To be a true graphic designer...

[eXsub]

http://www.online.tusc.k12.al.us/tutorials...gn/grdesign.htm

This link is to help amateurs, or even moderately skilled people at graphic design, there's many tips with do's and dont's on the website. I hope you find this useful and if not - please dont complain and say its not, because it really is.

UPDDATE#1

Seems a lot of people have made use of this link :) going on 2,000 mark!

UPDDATE#2

A few more posts, i really think the link should be stickied, lots of people are using this link. :)

UPDATE#3

http://www.ideabook.com/typepale.htm

As my friend pointed out, this too is another very useful website. It contains information about the font styles and their potential meaning - e.g. BOLD for a statement.

Edited February 22, 2005 by eXsub

[SadJoker]

What a load of crap! :p

[eXsub]

I hope you were joking.

if not, then you'll have a hard time going about getting employed @ a graphic design place.

[pto]

All I need is music.

[eXsub]

All I need is music.

585506404[/snapback]

ok let me eloberate my point here..

its easy to make graphics, its harder to make them look good, and it takes alot of time to create something special..

but if you don't know the background knowledge of what works/doesnt work then you will have a hard time getting employed for a real job. Belive me, i know all of this. - Been there done that ;) .. so thats why i have started a topic just to inform you young graphic designers all about the real world.

[Coffeee]

:yes: :) (Y) lol

[Hankyone]

tutorials is the best way to learn

[kampioen]

please rename the thread.. the guy made a mistake.. it shoud be called:

Thread trying to kill ppl with boredom

[eXsub]

please rename the thread.. the guy made a mistake.. it shoud be called:

Thread trying to kill ppl with boredom

585506426[/snapback]

I wouldn't push it, im sure mods respect my words and i highly doubt they respect yours.

This is afterall a graphic design catogry, and people here im sure want to get employed - so im helping them, your useless words arnt helping.

[smaulz]

Actually, some good info there. The main thing is to learn all the rules, so you know the ones you can and can't break. :)

[eXsub]

tutorials is the best way to learn

585506425[/snapback]

Yeah, but for the high marority of them its learning the application, see - graphic design isnt just about getting l33t with photoshop, its also about composition, colour, layout and many other very important factors.

[kampioen]

I wouldn't push it, im sure mods respect my words and  i highly doubt they respect yours.

This is afterall a graphic design catogry, and people here im sure want to get employed - so im helping them, your useless words arnt helping.

585506435[/snapback]

Sorry.. I was born knowing everything it says on that amazingly graphically designed website LOL if they give u tips at least get a nice website first.. u dont see me telling u how to do grafix and show u the crapiest ones ever

[eXsub]

Actually, some good info there. The main thing is to learn all the rules, so you know the ones you can and can't break. :)

585506437[/snapback]

exactly my point, once people know all of that information on that page, they will soon realise their graphics look much better. Ive been through it all belive me, i didon't really care about the theory.. i just tired to make it look good, but now im learning all about the theory of it and its making my graphics look so much better.

And also, because you know all of that knowledge, when you come to getting employed you'll know what your on about - you'll sound professional to the employers and you'll have a much higher chance of getting employed.

[eXsub]

Sorry.. I was born knowing everything it says on that amazingly graphically designed website LOL if they give u tips at least get a nice website first.. u dont see me telling u how to do grafix and show u the crapiest ones ever

585506455[/snapback]

I'm not going to argue with you anymore, but let me just say this;

Your sarcasm isn't going to get you anywhere,

Who cares about what the website looks like? its the main rules of graphic design and that website is brilliant for helping you understand the rules on how to get a good looking piece, weather it be a poster, leaflet, or website.

[kampioen]

exactly my point, once people know all of that information on that page, they will soon realise their graphics look much better. Ive been through it all belive me, i didon't really care about the theory.. i just tired to make it look good, but now im learning all about the theory of it and its making my graphics look so much better.

And also, because you know all of that knowledge, when you come to getting employed you'll know what your on about  - you'll sound professional to the employers and you'll have a much higher chance of getting employed.

585506465[/snapback]

man... if u are good at designing.. u dont need that crap.. design is about creativity.. not about a book of rules

[eXsub]

man... if u are good at designing.. u dont need that crap.. design is about creativity.. not about a book of rules

585506477[/snapback]

I knew you were going to say that.

Listen, just because there are rules doesn't mean your totally restricated.

That information on that page will help you big time, if you actually read it. Its like many guidlines on how to make decent looking graphic.

Go ahead, make a film poster, try your best and then read and follow some key points that website suggests and i grauntee you it will look much much better.

[HawkMan]

Best art is made by those that don't give an F. abotu their audience or anyone else and just makes their art for themselves.

