Table of Contents
Should I Learn Graphic Design From A Textbook Or Online Class?
There are many new things to learn, as with any new discipline, but becoming familiar with the fundamentals is the first step on your path. Now that you have decided graphic design is the professional path you want to follow or the talent you want to improve in your present job, you will need some direction on how to get there.
You can learn graphics design online through Blue Sky Graphics online graphics design course.
Continue reading to learn more about the basis of design as you embark on your design journey, as well as inspiring material to find, such as books, blogs, and events to attend.
1. Investigate Graphic Design History
By studying design history, movements, and designers, you will become more educated and appreciate not just the work of previous designers, but also contemporary design practises. This will enable you to broaden your horizons and learn about what constitutes excellent design. As you study the many design disciplines, begin to select areas that pique your interest and learn more about that topic to find your interests and areas you want to pursue further.
You will devote your life as a designer to studying new methods and procedures. Knowing about design history can help you improve your abilities as a designer as you learn more about the profession and previous design trends. Knowledge of previous movements and designers will broaden your horizons, influence your approach to new projects, and provide as inspiration for the work you will produce.
There are many resources available to help you get started with your design history knowledge, ranging from podcasts to films to design literature. Do you want to start creating your own design library? We have compiled a selection of classics and current publications that may serve as a good starting point for essential books to read. To get you started, make the following five additions to your list:
2. Understand the Design Principles and Process
Graphic design is the visual representation of an idea or concept. From food packaging and trademarks to billboard ads, design is all around us, tempting us to purchase a product or assisting us with an ordinary activity like utilising an app on your phone.
Every designer understands the five design principles of alignment, repetition, contrast, hierarchy, and balance. These principles contribute to the creation of a unified design, stability, organisation, consistency, impact, and a clear message. By adhering to these basic principles, designers may address visual and conceptual issues as part of the design process, from research through idea creation to the final result that responds to the customer requirement.
To be effective, a piece of design must conform to these basic design principles and how they interact with one another. Alignment aids in the creation of a more unified and ordered design. And repetition strengthens the design by connecting the components together via association, resulting in a recognisable and consistent visual style.
3. Typography Geek Out
Typography refers to how text is structured and placed inside a layout and is essential in visual design. Typefaces, point sizes, line spacing, letter spacing, and kerning are all examples of typography. As you go through design, you will learn about the distinctions between a sans serif and a serif, expand your understanding of typefaces, and discover which fonts work best together.
Typography adds personality to a company and is essential in all forms of communication, from magazine content to advertising and logos. You will be able to justify typographic choices in your own work and how they may enhance the design if you understand typography. Apart from being essential for concept transmission, type provides the design a distinct atmosphere via tone of voice.
Type may be produced by hand or digitally, but it is also important to note the many typographic specialities. Let us take a closer look at lettering, font design, and typesetting to understand more about each of them:
Lettering: hand-drawn or digitally generated letterforms that may be used for logos, murals, signage, album artwork, advertising, goods, wedding invitations, and more.
Typeface design is the development of type characters that may range from A to Z. (along with numerals, punctuation, accents). Although some fonts provide the whole set, others may be restricted to just upper or lower case. The characters are generated in a vector-based software such as Adobe Illustrator before being refined in an application such as Fontographer.
Typesetting is the process of arranging text in a layout, such as a newspaper, brochure, or magazine. The typesetter often works with huge blocks of text, creating a hierarchical framework for headers, quotations, captions, and so on.
If you are interested in typography and maybe experimenting with letterforms, why not check out some Instagram profiles to get more acquainted with some amazing creatives? We have prepared a list of Instagram accounts for type enthusiasts, and you should follow them.
4. Research the Fundamentals of Colour
Colour influences a design’s mood and individuality. Looking at the work of other designers and studios is the greatest approach to learn about colour choices. You may then start making your own inspiration boards with various colour palettes to evoke different emotions. You may also use Adobe Colour CC to experiment with different colour combinations. Palettes may be made from photographs, prints, patterns, or any other designs you come across.
Colour is an essential element of design since it can be utilised to influence the mood of the design and the brand, as well as to convince and attract. Designers learn about the significance of each hue, colour combinations, and how to utilise colour palettes to create emotional effect. When choosing colours for a design, it is critical to have a strong understanding of colour and the science behind it. Understanding colour theory allows the designer to pick the best colour choices to guarantee that the brand stands out and is relevant to the target audience.
