WHAT IS GRAPHIC DESIGN?

 
Graphic  design  is  the  art  of  creating  visual  content  to  communicate  messages. 
Applying  visual  hierarchy  and  page  layout  techniques,  graphic  designers  use 
typography  and  pictures  to  meet  users’  specific  needs  and  focus  on  the  logic  of 
illustrating elements in interactive designs to optimize user participation.  
 
BASICS PRINCIPLES OF GRAPHIC DESIGN 
The  principles  of  design  are  vital  when  creating  graphic  design.  It  establishes  ways 
where  you  can  compile  the  individual  elements  into  a  cohesive  whole.  The  principles 
of  design  help  designers  converge  on  the  most critical elements to communicate their 
message. The principles of design include: 
 
● BALANCE:  ​Balance  lends  durability  and  structure  to  an  overall  design.  To 
understand  it  better, think that there’s weight behind 
each  of  your  design  elements.  Shapes,  text  boxes  & 
images  are  the elements that form your design, so it’s 
important  to  be  familiar  with  the  visual  weight  each 
of  these  elements  maintains.  Symmetrical  balance  is 
when  the  elements  are  evenly  distributed  on  each 
side  of  the  design,  whereas  asymmetrical  balance 
uses  scale,  contrast,  and  colour  to  achieve the flow in 
design.  
 
   
 
 ● ALIGNMENT:  ​Alignment  plays  an  important  role  in  creating  a  seamless  visual 
connection  with  the  design  elements.  It gives an ordered appearance to images, 
shapes  and  blocks  of  texts  by  eliminating  elements  placed  in  a  dishevelled 
manner.  
 
● REPETITION​:  Repetition  is  a  fundamental  design  element,  especially  when  it 
comes  to  branding.  It  creates  a  rhythm  and  strengthens  the  overall  design  by 
tying  together  consistent  elements  such  as  logo  and  colour  palette  making  the 
brand or design instantly recogniz=sable to viewers.  
 
● PROXIMITY:  ​Proximity  helps  to  create  a  bond  between  similar  or  related 
elements.  These  elements  should  not  be  grouped  but  should  be  linked  visually 
via font, colour, scale, etc. 
 
● CONTRAST:  ​Contrast  occurs  when  the  two  contrasting  design  elements differ. 
The  most  popular  contrast  styles  are  dark  versus  light,  contemporary  versus 
old-fashioned,  big  versus  small  etc.  Contrast  directs  the  attention  of  an 
audience towards the main elements, making sure that each side is legible. 
 
● NEGATIVE  SPACE:  ​This  is  called  the  'negative  space,'  meaning  the  area 
between  or  around  the  elements  in  simple  words.  If  creatively  used,  negative 
space  will  help  to  build  shape  and  highlight  the  main  components  of  your 
design. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
BASICS ELEMENTS OF GRAPHIC DESIGN 
The graphic design elements include lines, shapes, texture, meaning, scale, and colour 
in addition to the obvious elements — images and form. Those are the graphic design 
tools/elements that are used to construct a visually pleasing, elegant graphic design. 
 
● LINE: ​Line is a brand made from a drawing tool or brush. There are several 
types of lines: thick, thin, horizontal, vertical, zigzag, diagonal, circular, bent, 
spiral, and so on and they are also very descriptive. Lines are important 
resources for artists — although some artists have more to show their lines than 
others. 

 
● COLOUR: ​Colour is an obvious factor used to attract attention and to reflect 
emotion and mood.​ ​Red is the colour of fire and blood and is therefore 
associated with energy, battle, risk, strength, power, determination, passion, 
desire, and love. 

 
 
● TEXTURE: ​Texture is the surface perceived consistency of artwork. It is an 
aspect of two-dimensional and three-dimensional designs, and its perceived 
visual and physical properties distinguish it. Along with other design features, 
the use of texture can express a range of messages and emotions. 
 

 
 ● SIZE: ​Within a graphic design the size of an item is an indicator of its value. A 
large size shows the most relevant detail, and first attracts the attention of the 
viewer. 

 
 
● SHAPE:​ Shape is a flat, enclosed area of an artwork created by shapes, textures, 
colours or surfaces enclosed by other elements such as triangles, circles and 
squares. Equally, within a three-dimensional composition, a shape may refer to 
a three-dimensional composition or entity. 

 
 
● SPACE: ​Space is a crucial part of every successful graphic design, in design, the 
space around the elements. This can be used for data isolation or grouping. 
Effectively use it to give the eye a break, determine value, and carry the eye to 
where you want it to go. 

 
● VALUE: ​Value is how light or dark a design looks to an environment. It's all 
from the darkest blacks to the brightest whites. Used properly it provides 
depth, contrast and focus. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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REFERENCES: 
● Famous Graphic Designers. 2020. ​Stefan Sagmeister | Biography, Designs And Facts​. [online]
Available at: <https://www.famousgraphicdesigners.org/stefan-sagmeister> [Accessed 10 May
2020].
● https://kevingallagher.github.io/Stefan-Sagmeister/stefan3.html

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
He  is  renowned  for  focusing  on  strong  themes  as 
sexuality,  humour  and  in  some  instances  slightly 
disturbing  imagery  and  human  emotion  in  his  work. 
Some  may  say  he  is  a  nonconformist,  looking  for  that 
shock  factor  and  that  his work verges on bad taste, all to 
prove a strong reaction.