GEI006 NOTES: Visual Graphics Design

PRELIM

GRAPHIC DESIGN
WHAT IS GRAPHIC DESIGN?
• The process of visual communication and problem-solving through the use of typography, photography
and illustration. The field is considered a subset of visual communication and communication design, but
sometimes the term "graphic design" is used synonymously.

• Graphic designers create and combine symbols, images and text to form visual representations of ideas
and messages. They use typography, visual arts and page layout techniques to create visual compositions.

• Common uses of graphic design include corporate design (logos and branding), editorial design
(magazines, newspapers and books), wayfinding or environmental design, advertising, web design,
communication design, product packaging and signage.

• The term graphic design was coined by William Addison Dwiggins in 1922.
• The term "graphic design" first appeared in print in the 1922 essay "New Kind of Printing Calls for New
Design"
Applications and Usages
• Graphic design is applied to everything visual, from road signs to technical schematics, from interoffice
memorandums to reference manuals.

• Design can aid in selling a product or idea.

• It is applied to products and elements of company identity such as logos, colors, packaging and text as part
of branding (see also advertising).
• Branding has become increasingly more important in the range of services offered by graphic designers.
Graphic designers often form part of a branding team.
• Graphic design is applied in the entertainment industry in decoration, scenery and visual story telling.
• Other examples of design for entertainment purposes include novels, vinyl album covers, comic books,
DVD covers, opening credits and closing credits in filmmaking, and programs and props on stage.
• This could also include artwork used for T-shirts and other items screen printed for sale.

• From scientific journals to news reporting, the presentation of opinion and facts is often improved with
graphics and thoughtful compositions of visual information - known as information design.
• Newspapers, magazines, blogs, television and film documentaries may use graphic design. With the
advent of the web, information designers with experience in interactive tools are increasingly used to
illustrate the background to news stories.
• Information design can include data visualization, which involves using programs to interpret and form
data into a visually compelling presentation, and can be tied in with information graphics.
CANVA ACCOUNT SETUP
• There are three ways to set up an account, depending on the type of app you wish to access. You can
choose between the desktop or mobile apps on Apple or Android products.
• On the desktop app, you can easily access the sign-up page by accessing Canva’s homepage.
• For the mobile apps, you first need to download the apps from the App Store or Google Play. After
downloading the app, the sign-up screen should be the first thing you see.
• Choose from the options to sign up with Facebook, Google, or your email.
• Choose to sign up with your SPCBA email, fill up the fields.
• Click Get started.
• Select from the options on what you’re planning to use Canva for.
• Complete the onboarding process.
• Confirm your account by clicking on the Confirm my account button from an email you’ll receive.

CONFIRM YOUR ACCOUNT

• After successfully creating your account, a confirmation email will be sent to your registered email
address. Open the confirmation email and click on the Confirm my account button or link in your email to
make sure your account is verified.
 Clicking on the button or link will redirect you to your Canva account home page.
 Confirming is important—it guarantees you complete access to all of Canva’s features. For
example, confirming your email address will let you access the free teams feature or Canva Print,
where available.

UPDATE YOUR PERSONAL PROFILE

• Customizing and updating your profile personalizes your Canva experience. You have the option to choose
from more than 100 languages or select your profession to get the best template recommendations.
• You can change your email, password, language settings, or profession by going to the Account tab under
the Account Settings page.

