GEC ELEC 1- LIVING IN THE IT ERA shape, color, space or form in terms of their

visual weight. Basically, there are two kinds of

Lesson 5 visual balance:
IMAGING AND DESIGN FOR SOCIAL IMPACT
1. Symmetrical balance. From the name itself,
Graphic Design symmetrical balance, which includes radial
Graphic Design is a process in which we use symmetry is when both two sides of a piece
typography, images, colors, icons and other are equal.
illustrations to communicate visually. This 2. Asymmetrical balance. Both sides of your
term was first coined by William Addison composition does not contain the same
Dwiggins on 1992 as he called himself a elements but contain almost the same visual
“graphic designer”. weight.

The basic elements of graphic design are the Branding and Identity
following: Branding and identity can be found
Line everywhere. Look around you, you may see
A line is a kind of shape which connects two or some of your personal items, product
more points. It is also considered as one of the packaging, documents, or some sort of
essential element of graphic design. Lines can advertising. All of them have one in common –
be thick, thin, curved, or jagged. identity.
These attributes include: Branding is simply what people thinks about
• Weight you, your company, your product or your
• Color service.
• Texture Identity or visual identity is the visual
• Style representation of a brand. It can be in a form
of image, choice of color or typography, and
Shape many more.
A shape is a two-dimensional external
boundary of an object. Any object outline that Lucidpress (2018) enumerated the seven steps
has height and width can be considered as a to creating a brand identity design:
shape. Together with lines, they form the 1. Establish clear purpose and positioning.
foundation of your design. Recall why you or your company exists, who
There are two (2) major categories of shapes in your target audience are, and what makes you
design: or your service unique from your competitors.
• Geometric – these are regular and 2. Conduct thorough market research.
mathematical shapes. Having a deep analysis on your target audience
• Organic – these are freeform shapes. on what their personalities are which will lead
you to the next step.
Form 3. Get a personality. Based on your research,
A form is a three-dimensional shape. Shadows, determine your brand’s personality. Brand
perspective, depth, and sometimes texture personality make a huge impact on the visuals
creates a form. Without these attributes, a form of your marketing materials.
is just a shape or series of shapes. Plain 4. Create a polished logo. In creating your
images/objects and flat designs can be logo, it should be simple, scalable, and
enhanced by adding shadows or lightings to memorable. Observe the logos of famous
create an illusion of a form. It also gives the companies like Amazon, Google, and IBM.
object a sense of place. 5. Create an attractive color pallete. Your
color pallete should be simple and contain one
Texture to three primary colors. Once you have
Texture refers to the physical quality of the established your color pallete, you may play
surface of an object in an artwork or design. It with their color family.
also refers to how an object look or feels like. 6. Select professional typography. When
An object might be smooth, rough, shiny, selecting fonts, it is important to consider these
hard, or soft. things:
a. Do not make it fancy. Fancy typefaces only
Balance make your text confusing.
Visual balance is the creation of visual b. Don’t mix fonts/typefaces. Do not mix
equilibrium by relating elements such as line, fonts or typefaces in a word or sentence as it
may give mixed interpretations to your proximity of your design.
audience. 5. Branding and Design Tone. Let us look back
c. Mix contrasting fonts/typefaces. This is at the steps of brand identity design, the way
not similar to the above item. This means you how are you going to apply white spaces in
may use serif typefaces for your product title your design helps you create your own
and sans serif for the subtitle. brand’s personality.
7. Choose on-brand supporting graphics. 6. Creates a breathing space for users. A lot
Your brand identity should have a visual of people believe that in design, one must
library that include icons, images/photographs, maximize the space by putting contents on it.
design assets, and other supporting graphics.
Alignment
Layout and Composition Alignment helps designers to organize
Layout and composition are the building different elements in their composition.
blocks of design. These two focus on the Effective use of alignment give your
arrangement of your objects or elements on composition a definitive structure and a
your design. Your good texts, images, or other creative balance. Alignment may be left,
elements in the graphic will turn to waste if centered, right, or justified.
your layout is not well-composed. Lay out is a Contrast
verb phrase which simply means to arrange Contrast means one element is opposite to
something, while layout is a noun which the other element. This does not only apply to
means how things are organized. colors, but to typeface and size of elements as
well. Contrast helps you to catch the viewer’s
There are five basic principles of layout and
eye, create a direction, or giving emphasis to
composition:
something.
