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The Process of Graphic Design
Last week after watching the video the question I had was: “Aside from direction and collaboration with the client, how do graphic designers, who design well, land on that mood?” I believe this video answered my question perfectly. The first step in solving what the graphic designer has been tasked with is asking “who is my audience?”, and from there the whole design process must be user-centered. When they ask does a design feel right, the answer can’t be from the client’s point of view alone because they are not the only one to interact with it. I’m sure being the middleman can be stressful, but also equally rewarding when the graphic designer bridges the gap by successfully expressing the client’s message.
What is Graphic Design
Graphic design is about visually communicating a message. Not only do graphic designers have the responsibility to understand what their client is trying to communicate, they also “have a responsibility to the people that will live with that communication.” This part of the video stood out to me. Whether it is a poster, a book cover or product packaging the designer has to ask themselves how it would affect the user’s life. I agree with speaker who said we don’t realize how much we subconsciously interact with designs that bring ease or pleasure into our lives.
After watching, I thought of some of my personal interactions like MTA subway posters that I was quickly able to decipher the information because of the imagery and icons. Another example was when I was at Target buying new hair products and I decided to try a new line of products called Emerge. Thinking back, I decided to give it a try because of the price point, but admittedly it was the bright packaging and geometrical pattern that first caught my eye. I am definitely guilty of choosing hair products not only for their content but also how it will look on my shelf. In the MTA poster example the designer is able to quickly communicate subway policies or changes through the images. With the hair product packaging, the design subconsciously brought me pleasure which added to the value of the product for me.
What a Graphic Designer Does
This video gave me a lot of understanding about the type of work that graphic designers do. It is not just creating the logo, choosing the font, or selecting the images. It is all the specific visual elements coming together, using the same voice to communicate the client’s larger message. There are so many possible combinations of these elements to convey the mood for what a project needs.
The last speaker in the video argued that getting to the core of a design project involves “trying to find an attitude for response to the client” and asking yourself what are the right moods and elements for the job. This comes before the specific craft skills to execute. Aside from direction and collaboration with the client, how do graphic designers, who design well, land on that mood? I’m sure it comes with experience but finding the perfect configuration of all of the visual elements seem daunting.
