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A look at the tools and techniques involved in creating the images that move and motivate us. © O’Kilen Revised 12/2019 © D. O’Kilen © D. O’Kilen
A look at the tools and techniques
involved in creating the images that move
and motivate us.
© O’Kilen Revised 12/2019
© D. O’Kilen© D. O’Kilen
Graphic Design
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PhotographyArt Web designPrint layout
© Impactbmd.com
We are continually bombarded by Graphic Design. From nationwide
advertising campaigns to something as simple as the font on a pizza box,
Graphic Design is all around us.
Let’s define Graphic Design as using graphics, text, color,
and other elements to visually communicate specific messages
and/or to express new ideas to a target audience.
We will look at a variety of design rules and techniques from:
Game design
© edx.org
If we imagine that the Elements of Graphic
Design are various ingredients in our kitchen,
then the Principles of Graphic Design would be
the recipe that we follow to create a culinary
masterpiece.
We will look at 9 Elements of Graphic Design, followed by 15 Principles of Graphic Design.
The Basics of Graphic Design
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Graphic Design incorporates 2 main ideas:
• Elements of Graphic Design - The individual pieces of an image.
• Principles of Graphic Design - The general guidelines for putting the
pieces together in a way that conveys meaning and/or is appealing.
© needpix.com
© sosyalforum.org
© www.phillymag.com/foobooz/2019/09/23/kfar-cafe-dinner-rittenhouse
6. Space
7. Texture
8. Type
9. Value
1. Color
2. Line
3. Shape
4. Form
5. Scale
Elements of Graphic DesignThese elements refer to the objects that are combined to create a graphic.
Some or all of the following elements may be used.
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The following slides offer more
information on each Element.
9) Brightness - Refers to the degree that a
color reflects light; the brighter the light
when viewed, the
brighter the color
appears
4) Chroma - Similar to saturation, but refers to
the magnitude of a color in
relation to other colors
8) Tone - A color mixed with
both black and white (or gray)
3) Saturation - The magnitude of color; a highly
saturated image has
very bright colors
2) Intensity - The amount
of color (such as bright
or dark blue)
1) Hue - The pure colors of the spectrum (red,
orange, yellow, blue,
green, violet)
5) Value - The lightness or darkness of a hue;
changed by adding white (tint) or black
(shade) to a hue
6) Tint - A color mixed with white (causes
colors to become lighter)
7) Shade - A color mixed with black (causes
colors to become darker)
10) Grayscale - Image composed exclusively
of shades of gray
1. COLOR: PropertiesElements of Graphic Design
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We can see the relationship between primary and complementary colors thanks to a
phenomenon known as ‘after image’. Stare at the center of the circle below left without
blinking for 30 seconds then mouse over the circle (it will turn white) and blink a few
times. You should see each complementary color.
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Elements of Graphic Design
After image is
also called
Persistence of
Vision, or POV.
This works because your eyes take a moment to adjust after high stimulation. Try it on
the image on the right and see if you can figure out who it is.
© Marvel Studios
1. COLOR: Color Wheel Continued
1. COLOR: Preferences
The 12 colors around the wheel, along with gray, make
up a traditional RGB color wheel. More colors do exist
(your eyes can distinguish between 10 and 15 million
different colors!) and everyone has a unique attitude
toward color.
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Elements of Graphic Design
• Blue is the most common favorite color
• Orange is the most common least favorite color
• Men prefer bold colors while women prefer pastel colors
• Most people prefer color combinations that are either near
each other (analogous) or complete opposites (complementary) on the color wheel
• Both men & women prefer color schemes that are a mix of bold and pastel colors
• Children prefer reds and blues, and are drawn to cool colors over warm colors
• Most people have similar interpretations and feelings when viewing certain colors:
WhitePeace and Serenity
BlackStrength and Sadness
GrayNeutral and Formal
YellowHappiness and Luck
GreenHealth and Nature
RedDanger and Passion
BlueCalm and Reliable
PurpleRoyalty and Luxury
2. LINEThe border between different colors in an image. Lines have length, width, and
direction. We are going to define 15 basic types of lines…
1. Horizontal
4. Vertical10. Curved
Lines can be of multiple type - the horizontal line above
is also straight, thin, parallel, and smooth (next slide).
7. Diagonal
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6. Thick5. Thin
2. Broken
3. Perpendicular
Elements of Graphic Design
The Great Wave off Kanagawa - Hokusai
8. Parallel
dotted, dashed, etc.
spiral, swirly,
wavy, radial, etc.
9. Straight
2. LINE: Continued
More types… 12. Zigzag
15. Smooth
13. Jagged
Implied lines can also be incomplete lines, such as the lines
of the railing, or the vertical lines implied by the bottles.9
Elements of Graphic Design
11. Implied - lines that are suggested but not really
there. For example, follow the gaze of the characters…
Luncheon of the Boating Party - Pierre-Auguste Renoir
© desicomments.com
14. Tapered
Imply depth…
2. LINE: Continued
Lines have many uses, including…
Suggest
figures…
Direct
the eyes…
Elements of Graphic Design
Define
boundaries…
Indicate movement… Add emphasis…
© D. O’Kilen
Excalibur © Orion Pictures MCMLXXXI
© jetsetter.com/magazine/european-train-tour
© driversed.com
Italian Girl with Fan - John Singer Sargent 10
3. SHAPE
Rectangle Circle Triangle
All shapes can be created using
rectangles, circles, and triangles.
