Graphic Design/Sign Making

Signmaking and Graphic Design go as far back as man does. The first cave paintings were a form of Graphic Design as well as Sign Making because they conveyed a story as well as some form of directions to a place that was a viable hunting ground, for instance. They of course told others a story or many times were warnings to others of misfortune or good fortune,

Throughout the History Graphics/Sign Making made many evolutions of change.

Graphic design is present everywhere and often without us noticing it. From waking up to lying down, we come across thousands of visual stimuli created by various graphic disciplines.

The logo of the toothpaste, in the morning coffee, the poster of the film that has just opened, in the news of the day on TV or on the web, the lunch menu, the package of biscuits for lunch, the label on the socks, the image of the new store that opened.

Graphic design is present at all these moments, in combined forms and functions, through relevant and appealing messages, in which the goal is to communicate and stimulate positive reactions among consumers.

Let's present some examples of graphic design and sign making:

Posters
Flyers
Brochures
Mupis
Infographics
Business Cards
Layout of a website or mobile application
Book covers
Logos
Product labels
Product packaging

What is Graphic Design?

According to the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), graphic design is defined as "the art and practice of planning and designing ideas and experiences with visual and textual content.

In other words, graphic design communicates ideas or conveys messages through visual aids. These visual aids can be a logo, a website, or an event.

Graphic design is an essential tool for companies to promote and sell products or services through advertising, to share relevant information on their websites, or to develop an identity through branding, among others.

It is also important to mention that although the concept of graphic design is very associated with commercial purposes, such as ads, visual identities of brands, in reality, this tool is also widely used in other contexts, including as a form of artistic expression.

To better understand this concept, we also consider it relevant to present some of the main elements that compose it, are they:

Lines
Colors
Spaces
Shapes
Textures
Sizes
Among others

Lines: Straight, curved, wavy, thick, thin - when it comes to lines, the possibilities are limitless. Lines allow designers to divide a space or separate content in a layout. They can also be used to guide the eyes of the viewer, or make other elements follow a strategic path for added findability, to get the viewer easily from point A to point B.

Shapes: Shapes offer a variety of ways to fill spaces creatively, to support text and other forms of content, and to balance a design. Shapes can be created out of nothing, using white space to give a design structure and clarity.

Colour: Colour, or the absence of colour, is an important element of any design. With a solid understanding of colour theory, designers can amazingly influence a design and a brand, seamlessly integrating colour boldly or with brilliant subtlety.

Type: Type can transform a message from mere text to a work of art. Different fonts, combined with customized alignments, spacing, size, and colour, can add power to the point you are communicating to the world.

Texture: Even a smooth and glossy advertisement can seem tangible with texture. It gives a sense of a tactile surface through its visual appearance and adds a sense of depth, enhanced by selection of appropriate paper and material.

In addition to these elements are the principles of graphic design:

Movement
Balance
Standard
Repetition
Rhythm
Proportion
Variety
Unit

It's the combination of the elements and principles of graphic design that allows professionals to create vibrant and impactful compositions that stay in the memory of consumers!

As we have shown throughout the article, the concept of graphic design is vast and encompasses different aspects and specializations. There are several types of graphic design, we highlight just a few:

Web design
Animation
Motion Graphics
Print design

Web Design is one of the areas that develops with the arrival of technology and that gains more and more prominence. In fact, it is essential for those who use the web as a work tool or for research, for leisure or other activity, to be able to find the information they need on websites.

This is one of the great functions of professionals, design intuitive and accessible websites for their users and this is also a job that requires knowledge of graphic design.

When we talk about Animation we mean special effects for TV programs, cartoons, movies or video games, for example.

Motion Graphics is related to sounds, videos or graphics. These are some examples of print design, flyers, posters, brochures or other printed media.

Graphic design becomes increasingly important as companies and consumers begin to use different communication channels to promote and advertise their products or services. Knowing how to create visually appealing images can increase awareness and boost your business.

Tools of Graphic Design

Professional designers possess a creative mind with an artistic inclination, and so much more. Keen observation skills and analytical thinking are essential tools for graphic design, before they dig into their physical tool kit and touch pen to paper or stylus to tablet. Designers employ a variety of methods to combine art and technology to communicate a particular message and create an impressive visual.

Sketchpads: A traditional tool used to sketch out ideas; it is the quickest way to jot down the rough designs, which designers can develop further using other tools and technologies.

Computers: Computers now occupy an essential place in every designer's tool kit. Hardware such as tablets allow designers to expand their creative freedom and maintain that sketchpad feel.

Software: Technology has opened new doors for realizing creative vision. Specialized software such as Illustrator and Photoshop can help to create illustrations, enhance photographs, stylize text, and synergize all of the pieces in incredible layouts.

Graphic Design communicates your brand and message visually with impressive business logos, enchanting brochures, newsletters with impact, and stunning posters.

References

«O que é Design Gráfico?» Sydra Gráfica Online. Consultado em 22 de Junho de 2019
«O que é Design?» Medium.com. Consultado em 22 de Junho de 2019
«What is Graphic Design?» teefrog.ca . Consultado em 22 de Junho de 2019