Proximity
Repetition
Proximity is the process of placing related
Repetition simply means to use of the same
elements together. Elements that are not
typefaces, color palettes, or other elements to
related to that group should be separated to
achieve consistency in your composition. This
show that these elements are not related to
create unity in your composition or make your
that group.
projects connected to each other.
Typography
White Space
Typography is the art of arranging texts that
White space is not literally the white spaces
makes it readable and appealing to the
that you found on the design but rather the
negative space between lines, paragraphs, and viewer. It involves font style, typeface, and
element on the design. text structure.

There are two types of white space: Types of Fonts

• Micro white space. Mini spaces between Serif
paragraphs, lines, menu items, or other Serif fonts are fonts that have little strokes
elements in a design composition. called serif on each end of the letter. They are
• Macro white space. Large spaces between typically used in formal or traditional projects.
contents and elements. Sans Serif
Sans serif are fonts with no extra strokes. Sans
Hedge (2017) listed some of the importance of serif simple means “without serifs” as sans is a
white space in design. French word for without. These fonts are
1. Improved comprehension. Spaces between normally found in mobile phones, and
lines in a paragraph makes the content legible computer screens.
and easily scanable to the readers/viewers. Display
2. Focus and attention. Macro white spaces Display fonts are sometimes called as fancy or
help guide the viewers to the focus area in the decorative fonts. It can be script, blackletter or
design. all caps. These type of fonts are used in special
3. Increased interaction rate. If used wisely, occasions like invitations, titles, or posters.
white space in design helps the viewer to get
the message quickly even without looking at Choosing a font or typeface
the instructions. Whether you are new or old in graphic design,
4. Guide the user through local grouping. one dilemma that most graphic designers
White space helps you to achieve the
experienced is on what fonts or typefaces are for design that are intended for screen
they going to use. displays.
Color • CMYK. This color profile consists of Cyan,
Colors are very essential to your compositions. Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black). If you have
One may use a combination or one or more a printer in your house, you probably see
colors. It may be our instinct to choose color these colors as inks. This profile is intended
but there is a science behind it, called Color for designs that are to be printed.
Theory. Color Theory describes how different • Image
colors contribute to each other and how they Images are not just limited to photographs, it
appear as they are mixed into other color also includes graphics, and other illustrations.
schemes. Having images on your composition makes it
• Hue. Refers to pure, vibrant colors. appealing to the eyes of your viewer.
• Saturation. Refers to the intensity of the
color. Image File Types
• Value. Refers to the lightness or darkness of There are different file types of images, and
a color. they are grouped into two categories: vector
Color Schemes and raster.
Of course, we can still remember the lessons
about color during art lessons. We have • Vector. It is a type of image that does not
primary colors, then secondary colors and lose its quality when zoomed in. Your image
tertiary colors. A circular diagram of these will not be pixelated when enlarged.
colors is called a color wheel. • Raster. Opposite to vector, raster images
become pixelated when enlarged.
Monochromatic Color Scheme
This color scheme only focuses on one color, Vector Image File Extensions
and often using variations by incorporating • Encapsulated Postscript (EPS). This vector
saturations or values. format are designed to produce high-
Achromatic Color Scheme resolution graphics for print.
This color scheme only revolves on using • Adobe Illustrator Document (AI). Most
desaturated colors like black, gray, and white. preferable and commonly used image file type
Analogous Color Scheme by designers.
Analogous color scheme selects a group of
three colors that are adjacent in the color Raster Image File Extensions
wheel. • Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPG
Complementary Color Scheme or JPEG). This file type is the most
These are colors that are direct opposite to commonly used image file type.
each other in the color wheel. Usually, a • Portable Network Graphics (PNG). This
combination of a primary and secondary file type is known for having a transparent
background. Images in this type are commonly
colors.
used in web documents.
