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UNIT

WHAT IS GRAPHIC DESIGN?

Exercise 1. Read the text. Pay attention to the unknown words.


Graphic Design
Can you imagine advertisements, brochures, or packages without pictures and
words? A successful company utilizes pictures and text to help capture the attention of
its audience. Graphic design involves a combination of images and text used to
communicate information and messages to an audience. Graphic design is used to
produce billboards, brochures, logos, magazines, newspapers, packaging, and
websites. Graphic design tools include software like Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and
Photoshop; CorelDraw; GIMP; Inkscape; and Serif Drawplus. When using these tools,
graphic designers must make sure their designs do not infringe on anyone else's
copyright and strive to be creative and original.
Brochures
A brochure is a form of informational material that captures the essence of a
business through the use of its logo and images. A brochure should include relevant
information about the business and be clear and visually interesting so consumers feel
compelled to read it and understand what the company is trying to convey.
Logos
A logo can consist of an image, symbol, and/or text used to represent a business. It
should convey the intended message to consumers in a meaningful way. A logo should
also be easily recognizable by consumers and memorable. For example, the YouTube
logo is simply the name of the company imposed on a bold graphic to help it stand out.
Package Design
Can you imagine a product package that has absolutely no images or text? Not
only would it be boring, it wouldn't compel customers to buy the product. A
good package design must include eye-catching images and/or words that provide
consumers with some insight about the product and help it stand out from its
competition. Key elements include a unique font, bold text, bright images, and
color. Graphic design plays a huge role in retail because it conveys a company's brand
message. It also gives companies a way to make their product stand out in stores.
Impact of Poor Design
Bad graphic design can have an enormous effect on the success of a company. For
example, it may make it hard for customers to understand the company's message if its
brochure or website is poorly designed. If customers don't understand what a product is
about when reading an ad or looking at the packaging, they'll most likely not want to
buy the product. When graphic design is not done properly, customers may have a
negative outlook about a company.
For instance, imagine you're going to book a vacation on a cruise line and are
comparing two different brochures. One company is called Sail Away, and the other is
called Island Vacation. The Island Vacation brochure includes clear descriptions and
pictures of the destinations. Sail Away contains some information about the
destinations, but there are few pictures, and it's not clear where the pictures were taken.
As a consumer, you'll most likely be drawn to the Island Vacation brochure. That's
because you'll have a clear idea of what your vacation will entail.
Let's review. Graphic design involves a combination of images and text used to
communicate information and messages to an audience. Graphic design tools, like
Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop; CorelDraw; GIMP; Inkscape; and Serif
Drawplus, can be used to produce billboards, brochures, logos, magazines, newspapers,
packaging, and websites. A brochure is a form of informational material that captures
the essence of a business through the use of its logo and images. A logo can consist of
an image, symbol, and/or text used to represent a business. A good package design must
include eye-catching images and/or words that provide consumers with some insight
about the product and help it stand out from its competition. Bad graphic design can
have an enormous effect on the success of a company and make it hard for customers to
understand a company's message. Graphic designers must make sure their designs do
not infringe on anyone else's copyright and strive to be creative and original.

Exercise 2. Answer the following questions.


1. What is graphic design?
2. What does graphic design involve?
3. What is a brochure?
4. What is a logo? Is it important for graphic design?
5. What are graphic design tools?
6. What is package design?
7. What does a graphic designer do?
8. Is graphic designer good career for you?

Exercise 3. Match the definitions with explanations.


1 brochure a a very large board on which advertisements are shown,
especially at the side of a road
2 image b a document consisting of news reports, articles, and
photographs that is published every day or every week
3 newspaper c the materials in which objects are wrapped before being
sold
4 logo d advertising media are the devices by which and through
which the advertising messages are transmitted by the
advertisers to the prospective and existing customers
5 packaging e a type of small magazine that contains pictures and
information on a product or a company
6 poster f a small piece of paper with information on it about a
product or event
7 billboard g a small picture or design that a company or organization
uses as its symbol
8 flyer h a large printed picture or notice put up for advertising or
decoration
9 banner i a picture in your mind or an idea of how someone or
something is
10 media ad j a strip of material showing a name or a message
Answers: 1) e; 2) i; 3) b; 4) g; 5) c; 6) h; 7) a; 8) f; 9) j; 10) d

