photo.graph.art.design

 Design thinking is a process of problem solving. It is imagining and reimagining SOLUTIONS for a particular PROBLEM. Design thinking is solving problems in a user-centric way. The heart of design thinking is the USER. Design thinking is a dynamic process. Study the PDF below (for academic use only) Design Thinking PDF Thinking towards a solution 1.      Empathize To empathize is to understand the needs of the end-user or customer. 2.      Define Define is to organize the information you have gathered during the empathize stage. Call the problem by its name. 3.      Ideate It is the process of generating ideas. 4.      Prototype Prototypes are early samples, models, or releases of products built to test a concept or process. 5.      Test              Testing tries out, evaluates the product, feature or prototype with end user.

 Principles of design are the fundamental bases that govern design choices with regards to design elements, size, colour, positioning, etc. They act as a compass for the entire design team. Applied successfully, these principles give designers the power to create meaningful, aesthetically pleasing, and well-functioning designs. Principles of Design Study the PDF below (for academic use only) Principles of Design PDF BALANCE and ALIGNMENT Balance refers to the arrangement of elements in relation to a visual central axis. It is the distribution of the visual weight of elements. It makes the design feel stable. Like in the physical world, objects in a design carry weight, which is called visual weight . The visual weight of a design needs to be distributed; or it would become a disturbance to the viewer. Balance could be symmetrical or asymmetrical Alignment is orderly arranging elements in a way that matches how people naturally scan the page. It helps balance your image so that it...

 Elements are the building blocks of a graphic design. Study the PDF below (for academic use only) Elements of Graphic Design PDF DOT: The smallest unit of a design/image/art. It is the visual element upon which all others are constructed. LINE: A line is two connected lines. It could also be called as a dot in motion. Lines are an essential element of any design. It is the noticeable starting place for most artistic creation. Eyes tend to follow lines in an image. Through lines we can lead viewers’ eyes in a particular direction. Kinds of lines: Vertical lines | Horizontal lines | Diagonal lines | Zigzag lines | Curved lines | Actual and implied lines . Elements of Design SHAPE: A shape is a closed area.   A shape is a two dimensional object that stands out from the background because of a defined or implied boundary. FORM: A form is a shape that has depth along with its height, width. SPACE: Space refers to the area that a shape or form occupies. It also refers to...

 It is important to understand the process of how does a visual design evolve in a designer’s mind? Mental process of designing Visual designing or graphic designing is a mind game. One can be trained into it. Designing skills are not born but developed and nurtured. It is not only for the artists. Design thinking is a process that is learned. At times a design happens quickly, the final product just flashes in the mind. But most often, especially for beginners, one has to take a conscious step-by-step process. Designing skill is not just learning to use tools, like, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Designing is primarily a work of the mind.   Study the PDF below (for academic use only) The Mental Process of Visual Designing PDF UNDERSTANDING THE BRIEF : Brief is the requirements, objectives, guidelines and parameters given to a designer, or creative team by the client or team head. IMAGING : It is having or creating mental or real reference of the entity spoken in the brief....

 Configuration of elements like lines, shapes, colours, etc. to a drawing, or a plan; to make an idea/meaning/concept tangible in order to communicate, to make an impact or a product. Every design comes under the large umbrella of art; but every art is not design. Design has intent and meaning, design has to make sense. Study the PDF below (only for academic use) Introduction to Visual Design PDF Visual design (graphic Design)  aims to creative aesthetic appeal and meaning with suitable lines, images, typography, space, layout and colour. Visual design places elements carefully and consciously t o create optimal impact and functionality. Graphic design  Visual design matters for businesses because it is the design that makes the first impression . 94% of first impressions are related to design (UK design and content study). Design creates brand identity.   It provides a visual identity/reference, which is easy to remember. Design promotes a professional image of th...

 Visual designing is the configuration of an idea, meaning, or a concept to a sketch or a drawing in order to communicate the same idea and meaning to the viewers with greater impact. A good design unambiguously communicates the idea. But a great design does much more than just communicating the idea. Let us do a comparative study of a magazine cover. Good Vs Great visual designs  The styles of designing change according to the purpose of design; the approaches to designing change considering the fact how the design is going to be executed in production. Therefore we must clearly listen to the brief given by the client.   Brief from the publisher for design Once the brief has come in, as usual, I begin to read, research and understand the topic (empathy), begin to express it unambiguously (defining the notion), and search for signs (ideate) to express the same notion and meaning to others. The entire designing process is a non-linear process. I understand the smal...

  Visual Design, coming under the broader umbrella of visual art or visual aesthetics, has the limitation of finding common accepted grounds considering a design being design-worthy or not, because aesthetics is very subjective; and each one has one’s own standards of beauty and elegancy. It is difficult to categorically pinpoint why a design looks great or why a design looks ordinary. Comparative study between designs might help us cut the clutter. I place on table two cover designs I have made with the same brief for the Together magazine. I would like to clarify why I went with the option that finally sent to the publication; that might tell the difference also between a good visual design and a better visual design. Understanding Layered Designs  The design process begins when the designer receives the oral or writer brief from the publication. Then begins the rigorous non-linear process of understanding the idea/brief (empathising), outlining the idea in clear categori...

Our minds work through images. some images determine the course of our lives. Its imagination that gives us new paths and visions. Study the PDF below. (to be used for educational purposes only) Image and Imagination PDF IMAGE                          > Idea                          > The seen                          > Appearance                          > Mental picture                          > Public impression We all have an image of a family. It has come about by repetitive reinforcement. From the above picture you will have no difficulty in identifying who is who in the family. Its stereotypical...

Logos make sense to the people who knows the philosophy, ideology and spirituality of the organisation. Certain logos are made to connect and impact an inner circle of people. Only they understand the reference and image used in the logo. Its perfectly okay when measuring the impact of a designer. All may understand the literal meaning of the signifiers. But what the individual images and the image as a whole communicate may not be understood. Here is an example of a logo created for the Franciscans for their provincial chapter. It made sense to them in that context and with the knowledge of Franciscan spirituality.  the theme given for designing: listen . discern . go forth here is how i have used the signifiers and what they are meant to signify. Listen : Francis, for his time, heard the voice / listened to Jesus' words from San Damiano cross at the wayside chapel, saying to him, go repair my church. today, for our times, metaphorically, we got to lend our ears to the same cross...

Designing  a logo is a process of make people understand an organisation to its bare essence. As a client briefs you about the company/organisation, name and its nature of work, your mind begins find images that would represent the organisation.  in this case it was an NGO working for the well-being of HIV AIDS patients and those affected by it.   The brief given to me by the organisation is  FLAME  Franciscans Life Affirming Movement for Empowerment   We are not going to restrict ourselves to HIV/AIDS ministry. We are planning to spread our ministry to various areas such as environmental programmes, Children and youth programme, women self-help groups and so on. Therefore think of any logo that symbolises giving life  (light) to the people and the earth (environment). Try to make is simple and attractive.   The motto could be added to the logo. "LET THERE BE LIGHT"   Its not a sophisticated b...

What is common for both coffee and a journey-of-seeking? Both are magical. They transport us to another space. Coffee does it mentally; and journey does it physically.   Coffee + Journey + Magic The mental creative Process After receiving the Brief Imaging Abstraction  Idealising   then it goes it into Production   according to the clients need. What kind of logo ? Pictorial? Word?  What tagline? For which people? Who should understand it and feel connected and compelled to walk in? What are their ideologies? Political, social and other affiliations? In what Context? Where is the cafe? In a corporate office? By a happening pub? Or in a particular campus?