Visual Communication Design

Where do design principles come from? Are they abstract "rules" established by professionals or do they have roots in human experience? And if we encounter these visual phenomena in our everyday lives, how do designers use them to attract our attention, orient our behavior, and create compelling and memorable communication that stands out among the thousands of messages we confront each day? Today's work in visual communication design shifts emphasis from simply designing objects to designing experiences; to crafting form that acknowledges cognitive and cultural influences on interpretation. In response, Meredith Davis and Jamer Hunt provide a new slant on design basics from the perspective of audiences and users. Chapters break down our interactions with communication as a sequence of meaningful episodes, each with related visual concepts that shape the interpretive experience. Explanatory illustrations and professional design examples support definitions of visual concepts and discussions of context. Work spans print, screen, and environmental applications from around the world. This introduction to visual communication design demystifies the foundational concepts that underpin professional design decisions and shape our experiences in a complex visual world.

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.

The contents of this book are mainly based on ideas discussed within the framework of the 2016 International Conference on Typography and Visual Communication (ICTVC). This event was initiated at the beginning of the new millennium and has since developed into an internationally respected event. The chapters included in this volume provide evidence of visual communication as an established discipline where critical research informs design practice, printing history lays the foundations for future projects, and professional practice benefits from cross-disciplinary collaborations. The anthology investigates both current and future challenges and priorities in the field of design for visual communication, and will serve to provide a vivid spark to start a discourse in this regard. It will become a working tool and reference point for people interested in studying and researching typography and visual communication.

Visual Communication for Architects and Designers teaches you the art of designing a concise, clear, compelling and effective visual and verbal presentation. Margaret Fletcher has developed a reference manual of best practices that gives you the necessary tools to present your work in the best way possible. It includes an impressive 750 presentation examples by over 180 designers from 24 countries in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Oceania and Africa. This book offers actionable advice to solve a variety of complex presentation challenges. You will learn how to: Understand differences in communication design, representation design and presentation design and know how to use these skills to your advantage; Structure the visual and verbal argument in your presentation; Design your presentation layouts, architectural competitions, boards and digital presentations; Manage issues related to the presentation of architectural and design ideas; Present yourself professionally. Your ability to communicate your design ideas to others is an invaluable and important skill. Visual Communication for Architects and Designers shows you how to develop and implement these skills and gain command of your presentations.

Within every picture is a hidden language that conveys a message, whether it is intended or not. This language is based on the ways people perceive and process visual information. By understanding visual language as the interface between a graphic and a viewer, designers and illustrators can learn to inform with accuracy and power. In a time of unprecedented competition for audience attention and with an increasing demand for complex graphics, Visual Language for Designers explains how to achieve quick and effective communications. New in paperback, this book presents ways to design for the strengths of our innate mental capacities and to compensate for our cognitive limitations. Visual Language for Designers includes: —How to organize graphics for quick perception —How to direct the eyes to essential information —How to use visual shorthand for efficient communication —How to make abstract ideas concrete —How to best express visual complexity —How to charge a graphic with energy and emotion

Many designs that appear in today's society will circulate and encounter audiences of many different cultures and languages. With communication comes responsibility; are designers aware of the meaning and impact of their work? An image or symbol that is acceptable in one culture can be offensive or even harmful in the next. A typeface or colour in a design might appear to be neutral, but its meaning is always culturally dependent. If designers learn to be aware of global cultural contexts, we can avoid stereotyping and help improve mutual understanding between people. Politics of Design is a collection of visual examples from around the world. Using ideas from anthropology and sociology, it creates surprising and educational insight in contemporary visual communication. The examples relate to the daily practice of both online and offline visual communication: typography, images, colour, symbols, and information. Politics of Design shows the importance of visual literacy when communicating beyond borders and cultures. It explores the cultural meaning behind the symbols, maps, photography, typography, and colours that are used every day. It is a practical guide for design and communication professionals and students to create more effective and responsible visual communication.

How do you start a design project? How can you generate ideas and concepts in response to a design brief? How do other designers do it? This book will answer all these questions and more. Now in its second edition, the highly popular Design Thinking for Visual Communication identifies methods and thought processes used by designers in order to start the process that eventually leads to a finished piece of work. Step-by-step guidance for each part of the process is highlighted by real-life case studies, enabling the student to see teaching in practice. This focus on ideas and methods eschews an abstract, academic approach in favour of a useable approach to design as a problem-solving activity. The new edition now includes contributions from a broader international range of design practices and adds depth to existing case studies by looking in greater detail at some of the processes used.

This updated version of Rockport's best-selling Design Elements covers all the design fundamentals, from working with grids, color application, typography, and imagery to finally how to put it all together.