Exercise 4. Read the text. Use the word in brackets to form a word that fits
best in the sentence.
Graphic design uses visual compositions to solve problems and communicate ideas
through typography, imagery, color and form. There’s no one way to do that, and that’s
why there are several types of graphic design, each with their own area of 1) ____
(specialize).
Though they often overlap, each type of graphic design requires specific set of
skills and design techniques. Many designers specialize in a single type; others focus on
a set of related, similar types. But because the industry is 2) ____ (constant) changing,
designers must be adaptable and lifelong learners so they can change or add
specializations throughout their careers.
Whether you are an aspiring 3) _____ (design) or seeking design services for your
business, understanding the eight types of graphic design will help you find the right
skills for the job.
1. Visual identity graphic design
A brand is a relationship between a business or organization and its audience. A
brand 4) ____ (identify) is how the organization communicates its personality, tone and
essence, as well as memories, emotions and experiences. Visual identity graphic
design is exactly that: the visual elements of brand identity that act as the face of a
brand to communicate those intangible 5) ____ (quality) through images, shapes and
color.
2. Marketing & advertising graphic design
When most people think of graphic design, they think of designs created for 6) ___
(market) and advertising.
Companies depend on successful marketing efforts to tap into their target
audience’s decision-making process. Great marketing engages people based on the
wants, needs, awareness and 7) ___ (satisfy) they have about a product, service or
brand. Since people will always find visual content more engaging, graphic design helps
organizations promote and communicate more effectively.
3. User interface graphic design - A user interface (UI) is how a user interacts with a
device or 8) ____ (apply). UI design is the process of designing interfaces to make them
easy to use and provide a user- 9) ____ (friend) experience.
A UI includes all of the things a user interacts with - the screen, keyboard and
mouse - but in the context of graphic design, UI design focuses on the user’s visual
experience and the design of on-screen graphic elements like buttons, menus, micro-100
____ (interact), and more. It’s a UI designer’s job to balance aesthetic appeal with
technical functionality.
Answers: 1) specialization; 2) constantly; 3) designer; 4) identity; 5) qualities; 6)
marketing; 7) satisfaction; 8) application; 9) friendly; 10) interactions
Exercise 5. Choose the most suitable word/ phrase for each sentence. The explanation of the words is
given. Make the words grammatically correct where it is necessary.
value audience manufacture illustrate popular
information technology distribute publish commerce
Publication graphic design
Publications are long-form pieces that communicate with an 1) ____ (the people,
considered as a group, who watch or listen to a public event) through public
distribution. They have traditionally been a print medium. 2) ____ (the act of making
information or stories available to people in a printed) design is a classic type of design
– think books, newspapers, magazines and catalogs. However, there’s recently been a
significant rise in digital publishing.
Packaging graphic design
Most products require some form of packaging to protect and prepare them for
storage, 3) ____ (the process of giving things out to several people, or spreading or
supplying something), and sale. But packaging design can also communicate directly to
consumers, which makes it an extremely 4) ____ (important, useful, or beneficial)
marketing tool. Every box, bottle and bag, every can, container, or canister is a chance
tell the story of a brand.
Packaging designers create concepts, develop mockups and create the print-ready
files for a product. This requires expert knowledge of print processes and a keen
understanding of industrial design and 5) _____ (the business of producing goods in
large numbers). Because packaging design touches so many disciplines, it’s not
uncommon for designers to find themselves creating other assets for a product such as
photography, illustrations and visual identity.
Motion graphic design
Simply put, motion graphics are graphics that are in motion. This can include
animation, audio, typography, imagery, video and other effects that are used in online
media, television and film. The medium’s 6) ____ (the fact that something or someone
is liked, enjoyed, or supported by many people) has skyrocketed in recent years as
technology improved and video content became king.
“Motion graphics designer” is a somewhat new specialty for designers. Formally
reserved for TV and film, 7) _____ (relating to modern technology and its influence on
business, industry) advances have reduced production time and costs, making the art
form more accessible and affordable. Now, motion graphics is one of the newest types
of design and can be found across all digital platforms, which has created all sorts of
new areas and opportunities.
Environmental graphic design
Environmental graphic design visually connects people to places to improve their
overall experience by making spaces more memorable, interesting, 8) ___ (providing a
lot of useful information) or easier to navigate.
Art and illustration for graphic design
Graphic art and illustration are often seen as being the same as graphic design,
however they’re each very different. Designers create compositions to communicate and
solve problems, graphic artists and 9) ____ (a person who draws pictures, especially for
books) create original artwork. Their art takes a number of forms, from fine art to
decoration to storytelling illustrations.
Even though graphic art and illustration are not technically types of graphic design,
so much is created for 10) ____ (intended to make money) use within the context of
graphic design that you can’t talk about one without the others.
Answers: 1) audience; 2) Publication; 3) distribution; 4) valuable; 5)
manufacturing; 6) popularity; 7) technological; 8) informative; 9) illustrators; 10)
commercial

