Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
2ND
Proof Page:22
22 The Fundamentals of Graphic Design Graphic design as a discipline
Graphic design today
Graphic design has evolved and adapted
to change by incorporating new technologies in
communicating to an ever more segmented audience.
It poses a number of questions: Where does this
process of evolution leave graphic design today?
What is the currency of modern graphic design?
What does graphic design seek to do?
Storytelling
Designers are modern storytellers who try to
make sense of the world through the arrangement
and presentation of text and images. Narrative
development is one of the issues mentioned
throughout this book and is one of the essential
elements that a designer instils within a publication.
A narrative is constructed by using text and image
to create meanings, which can be achieved in many
ways through the use of symbolism, metaphor or
other devices.
Text and image
Text and image are the mainstays of graphic design
and their arrangement on a page, screen or in the
built environment is one of the ways through which
people communicate in the modern world. Numerous
groups compete for our time and attention; our
attention spans are getting shorter, which means
messages need to be abbreviated. Designs have to
work harder and on different levels in order to
communicate effectively. Different design elements
must complement each other in order to enhance the
overall communication.
General Specific to example (opposite page)
What: What are you trying to say? Report on the financial performance of a company
Why: Why is your message unique? Presenting it in a way that makes the information accessible and
interesting
Who: Who is the message for? For shareholders, regulators, customers, staff and
other stakeholders
How: How are you going to do it? Through juxtaposed, contrasting metaphorical images
Where: Where will the message appear? In the annual report
When: When will it be delivered? In 2007, reporting on the 2006 financial year
Questions to ask when constructing a narrative:
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Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
3RD
Proof Page:23
001-023 01077_C3.qxd 9/24/08 1:06 PM Page 23
Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
3RD
Proof Page:23
Group structures and working methods < Graphic design today 23
Wienerberger annual report
This annual report by Austrian
firm Büro X exemplifies one of
the main challenges faced by
modern graphic design: namely,
making that which is difficult
to understand understandable,
and that which is uninteresting,
engaging. The designs in
this report are honest,
straightforward and engaging
in spite of its heavy subject
matter. The piece recognises
that brick production is not
necessarily very stimulating,
even if it is a profitable
business. The de sign use s
specially commissioned
photography and a lenticular
cover to provide colourful and
juxtaposed, contrasting images
that are relevant to the
company and its staff members.
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