CalArts Graphic Design Study III
Graphic Design Study | CalArts | Coursera
I completed a graphic design specialization course offered by California Institute of Arts on Coursera. This course consists of fundamentals of graphic design, introduction to image-making and typography, ideas from the history of graphic design and a branding project. It had several design assignments through the course and some of the selected ones are presented here.
The Brief
Graphic design is all around us, in a myriad of forms, both on screen and in print, yet it is always made up of images and words to create a communication goal. This four-course sequence exposes students to the fundamental skills required to make sophisticated graphic design: process, historical context, and communication through image-making and typography.
The Idea
The goal of this specialization was to equip learners with a set of transferable formal and conceptual tools for “making and communicating” in the field of graphic design. The covered content and the core skill set equips learners for formal studies in graphic design, and a starting point for further work in interface design, motion graphics, and editorial design.
The Result
I achieved a deeper understanding of the process and standards of graphic designing. I was able to reflect and refine my own design ideologies. I also acquired skills which helped me in creating more interesting and meaningful visuals. Knowing deeper possibilities helped me incorporate the design ideas like composition and hierarchy even to other media like video production.
FUNDAMENTALS OF COMPOSITION
A composition is the arrangement and positioning of visual elements on a surface to make a comprehensible graphic design.
Good composition can be achieved through symmetry, the rule of thirds, golden rectangle or hierarchy. Ultimately the composition should create a visual contrast.
In this abstract study of composition through visual contrast, I used basic geometric shapes/forms to create six categories of single visual contrast under form, scale, weight, space, direction, and texture. Then I mixed multiple forms to create multiple visual contrasts: weight and form, direction and space, scale, weight and direction and space, weight and direction. This abstract study is further applied to create a piece of graphic design, whereby using the elements previously created and the principles of composition, I made a band poster for a fictional music band called The Thin Pencils.
