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Makenna Meyers

Mr. Schreiber

Senior Seminar

28 March 2018

Graphic Design

Logo design was said to have started back in 2,700 BC when Egyptians started branding

animals with hieroglyphics. Since then it has emerged as an art and career that uses visual and

textual content to create digital images. This form of art is called graphic design and it uses

elements and principles that can be created through Photoshop to communicate thoughts and

ideas.

Today, images are constantly being edited before being posted on social media or

published in magazines. This is done either to improve the quality of the photo or to add effects.

This was made possible by the creation of Photoshop. This software was “developed in 1987 by

the American brothers Thomas and John Knoll” (Adobe Photoshop). At first people were

hesitant to download this software because it took up a lot of space on their computers. However,

the software took off and drove up the “sales of newer PCs with more memory” (“Adobe

Photoshop”). It then started to become very popular with design companies.

Glenn Knoll, the father of Thomas and John Knoll, was interested in photography. His

son John took a great interest in photography as well. Soon John began “learning to manipulate

the color and exposure of the photographs he developed” (Hormby). The manipulation of color

and exposure would later be added to Photoshop as editing features. John also took an interest in

programing, so his father got a Macintosh they would both share. This allowed John to combine

his work and hobbies.

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Meanwhile, his brother Thomas went to college at the University of Michigan. In college

he used a Mac Plus computer to do his work. However, “the Mac Plus was not capable of

displaying images in color - or even grayscale” (Hormby). He later created a program that

would allow his Mac plus to display color images and grayscale images. He then turned “the

program into a true image editor that would allow people to manipulate digital images”

(Hormby). The two brothers then began collaborating to create Photoshop.

They started by adding editing features to the program that allowed them to manipulate

images. John worked on the first feature which “was gamma correction so he could make

images to appear less dim on the screen” (Hormby). Gamma correction changes how bright an

image appears. It can also change how reds, blues, and greens appear. Thomas then worked on

getting the software out into the real world where people could apply the software to their own

images. Finally, in 1990, Photoshop was released for public use and was a huge success. Now

Photoshop is used all around the world and is constantly evolving. When working with

Photoshop, it is important to understand the elements and principles that go along with it. This

helps the designer make an original piece and something that is appealing to the eye.

One of the most important elements that can be used in graphic design is the line. There

are many different types of lines. For example, there are vertical, horizontal, diagonal, zigzag,

and curved lines. There are also different variations of lines and can be thick, thin, dotted,

dashed, long, and short. These can be used to create images or divide the space in the design.

They can also be used with other elements to help the design flow better (Bear).

Shape is another basic element of design and is seen all around us every day. Shapes can

also be seen as “icons, symbols, and dingbats” (Bear). Icons are seen a lot in computers and

phones. These are the small graphical images that allow other programs to be opened. Symbols
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are shapes that represent something. These can be used to communicate ideas whether it’s

obvious or not. Dingbats are fonts that type symbols to create the text. These can be a lot easier

to use instead of constantly having to search for symbols. All these play a big part in the design

and how it looks (Bear).

Over the years textures have become more widely used for designs and web pages. They

“increase the overall visual appearance and draws attention” (Bear). There are many different

forms of texture: soft, gritty, bumpy, and smooth. These textures will give the design a specific

feel for different purposes. These textures can either be actual or visual. Actual texture means

people can feel the texture of something. Visual texture means that the way the piece is designed

it portrays a texture. Textures can also alter how color is portrayed. Different types of textures

will reflect and absorb light differently causing the colors to look different (Bear).

Color is arguably the most important element of design because it is tied in with

emotions. Different colors bring out different emotions. Depending on what is being designed,

colors need to be chosen carefully to get the attention and emotion that is desired. Something

that is supposed to be happy and uplifting shouldn’t use a lot of blues or greens. These colors

can give more of a calming effect and won’t attract as much attention. Instead, warmer colors

like yellow and orange should be used. This is why a lot of food and businesses signs are seen

using brighter colors (Bear).

Besides the elements of graphic design, there are also principals that need to be applied.

These principles help tie everything together in the design. When it comes to space, there are

many different forms. Artists and photographers use positive and negative space in their work.

A positive space is something that attracts the eye or is the main focus of the piece. Negative

space is the background or the area that does not attract as much attention. Space can also create
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2D and 3D effects. For example, “shading adds gradiation marks to make an object of a two-

dimensional surface seem three-dimensional” (“Visual design elements and priciples”). Adding

depth to a piece gives it character and makes it seem realistic.

