I always knew that Graphic Design was such a versatile and wide-spread idea, linked to many different industries and businesses. But, until this article I never really realized how important it is in communicating. It’s practically everywhere, whether we consciously think about it or not. The article did a strong job of explaining the three different types of designing: imaging, type, imaging & type, and logos. At the end of the day, graphic design is a form of communication just like a speech, a song, or a commercial. I find it interesting how a company or a business can completely change its audience or the way it is perceived by its audience just by a different website home-page layout, business card font, or even billboard design.

If I could ask the author one thing, it would be where the line gets drawn between creativity and functionality for Graphic Design. Is Graphic Design considered an Art or a tool in the business world?  My personal answer to this question would both. Without starting with creativity, artistic talent, or some sort of inspiration, you will not understand the purpose or function of your design. It also can depend on the type of Graphic Design one wishes to pursue. For example, a t-shirt designer may not look so much at functionalities of the t-shirt, rather the intricate design or logo that will make it unique or eye-catching. Conversely, a web-designer may take into account both creative elements as well as functional elements.

The article was concise and to the point, reinforcing what I already believed about graphic design. For one, I should never take for granted a “simple” web page, poster, or advertisement – typeface, margins, letter spacing, word spacing, layouts, and colors are all meticulously chosen for maximum affect. It’s not just to please the eyes, but also to establish a look and feel to better brand a particular service or thing – like the CBS eye logo, or the Playboy Bunny.

It was a very vague and abstract article, though it fulfilled its purpose. It leaves me wondering more – how do certain designs “catch on” and others do not? How do you decide on the best layout to present your information? I know that the human eye prefers scrolling in columns when possible, but is this always best? Questions like this always cross my mind, especially since I design software and websites.

At the first glance of the blog, the immediate thing I realized was “graphic designers work with drawn, painted, photographed, and computerized images.” After interpreting that line, it creates an image in my head and first thing that comes to mind is 42nd st, Times Square. Being a New Yorker, walking down 42nd street is like a jungle. There are thousands of people pushing and shoving, but most importantly are the design of every retail store or company. After reading the article I came to realize that there’s countless of minute details and style that goes into graphic designs. And every store has their way of portraying such a design to intrigue us, the bystander’s reaction and experience. And it is through “image-based design and type-based design” that can make all these designs shine. More importantly the way these designers chose to convey their message is vital. It taught me that everything was not simply copied and pasted. But through careful decision-making only then the iconic 42nd street stands out the way it does.

One question i have for the author is, how does one differentiate what type of type-based design to use? One probable answer would be for example, if your poster is about a movie, you try to use words and a font that has a direct vibe. Whether it be a suspenseful or a thriller movie, the design has to be able to “arrest your attention.” Different designs will portray different meanings, which is extremely important. And it is through the expert graphic designer’s eye that they are able to convey such a message through something as simple as one word.

This article states that, “[designers] use words differently from the ways writers do”. After reading this piece, I agree with this statement. Writers use a combination of words to convey a message, tell a story, and evoke a reaction from the reader. A designer sometimes has the same opportunity, but many times a designer must do all with just one word. In a project such as this not only is typography important but space, color, and image play a huge role as well. Many times a design can have the right typography spacing, and image but the color chosen can ruin the design completely.

I would like to ask the author, what is the best and worse part of graphic design? I can imagine that the creative process can be both. It’s fun to create things from your imagination. However, it can also be very frustrating if your design isn’t coming out the way you envisioned it to be.

This article caused me to ruminate about the necessity of both logical skills and creativity in the field of graphic design. As with every field, there is a standard basis of what came before the modern ideologies; often this basis is constructed of raw creativity, untouched by studies that will improve it, and experiments that will expand it. Graphic design can surely rely a lot on the psychological facts that have been founded on various studies of what is most eye-catching, but after a point design always reverts back to a certain level of creativity. Consequently, graphic designers must be both calculating and opinionated in their work. They have to respect the facts, but also respect their judgment; what may look good to them and a majority of people may not look good to others, and that is where the facts or their creativity may be working against them. Graphic design is a gamble no matter what, trying to sway an entire audience is no easy matter, but what I find truly astounding is the power a graphic designer can hold over an audience to sway them in the first place.

I would like to pose the question, “How much psychology goes into creating a logo that can support a brand and its image?” The probable answer to this would be that particular colors and symbols can create an impression in someone’s mind that can cause them to lean in a predisposed direction; for example, there are statistics that state the color blue can generate feelings of seriousness, professionalism, and calming. After a designer uses such aspects to assist them in creating an appropriate basic theme, then they can start to incorporate specifics of what they want that logo to say both visually and linguistically.

The article helped me to have a clearer understanding of the process that takes place when a graphic designer works on a project.  I now know that the designer’s job is to connect the client with the audience by delivering the client’s message in the most effective way.

Since graphic communication is a blend of various fields put together, like typography, photography and marketing research, I imagine that there are specialists in each field. Does the designer come up with the idea for a project first, and then seeks the input of production specialists?, or is the designer part of a team from the start?. My guess would be that the designer can do either one of the above. I think the size of the project can influence how much help from other people a designer or group of designers and specialists need. And if they are part of a big firm, the size of the group and type of specialists for a particular project would be determined by management.

Read  What is Graphic Design? article at:
http://www.aiga.org/guide-whatisgraphicdesign
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