Exercise 6. Find the synonyms to the following words in the text above Exercise 5.
1) wrapping 6) implement
2) steer 7) circumstances
3) contentment 8) movement
4) illustration 9) stylishness
5) reachable 10) succeed
Answers: 1) packaging; 2) navigate; 3) content; 4) graphic; 5) accessible; 6) tool;
7) context; 8) motion; 9) popularity; 10) develop

Exercise 7. Find the opposites of these words in Exercise 5.


1) collection 6) expose
2) dissociate 7) use up
3) liability 8) fake
4) worthless 9) minor
5) enlarge 10) equivocally
Answers: 1) distribution; 2) connect; 3) assets; 4) valuable; 5) reduce; 6) protect;
7) reserve; 8) original; 9) significant; 10) directly

Listening. Exercise 8. Complete the sentences with the words and phrases
from the box. Listen to the extract and check your answers. (What is graphic
design?)
composition; impactful; advertising; motion graphics; communicates; campaign;
textual; visual; motion; website design
1. Graphic design takes graphical and ____ elements and implements them into
multiple types of media.
2. Graphic design is composed of many fields and specializations, ranging from
print and web design to animation and ____.
3. Graphic design is defined as “the art and practice of planning and projecting
ideas and experiences with _____ and textual content.”
4. Graphic designers also adhere to the principles of design, which are essentially a
set of guidelines that help a design achieve effective ____.
5. _____ graphics design - or animation - brings visual elements to life through
special effects, TV shows, video games and movies.
6. Graphic design conveys the message of the project, event, _____ or product.”
7. Graphic design can be used by companies to promote and sell products through
_____, by websites to convey complicated information in a digestible way.
8. Graphic design ____ certain ideas or messages in a visual way.
9. Graphic elements are used in conjunction or opposition with each other to create
visually striking and ____ designs.
10. ____ involves creating, engaging and intuitive web pages for users.
Answers: 1) textual; 2) motion graphics; 3) visual; 4) composition; 5) Motion; 6)
campaign; 7) advertising; 8) communicates; 9) impactful; 10) Website design

