Interactive Media: Blog Post #1

In this midst of our usability studies and guerrilla testing, writing out clear instructions for how I use an everyday item helps put things into perspective. This same description method could be used when describing how you navigate an app. I chose to instruct on how to use a vending machine:

Vending Machine

walk up to vending machine
look at items displayed and decide which item you would like to purchase
look at the bottom tag where item is displayed and see what number and letter combination the item has been assigned
also look at the tag to see how much money the item costs
grab the correct amount of money to purchase your desired item
place dollar bills or coins in the designated slot in the machine
after money is put in the machine, use the keypad to put in the number and letter combination that your item is assigned
wait until the machine releases your item and drops it into the bottom of the machine
open the flap at the bottom of the outside of the bending machine and reach your hand in there
grab your item and enjoy

I can apply this method and describe how I would navigate a website, or app. I chose to describe how I navigate through the popular website, Evernote:

Evernote

go to www.evernote.com
click sign in in the upper right hand corner
enter your username and password
you will be then brought to your person home screen and notebook
on the left hand side you will see a bar that stays there no matter where you go on Evernote
to add a note I will click on the plus sign
to search through my notebooks I will click on the magnify glass
if I am ever lost, I can hover my mouse over a button and it will tell me what it does
the green buttons take me to my shortcuts, my favorites, my notebooks, and my tags
the bar at the top has all my typing tools
in the upper right hand corner I can either expand the screen, or share my note on various mediums
to the left I also have a scrollable screen that shows all my notes I have made
essentially, everything I would need to do on Evernote is either on the lefthand bar or the top bar!

Evernote is one of my favorite sites to use because of how easily accessible all the features are. Everything I need is at hand and I never get lost.

VisCom 3: Blog Post #1

A conference brand that I really enjoyed was the f8 Facebook Developer Conference from 2015. The brand was designed by some of Facebook’s in house designers, including Ben Barry and Everett Katigbak. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about their design process here: http://fontsinuse.com/uses/37/f8-conference-badges. They kept in mind things like the location of the event, the target audience, interests of their target audience, and how the target audience would be most receptive. Since the conference was made for developers, they wanted a clean, concise look. Using field notes and graph paper helped them achieve this goal. Bright colors and fun and fresh illustrations kept the brand exciting and went well with the age group and the big city San Francisco vibe. They kept in mind how people would hold the materials, read it, and the easiest and most comfortable way for people to keep them. Their clever catchphrase for the conference- Hack The Graph- went perfectly with their developer theme on their graph paper design. Using repetitive design elements such as graph lines and dots went well with their theme for the conference. Overall I felt that their slogan and theme went seamlessly well with the subject of the conference. Their design elements catering perfectly to their target audience as well as matching their overall brand.

Unit Seven: Web and Interactivity

One of the great things about web designs is that it always brings something new to the table, and it is a different experience every time. There is new material, new goals, new requirements, and new challenges. Sometimes web development can include working on a large team, collaborating with a small amount of people, or working just one on one with a client. However, regardless of how many people you have helping you, when it comes to developing a site, there are several different roles a designer must take on. There is an initial meeting with a client, where you will go over the client’s goals, the target audience, and desired features or functionality that the site will provide. You will then begin to gather content that will be presented on the website, which includes all visual elements. A flowchart can be used as a foundation to display the overall website, and will sure the sites navigation structure. Once you are at this phase, you will have a programming format for developing the site. This involves planning on the different devices that the site will be viewed. Once the site is finished, you will be responsible for training the client on how to maintain and update their site. It will be finally finished when a contract is made up that defines the goals, roles, final products, and financial information for the project. All of this falls under the planning stage. The design stage takes all the information gathered in the first stage, and defines the visual appearance for the final site. Wire framing is the first step in this stage, where it defines the page’s layout. Knowing the correct dimensions for the site will be very important here. Coding, packaging, and testing will be in the final phase. This phase is often not required of the designer, but is often outsourced to coders and programmers.

