Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
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Basic tools
Designers have access to various traditional
and modern tools that provide great flexibility in the
design process and the work that results. From hands-
on craft-based tools, such as a scalpel and cutting
mat, to a personal computer with a drawing tablet,
designers can express themselves in any number of
ways to experiment and develop a visual idea.
150 The Fundamentals of Graphic Design The production process
Spray mount (above)
Spray mount is an aerosol adhesive used
to bond two or more pieces of stock
together for the production of mock-ups
and dummies. There are several types
available: the basic spray mount is used
for producing mock-ups; the display
mount provides a more permanent bond;
and low-tack adhesives allow for
repositioning. Spray mount should ideally
be used in a spray booth or a separate,
well-ventilated area in order to prevent
sticky adhesive residue being applied to
the face side of any prints.
Cutting mat (above)
A good quality, rubber cutting mat should be used with a scalpel to stop the blade from
sliding; the rubber mat protects both the scalpel handler and desk surfaces. Available
in rubber or composite vinyl materials, cutting mats often include grid patterns and
angle guidelines to help make precisely measured cuts. The compacted nature of the
mat material means that they self-repair and maintain a smooth surface that does not
show cutting lines or marks.
Scalpel (above)
A scalpel is a blade used for cutting stock – an essential tool for the creation
of dummies and mock-ups. Scalpels are available with a range of different handles
and interchangeable blades, which should be changed regularly to ensure optimum
performance. Cutting should be performed so that you cut-to-waste – the cut is
made through the waste stock being cut away and not the printed item that will be
the product.
Cutting rule (above)
A cutting rule is a metal ruler that is used to make cuts of accurate length. Metal is
used rather than plastic as the latter material is easily nicked by the blade, which alters
and distorts the straight edge. Cutting rules can be flat or have a raised profile to help
keep the cutter’s fingers away from the blade.
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Basic tools > Specialist colour 151
Scale rule (above)
Scale rules have a measurement scale
that present different ratios as a fraction
of an inch or millimetre. A common sight
in architectural practices, such rules
offer scales such as 1:16, 1:32 and 1:64.
These rules are invaluable for a designer
producing work for an exhibition, signage
or environmental design.
Roller (above)
A roller is used in conjunction with
a cutting mat and an adhesive for
pressing together different sheets of
stock to form backed-up prints that are
used for dummies.
Tapes (above)
Designers use different types of
adhesive tape for different jobs, such as
to mask parts of a design; to fix work to
a board; or to temporarily hold
structures together.
Loupe (above)
A loupe is a magnifying lens used to
check proofs and transparencies.
Photographer’s loupes offer 8x
magnification, while printer’s loupes
offer 10x or 14x magnification.
Writing ink (above)
Writing ink is a pigment-containing liquid
deposited on to paper by a pen or brush.
When used for lettering, it can add a
vernacular element and immediacy that
printed letter forms cannot.
Protractor (above)
A protractor is a semi-circular tool used
to measure angles.
Watercolour and brushes (above)
Watercolour is a paint that has water-
soluble pigment, which allows its colours
to be diluted. Designers apply
watercolour in thumbnail sketches as
flood colour to rapidly cover large areas.
Marker pens (above)
Marker pens have their own supply
of ink that is deposited on to the stock
through a porous tip. Pens are available
with different tip shapes although they
will commonly have a fine and a thin
edge.
Fine line pens (above)
Fine line pens that produce various line
weights are available. They start from
0.25mm and get progressively thicker to
provide for different drawing and
sketching needs. Desktop publishing and
drawing packages have also adopted
these line weights.
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152 The Fundamentals of Graphic Design The production process
Stencils (below)
A stencil is a template of holes that form
letters and numbers, which can be drawn
through and on to a substrate with a pen.
Type scale (below)
A type scale is a rule that measures in
points (the basic unit used for type), as
well as millimetres. Designers may use a
type scale when sketching out a layout to
insert type of an approximate size.
French curves (below)
A French curve is a drafting tool used
to produce smoothly drawn curves.
Pencils (below)
Pencils contain a graphite core that
is used to leave a mark on paper.
The intensity of the mark depends on
the hardness or softness of the graphite.
This is represented by the HB
classification system in the UK, ranging
from 9B (softest and darkest) to 9H
(hardest and lightest). US writing pencils
have a number system in which #1 is a
B grade, #2 is HB, #3 is H and #4 is 2H.
Paper (below)
A multitude of different papers are
available to the designer including
tracing paper, watercolour paper that
does not crinkle when wet, and sturdy
cartridge paper.
Digital media (below)
Digital files can be stored on a range
of different media. CDs and DVDs
are relatively cheap ways of storing,
sending and viewing digital information.
Memory sticks or pen drives are a highly
portable and reusable means of storing
digital files.
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Printing papers (below)
Printing papers are various speciality
papers that designers use when
mounting presentations. Examples
include gloss, double sided and matt.
Printer (above)
A printer is a device used to deposit
ink on to a substrate. Many types of
printers are available – from desktop
inkjet to laser printers. They can produce
four-colour work at varying speeds
and qualities.
Scanner (above)
A device that produces an electronic
file by scanning artwork or an image
with a battery of electronic sensors
thus recording information.
Basic tools > Specialist colour 153
Letraset (below)
Letraset are transfers of typographical
characters available in a wide range of
fonts. They were a key design tool for
producing mock-ups before the benefits
of desktop computing became available.
Drawing tablet (above)
An electronic tablet is drawn upon with
a stylus and acts as an interface between
the designer and the computer. This
offers the freedom of freehand drafting,
using different tools for rapid production
and editing of drawn images.
Software (below)
A computer program that enables the
user to operate and perform specific
functions on a computer and related
devices, such as scanners and printers.
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154 The Fundamentals of Graphic Design The production process
Typeface samplers (left)
A typeface sampler is a swatch book
for fonts, which allows a designer to
consider a wider range when selecting
letterforms for a job.
Pantone swatches (right and
below right)
Pantone swatches are essential to obtain
accurate colour printing. Several
different swatch books are available,
which correspond to different collections
of Pantone colours, such as the spot,
metallic and pastel swatches shown
here. The Pantone system allocates a
letter and a number to each colour.
Some colours may also be named. The
equivalent CMYK colour swatches show
how Pantone colours reproduce using the
CMYK printing process. Swatches allow
a designer to see colour discrepancies at
the design stage rather than when a job
is on the press.
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