These are collectively known as
the basic primitive shapes.
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Elements of Graphic Design
Using lines to create a two-dimensional area with an
obvious boundary. Intended to get the viewer to think of
something specific. For example, look at the image to
the left. While in reality it is simply a curved line, you
infer a dolphin because that is what the line resembles
based on your past experiences.
Can be Geometric (defined shapes) OR Organic (freeform shapes)
4. FORMGiving a shape depth so that it appears to be three
dimensional (3D). Usually involves adding shading or
manipulating the size of objects to imply distance.
In the image to the left, notice how the size and color
changes in the stairs make them appear to actually
curve.
Notice how the use of shading gives
the appearance that the tree to the
right is three dimensional when in
fact it is not, it is just a drawing.
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Elements of Graphic Design
Staircase - Dion Archibald
© free-3d-models.com
Can be Real (objects in the real
world) or Implied (using highlights,
shadows, and size to create the
illusion of depth).
This sequence represents an incremental scale increase from small objects to larger
ones moving left to right. We tend to see the larger sun as being more important than
the others.
5. SCALESimply refers to how large or small something is in relation to other objects in the
image. Can be used to indicate the relative importance of items in the image, or to
define positions of items in relation to each other or to the viewer.
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Elements of Graphic Design
Negative Space - The space
between and around the main
subject; intended to emphasize
the Positive Space
When dealing with printed
material this is known as White
Space (see next slide).
Positive Space - The main
subject matter of the piece
Frame - The area surrounding
the graphic
6. SPACEIncludes everything within the
graphic. Composed of three
basic elements:
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Elements of Graphic Design
Globe with Books and Letter - Todd M. Casey
Elements in an image
can be positioned in
Three basic ways:
Background - objects
farthest from the viewer
Middle ground - objects
between the Background
and Foreground
Foreground - objects
closest to the viewer
It can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference
between the two. Note how the graphic artist of
this image creates Active White Space by placing
text in the center of the O in OUTDOOR, an area that is typically Passive White Space.
6. SPACE: More about White Space
Includes all areas of an image with no content.
Does not have to actually be white - will be
whatever the image’s background color is.
There are two basic types:
Active White Space - Includes areas
intentionally left blank as a way to
emphasize the Positive Space.
Passive White Space - Any space
remaining after designing Positive Space
and Active White Space.
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Elements of Graphic Design
© D. O’Kilen
7. TEXTUREThe actual or perceived tactile surface quality of a work. Refers to how things feel, or
look like they would feel, if you actually touched them.
A pattern, such as a snakeskin,
gives the perception that the
object in the graphic has scales.
Using lots of paint gives a piece a
raised surface that can be felt if
you move your hand across it. 16
Elements of Graphic Design
Rembrandt Self Portrait - Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn
© poptattoos.com© Boyan Moskov Ceramic Studio
Sculptures can use a
variety of smooth to
rough textures.
Abrupt Value changes can suggest
solid shapes or edges.
Gradual Value changes can indicate
curved shapes that are either concave
(like the inside of a bowl) or convex (like
the outside of a balloon).
9. VALUERefers to the lightness or darkness of a given area within a graphic (can even refer to
the entire image). The more light, the higher Value it is said to have. Viewers notice
Value by contrasting the light and dark areas of an image. Variations in Value can
define shapes and indicate areas of importance.
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Elements of Graphic Design
© 2015 Jay’s Photo Studio
Value is used to create
contrast and imply Texture.
1. Typeface - A collection of glyphs that share a common format.
2. Font - A typeface in a particular size and design (Ariel 10 bold).
3. Font family - A group of related fonts. Includes 5 basic styles:
4. Leading - The distance between two lines of
type. The leading for most related blocks of text
(like a paragraph) is common for all lines.
5. Kerning - the distance between any two specific letters in a word.
6. Tracking - The common distance between letters in entire words or groups of words.
Usually consistent for individual words. Modified most often in advertisements.
7. Baseline Shift - Letters placed above or below the
baseline (the line that most letters appear to ‘sit’ on).
8. TYPEText included in an image. It is powerful and very often essential to
convey a message. Includes 8 basic principles:
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Elements of Graphic Design
© mgsmarketing.ca
© photoshopessentials.com
© D. O’Kilen
8. Alignment - The arrangement of letters on a line. Text can be
aligned either left, center, right, or justify (the line stretches from the
left margin to the right with letters spaced evenly across the line).
A glyph is a character symbol such as a letter,
number, punctuation mark, mathematical symbol, etc.
The End
Make sure you have taken
notes and turned them in.
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