NAVIGATE YOUR WAY AROUND CANVA

• Your Canva home page is divided into several parts. To help you navigate around your homepage, here are
some important parts to note:
1. Clicking on your profile name will enable you to access your Account Settings, switch teams, or sign out of
Canva.
2. The Create a design button leads you to a list of available design types you can use to start your design.
3. Home is your Canva homepage upon logging in. From here, you'll be able to create new designs or view
your existing designs.
4. Brand Kit is where you set your team's brand colors, logos, and fonts. As a new and standard account, you
can only customize your brand colors. You can upgrade to Canva Pro if you wish to unlock all Brand Kit
features.
5. Team enables you to add members to your very own Canva team.
6. Folders help you view and organize your designs better. You can create two folders as part of your
standard account. If you wish to create more than two folders, you can upgrade to Canva Pro.
7. Trash is where you can locate deleted designs. If you've accidentally deleted a design, you can still
recover it by proceeding to this tab.
8. Entering a search term on the design selector bar will enable you to choose a design type to start
designing.
9. Custom dimensions lets you create designs aside from the design types available from the Create a design
section.
10. The Help? button opens up the Canva Assistant where you can find guides and tutorials on how to use
Canva's various features.
NAVIGATING AROUND CANVA
SELECT DESIGN TYPE
• The first step to creating a design on Canva is deciding what you need this design for. Canva has over 60
design types you can choose from. From graphics to post on your social media accounts to your job
resumes, Canva got all your design needs covered.
• To get started, simply enter a search term on the design selector search box. Click on any of the search
results to load the editor.
• Alternatively, you can click on the Create a design button from the homepage side panel. Scroll through
the available document types and click on the one you wish to create. You can also browse through the
Recommended section of the homepage.

NAVIGATE THE CANVA EDITOR

• The Canva editor is where all the design magic happens. To help you get familiarized with the parts of the
editor, here are its most basic parts:
1. Menu bar – This is the menu bar on the very top of the editor. From here, you’ll be able to access the
features like Undo, Redo, Resize, Share, Publish, and others. You’ll also be able to see your design’s saving
status from here.
2. Toolbar – The toolbar is where you customize the formatting of your design elements. The contents of the
toolbar will change depending on the element you’ve selected.
3. Side panel – This panel that appears on the side of the editor is where you’ll be able to access the
templates and elements you can use in your design. It’s divided into 7 tabs dedicated to Templates,
Elements, Text, Background, Uploads, Folders, and Apps.
4. Canvas – At first, this is the blank white space occupying the majority of the editor. Consider this your
main workspace since this is where you’ll work on your designs.
5. Zoom – This is where you can adjust the zoom settings of the editor.
6. Help ? – Clicking on this button opens the Canva Assistant where you can find guides and tutorials on how
to use Canva’s various features.

SELECT A TEMPLATE
• After the Canva editor loads, the first thing you’ll notice on the side panel is the Templates tab. The
Templates tab shows all the available templates you can use for your design.
• Scroll through the available templates until you find one you’d like to use. You can also click on All to
expand a template category. Once you find a template you wish to use, simply click on the thumbnail to
apply it on your canvas.
• Feel free to replace the initial template you used by clicking on the thumbnail of the other template from
the side panel. Just a warning though, any changes made to your initial template will be completely replaced
by the new one.
• Once you’re happy with the template you chose, you can then customize and format any of the existing
elements on it.

EDITING TEXT
• Start customizing your chosen template by editing the text. To do so, click on the text box you wish to edit
its content. You can type in new text or delete existing content on your keyboard. You can also paste in text
content from other sources like Word documents or websites.
• If you wish to add new text, you can do so by clicking on the Text tab from the side panel. Select between
Add a heading, Add a subheading, or Add a little bit of body text to add a new text box to your page.
• Once you’ve changed the text content, you can format it to better suit the designs you have in mind. You
may notice that clicking on any text box will make the text editor toolbar show below the status bar.

ADDING PHOTOS
• If your chosen design has images, you are free to edit them or add more. You can add photos or
illustrations from our media library, or you can upload your own.
FORMATTING PHOTOS
• Just like with text, you can also format photos or illustrations. Clicking on any of these elements will also
make the editor toolbar appear.
• Formatting options on the editor toolbar for photos or illustrations may not be the same as the ones
appearing for text. The formatting options that will appear will depend on the type of photo or illustration.

HOW TO CREATE RESUME

RESUME
• A resume is a document commonly used in the hiring process.
• It includes information about your background and qualifications and should communicate the most
important, relevant information about you to employers in a clear, easy-to-read format.
• The goal is to quickly communicate why you are uniquely qualified for the position based on your skills
and experiences.
• To create a resume that will get noticed by employers, you can follow a few simple steps and best
practices. The main goal to keep in mind is to make your resume relevant and readable.
• Let’s take a closer look at the best ways to write each of these resume sections.