Balance is also important when designing a piece to make sure that it is easy to follow.

Any good designer will “achieve visual balance by using symmetrical, asymmetrical, or radial

symmetry” (Bear). This keeps the design from looking too cluttered in one area and spreads it

out. Symmetrical balance is a fifty-fifty split across the page. An easy way to do this is by

centering it. In contrast, asymmetrical balance occurs when the balance looks uneven. However,

the way the elements are laid out makes it balanced even though it may not appear that way.

This is a harder element to design because elements don’t match each other throughout the piece.

Radial symmetry occurs when the elements are arranged around an axis point. This creates a

circular flow to the piece. People are also naturally drawn to radial symmetry (Bear).

It’s important to have order when creating a design. This is called alignment and it

“refers to lining up the elements of a design along the top, bottom, center, or side of the element”

(Bear). This can be used when lining up images, words, or graphics. This makes it easier to

follow because it all flows together from one thing to the next. If it’s disorganized and cluttered,

it looks unattractive. Making sure that it flows nicely and has a proper place is important so that

the viewer understands what's going on and can find information easily. Consistency also helps

the viewer understand what’s going on (Bear).

Being consistent throughout a piece is also important. A principle that adds consistency

is repetition. It “can also create rhythm in a design” (Bear). This happens when using the same

elements over and over again. This can be used when the information that is being shared is

important. Then the viewer will see the information more than once and more likely remember
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it. A pattern is another form of repetition. There are many different ways to create patterns but

“designers base most patterns on colors, textures and shapes, rather than words” (Soegaard).

This is because people recognize shapes easier than words. So, it is important to make sure that

the design is easy to remember and doesn’t get too complicated (Soegaard).

When grouping objects together, proximity is used. Proximity not only tells the designer

how closely elements are, but it also “maintains a relationship between elements that go

together” (Bear). This makes sure the design stays consistent with a theme and is organized. If

elements of the design do not have any relation, this can be confusing and unappealing to

viewers. Also, if the elements are spread around, the viewer will assume that they are not closely

related.

Contrast is pairing up opposing elements and creating a sense of drama in the piece that

draws attention to the design. This is created by contrasting “big versus small or dark versus

light” (Bear). It can also create a clear sense of organization because of the color or size

difference. For example, having a bold title with normal text underneath lets the viewer know

that the bold title is the main focus of the text. Silhouettes are a good example of light versus

dark contrast. The dark silhouettes against a white background really makes the silhouette pop

out.

All of these elements and principles are important when designing an advertisement.

There is a lot to take into consideration before starting the construction. “Graphic designers use

information such as the needs of the client, intended message portrayed by design, and appeal to

customers or users before creating a new design” (“Advertising and Graphic Design”). Making

sure the client is happy with the design, as well as the intended audience, is very important. This

is what attracts the consumers to the product and makes them aware of the brand. So not only do
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the designers have to be good with graphic design, but they “need to understand consumer

psychology and be aware of market trends” (Miller). This will play a big part in the elements

and principles used in the design. An advertisement has a limited amount of time to catch the

viewers’ attention before they continue on. This is why it is important to make sure that the

advertisement is appealing and well-organized.

When beginning the advertisement, the designer wants to make sure to do thorough

research. They can start by researching the topic and meeting with the client. This will help

ensure that everyone is on the same page. Once the designer understands the client and how they

want to target the intended audience, the designer can begin on their design. The designer can do

this by “sketches or layout, either by hand or with a computer, to outline their design vision and

include elements such as colors, sound, artwork, photography, animation, style of type and other

visual elements” (“Advertising and Graphic Design”). Once their design idea is complete, they

present it to their client to get feedback. A design could go through many changes before

everyone is happy with the final product. When creating a design for a client, it is important to

“be willing to spend your own time creating and failing” (Goossens interview). Not only can

designers be picky about what they design but so can the client. This can cause lots of long

hours working on different design ideas. Once they come to a design they are both happy with,

the designer can make a final product and start printing the advertisement.

Advertisements and logos have been around for a long time. They have evolved over the

years and continue to change. Without the Knoll brothers, there would not be the great editing

software called Photoshop today. Now images can be manipulated and created with different

elements and principles. By understanding the consumers, designers and business men and

women can create effective designs that draw attention to their products.
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