There are millions of different websites out there. Each one of these sites falls into a different category for a different type of project structure. As the designer, it is important for you to be able to tell which type of project structure your client is looking for in their finished website. Sometimes, they may know which type they are looking for. But as it often is in the design world, you will need to help them navigate which type of project structure they really need. One type of website is a brochure site. It is pretty straightforward, and are often done very quickly as the goal is to just quickly establish an online presence. A portfolio site is straightforward- it presents visual examples of something. A website for a specific event or campaign is also its own project structure, and is a strategic marketing tool that has a short shelf life with a focus on branding. Blogs are very popular nowadays as they are essentially an online journal. The goal of a blog is to engage viewers to share posts, or comment on a post. A community site is focused on the need to share information for a specific purpose, which highly promotes social media. A news site is very information based, and has an editorial structure. If the goal of a site is to sell a product, that would fall under an E-commerce project structure. Each type of site is structured for a different reason, and it is important to know the distinctions so you can help your client choose which one is best for them.

A portfolio site puts the work at the front and center. Having visual images are important to showcase the work, because the goal is to market or advertise the person’s portfolio.

On an editorial news based site, clear structure and organization is important between the chaos of all the different news articles. Big headers are also important to grab the viewer’s attention.

For a website focused on an event, the event details are at the center of the site. The goal is to publicize the brand, and get people to that event.

At an E-commerce site, the product is at the top of your visual hierarchy. Having clear navigation for customers is important; if it is too complicated people will not take the time to shop!

The structure of a blog highly depends on the content of the blog. In this example, it is a photographer’s blog, so having photography at the forefront was important. A clear navigation on the left hand side helps guide the user as well.

Sources:

www.marmaladebleue.com

www.mobilefoodtruckrodeo.com

www.laurenwithrow.com

www.vanityfair.com/news

www.soludos.com

Unit Six: Print Production and Presentation

It might sound like an obvious statement, but printing is the last step in the design process. However, often when people are too focused on the design, you can forget to put the proper amount of thought into the printing process. This is really a step that cannot be overlooked. One needs to consider paper options, color choices, or specialty printing details. You also need to give yourself and your client enough time for the printing process to happen, because you never know what hiccups could come up. But, some of the most important parts of the printing process occur while you are still on your computer. Packaging a file on InDesign requires a folder of all linked images, a folder of all fonts, ink swatches, any notes to the vendor, and your email information, plus the final approved document. It is extremely important to know the difference between an EPS, TIFF, and JPEG file, so you can send the printer the correct file type. When it comes to printing, presenting your final product is important as well. You need to know how to mount your piece, fold your package, or bind your book. Bad craft can completely ruin the design, and it is important to remember that the craft is a part of the finished product.

When it comes to printing, there are ton of different options for how you want your final product to look. Printing techniques have been around for centuries, and now the designer has various options to choose from. Embossing or debossing is a popular technique where a raised or depressed impression is made on stock paper. Silk lamination gives the product a soft and silky finish that can either be glossy, dull, or satin like. A foil layer effect is also popular, where it is adhered to the material through a heating effect. Die cut does exactly what it says; it cuts along an irregular shape using a die. Letterpress, which is the oldest printing process, is when letters are inked and raised off the surface to show the image in reverse. Using different printing techniques such as these can really bring your product to another level of sophistication and originality. Most of these types of printing give your piece a ton of texture, which people love. Things pop off the page, colors have texture, and it makes you want to grab hold of the piece and run your fingers over the letters. It is important to know when to use certain printing techniques and when not to. For a designer’s business card, maybe you would use the letterpress. For a save the date to a formal event, you could use a gold foil layer. Helping your client in choosing printing techniques is also a part of your job, so it is important to familiarize yourself with the different ways of printing.

Gold foil can add an extra touch of femininity, class, and formality to your design. It doesn’t take away from the piece as a whole, but only makes it more visually appealing.

Silk lamination does exactly what it says- it gives your piece a silky glossy feeling, adding a nice level of texture to an otherwise very simple design.

Using a die cut is great when playing with a brochure, pamphlet, or booklet. You allow the user to interact with the design, and play with the details.

This piece shows an example of a silver foil, and an embossing. The embossing is subtle, and is great when paired with white text to make it just visible.

You can apply a letterpress print to many outlets of design, from business cards to packaging. It engages the user by making them want to grab it and feel the texture of the letters. Plus it just looks so cool!

