Information Design 4 Graphic Design Rune Pettersson * Institute for infology Layout Typography 2 ISBN 978-91-85334-29-2 © Rune Pettersson Tullinge 2012 3 Preface Information design is a multi-disciplinary, multi-dimensional, and worldwide consideration with influences from areas such as language, art and aesthetics, information, communication, be- haviour and cognition, business and law, as well as media pro- duction technologies. Since my retirement I have revised, edited and expanded sections of my books, conference papers and reports about in- formation design, message design, visual communication and visual literacy. The result of this work is a series of five books about information design. Information Design 1 – Message Design Information Design 2 – Text Design Information Design 3 – Image Design Information Design 4 – Graphic Design Information Design 5 – Cognition These books include definitions, selected results from research, and theoretical considerations as well as practical guidelines for design. The intended reader is especially interested in research and theory related to message design, and the design of infor- mation sets and information materials. Tullinge, Sweden Rune Pettersson, Ph.D. Retired Professor of Information Design 4 Contents Preface 3! Contents 4! Organized structure 8! Graphic design 8! Purpose for graphic design 8! Graphic design objectives 11! Graphic design processes 12! History of graphic design 15! Step by step 15! Research-based information 18! Aesthetic principles 20! Harmony 20! Aesthetic proportion 22! Fine art 23! Information aesthetics 25! Functional principles 38! Providing clarity 38! Legibility of text 39! Legibility of pictures 42! Legibility of layout 43! Legibility of symbols 43! Legibility of numerical values 44! Legibility of maps 44! Legibility of colour 45! Providing emphasis 46! Emphasis in text 47! 5 Emphasis in layout 49! Providing unity 51! Typography 54! Type 54! Design of characters 55! Typefaces 57! Size of type 61! Stylistic variation of type 67! Typeface personalities 69! Selection of typefaces 71! Some common typefaces 74! Paper and ink 79! Cost effective typography 80! Projected typography 82! OH and PP 83! Slides 85! Screen typography 86! Visual displays 87! The message on the screen 94! Computer print-outs 106! Layout 109! Page composition 109! Text face 110! The classic model for page design 111! Margins 113! Page size 116! We need an index 117! Grid systems 125! Oppositions 127! 6 Text layout 129! Justified or unjustified text? 131! Line length 135! Interline distance 139! Space 142! Headings 146! Paragraphs 149! Tables 152! Legends 159! Quotations 164! Lists 165! Miscellaneous 169! Layout of text and pictures 180! Different layouts 180! Balance in design 183! The picture area index 189! Graphic symbols 194! Use of graphic symbols 194! Groups of graphic symbols 194! Visual terms 196! Objectives 197! Interpretation of meaning 197! Warnings 201! Traffic signs 202! Project “crossing road signs” 203! Message and symbol 208! Design of graphic symbols 212! Information graphics 218! Graphics 218! 7 Objectives 220! Time for production 221! Posters 222! The father of the poster 223! The king of the poster 225! Art nouveau 227! The 20th century 228! Everyday graphics 230! Instructing 231! Informing 232! Tempting to buy 234! Text, picture, and background 236! References 240! 8 Organized structure Although we may not think about it, the practice of graphic de- sign is as old as recorded history. We see the results of graphic design every day in books, magazines, packages, papers, post- ers, symbols, and many other products. Graphic design A generally accepted view is that graphic design may be de- scribed as the art and craft of bringing a functional, aesthetic, and organized structure to different kinds of texts and illustra- tions. Graphic design is a process (verb) as well as a result (noun) of that process. Purpose for graphic design The purpose of work with graphic design is to find a suitable presentation of the message with respect to the intended re- ceiver, medium, and economical situation. Melin (1999) found that it is more likely that graphically complex texts will be read than “plain” texts. And it takes less time to read a graphically complex text than a “plain” text. Readers often react in a positive way to texts with good ty- pography. The overall visual look shapes users’ perceptions of consistency and user satisfaction in browsing tasks (Ozok and Salvendy, 2000). Within a given area, such as a page in a book, a computer screen, or a projected image, we may alter the presentation of text (headings, running text, legends, lists), pictures, tables, and the background (margins, ornaments, page number, space). The 9 legibility of a graphical message is determined by the technical design of texts and pictures, that is, their clarity. Visual grouping of text enables readers get a sense of the overall structure (Tullis, 1997), and help readers remember con- tent (Niemela and Saarinen, 2000). How the content is grouped may influence the readers’ first impressions of the content (Lindgaard et al., 2006). Producers of information and learning materials can facili- tate communication, and the learning processes of the readers. Complicated language, in both texts and pictures, will impair the understanding of the message. Active voice, clarity, com- prehensibility, consistency, legibility, precision, readability, reading value, simplicity, and structure are the key concepts in information design. Hiebert (1998) saw graphic design as inter- face design (p. 9): In the largest sense, all graphic design serves as an inter- face. It is the filter that facilitates communication between users and products, places, processes, information, and services. This interface may have the purpose of description or persuasion. It may be in a process of one-way presenta- tion or two-way discourse (interactive). It has a functional rather than a decorative purpose. The role of graphic design is functional. According to Bull (1999) there are