Elements of Graphic Design Here are the basics

Elements of Graphic Design

Here are the basics of graphic design: ★ Line ★ Color ★ Shape ★ Texture ★ Size ★ Value ★ Space

Lines come in all shapes and sizes. The style of line that you choose can tell the reader something about your attitude toward the subject. For example, if you use a straight line, it might denote seriousness or orderliness. If you use a squiggly line, it might denote a casual tone. Lines can also be thick, thin, solid, polka dot, arranged in patterns, etc. Each design decision about lines impacts the tone or feeling of your creation. Thin lines imply fragility. Thick lines denote strength. Curved lines are fluid and soft. Zigzag lines show movement. So when you decide on the lines you use in your graphic novel, you need to consider what tone you want the image to have and design accordingly.

Color is an important consideration when creating a graphic representation. In the case of Persepolis, the author chose to use only black and white, and that choice created a distinctive style and tone for the book. For your purposes, you may choose to use color or not. If you choose to do so, consider this: Colors have associated feelings and meanings. If you choose to use colors, select ones that convey the right emotions. Colors can also be warm or cool. Blue conveys trust, stability, loyalty. Green may be calming or represent wealth. Red conveys energy, anger, vigor. Yellow represents youthfulness or freshness. Pink is for romance, femininity, love. Black is powerful, mysterious, sophisticated.

Shapes are used in graphic design to connect and highlight information. They can also create texture and dimension in a design. Shapes can also express ideas, help an artist divide up the space in an image, and create movement in a design. Squares and rectangles can convey ideas of stability, honesty, and security. But they are common, so they are not used to draw attention in an image. Organic shapes are not geometric and may be more dramatic than traditional geometric shapes. Circles can represent infinity. They have no start or finish. Circles also contain things and restrict things. Abstract shapes are not bound by rules. Triangles can represent aggression, movement, and/or energy.

Texture creates visual interest. It adds dimension to the image. Texture as it relates to graphic design is the visual appearance of the image. Texture can also reinforce the content of the text. For example, text about a particular leaf could benefit from layering it over an image of the leaf. Texture is achieved in this format by layering text, shapes, and lines. It can also be achieved by incorporating photography or fine art. Texture is also tactile, which means it represents something that people can actually touch. It can draw an audience in by connecting to a tactile experience they have already had.

S i. Z E Size is also known as scale. Size refers to the relative size of objects in an image. This can impact which objects the eye is drawn to and which objects are more obscure. Using various sizes in an image also creates So while a symmetrical benefit from variety. interest for the eye. design may work for some products, most

Value is the word we use for how light or dark something is. It encompasses dark, white, and everything in between. Value is used to draw the viewer’s eye to information. It is also used to create depth in an image, to highlight something, and to create a pattern. You can think of value as the full spectrum of shadows. You know how important shadows and contouring can be. Use value to your advantage by thinking about areas you might want to highlight or by creating an interesting pattern where one is appropriate.

S p a c e Space in graphic design can be both positive and negative. Positive space is space in the image where things are happening -- the area where the subject or text is. Negative space is space that is unused, empty. It is the space that surrounds the subject. When you think about your use of space, consider how powerful the positioning of images and text can be. If you want to be dramatic you might space out your text or images. If you want to give a sense of chaos or panic, you might squeeze a lot of text and images into a small space. If you want to trick the eye, you might do something like this:

Depending on what you see first in this image, you determine positive and negative space. If you see the faces first, they are the positive space. If you see the vase first, that is the positive space. In this case, positive and negative spaces flip back and forth.

Graphic Novel Terms Don’t forget: Since you are creating graphic novel pages/panels, you have the opportunity and the obligation to design the following: Panel Frame Gutter Bleed Foreground Midground Background Figures Captions Speech Balloons Special Effects Lettering