HOW TO CREATE A PROFESSIONAL RESUME

1. START BY CHOOSING THE RIGHT RESUME FORMAT
• A “format” is the style and order in which you display information on your resume. There are three
commonly-used resume formats you can choose from depending on which is right for you: Chronological
(or reverse-chronological), functional or a combination.
• A chronological resume format places the professional history section first and is a good option if you
have a rich professional work history with no gaps in employment.
• The functional resume format emphasizes the skills section and is a good option if you are switching
industries or have some gaps in your work history.
• The combination resume format is a good option if you have some professional experience, where both
skills and work history are equally important.

2. INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION

• Your resume should begin with your name and contact information including your email address, phone
number.
• You have a choice about whether or not to include your mailing address.
• Your name should be highly visible at the top of your resume with a bolded or larger font than the rest of
the document.
• You might also include a link to your online portfolio if you are applying to creative positions, for example.

3. ADD A RESUME SUMMARY OR OBJECTIVE

• After your contact information, you have the option to include either a resume summary or objective
statement.
• An objective statement quickly explains your career goals and is a good choice for those with limited
professional experience, such as recent college or high school graduates.
• A resume summary is a short statement that uses active language to describe your relevant work
experience and skills.

4. LIST YOUR SOFT AND HARD SKILLS

• Take a moment to consider which skills make you a great fit for the job.
• Review the job description and highlight keywords that you have had proven success with in the past.
• Consider both hard (technical) and soft (interpersonal) skills, as well as transferable skills you can use
when changing careers or industries.
• Create a skills section with the keywords that are relevant to the employer. List any required skills like
certifications or licenses first.
5. LIST YOUR PROFESSIONAL HISTORY WITH KEYWORDS
• Write your professional history section in reverse-chronological order.
• Start with your most recent job and provide a short description including the company name, time period
in which you were employed, your job title and a few key achievements during your time at the company.
• You might also include relevant learnings or growth opportunities you experienced while employed there.
• When listing your professional history, you should keep a few best practices in mind:
 Use numbers to measure your impact, when possible. Including specific numerical achievements
can help employers understand your direct potential value to their company.
o Example: “Developed new process for requesting supplies, reducing fulfilment time by
10%.”
 Use keywords from the job description. Similar to your skills section, you should also include
information from the job description in your job history bullets. For example, if the job description
mentions the importance of meeting sales quotas, you could include information about how
you’ve met or exceeded quotas in past roles.
o Example: “Achieved goal of reaching 250% annual sales quota, winning sales MVP two
quarters in a row.”
• Be brief. Employers have mere seconds to review your resume, so you should keep your descriptions as
concise and relevant as possible. Try removing filler words like “and,” and “the.” You should also only list
key achievements instead of multiple lines describing your role.
• Use action verbs. Make a stronger impact by using action verbs to describe your professional
achievements. Some examples include “developed,” “saved,” “drove” and “managed.”
• Follow the same process for other work experiences. If you do not have extensive professional history,
you should also include internships and volunteer opportunities following the same format.

6. INCLUDE AN EDUCATION SECTION

• An education section will be especially valuable if you have limited work experience (such as recent
college or high school graduates) or if you are transferring to a new industry.
You can include information such as:
• Relevant coursework
• Grade point average (if above 3.5)
• Participation in clubs or organizations
• Leadership positions held
• Awards, achievements or certifications
• When writing your education section, you should include the name of the institution, dates of attendance
and your degree or area of study.
• If you are applying to mid or higher-level positions, you might remove all but the name of your school and
dates of attendance to make room for more relevant professional experience on your resume.
• If you have certifications or licenses that are relevant to the job description, you can include them in this
section as well.
• To save space, you can leave off any credentials that are not directly related to the requirements of this
job.

7. CONSIDER ADDING OPTIONAL SECTIONS

• If you have significant white space on your resume, consider adding an achievements or interests section.
• This can help supplement a shorter resume, especially for those with limited work and educational
experience.
• Make sure that the achievements and interests you list support your career goals and are relevant to
potential employers.

