Advertising is controlled identifiable persuasion by means of mass communication (magazines, posters, newspapers).
Magazines (audience by interest), newspapers (audience by geographic location). Posters require visual impact from a distance.

Graphic designers organize, clarify and enhance visual communication. Designers are concerned with the effectiveness of visual communication. 

Graphic designers use type, illustration, photography, and symbols to achieve visual solutions that are functional, elegant, simple, and economical to get most people in a target group to respond positively to a specific message.
 

COMMUNICATION  MODEL Communication is message conveyance. SENDER - encode - MEDIUM - decode -  RECEIVER                                - FEEDBACK LOOP to sender Some commonality of Sender and Receiver reference frames is required.

Perception/reality. Very often  the medium is the message. (the vehicle for communication affects human perception). 

Before communication: Audience analysis/Determine objective.
  a form of expression giving order to a human' s reaction to his/her environment. 

The components of a work of art - subject, form, content.

The Subject of a work of art (which in representational work is an identifiable visual theme) often relates to the originating experience, sensation or reaction of the artist that causes a work to come into being.

Form is all the perceivable characteristics of a work, 
and their arrangement.

Content is the meaning or message that is expressed by a work of art. The reason for its creation

Design is activity by or for a definite reason. Design is structure, order, organization. Design is rational and intellectual. 
 

Design elements	physical realities: line, shape, color, value, texture.
Design principles	guidelines to establish form unity: harmony, variety, dominance, balance, movement, proportion, economy.

Design Terms: plastic/decorative, picture plane/picture frame, figure/ground - positive/negative biomorphic/geometric - hard edge/soft edge.

CREATIVITY The creative process: Exposure, incubation, illumination, execution.

Resisting premature closure (hold out for best alternative). The paradox of design/creativity (design for structure and understanding, creativity for notability and interest)  

The design process - brainstorming Thumbnails (generate ideas, establish a visual record) generally seen only by the artist and colleagues, Roughs (provide a somewhat clearer focus of potential solutions) shown to the client to determine viability of direction. Comps (when necessary, are to sell the client on the finished design solution. Can also be used by production staff to match color, style, placement, etc.) Repros (used by production staff to produce finished product.) 

Abstraction is the simplification, distortion, exaggeration, or rearrangement of natural objects to meet the needs of artistic organization or expression.

Art Terms: figurative, representational, non-representational, non-objective. value key, aesthetic response.

Form follows function - (Function is determined first. The form given to a design is determined by what the design must accomplish).

Fine art must really only satisfy one individual, the artist. Applied art is meant to accomplish a purpose beyond the personal aesthetic statement of its creator. Applied art must often reach and satisfy a mass audience. The graphic designer may be expected to move millions of people to read a sign, understand a concept or follow a map.

Graphic design is an applied art 
The creative production as well as the final appearance of fine art and applied art are often identical because the same equipment, aesthetic judgements, and creative approach are employed. The graphic designer is also an artist and though the designer operates within a structure of limitations, there is almost always latitude for personal influence to emerge. The designer, in this sense, does make a personal contribution to the expression or interpretation of ideas

The following statements relate to "Design Disciplines" in applied art areas.

• Design may be considered as a medium for persuasion.
• Design is concerned with function as well as appearance.
• Design simplifies use, manufacture, and maintenance.
• Design may be considered as an instrument for organization.
• Design can save money by reducing the cost of labor, materials, and production.
• Design must perform in response to human needs.
• Most professional designers believe that products and machines are to be kept subordinate to human beings.
• Design enhances communication. It allows more people to understand a given message and accelerates learning.
• Design is finding the best solution to a problem within the limitations of the problem.
• Design may be considered as a method for improving safety and efficiency.
• Design is an urgent requirement, not a cosmetic addition. 
• Design is essential to survival.

Criticism of fine art - Inventory, formal analysis, interpretation, judgement. 

A quick sequence of critique for graphic design: execution, correct information, parameters followed, appropriate to communication task, well designed, creative. Also may consider on time, on budget.
 
 

Color terms etc. from review 2

 

Typography terms, etc. from review 1

Trademarks from review 2

Tools/materials:
Illustration board (hot press/cold press), technical pens, pencils, ruler, 

light tables (smooth hard surface, great for cutting, no shadows when light shines through surface, and of course tracing is easy).

Drymount (180° 30-45 sec. - Permanent, Clean, Immediate, Faster and easier for large items), spray mount, rubber cement. 

Repros (reproduction proof - camera ready image)

Reflective copy/transparent copy

Graphic reproduction terms: line copy (black & white no values), continuous tone (full value range possible), halftone (dots of varying size simulate the values of continuous tone). Resize art, (reproduction percentage, proportion scale).

PMT (positive matrix transfer), size change, high contrast, copy, new working surface.

PRESENTATION EVENT

• Audience/objective (demographics, names, titles, job responsibilities, expectations), 
• Instrumentalities (work, environment, equipment)
• Time (when, how long)
• Appearance (professional, appropriate)
• Attitude (professional, confident)
• Sequence (presentation order - design for objective)
• Rehearsal, (critique, revise, edit, redesign).

COMPUTER

• icons: Graphic representation of an object or collection of data
• cursor/pointer: Visual indicator of screen location
• menu: Screen list of available commands which can be initiated by their selection
• window: Screen area that displays contents of a disk, directory, or document
• mouse: Mechanical device used to manipulate the cursor, the mouse button(s) used for selection or activation of a command or tool
• files: A named collection of data
• directory/folder: A place where files and applications (programs) are kept.

The difference between the "save," and "save as..." commands on a computer. 

The Save command writes data from RAM to disk under the file name in the title bar of the document thereby replacing the existing document.

The Save As... command allows you to select the name and location of a file before it is saved. Some applications will also let you save a document in another format.

Illusions of space:linear perspective, atmospheric perspective, chiaroscuro, shadow, size, position on picture plane, overlap, transparency.

Perspective is the way things look from where you are.

Linear perspective presents lines as they would appear from the viewer's position. In two point perspective, horizontal lines appear to converge at one of two "vanishing points" on the horizon. The horizon line represents the eye level of the viewer. Sizes decrease toward the vanishing points.

Atmospheric perspective, sometimes called aerial perspective, presents distant objects as they would appear if seen through layers of atmosphere (air, mist, fog, smoke, haze). This manifests itself in a loss or reduction of: detail, value contrast, and chroma. There is also a hue shift toward blue (distant object colors are seen as cooler).

Linear perspective sample
The diagram below right represents a 10 foot square floor grid as seen from above. 
The shaded area represents a box. 

Use the grid below to draw the box in two point linear perspective as it would appear from a viewing height of four feet. Note the placement of the box on the grid. The box is 3' high.

PLUS SOME INFO FROM THE OTHER REVIEWS