Split-Complementary Color Scheme
• Graphics Interchange Format. This file
Split-complementary color scheme uses the type is known in its animated form. You can
colors on both sides of the opposite color. find them in social networking sites as posts or
Triadic Color Scheme comments. GIFs are often used in web pages
This color scheme uses colors that form an as can load quickly due to its reduced file size.
equilateral triangle. It may be a combination
of primary, secondary, or tertiary colors.
Tetradic Color Scheme
Also known as double complementary. This
color scheme uses two pairs of
complementary colors. Lesson 6
PHOTO IMAGING AND POST
Understanding Color Profiles PROCESSING
Whenever we open an image editing
application or buy a printer ink at the store, Photography
we may observe labels like RGB or CMYK. Photography is an art form like drawing and
• RGB. This color profile consists of Red, painting. Photographers use their camera to
Green, and Blue. You should use this profile make us see life in a different way, feel
emotions, and record stories and events. show the shutter speed without the
Greek for “Painting with Light” and can be numerator, i.e. 250 instead of 1/250.
considered both an art and science. Film Speed / ISO
The world’s first photograph made in a It is the measure of the sensitivity of the film
camera was taken in 1826 by Joseph sensor in a camera. It measured in values
Nicéphore Niépce. using ISO numbers. ISO simply stands for
International Organization of Standardization.
There are three basic types of Photography: With both analog and digital cameras, ISO
Landscape Photography refers to the same thing: the light sensitivity
Landscape is a photograph of the of either the film or imaging sensor.
environment. Landscape photography is a
photograph of the outdoors. Ansel Adams is a Stops
famous landscape photographer. The amount of light that strikes the film/chip
Portrait Photography is measured in stop and is also known as
A portrait photograph is a picture of a person exposure value (Ev). It is used to measure
or animal that shows an emotional differences in Ev of apertures, shutter speed
connection. and film speeds. “Fast” means the camera
Documentary Photography expose a photo too quickly.
Documentary photography tells a story Lighting
without changing the facts. It can be a portrait Light is the essential ingredient of photos. One
or landscape. Remember that a good of the skills that separates photographers
documentary photograph makes you wonder from snap shooters is the ability to solve
the story behind the picture. lighting problems. There are two primary
factors to consider for light: Direction and
Exposure Colour.
An exposure is a measure of how bright a Lighting – Direction - The direction the light
photo is as it saved to your memory card. comes from can make the image seem flat or
Sometimes referred to as finished image. 3-Dimensional. Front lighting is easy to
photograph, but images are generally flat.
Overexposed vs Underexposed Lighting – Colour - The colour of light is
measured by temperature in Kelvin (° K).
The Photographic Triangle Natural light changes through the day and
A correct exposure is as simple combination of humans respond psychologically to different
three important factors: aperture, shutter colours, therefore the colour of a photo will
speed and ISO. affect emotional responses. Light that is in the
Aperture (Av) reds, oranges and yellows is said to be
It is the size of the hole in the diaphragm that “Warm”, conversely, “Cool” light is blue in
allows light into the camera. The larger the tone.
hole, the more light that enters the camera in
a given time. Aperture comes from the Latin Top Ten Tips in Taking Great Pictures
for ‘opening’. 1. Get down on their level.
Depth of field 2. Use a plain background.
Is an expression describing how much of a 3. Use flash outdoors.
photo is in focus. If you use a large aperture (a 4. Move in close.
smaller f-number), you get shallow depth of 5. Take some vertical pictures.
field, which means that if you take a portrait 6. Lock the focus.
photo, your subject will be in focus, but the 7. Move it from the middle. (rule of thirds)
background will be out of focus. 8. Know your flash range.
Shutter speed (Tv) 9. Watch the light.
The function of the shutter mechanism is to 10. Be a picture director.
admit light into the camera, and onto the
Post Processing
digital media or film for a specific length of
Post processing is process of editing the data
time.
captured by camera while taking the photo to
Shutter Speed and Motion Capture
enhance the image. Better the data captured
Shutter speed is measured in fractions of during clicking of photo better is the
seconds. Depending on the camera, it may enhancement possibility.