8. FORMAT YOUR RESUME

• While the layout of your resume is important, you should also take time to pay attention to formatting
details like font style, font size, margins and spacing.
• Formatting your resume can make it look clean, professional and improve readability. This is key when
attempting to keep an employer’s attention. Here are a few key tips that can help make your resume look
polished:
o Make your font between 10 and 12 point size.
o Select a font that is clean and easy to read like Arial or Helvetica; avoid stylized fonts.
o Make sure your margins are 1 to 1.5 inches.
o Make your name and section headers bold or slightly bigger in font size (no more than
14 points).
o Use bullet points when listing several different pieces of information, like under your
education and professional history sections.

9. PROOFREAD YOUR RESUME

• Carefully review your resume for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. Reading your resume
backward can help you identify errors by presenting the words in a new order.
• You should also ask trusted friends, colleagues, professors and family members if they can review your
resume. Third-party opinions can help reveal new information you might have overlooked.
• If your resume is more than one page, review for ways to consolidate or shorten each section by removing
filler words or extraneous information.
• Two pages may be acceptable if you are applying for high-level positions or industries like healthcare or
academia.

10. TAILOR YOUR RESUME FOR EACH POSITION

• It’s important to revise your resume to tailor it to each position you apply for.
• For each job, adjust the keywords in the skills section so that it’s a great fit for what the employer needs.
• You should also change what you emphasize in the professional history and educational experiences
sections depending on what’s listed in the job description.

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Graphics designer job description and salary

Job description

• Graphic designers use color, illustrations, fonts, and layout to visually communicate a message or present
a product.
• They design logos, product packaging, print materials, and websites, among many other things.
• Graphic designers are found in a variety of industries and in different capacities.
• For instance, a designer might be employed as in-house staff for a company to work on promotional
materials for the organization, or a designer might work for a design agency with many clients and projects.

• Newspapers, advertising firms, technology-oriented companies, and other organizations commonly

employ designers.
• Additionally, many graphic designers are self-employed, working as independent contractors on a per-
project basis.
• Most work in an office environment in front of a computer, though some work primarily by hand at a
drafting table.
• Because graphic design often is deadline-driven, designers frequently work long hours.

• Most graphic designers specialize in one or two areas, such as print, web design, poster design, or
corporate identity.
• Graphic designers are not always required to have completed any specific education, though it is common
for designers to hold degrees from an art school or other undergraduate institution.
• They must have knowledge of design elements, such as color, typography, and composition, as well as the
artistic sensibility to effectively use these elements.
• Graphic designers need excellent communication skills and be able to effectively present ideas visually
and verbally to internal stakeholders, clients, and intended audiences.
• Since most graphic design is created using software such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign,
graphic designers must possess technical skills.

Popular skills for graphic designer

Expected salary (as of august 2020)

Expected salary (as of august 2021)

Expected salary (as of august 2021)

Contributing factors to graphic designer salaries

Pay by experience level

Demographics of graphics designer work

Pay difference by location

Popular skills

Career path

Employment opportunities
• Opportunities for graphic designers exist in advertising agencies, design studios, printing and publishing
companies and the packaging industry. Lecturing posts in the universities and institutions is another option
that may be considered. Graphic Designers can work independently as freelance artists.

Industries served
• Graphic Designers may be employed in the following industries: Manufacturing; Construction; Wholesale
and Retail Trade, Repair of Motor Vehicles, Motorcycles and Personal and Household Goods; Transport,
Storage and Communication; Real Estate, Renting and Business Activities; and Other Community, Social and
Personal Service Activities.

Prospects for career advancement

• There are many different types of graphic design. While all visual communicators solve the problem of
reaching the target audience by taking an idea (message) and putting it in a visual form, Designers may
pursue any of the following specialized areas:
• Brand and Identity design
• Brand Experience
• Informational design
• Promotional and Advertising design
• Publication design
• Type and letter design specialty
• However, most of the Graphic Designers’ work as a freelance or per project.
Nature of work
• Graphic Designers develop individualistic and recognizable identities for products, services, organizations
or ideas. They attempt to transmit specific messages by means of appropriate visual material. These
messages may be aimed at projecting a certain image of an organization, transmitting information or
promoting a service or product. They are concerned with advertising, packaging, publishing, magazine
layout, corporate identity, etc. They are also involved in the production of film and television
advertisements as well as the design of book covers, calendars, labels, wrappers, letterheads and
trademarks.