currently many debates as to what the role of a designer is. Terms like “Visual Communicator” and “Informa- tion Architect” have arose. Many of these debates have grown out of many designers’ misuse of technology and the computer. Bull concluded (p. 54): 10 In our fast-paced, drive-thru oriented society, the graphic design community often suffers from the public perception of what I have coined the ‘Kinko’s Mentality’. This is where anyone with a computer is legitimized as a designer and so- lutions to your problem can be given form based on a solu- tion to another problem. And of course, it all perpetuates the idea of the designer as just someone who just dresses things up. The study of rational, functional aesthetics, as well as effective and efficient layouts for all media makes graphic design inter- esting for information design scholars. Graphic design is a tool with which we can manipulate the raw materials – words in dif- ferent typefaces, sizes, styles, empty space, illustrations, colour, paper and ink, and the final number of pages – to achieve the best possible communications between people. Waller (1980) provided a list of codifying rules for graphic language and functions of the typographic organization of text in a book. Waller discussed two main categories (I) Rhetorical functions, and (II) Access functions (p. 246): I. Rhetorical functions 1. About the argument. – Summarization (title, summary). – Introduction (foreword, preface, introduction). 2. Within the argument – Emphasis (underlining, italics, etc.). – Transition (headings, space, etc.). – Bifurcation (alternative options, parallel texts, interpola- tion sections). 3. Extra to the argument [...]... used in all design disciplines to mean that the design decisions, and the design elements fit together Graphic designers and information designers often use the term harmony in discussions on typography and layout There is harmony in information material when all design elements fit well together and form harmonious relationships Harmony is often closely related to unity The information designer should:... aesthetically pleasing information sets will be noticed and used better than a material without any aesthetic qualities 24 Information aesthetics Information aesthetics deal with aesthetic aspects of information sets In some situations art may be used for information, and information may in some situations be classified as art A good example of this is the brightly coloured posters designed by artists... completely History of graphic design People have been designing, planning and executing information sets, information materials, and messages in all times Mullet and Sano (1995, p 9) noted that whereas art strives to express fundamental ideas and perspectives on the human condition, design is concerned with finding the representation best suited to the communication of specific information Step by step... process Today the graphic designer has even more freedom than the monks during the Middle Ages Now, it is possible to combine words and pictures at will, in effective and efficient layouts for all media Modern visual graphic design has its roots in the rational, functional aesthetics that evolved in traditional graphic design over the centuries for the print media, and in industrial design, as well as... going to make your design appropriate for all applications and users It helps to think of any designed piece as an interface, be it a book, shampoo bottle, retail store, or Web site 17 Research-based information According to Lester (1995, p 168) the designer W A Dwiggins was the first to use the term graphic design This was in 1922 During his career he worked on more than 300 book designs Although we... original and master Each activity includes a design subprocess, activity documentation, and a review process Main message design tools will include text (printed and spoken), symbols, pictures (drawings and photos), typography and layout, light and light effects, sound and sound effects R1 C P1 R2 1 P2 R3 2 P3 R4 3 P4 4 The creative message and information design processes include four different production... script (3), and production (P4) of original (4) and master (5) C = commission 14 5 Often a team of people with skills in the different areas are working together in a design team The task may be too overwhelming for a single person See book 1 Message Design Reduction According to Mullet and Sano (1995, p 38) the most fundamental design technique is reduction An elegant design must be reduced to its... Although we may not think about it, the practice of graphic design is as old as recorded history, and we see the results of graphic design every day We see books, cards, exhibitions, magazines, newsletters, packages, papers, posters, signs, tickets, and many other products According to Friedman (1989, p 10) the taint of commerce has relegated graphic design to the status of “second class” discipline... ergonomists and behavioural scientists designers do not read their handbooks, or their scientific journals, and they are not prepared to apply experimental data to their work Often designers are not even aware that this guideline information exists The efforts were wasted because they did not understand what designing was all about However, Dillon (19 94) found that designers seek further 18 guidelines... it, then the material must be redesigned and tested again – until it is understood by the intended audience Users of information products still largely blame themselves when faced with poor design of any kind Thus a push for research-based information design must come from the information designers In each case members of the specific user group may be invited to evaluate preliminary texts and sketches . Information Design 1 – Message Design Information Design 2 – Text Design Information Design 3 – Image Design Information Design 4 – Graphic Design Information. Professor of Information Design 4 Contents Preface 3! Contents 4! Organized structure 8! Graphic design 8! Purpose for graphic design 8! Graphic design