The only thing this don't apply for is website/GUI design, butt hat's a whole different thing again. since then you enter the realm of usability. and everyone who makes flash webpages proves that beign an artist and being good at makign good designs doesn't make you good at making UI's :)

[eXsub]

let my clarify some things, i'm not sure where you are and where you would get employed by a graphic place ( such as websites, logos etc ) but that information on that link is very usefull.

Im not talking about traditional art where you can draw anything you wish - thats a whole different area, im talking about graphics... Such as websites, leaflets, posters, film posters, and any other type of media that needs all those key elements ( and again, composition, colour, layout )

EDIT;

I understand there are many wanna-be graphic designers here and many im sure many will find it very useful on the information ive provided, thats why I have posted here.

[Mokano]

Great info-

I learned a few things :happy:

Thanks man (Y)

[eXsub]

Great info-

I learned a few things  :happy:

Thanks man (Y)

585506521[/snapback]

no problem.

and for the few people who still think my words are uter lies, here's just a snipped from the page which helps alot;

"White space (the absence of text and graphics) is vital to graphic design. The key is to add just enough white space so the eye knows where to go and can rest a bit when it gets there.

You can control white space in the following location: margins, paragraph spacing, spacing between lines of text, gutters (the space between columns), and surrounding text and graphics. "

even just that quote can really improve your design skill.

[YaKaLeDo]

This tutorial is for Professional graphic design, it's not for Amateurs or spare time designers.

The tutorial gives basic guideline you should already know, or you've learned by practice.

As you can play guitar very well without knowing a thing about music, u can be good designer without having any artistic background.

[smaulz]

Oh, look at all the little warez monkeys. Listen, downloading a copy of Photoshop does NOT make you a graphic designer. If you want to be an 'artist', fine, go toss a handful of feces at a painting of the virgin mary... if you want to be a graphic designer, there are rules to follow. They aren't there to limit you, they're there to ensure a professional, readable design. Just because something looks pretty doesn't mean it's going to sell the product, and that's what graphic design is all about; selling the product. Whether it's a tube of toothpaste, or a $60K car, if the consumer doesn't smell what you're shoveling, you're wasting your time.

[edit]

Before somebody pipes up with "there's a difference between graphic design and advertising", let me just say, duh. However, even if you're designing a website or an informational brochure, you still have to "sell" something to the end-user, be it an idea, a concept, whatever.

[YaKaLeDo]

no problem.

and for the few people who still think my words are uter lies, here's just a snipped from the page which helps alot;

"White space (the absence of text and graphics) is vital to graphic design. The key is to add just enough white space so the eye knows where to go and can rest a bit when it gets there.

You can control white space in the following location: margins, paragraph spacing, spacing between lines of text, gutters (the space between columns), and surrounding text and graphics. "

even just that quote can really improve your design skill.

585506529[/snapback]

very interesting

:yes:

[eXsub]

Oh, look at all the little warez monkeys. Listen, downloading a copy of Photoshop does NOT make you a graphic designer. If you want to be an 'artist', fine, go toss a handful of feces at a painting of the virgin mary... if you want to be a graphic designer, there are rules to follow. They aren't there to limit you, they're there to ensure a professional, readable design. Just because something looks pretty doesn't mean it's going to sell the product, and that's what graphic design is all about; selling the product. Whether it's a tube of toothpaste, or a $60K car, if the consumer doesn't smell what you're shoveling, you're wasting your time.

[edit]

Before somebody pipes up with "there's a difference between graphic design and advertising", let me just say, duh. However, even if you're designing a website or an informational brochure, you still have to "sell" something to the end-user, be it an idea, a concept, whatever.

585506533[/snapback]

Thanks for backing me up, I think this link should be sticky, it would help alot of people I belive.

[aximxp]

I've never touched a tutorial or learned a design principle and I'd have to say I get along pretty decently. Personally my pet peeve is A) People who think you *NEED* to use photoshop to be a real graphic artist and B) people who think that going to a design college, taking lessons, etc, is the only way to be a real artist. Working with rigid guidelines and having people tell you what consititutes creativity and style work to stagnate the design community as opposed to empowering them.

If you want to help someone give them the tools and techniques to create, not guidelines..

Tutorials on how to actually accomplish certain techniques and effects in Photoshop are useful but extremely general design principles (eg. 'crop images into an oval to be creative') like this guide displays are hardly 'professional design' principles. Moreover they're fairly old suggestions that seem more out of the corel-draw design era.

To back up what I'm saying, this is from scratch in Paint Shop Pro / Rhino 3D

EDIT: Again I'm not saying these tips are useless, they're definitely good guidelines to use but just like lessons in harmony and composition do not constitute a good musician, following guidelines like these by no means makes one a 'true graphic designer'.

Edited February 20, 2005 by aximxp

[kampioen]

Thanks for backing me up, I think this link should be sticky, it would help alot of people I belive.

585506566[/snapback]

Ladies and Gentlemen.. we got a believer!!! lol I'll bet you 90% of the best websites did not use these rules...