DESIGNING MESSAGES
I. Introduction
A. Think about the printed products you see everyday.
B. Everything from a cereal box to a garment label involves some
type of graphic design.
C. Designing communication products is simply another application
of the systematic approach to problem solving.
D. The majority of messages are either:
1. visual
a. written
b. graphic
1. acoustical
II. Visual Design
A. Designing written messages:
1. free-writing (done quickly without attention to detail)
2. rough draft
3. final drafts (“polished”)
B. Visual graphic design usually involves:
1. thumbnail sketches
2. full size rough sketches
3. comprehensive lay-outs
C. In designing visual messages, it is important to delay the evaluation
until ideas are developed.
III. Elements of Design
A. The elements of design are the basic parts that make up a design.
1. color
2. line
3. shape
4. texture
B. Color is a powerful design element
1. key points:
a. hue: name given to color
b. saturation: amount of hue in a color
c. lightness: how light or dark a color is
d. color systems: coding of different colors
e. color wheel:
*primary colors- red, yellow, blue
*secondary colors- mixing of primary
*intermediate colors- 1 primary & 1 secondary
f. warm colors: red orange, yellow
g. cool colors: blue violet & green
h. neutral colors: white gray, and black
C. Line gives direction to design.
1. Can be used to point an important feature in a design.
2. key points:
a. vertical lines: convey a feeling of awe or challenge
b. horizontal lines: convey calm , peaceful feeling
c. diagonal lines: add interest to a design
d. curved lines: give a soft, relaxed look to a design.
D. Shapes refer to the form of the object.
1. When lines enclose a space, a shape in formed.
2. key points:
a. three basic shapes: circle, square, & triangle
b. at rest shapes: circle & square
c. movement: ellipse & rectangle
E. Texture is how something feels when you touch it and/or how
it looks on the surface.
1. Texture can be used tot create a surface appearance in a design.
2. key points:
a. dots and lines are often used to convey surface texture.
IV. Principles of Design
A. The principles of design tell you how the elements of design
should be combined.
B. The principles of design include:
1. proportion
2. balance
3. rhythm
4. emphasis
C. Proportion refers to how the size of one part relates to the size
of another part.
1. key points
a. height-to-length ratio
b. size of one part to the whole part
D. Balance refers to how elements are arranged horizontally
or vertically in design.
E. In design, rhythm is the feeling of movement seen visually.
1. key points:
a. repetition of lines, color, shapes and/or textures
b. graduation- changing each element slightly
c. radiation – elements extend outward from a central point
F. Emphasis is the center of interest in a design.
1. It is the first thing you look at in design.
V. Conclusion
A. Unity, the goal of design, is achieved when all parts of design look
as if they belong together.
B. When the elements and principles of design are used effectively,
the goal of unity is achieved.