Tasks
• Meet with clients and clearly understands what they are requesting, what the final project would look like;
• Create and develop new and unique ideas to represent an idea;
• Use various computer programs to generate final projects for client's approval;
• Modifiy, revise and edit projects as required by the client; and
• Stay within timelines and deadlines for completion dates for projects.

HOW TO CREATE A BUSINESS CARD

• Business cards are cards bearing business information about a company or individual.
• They are shared during formal introductions as a convenience and a memory aid.
• A business card typically includes the giver's name, company or business affiliation (usually with a logo)
and contact information such as street addresses, telephone number(s), fax number, e-mail addresses and
website.
• Make a great first impression and print your business cards with Canva. Choose from thousands of
templates created by professional designers and download or print your own custom cards.

CREATE CUSTOM BUSINESS CARD DESIGNS

• Get the look you want without the hassle.
• Start with a template, add your details, and get professional results in minutes.

How to create a professional business card in minutes

1. Open Canva and select the "Business Card" design type
2. Choose from hundreds of professionally designed layouts
3. Upload your own photos or choose from over 1 million stock images
4. Fix your images, add stunning filters and edit text
5. Save and share

CREATE A BUSINESS CARD THAT'S ON BRAND

• Your brand image matters to you.
• That’s why Canva’s free business card maker makes it easy to brand your business card.
• Upload your logo, use your brand colors and choose complementary fonts to showcase your brand’s look
and feel.
• Our business card is what people will remember you by.

DO'S AND DON'TS OF BUSINESS CARD DESIGN

DO'S
• Do opt for a professional design.
• The design of your business card should be consistent with the design of your other printed
materials. Do not settle for a generic business card design if you want to stand out from the crowd.
A professional graphic designer will help you with a business card that reflects your personal or
professional brand.
• Do prioritise readability over creativity.
 • This point applies mainly to fonts. As tempting as it may be to introduce a ‘new’ font; decorative
fonts can be hard to read. One of your main priorities is the readability of your card. Make sure
your font size is not too big and overwhelming, as well as not so small that your potential clients
have to squint to be able to read it.
• Do make wise layout decisions.
• The standard business card size is 3.5 x 2 inches. If you’re going with an unconventional design
and size, it will stand out amongst other cards but may be difficult to store.
• Your business card has two sides. Take advantage of having that extra space by filling it out with
only the most vital information.
• Do choose appropriate color schemes.
• Aside from the legibility of the typeface, your color scheme and any other visual content will
determine the success of your business card design. Bright, bold colors may grab attention, but are
they necessary?
• Keep your business in mind when considering the visual content and color schemes as, once
again, consistency is key. Choose colors that won’t distract from your logo or key business
information.
• Do include only the most important content.
• This is not a powerpoint slide; don’t cram information.
• The objective of your business card is to provide key information about your business and
contact details.
• This includes your name (and/or your company name), website and email.
• Your potential client should be able to answer the basic questions (Who? What? Where? Why?)
with a single glance.

• DON’TS
• Don’t use random visuals.
• If you’re not sure what visuals to use, it’s best to not use any if they contribute nothing to
informing your clients about you or your business.
• Don’t use ANY of these fonts.
• This point is self explanatory. Generally speaking, you should try to avoid irritating your future
clients with a poorly chosen font.
• Don’t use UV or other glossy coating.
• Glossy finishes may look nice, such as in this example, but glossy paper has several
disadvantages. You probably haven’t considered this, but people write notes on them. They will
also have to stand there and read your card avoiding direct sunlight as the light bounces off of the
design.
• Don’t cram information.
• If your card ends up looking like this one, chances are you will scare your potential clients away
or simply annoy them to the point of discarding it.
• Don’t cram information.
• Although a clear attempt to include white space can be celebrated in this design, note how
unappealing crammed information can be.
• Last word of advice: The most unfortunate thing that can go wrong with your business card is a
typo. Do double check your content before sending it off for printing.
MIDTERMS

HOW TO CREATE A PARTY INVITATION

• With hundreds of free layouts to choose from and a library packed with awesome images, creating the
perfect party invitation in Canva is ridiculously easy.
• Use Canva to create a custom party invitation your friends and family will love! Canva’s selection of
layouts have been designed to suit every type of celebration – from a family gathering to a cruise or
weekend getaway.
• Use Canva’s drag and drop design tool to add your personal flair. You can change the images, fonts and
colors in any of our layouts to create a party invitation that suits your event