Sources:

http://designinstruct.com/print-design/a-guide-to-popular-printing-techniques/

http://www.graphicdesign.com/article/8-special-printing-techniques/

http://www.pikestreetpress.com/portfolio/#mg

http://thebridaldetective.com/crush-list/minted-invitations-2/

http://pinterest.com/

Unit Five: Tools & Technology

In this day and age, graphic design production and creation is almost totally digital. This means we are constantly having to keep up with new technology, and having to train ourselves on these new programs and devices. There used to be days where a typographer, a graphic designer, and a photographer would all work together on a single piece of work. Now, all three of those skillsets are expected to be found in one person, specifically because of a computer. A basic understanding of photography is essential for graphic design. Being able to compose and shoot images, knowing how to work out proportions, and just knowing the rules of good design come in very handy. Like many things, there are numerous types of photography, and having a basic understanding of these forms such as landscapes, portraitures, reference, products, and more will help you in the design industry. Another essential thing to now in the design field is how to use the programs and software. The most common are Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator. Each little tool is a tool provided to help make your design life easier, so knowing the correct ways in using these tools is crucial. Knowing how to package and export documents is another important piece to the puzzle, which could make or break your project.

Photography often seems like it is its own field, but really it is very much connected to the design industry. While it might not be absolutely essential to know photography to be a graphic designer, it will give you an edge up and will round out your skillsets. Photography can bring important details such as depth, contrast, or asymmetry, to your design. Often your client might want you to bring photography into the design, which at that point it would be easier to know how to do that yourself. Photography can also be a source of inspiration for your designs, and can be a source for mood boards in your design process. In print design, incorporating illustrative pieces with photography can be a great way to interact your photographs with your design. In publication design, photography plays a huge role. While you yourself might not be actually taking the photos, knowing good photocomposition, cropping, and form will help as you design your page layouts. In web design, you will have to work photographic elements into your page layouts. Directing a photographer in what photos you need for the site may be a part of your job. Knowing the language of a photographer will help you explain what you are looking for. Knowing lighting techniques, different types of lens, and different types of cameras will help you articulate what you need for your design.

This is the perfect example of how to incorporate design in photography. The use of line, form, and type, creates a cohesive piece where the photography feels completely unified with the design.

Hand typography is great because you can photography your handmade type, or you can take a photo and illustrate hand lettering around it. Both include type, design, and photography, while still remaining cohesive.

In web design, you may have to incorporate photographs into your layout. This website uses the photos artistically by playing with scale and integrating the type.

In publication design you will often have to integrate type design with photography. In this image the type compliments the feeling of the photograph.

Knowing photography is also great because then you can photograph your own work. Knowing how to have the right lighting, background, and angles is key, especially when photographing your package design.

Sources:

http://www.creativebloq.com/graphic-design-tips/10-expert-photography-tips-for-designers-123341

http://www.designtheplanet.com/importance-of-photography-in-graphic-design/

http://www.howdesign.com/design-creativity/photography/

http://www.pinterest.com/

Unit Four: Fundamentals of Color

It may seem like an obvious statement, but color is an essential tool in graphic design. Color terminology is important, especially when speaking to your clients about why you chose a specific color. Terms like hue, tone, value, complementary, or saturation help one describe a color and also find the right color balance for your piece. As a designer it is extremely important to know the difference between the RGB and the CMYK color systems. RGB is used when working on your computer, and CMYK is used for print. The colors will not look the same if you go from RGB to CMYK, or from your monitor to a printed piece. When choosing colors you should use the universal matching system known as the Pantone Matching System, which is primarily used for matching print colors. Not only is color a systematic formula for design, but it is also a tool that we as designers need to use to our advantage. Color should help emphasize the idea and subject of the design, and reinforce the message you are trying to say. Using color contrast can help differentiate parts of your image. Color association is a powerful tool. Certain colors hold specific connotations or associations in our minds, and knowing these color emotions are crucial in design.

