Graphic design is a profession, academic discipline and applied art whose activity consists in projecting visual communications intended to transmit specific messages to social groups, with specific objectives. Graphic design is an interdisciplinary branch of design and of the fine arts. Its practice involves creativity, innovation and lateral thinking using manual or digital tools, where it is usual to use text and graphics to communicate visually.
Graphics are visual images or designs on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, screen, paper, or stone, to inform, illustrate, or entertain. In contemporary usage, it includes a pictorial representation of data, as in design and manufacture, in typesetting and the graphic arts, and in educational and recreational software. Images that are generated by a computer are called computer graphics.
A category of fine art, graphic art covers a broad range of visual artistic expression, typically two-dimensional, i.e. produced on a flat surface. The term usually refers to the arts that rely more on line, color or tone, especially drawing and the various forms of engraving; it is sometimes understood to refer specifically to printmaking processes, such as line engraving, aquatint, drypoint, etching, mezzotint, monotype, lithography, and screen printing. Graphic art mostly includes calligraphy, photography, painting, typography, computer graphics, and bindery. It also encompasses drawn plans and layouts for interior and architectural designs.
Communication design is a mixed discipline between design and information-development which is concerned with how media communicate with people. A communication design approach is not only concerned with developing the message in addition to the aesthetics in media, but also with creating new media channels to ensure the message reaches the target audience. Some designers use graphic design and communication design interchangeably due to overlapping skills.
A graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography, or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, printed, or electronic media, such as brochures and advertising. They are also sometimes responsible for typesetting, illustration, user interfaces. A core responsibility of the designer's job is to present information in a way that is both accessible and memorable.
A creative director is a person who makes high-level creative decisions; oversees the creation of creative assets such as advertisements, products, events, or logos ; and directs & translates the creative peoples whom produce the end results. Creative director positions are often found within the television production, graphic design, film, music, video game, fashion, advertising, media, or entertainment industries, but may be found in other creative organizations such as web development and software development firms as well.
Stefan G. Bucher is an American writer, graphic designer and illustrator. He works through his design studio, 344 Design.
Rudy VanderLans is a Dutch graphic designer, photographer, and the co-founder of Emigre Fonts with his wife Zuzana Licko. Emigre Fonts is an independent type foundry in Berkeley, CA. He was also the art director and editor of Emigre magazine, the legendary journal devoted to visual communications from 1984 to 2005. Since arriving in California in 1981, he has been photographing his adoptive Golden State as an ongoing side project. He has authored a total of 11 photo books on the topic, and staged two solo exhibits at Gallery 16 in San Francisco.
Graphic design careers include creative director, art director, art production manager, brand identity developer, illustrator and layout artist.
Alexey Vyacheslavovich Brodovitch was a Russian-born American photographer, designer and instructor who is most famous for his art direction of fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar from 1934 to 1958.
The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) is a professional organization for design. Its members practice all forms of communication design, including graphic design, typography, interaction design, user experience, branding and identity. The organization's aim is to be the standard bearer for professional ethics and practices for the design profession. There are currently over 25,000 members and 72 chapters, and more than 200 student groups around the United States. In 2005, AIGA changed its name to “AIGA, the professional association for design,” dropping the "American Institute of Graphic Arts" to welcome all design disciplines. AIGA aims to further design disciplines as professions, as well as cultural assets. As a whole, AIGA offers opportunities in exchange for creative new ideas, scholarly research, critical analysis, and education advancement.
The One Club is an American non-profit organization that recognizes and promotes excellence in advertising. Founded in New York City as The One Club for Art & Copy, The One Club produces four annual award competitions: One Show, One Show Design, One Show Interactive and One Show Entertainment. The One Show Festival is held in accord with Creative Week NYC. According to The Fundamentals of Creative Advertising., "The One Club produces advertising's most prestigious awards program." The One Show coveted pencil award statues are made by New York firm, Society Awards.
Graphis Inc. is an international publisher of books and awards for the visual communications industry. Based in New York City, Graphis presents and promotes the best submitted work in graphic design, advertising, photography, poster design, branding, typeface design, logo design and illustration. Graphis award competitions are juried by award-winning leading creatives and include: Graphic Design, Advertising, Photography, Posters, New Talent (Student), Packaging and Protest Posters. The award-winning work is published online and in fine art quality hardbound books.
Warren Dayton is an American illustrator, artist and graphic designer best known for his posters from psychedelic art era, a pioneer of the use of T-shirts as an art medium, creator of corporate branding & logos such as Thomas Kinkade’s Lightpost Publishing, and internationally award-winning book, editorial, commercial illustration and typography. Dayton's work ranges from funny and whimsical drawings used in many magazines and books, corporate branding and logos to illustrated features and books that have been honored by selection in design competitions and earned grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. He has authored and illustrated several books that have become collectors items; he continues to illustrate murals, posters and books. He founded Artifact, Ink studios in 2001 and currently works in the studio in the Sierra Foothills with several other artists and designers.
Nemo Design is a brand design agency and creative workshop based in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. The company was established by Jeff Bartel, a snowboarding photographer Trevor Graves, and by Chris Hotz in 1999. It offers a variety of services, specializing in active lifestyle and culture brands.
Aries Moross is an English graphic designer, artist, illustrator and art director based in London. They mostly focus on lettering and typography in their works of art.
The Publishing Prize is an annual award for films, websites, and newspapers, magazines, books and other printed products. The prize has been conferred annually since 1990 in about 30 categories. The prize is considered the most comprehensive communication contest.
Lita Talarico is a co-founder and co-chair of the School of Visual Arts MFA Design Program in New York City. She also co-founded the SVA Masters Workshop in Italy, an ongoing summer program. She also teaches and lectures on design entrepreneurism around the world.
The Art Directors Club of New York is an organization for art directors in New York City. It was founded in 1920, and has grown as an industry group, promoting art directors' work through exhibitions and awards, including the annual DESI award for design excellence.
Paul Renato Torcello was an advertising photographer based in Melbourne and who worked throughout Australasia, Europe and most recently in China.