It's ridiculously easy to create amazing birthday invitations in Canva

1. Open Canva and select the "Invitation" design type
2. Choose from hundreds of professionally designed layouts
3. Upload your own photos or choose from over 1 million stock images
4. Fix your images, add stunning filters and edit text
5. Save and share

PARTY INVITATION ETIQUETTE

Important Dos and Donts

IMPORTANT DO'S AND DONT’S

• Hosting a party is an exciting, yet time-consuming event. It’s a time in someone’s life that should be
celebrated with fun, laughter, and plenty of cake – getting the people together that you care about most, in
other to remember a special day, regardless of the person’s age. However, in order to be able to throw a
party and get everyone in one location, you have to send out invitations.

DO: INCLUDE BASIC INFORMATION FOR ALL INVITATIONS

• There are some things that all invitations should include.
• You'll want to let your guests know the purpose of the event (if there is one), the time (start and end), the
complete venue address, special instructions (for example, costume party), and style (formal or casual).
• You should also ask your guests to RSVP so you are better able to plan.
• Here are some other things you may want to include in your invitation:
• Whether or not your guest may bring someone else
• Special instructions specific to the event (i.e., flashlight for a children's nighttime spotlight tag
game)
• If it's a children's party, whether or not you want the parents to stick around or drop off their
child
• Type of food being served in case of allergies
• Request for allergy or food sensitivity information
• Dress code

DO: CHOOSE THE CORRECT STYLE

• Invitations are usually the first indication of what type of party it’s going to be, so you have to ensure you
choose the correct invitation idea in order to avoid having guests show up for a black-tie event in casual
clothes.
• Remember, with so many ideas online, you’re bound to find the perfect party invitation idea without
having to look too far.

FORMAL EVENT INVITATIONS

• For a formal event, you want the invitation to match the tone. This is why many people will have
them engraved or handwrite them. You may or may not use formal wording.
• Here is an example:
 • Elizabeth Jewell and Gabriella Daniels request the pleasure of Judith Walker's company
at dinner on Saturday, February eighteenth at seven o'clock 7 Evenstar Place 123-555-
1111
• The above example uses a formal tone. However, if you are more comfortable with "invite you
to" rather than "request the pleasure of," that's fine.

CASUAL EVENT INVITATIONS

• When inviting someone to a casual get-together, you may choose a more conversational tone.
Another option is to state the facts. Whichever you choose, you'll want the same basic information.
Hazel is turning eight, so come and celebrate with us!
Where: Bounce-and-Jump Trampoline Center at 123 Main Street
When: Saturday, February 18
Time: 2–4 PM
Wear comfortable clothes and socks
Phone: 123-555-1111
Please RSVP by Thursday, February 16
We hope to see you there!
• An invitation that simply states the facts may be something like this:
What: Jimmy's 8th birthday party
Where: 1234 Summerhouse Street
When: Saturday, March 11
Phone: 555-123-4567
Please RSVP by Thursday, March 9

DO: ADD A DRESS CODE

• ...but only if you’re planning a dress up party or an extremely formal event, otherwise you may come off as
a bit pretentious.
• Since you won’t be using too much text in your party invitations, it’s best to include a small detail at the
bottom of the invitation relating to the dress code.
• Remember, there’s nothing worst for a guest than showing up in a dress code other than what’s expected.

DO: ORDER EXTRA INVITATIONS

• It’s always a great idea to order more invitations than you need at the time.
• Remember, some guests may not be able to make it and you end up thinking of someone else to invite.
• You’re going to need an unused birthday invitation to send. In which case, it’s always a great idea to order
at least 25 extra invitations. Rather have too many than too few, right?

DON'T: ADD TO MANY DETAILS

• It’s best to keep it short and sweet, writing only the necessary details such as time, date, venue etc. Too
much information tends to make the birthday card seem too ‘busy’ or confusing – feelings you certainly
don’t want your birthday invitations to resonate.