Color is a very powerful tool. It can make you feel emotions, interpret things differently, and can change the look of something in an instant. A lot of this is because each color emits a specific mood. Studies have been shown that colors have an effect on our emotions. White reflects light, and symbolizes cleanliness and purity. Black gives us feelings of authority and power, while also being timeless. Red is the most intense color, stimulating feelings or love, anger, and death. Each color has its own psychology, and knowing these is important when creating your designs. Having your design emit the wrong emotion or mood that you are going for can completely ruin your piece. However, sometimes color is often subjective or personal preference, so knowing your color theory will make your job easier. Even knowing the difference between warm and cool colors can make or break your piece. No matter what kind of design – logos, UX/UI, web, print, color will be a part of your piece. Even choosing to use white or black is a conscious decision that you are making in your design piece. Color is a tool that gets our attention, and most big brand names use color to create reoccurring brand recognition for their identity.

This package design is the perfect example of using color association successfully. This soft yellow is inherent for conjuring up images of bees and honey, which fits perfectly for the subject of this brand.

This beautiful shade of periwinkle fits well with the brand of a jewelry designer. It is refreshing, calm, and has a hint of femininity without being overpowering.

Champagne has always been thought of as a classy party drink for celebrations. This light shade of pink paired with the shimmery gold feels upscale and polished, but with a feminine, flirty, and fun side thanks to the pink.

These package designs show how color can be used to distinguish designs from one another. Each package has its unique color that also correlates with the type of tea it is, ex. The orange flavored tea has a hint of orange on the package.

Sources:

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/01/28/color-theory-for-designers-part-1-the-meaning-of-color/

http://www.blackbeardesign.com/understanding-color-the-meaning-of-color/

http://www.pinterest.com

Unit 3: Fundamentals of Typography

As a graphic designer, learning the ins and outs of typography is crucial. Typography is a unique quality in which art, science, and communication intersect. Typography can be used in an infinite amount of ways in design, and designers can be creative with type. Words can be used as an object, letterforms can be constructed out of other objects, or letterforms can be seen in abstracted compositions. However, in order for a designer to effectively use type in their designs, there are some important things they need to know. The anatomy of type is often an overlooked aspect of type, but it is very important. Becoming familiar with the structure of a letterform allows the designer to make decisions about selecting and using a type. Each typeface has an identifying characteristic that helps the designer select a type. Selecting a typeface may be one of the hardest decisions that a designer will make in their design process. The right, or wrong typeface can completely alter the mood or style of a piece. Knowing the differences between sans serif, serif, slab serifs, modern, humanist old-style types and others, is crucial for picking your typeface. Knowing the right typeface to choose can often depend on the subject matter. A large-scale poster for a concert, versus a publication design for an annual report, will require very different styles of type. Ultimately, type may seem like an easy addition to a design, however knowing your type styles and anatomy of type will make your job much easier.

When it comes to logo design, type is a huge factor in the design process. In some logos, the designer was able to create an effective and memorable logo just using typography alone. Sometimes allowing yourself to just focus on type allows you to get down to the bare essentials, and come up with some creative and brilliant solutions to your design problems. When you’re working with just type alone, it is important to using your other design tools to make your logo unique. Clever use of color, scaling, negative space, re-arranging of letters (sometimes even subtracting letters) can give your type a simple twist of brilliance. Using depth to let the type jump off the page can also be a useful tool. Often all it takes is thinking about the product, or company you are designing for. Take the company MNML for example. MNML is a publication that informs readers about minimalist architecture and design. For their logo, using a simple type, negative space, and the subtraction of a letterform can reflect the minimalist message of the company. Also using hand-lettered type can create a whole new feel for your logo that a constructed typeface just wouldn’t convey. Having texture, using ligatures, or having an image in your text can take your logo to the next level.

Effectively using type when creating an eye-catching packaging design is important. These packages focus on the type, and the differences in type on each bottle show the viewer what the product is.

Creating type that is interactive for the viewer is always eye-catching. Thinking about what it will look like printed or in the viewer’s hands changes the way the design works.

The use of negative space in the logo makes the type much more interesting. The negative space gives the viewer a fun surprise, and creates a visual icon for the brand that matches their personality.

The subtraction of part of the letter “U” creates a much more interesting logo than if it were just the type. The combination of the “U” and “M” is unique, clever, and interesting to the viewer.

