THE DESIGNPROCESS S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n THE DESIGN PROCESS • Situation/Brief • Research • Thumbnails • Roughs • Comprehensives • Presentation • Ready for Press S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n SITUATION/BRIEF • The Problem Statement • Design Brief • //example S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n RESEARCH Selling a design to client will be more effective and easier when it is supported by research and justified from a perspective the client will understand. • What are the problem parameters? • The Audience • Constraints • Format • Budget • Time • Goal of project S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n Research • Gather and study related materials • Information gathering • Visual research • What has been done before • What is being created locally and nationally for this type of design situation • Study design annuals, periodicals and Websites • Search for creative approach to design problem • Build a visual and conceptual vocabulary for the situation • Dictionary definition of the topic at hand • For additional background, consult an encyclopaedia, Internet • Make a word association list of everything you can think of that is associated with the topic S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n RESEARCH • Save personally significant visuals and collectibles • Approach a design as both prose and poetry • Be logical and intuitive S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n RESEARCH Build a file • Interesting materials • Previous projects • Samples for ideas • Organise into different categories/ chronological order • Build on your visual vocabulary (to build new designs) just like word vocabulary for authors • Subscribe to Graphic Design Magazines • Online websites • Never copy other designer’s solution • Lifting isolated parts from a someone’s else work will not give a unified design • However, looking at how someone else solved a particular problem is part of your education • Designers are expected to build on the work of others • Do not create from vacuum • We are influenced by good and bad design S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n THUMBNAILS • Exploration of alternative solutions • Ideas sketches to provide visual evidence of the: • Thinking • Searching leads to final solutions • Sorting • Exercising the mind with thumbnail sketches is like exercising any muscle – the more you exercise, the more powerful it gets • The more you work to develop ideas through small, preliminary sketches the richer will be the range of solutions available to choose from for the design • Never to be short-cut it determines the strength of the final design S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n THUMBNAILS • Demonstrate • Thinking (flexible, tenacious visual thinking) • Experimentation • Growth • Keep the thumbnails the ideas in them can be used in other projects • Thumbnails are usually small drawings they are not meant to be fast and not detailed • 5 x 8 cm – drawn in proportion to the dimensions of the finished piece • Fill a sheet of paper with ideas S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n THUMBNAILS S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n THUMBNAILS • Never reject an idea – sketch it on the go • Work through the idea with pencil/mouse from every perspective possible • Take one good idea and make several variations on it S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n ROUGH • After exploration of range of ideas • Best thumbnails are selected for refinement • Can be presented to other designers, instructors for discussion • These refined selected thumbnails (roughs) are presented to an art director and to clients for review • Roughs can undergo redefining and rethinking • Thumbnail process may begin all over again • Full size roughs can be done on the computer • To test whether the original idea works on a larger scale • Gives the opportunity to work out small problem areas that was not dealt with during thumbnail stage • Type style, shapes, colour can be redefined S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n ROUGH S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n COMPREHENSIVES/ COMP • Piece of art presented to client for final approval • Based on rough but very carefully done • Consult with art directors, editors, instructor before choosing the rough idea to refine for your final solution • Client can judge the design solution from the comp, because it looks much like the finished piece • Comp is usually computer generated, with all components assembled and exactly positioned • Include diverse elements: photographs, computer generated type, electronic illustrations, S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n COMP S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n COMP AND THUMNAILS S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n COMP • Comps take different forms: depends on media for which they are intended • TV, film ideas are presented as storyboards • 3D comp for package design • Website can be presented to client with S o u r c e : G r a p h i c D e s i g n B a s i c s - A m y E . A r n t s o n