DON'T: INVITE PEOPLE YOU DON'T WANT TO

• Your party should include individuals that you really want have at your special day.
• It’s okay not to invite your long lost cousin, twice removed simply because s/he’s family.
• Remember, if you haven’t seen them for a while and you rarely speak, it’s definitely not a must to have
them at your birthday party.

DON'T: WAIT TOO LONG TO SEND INVITATIONS

• Ideally, you should send casual invitations at least three weeks ahead of time in order to give guests
enough time to plan their schedules and return important RSVPs.
• Remember, life gets busy so rather start planning as soon as possible than waiting for the last minute.
MIDTERMS

COLOR THEORY
"COLOUR IS LIFE; FOR A WORLD WITHOUT COLOURS APPEARS TO US AS DEAD." — JOHANNES ITTEN

COLOR
• Color immediately attracts attention. It is one of the first things we see.
• Very young children will group objects by color instead of size or shape.
• An interior designer may use rose -red walls to increase emotional warmth or use blue walls in a
daycare to encourage calm.
• Bright Yellow and Magenta may make an poster more eye -catching with contrast.
• Color is a very complex but powerful Element of Art & Design

COLOR THEORY
• Color theory is the art and science of color interaction and effects.
• In The Art of Color, Johannes Itten lists the following approaches to color theory.
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Physiology
• Psychology
• Color theories create a logical structure for color. For example, if we have an assortment of fruits and
vegetables, we can organize them by color and place them on a circle that shows the colors in relation to
each other.

JOHANNES ITTEN
• Johannes Itten was one of the first people to define and identify strategies for successful color
combinations.
• Through his research he devised seven methodologies for coordinating colors utilizing the hue's
contrasting properties.
• These contrasts add other variations with respect to the intensity of the respective hues; i.e. contrasts may
be obtained due to light, moderate, or dark value.
APPROACHES TO COLOR THEORY
• The physicist studies electromagnetic wavelength in order to measure and classify color.
• The chemist works with the molecular structure of dyes and pigments, and seeks to produced highly
permanent colors and excellent paint consistency.
• The physiologist investigates the effects of color and light on our eyes and brain
• The psychologist studies the expressive effect of color on our mind and spirit.

ARTIST APPLICATION OF COLOR

• The artist needs to take all of the approaches into consideration when using color.
• Like the physicist, the artist uses color wavelengths to create various effects
• Like the chemist, the artist must be aware of the safety and permanence of dyes and pigments.
• When using color to create the illusion of space, the artist puts into practice theories developed by
physiologist.
• Communication and Expression are strongly affected by the psychological effects of color

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOR IN LOGO DESIGN

COLOR SYSTEMS
• The two major color systems we use are:
• Additive Colors (RGB)
Created using beams of light
• Subtractive colors (RYB)
Created when white light is reflected off a pigmented or dyed surface

ADDITIVE COLORS - RGB

• The primaries of Additive Color are Red, Green, and Blue.
• Green + Blue = Cyan
• Red + Green = Yellow
• Blue + Red = Magenta
• Red + Green + Blue = White
• The colors you see on a computer, television screen, and projection are created by light.
• Used by Lighting Designers, Videographers, and Website Artists.

RGB COLOR WHEEL

SUBTRACTIVE COLORS - CMY

• Process colors are a subtractive color system that we use in print media.
• The Primaries of Process colors are Cyan (Blue), Magenta (Red), Yellow, and Black
• The process color system is typically used for mass production.
• Each color is laid down on the paper through a separate roller.
• The final image is created as the colors overlap.
COLOR SEPARATION IN CMYK

COLOR INTERACTION
• Color interaction is the way colors influence one another.
• Colors are never seen in isolation.
• Depending on the associations we have with a color, lighting, and the surrounding colors, our perception
of the color is affected.
• A blue sheet of paper may remind us of the sky or the ocean. Incandescent lighting may create a warm
orange glow.
• A blue sheet of Paper next to an orange sheet seem more vivid. Simultaneous contrast refers to how the
perception of a color is altered by a surrounding color.

EXAMPLE OF SIMULTANEOUS CONTRAST

Each Pair of Boxes have the same color in the center, but the colors appear different due to the surrounding
colors.