Sources:

http://theultralinx.com/2013/09/clever-negative-space-logos/

http://www.creativebloq.com/logo-design/typographic-3132206

Unit Two: Fundamentals of Composition

The topic of utmost importance in this unit was that good, successful composition is an essential element to all art forms. Composition in simpler terms is the visual structure and organization in a design. Building a successful composition includes several different elements, such as shape, positive and negative space, form, lines, balance, contrast, and much more. A figure-ground relationship is also crucial, in reference to the negative and positive space. Another relationship that is important to remember is the spatial relationship of symmetry and asymmetry. Often designers find that they can create a more dynamic composition in asymmetrical design. There are endless possibilities with shape, balance, negative space and more with asymmetry. A symmetrical composition has fewer rules, but it is important that every object is in its place for proper balance. Layout is also a large component of a successful composition, which primarily focuses on grids. Grids keep a composition organized, create a sense of hierarchy, and structure. When a design is lacking a grid, it is very clear to the viewer since there is no natural order. It’s also important to remember that few designs are created to work as a stand alone piece. Any successful brand will show examples of how common design elements are necessary to bind a brand together.

Creating a brand identity is definitely no easy task. A brand identity needs to be distinctive. Having a unique design that fits into a niche is critical, as every brand needs something distinctive about it. You need to find a perfect balance between creating something memorable that will stick in the mind of the viewer, but will also be simpler enough that a large audience will be able to understand it, and determine what the brand is. Working closely with the client is crucial. The first thing you need to do is know your target audience. Knowing who the ideal customer is will be essential in the design process. Also working with the client to create mood boards early in the design process is awesome in understanding exactly what the client is looking for in their brand. This also falls under having a creative process down. Successful designers recommend to always keep your sketches, and to immerse yourself in the brand. You never want to throw out an early idea because you may want to go back to it, or you may need to show someone for legal reasons. Immersing yourself in the brand help you fully understand what the brand is going for, and how to successfully represent it in your logo design.

Having a creative process when designing a logo or brand is crucial. Each step is important to the success of the project overall. It’s easy to forget about the beginning stages and just skip to the conceptualizing stage, but they are all important pieces to the whole puzzle.

It’s great to see how simple sketches can become a refined logo. Sketching is an important part of the process that we tend to skip.

It is important to remember consistency in your brand. In the Benevolent Society branding, you can definitely see the consistency between all the pieces. Colors, type, line weight, form, overlap, opacity, and scale, are all important pieces that keep this brand consistent.

Brands create a brand guidebook so the design team for the company can maintain the brand in everything they create. Brand guidelines contain everything from color, type, dimensions, and more.

When researching the brand, it is important to remember where they’ve been. If you are redesigning a brand, looking at the previous branding is crucial to your process.

Sources:

http://www.workyourart.com/hello/finding-target-audience-guide/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2013/11/12/the-top-7-characteristics-of-successful-brands/

http://www.creativebloq.com/graphic-design/pro-guide-logo-design-21221

http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2013/10/17/student-magellans.html

http://identitydesigned.com/bosphorus/

http://pinterest.com

Intro and Unit One: Research and Concepts

Graphic Design School by David Dabner, Sandra Stewart, and Eric Zempol supports the idea that a thorough understanding of design principles should support the process of creating design works in response to specific briefs and problems. This book shows that drawing ideas from experience and research can go a long way. Designers need to seek information from their greatest range of references in order to be able to successfully communicate with people of all ages. Using a process board or mood board is also essential to the whole design process the see how variation leads to discovery. Direct observation is one of the most important tools a designer can use. Sketching, writing notes, and looking at other artists is a great tool to collect ideas and to build upon your design process. Visualizing ideas, drawing by hand, exploratory drawing, using image and text, are all ways to have your own research. Creating ideas and constant brainstorming is key to the design process. Using linear reasoning is also a great strategic thought process that uses step-by-step logic that is different from a non-linear thought process like sketching or brainstorming. This linear process has components of lists, charts, and webs that generate ideas.