 Grid designs also play an essential role in
There are various stages of post processing keeping objects and elements aligned.
based on what is the final result that one
wants to achieve.
1. Fine tuning of RAW file. Use the right infographic layout for your data
2. Converting RAW file to easily readable For example, you could use a one column
formats like jpg/png/tiff. layout for a minimal infographic, or create a
3. Editing of jpg to remove unwanted features. list infographic by spitting the layout into two
4. Mixing of various files to achieve creative columns.
result. Follow data visualization best practices
Always start your infographic planning with
Post Processing Software pen and paper. This way, you can work
There are basically two things that are done in through concepts and designs roughly before
post processing: finalizing a digital copy.
1. An algorithm is run on all existing data of Choose the best chart types for your data
pixel and minor changes are applied to pixel The type of data you are trying to convey will
data. determine which chart type is the best for
2. Manually selecting and Replacing the pixel your data.
data with total new data.
Incorporate different infographic design
Workflow of Post Processing
elements
There are lot of changes possible during post
Typography
processing. Sequence of these changes is
Typography is a very important element for
important as change made at one stage can
affect the effectiveness of next stage. Most of infographic design and your one way to
the software are also organized in a fashion to explain your ideas and information when
guide the users through a smooth work flow. images, graphs or icons can’t. That's why it's
important to choose the best font for your
data.
Use photography in your infographic design
The use of photography can be tricky if there
Lesson 7 is not a photographer available to take the
CREATING INFOGRAPHICS FOR SOCIAL shots of exactly what you need. Be sure that
CAMPAIGN the photos you use have a consistent style and
lighting.
Overview Use contrast in your infographic design
Nearly two-third of the population are visual Contrast creates visual impact by placing two
learners, which means it’s important to put a strikingly different elements beside each
heavy emphasis on showing, not telling. other. If an infographic has a light background
An infographic is the perfect way to visually with bold colored shapes, our eyes are
represent important data and information so immediately attracted to the bold colors. This
that your audience has a greater chance of allows you to organize information by having a
understanding and retaining it. certain element more prominent than
another.
Create an infographic outline Contrast using colors
Before diving into your design, create an Color selection can have a big impact on your
infographic outline. In your outline, include infographic design. Try pairing complementary
your headers, data, and any design details you colors to make your headline pop. One of my
don't want to forget. favourite combinations is a darker blue with a
Write a compelling title brighter color like orange which makes your
Come up with a title that is catchy and headline stand out.
descriptive. Readers should get a sense of what Contrast using typography sizes
the information will be, to engage them and
A header is usually the largest text on an
make them want to read further.
infographic, followed by the subheader and
Use a grid design or wireframe for your
then the body copy. The header should pretty
infographic design
much always be the largest point size so that
Grids and wireframes are the structural base
the viewer knows the subject of your
to any design. Designing on a grid allows you
infographic right off the bat.
to easily organize elements and information.
Contrasting visuals
Use a tinted image contrasted with a chart
overtop to add context.
Create symmetrical and asymmetrical
balance
An infographic with visual balance is pleasing
to the eyes because everything fits together
seamlessly. A balanced infographic keeps the
entire composition cohesive, especially in a
long form infographic.
Use color effectively
Decide on a color scheme before creating your
infographic. A good rule of thumb is to design
your infographic with two or three main
colors, and to use minor color accents.
Make sure there's consistency in your
infographic design
In order for your infographic design to flow
from start to finish, the design elements need
to be consistent. If you are using icons that
are filled in, rather than line art icons, then
keep using the same style throughout the
entire infographic.
Leave plenty of negative space in your
infographic design
Negative space is the blank space surrounding
objects in a design. Negative space has a big
impact on your design. If your infographic
design is too crowded, it can overwhelm
readers and make it difficult to read the
information.
Practice, practice, practice
This is going to sound cliché, but when it
comes designing infographics, it will probably
take your a couple of goes at it to get the hang
of it. You will need to figure out what works in
a design and what doesn't.