Exercise 9. Choose the best sentence below to fill each of the gaps. For each
gap 1-7 mark one letter (A-F). Do not use any letter more than once. One point
is odd out.
A) in adjusting the layers and art boards
B) simplicity, mirror feature and affordability
C) efficient graphic tools
D) smoother and for detailed art strokes the stylus
E) a crucial problem for graphic artists
F) little hairy especially
G) raster graphics editing programs
Procreate – Allows designers to use the Apple Pencil to draw directly on the screen
to get amazing results; records the entire drawing process; allows designers to draw on
different layers making it easier to edit the work.
Myfonts.com – Not only is Myfonts.com a website with fonts galore, its
“WhatTheFont” feature solves 1) ____.
 Supply your archive with a very large collection of fonts (many are free, some
can be purchased)
Clip Studio Paint - Digital artists dig Clip Studio Paint’s simple collection of
illustration apps because of its 2) ____.
Adobe Creative Cloud tools - This graphic design, video editing and web
development software has become a standard in the graphic design industry.
Adobe Photoshop - There are 3) ____, then there’s Photoshop. It’s the industry
standard for manipulating digital photos and photorealistic computer art.
Adobe Illustrator - From drawings to logos to actual photos, Illustrator generates all
kinds of images. Digital artists love the ease 4) ____ in this vector graphic editing
program.
iPad Pro + Apple Pencil - Being another Apple product, this iPad Pro in
combination with the Apple Pencil is not the cheapest, but the larger display on this
stylus and tablet combo is a game-changer. You can adjust the display color tones, there
are more colors than the non-pro models, the scrolling is 5) _____ is extremely precise
due to a tighter connection between the display and glass.
Wacom Bamboo Tip Stylus - Imagine one stylus that draws on computers, tablets
or smartphones. It’s real. No apps or Bluetooth necessary, so it works on virtually all
devices. It’s basically a magic wand folks.
A setup with multiple displays - Having two (or more) separate screen displays
allows for more efficient multitasking. Of course it’s possible to work on one screen,
but it gets a 6) ____ when using a full-screen mode app.
Answers: 1) e; 2) b; 3) g; 4) a; 5) d; 6) f
Exercise 10. Choose the correct words a-d to complete the text.
8 graphic design basics
Space - you know that peaceful feeling you get when you’re in a gorgeous, wide open
space? Well, graphic design works the same way. The best designs aren’t the ones that
try to 1) ___ every design element on the block into a single composition. They utilize
open space to bring attention to the elements that actually matter.
Balance - when it comes to design, you can definitely be 2) ___, but you also have to
be balanced. Think of it like this: if you were decorating your living room, you wouldn’t
try to squeeze the sofa, the recliner chair, the coffee table, and the end tables all into a
tiny corner, right? No, you’d spread the 3) ____ throughout the room to create balance
and alignment. With graphic design, it’s exactly the same.
Hierarchy is how you present the elements on your design (whether it’s a brochure, a
website or a business card). This 4) ____ viewers to where they should focus their
attention. As a general rule of thumb, the larger the design element, the more attention-
grabbing it will be.
Lines and shapes form the foundation of your designs, and how you use them can 5)
____ transform how a design looks and feels.
Color is so much more than the rainbow 6) ____ of hues in a bag of Skittles. Color is
influence. Color is power. Color drives engagement. But only if you know how to use it.
The colors you choose for your designs are crucial not only to your overall aesthetic,
but to how well your designs 7) ____ with your audience (which ultimately drives
results).
Typography - the words you use in your designs are important, but so are the fonts
you use to communicate those words. Typography 8) ____ everything from font
selection to font layout. Not only does it communicate your core message, but it also
communicates a lot about who you are and what you’re about.
Texture is a surefire way to add depth and 9) ____ to your designs, which makes
them more visually engaging.
Branding is how you 10) ____ your business, products, services and story to life. How do you
do that? By leveraging all of the graphic design basics we’ve covered in this guide to build a brand that
feels true to who you are.
1 a suit b fit c relevant d correct
2 a expressive b productive c inventive d creative
3 a pieces b slides c parts d segments
4 a leads b controls c directs d manages
5 a totally b completely c absolutely d fully
6 a diversity b portion c mixture d assortment
7 a connect b join c fix d link
8 a plasters b covers c plates d coats
9 a length b size c dimension d proportion
10 a carry b convey c transfer d bring
Answers: 1) b; 2) d; 3) a 4) c; 5) b; 6) d; 7) a; 8) b; 9) c; 10) d
Exercise 11. Choose the correct word or phrase to complete the sentences.
Sometimes more than one word is possible.
1. Lines/ Shapes/ Texture can be straight, curved, wavy, thick, thin.
2. Colors/ Packaging/ Shapes offer a variety of ways to fill spaces creatively, to
support text and other forms of content, and to balance a design.
3. Colour/ Type/ Shape is an important element of any visual design.
4. Texture/ Line/ Type can transform a message from mere text to a work of art.
5. Even a smooth and glossy advertisement can seem tangible with types/ shape/
texture.
6. Line/ Packaging/ Branding is both the most visible and invisible aspect of any
product design.
7. Texture/ Packaging/ Color 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.
8. Shape/ Branding/ Lines allow designers to divide a space or separate content in
a layout.
9. Type/ Packaging/ Color is a practical element that can make a huge impact on
the product’s viability in the market.
10. Branding/ Packaging/ Space is a type of corporate design that focuses on the
visual identity of a company or product.
Answers: 1) lines; 2) shapes; 3) color; 4) type; 5) texture; 6) packaging; 7)
Texture; 8) line; 9) packaging; 10) branding

https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/design/blog/what-is-graphic-design/
https://www.treefrog.ca/what-is-graphic-design/

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