No matter what type of graphic design you work in, a mood board can be invaluable when you are trying to create a big design. Mood boards can help you visualize concepts and show a client the pitch you are trying to explain. A mood board can help a client decide what they are looking for, and help you narrow it down. A mood board can showcase colors, patterns, textures, type, shape, icons, and much more. You can include your sketches, lists, and photographs. It ultimately is a place where you can throw your broad ideas on to gain inspiration, and then narrow down what you ultimately want to use in your design. A mood board is a fantastic visual aid when in a presentation or meeting with a client, and is nice to have something on pen and paper rather than on a screen. Knowing the company background, their target audience, any distinguishing characteristics, tone, and keywords are crucial to know before creating a mood board for a client. Mood boards can often look cluttered or unorganized if done incorrectly. A great way to avoid this is consistency. Using consistent sizes and borders, as well as having a clear alignment or layout is crucial to keep your mood board clear and concise.

Mural.ly is a website made specifically for the creative process that is made for online brainstorming, synthesis, and collaboration. It is described as “Google Docs for visual people!”

Evernote is a great app that you can use to create your perfect mood board. Evernote is a notetaking app where you can essentially cut and paste notes from any website and paste it all onto a mood board.

Pinterest is a go to for all mood board lovers, and is usually the first place I go to for inspiration. You can make different boards and title them, and then share them with your friends.

MoodShare is another form of mood boarding creating online. What separates MoodShare from the rest is you are able to put videos on your mood board which can also be a great source of inspiration.

Sources:

http://www.creativebloq.com/graphic-design/16-great-tools-creating-mood-boards-91412793

http://everydaydesigner.net/design/why-moodboard

mural.ly

Relations Part 2

Objects in an image can have different relationships. For example, objects can be coordinated, where their coordinates have the same value, the same focus, and thus they are seen from the same perspective. Distance is also important when dealing with the viewer’s perspective, as the distance between two objects can vary based on your point of view. Objects can also be parallel when two objects lie on the same plane and are at an equal distance from each other at all times, meaning they will never intersect. The space between two intersecting lines is then defined as an angle, and an object can only be situated at an angle to something else, if it has direction. If two objects are located next to each other and they share a common point, they are defined as tangents. In relations, you will hear the terms negative and positive, which relate to the opposite values such as light and dark. A transparent object is see through, and light can shine through it so other objects behind it become visible. An opaque object is visually impermeable, thus blocking any possible light that can come through. Objects can also be relational to each other when they overlap, where parts of an object can lie on top of another object. When the objects overlap and look to be one object, they are then called a compound form. Subtraction occurs when the part of the object that overlaps another is deducted from the underlying object. Other relational occurrences between objects include penetration, extrusion, influence, modification, and variation.

Today in design, transparency has become a very popular tool. Specifically in web design, product developers are loving this trendy technique. Transparency can be used for various reasons, such as adding quality or character to your design. Transparency, being the opposite of opaque, allows us to see what is underneath. In this way, transparency it can be used to create depth and visual interest in your design. It is often used for header pieces, as well as images that are overlapping one another. Transparency can also be used to put text over an image, to make the text readable. The use of transparency can create a layering effect to your design, and can bring out and obvious figure and ground. The use of transparency can be subtle or very obvious, but in both cases can be a major design element. Transparency can also create contrast, especially in the foreground and background. It is also a great tool to use in order to maximize your space, as you can layer things on top of one another. In web design transparency is great in navigator bars, drop down menus, or sidebars. If you feel like your design may be lacking, transparency may be just what you need to enhance your design.

This image shows a great example of transparency. The different colored shapes overlap the images, adding visual interest and also adding space for the text, while also making it readable.

The transparency in this image is simple, yet effective. It creates a clear headline, but you can still see a bit of the image popping through. This way there isn’t a huge color block in the center of the page, which could distract your eye.

This poster has a very obvious use of transparency. However, it is effective as it relates to the meaning of the piece. The letters all spell out typography, making it very clever when we finally notice that.

This poster also shows an obvious use of transparency, used to create visual interest in the image. If it weren’t transparent, it would have blocked out too much of the image. However with using transparency, we see the cool effect of the shapes and lines, while also still enjoying the image beneath.

Sources:

http://www.designworklife.com/2011/07/12/foreign-policy-design-group-%C2%BB-13-wives/

http://designmodo.com/transparency-website-design/

http://spyrestudios.com/40-great-examples-of-transparency-in-website-design/

http://www.vandelaydesign.com/transparency/

http://www.thedesignwork.com/beautiful-typography-poster/

http://www.graphic-exchange.com/archives/04cd-12.htm