefan Sagmeister —David Carson —Paula Scher —Abbott Miler —Lucille Tenazas —Paul Sahre —Emily Oberman and Bonnie Siegler —Chip Kidd —James Victore —Carin Goldberg —Michael Bierut —Seymour Chwast —Jessica Helfand and William Drenttel —Steff Geissbuhler —John Maeda Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.

'Truly something that's just a beautiful, slick, and very enjoyable little publication' – CreativeBoom "Graphic Design Play Book features a variety of puzzles and challenges, providing a fun and interactive way for young visual thinkers to engage with the world of graphic design" – Eye Understand how graphic design works and develop your visual sensibility through puzzles and activities! An entertaining and highly original introduction to graphic design, the Graphic Design Play Book uses puzzles and visual challenges to demonstrate how typography, signage, logo design, posters and branding work. Through a series of games and activities, including spot the difference, matching games, drawing and dot–to–dot, readers are introduced to graphic art concepts and techniques in an engaging and interactive way. Further explanation and information is provided by solution pages and a glossary, and a loose–leaf section contains stickers, die–cut templates, and coloured paper to help readers complete the activities. Illustrated with typefaces, poster design and pictograms by distinguished designers including Otl Aicher, Pierre Di Sciullo, Otto Neurath and Gerd Arntz, the book will be enjoyed both by graphic designers, and anyone interested in finding out more about visual communication. An excerpt from the book: How many ways are there of saying 'hello'? Probably a zillion. And there are surely just as many ways of writing it. In CAPITALS, and with an exclamation mark ! Or with a question mark ? Or maybe both ?! As a tiny black word in the middle of a white page; or with large, multi–coloured, dancing letters ; maybe with a simple shape or an image. Being interested in graphic design means looking at and understanding the world around us. And being aware of the multitude of signs that shape our daily life day after day and freight it with meaning – whether it's a stop sign, a cornflakes packet, a psychedelic album cover, a seductive headline on the cover of a magazine, the more subtle typography of a page in a novel, a flashing pharmacy sign or the credits of a sci–fi film. Thinking about this plethora of signs was what led us to conceive this introduction to graphic design as a collection of beacons and benchmarks – as a toolbox for exploring and learning in a simple and intuitive way through play, alone or with others, whether you're a child or an adult. These are experiments, a series of suggestions, with no right or wrong answers. The four sections of this book – typography, posters, signs, identity – are all invitations to dive in, explore and let your eyes and your hands take you on a voyage of discovery! – Sophie Cure and Aurélien Farina