Katherine Dillon Visual Communications Basics

Good design is not about good taste or bad taste. It is about having an idea and applying it rigorously and consistently to communicate a message. Good design isn’t necessarily limited to those with a talent for graphic design. There are some basic principles that can help make messages clear and engagement intuitive.

Facts and data are often a critical component of a message. This session will explore techniques for displaying statistical information. Students will be presented with an overview of data display typologies and discuss their appropriateness to various data problems. We will discuss the ways the format of presentation impacts the interpretation of the data.

We will examine signage as one of the most basic and omnipresent examples of visual design. We will look at information systems and how the rules of visual communication apply to them.

This session will concentrate on the fundamentals of typography, and particularly on how typographic form and visual arrangement create and support a message. The class lecture will include an introduction to basic letter forms and typefaces, typographic terminology, and a brief history and theoretical overview of type.

The position of type and graphic elements on a page will be the focus of this session. We will explore the impact of manipulating layout and techniques for ensuring legibility and infusing meaning. Use of the grid as an organizing principle will be discussed.

Logo design will be discussed and explored with a look at many examples of logo design and an analysis of what makes them successful or not. A brief history of logo design will be presented including the presentation of some of the masters. We will also discuss the design, development, and integration of a brand identity as part of an overall media strategy.

In this session we will explore the principles of good interaction and instruction design. We will look at a number of examples and analyze how the principles of visual communication are applied. We will discuss the components of experience design and discuss the importance of consistency and intuitiveness. The opportunities for improved interaction design in our physical world will also be discussed.

Color theory will be introduced in this session. We will explore the mathematics of color and how to use mathematics and intuition effectively in making color decisions. We will look at the wide range of digital tools available for choosing and manipulating color and explore how color can evoke a spectrum of emotional responses.

In this class we will look at a few case studies of package design. Successful package design is similar to other design problems in that clarity of message is the objective and the tools for achieving that clarity are typography, color and a logical hierarchy of elements. In product and packaging design, as in digital design, intuitive interface and ease of use are critical

There are some basic techniques that when followed can dramatically improves the quality of the photographs you take and the photos you select. Rule of Thirds Overlay an imaginary grid of thirds on your photo frame and consider using the grid lines or gir intersections as points of focus for your photographs. Moving the primary [...]