Graphic Designer's Essential Reference

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Job:07-26153 Title:RP-Graphic Designer’s Essential Reference PB Edn

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GRAPHIC DESIGNER’S ESSENTIAL REFERENCE

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Every pictorial element falls on a continuum

between the literal, or representational, and

the abstract. The method of making the picto-

rial element is referred to as its mode, and the

degree of stylization and, therefore, inter-

pretation, imposed by the designer is defi ned

as mediation. A photograph of a fi gure and a

stylized, geometric drawing of a fi gure are

both representational

—

but if the photograph

is lit dramatically and the fi gure’s position

highly contrived (in contrast to the neutral

presentation of the drawing), the photograph

may be considered more mediated than the

drawing. Still, photographic images tend to

be perceived as “real,” or “believable,” simply

because they depict an empirical experi-

ence. Illustrative images, even if extremely

naturalistic, will always be perceived as

inventions and, therefore, less credible than

photos. Choose the degree of abstraction, the

image mode, and mediate it according to the

conceptual and informational necessities of

the project.

Mixing Image Treatments

As with all compositional strategies, creating

contrast among visual elements is key

—

and

this is no less true for imagery. Along with

overall compositional contrast (achieved

through scale, spacing, and positioning

changes), combining different image modes

is effective in creating tension and liveliness

in a layout. It’s important, however, that while

the different image modes being combined

contrast each other decisively, they also share

some visual qualities so as to clearly relate.

Working with Imagery

Tip

Whenever Possible, Customize Photography

1 Colorize, tone, or ghost the image

to reduce the sense of realism.

2 Crop subjects in an unconven-

tional, dramatic way.

3 Combine photographs—or parts of

several—in unusual confi gurations.

4 Introduce a texture, pattern, or

abstract visual language into the

photographic space.

5 Silhouette objects or fi gures to

remove them from their expected,

natural environments.

6 Present photographs in unconven-

tional shapes, instead of rectangles.

Although the semantic content

of the images is the same

(seeing any of them establishes

the same factual knowledge),

the mode of representation has

consequences for our percep-

tion of meaning that may be

associated with the image. The

photograph’s clarity alludes

to the apple’s freshness and

All three images depict the

same subject, an apple, but

using different modes. In this

example, the “pure” photo-

graph is the least mediated;

while the two illustrative

images are inherently more

mediated than the photo-

graph, the paper collage is

more mediated than the

charcoal drawing.

organicism; the charcoal draw-

ing skews its allusion toward

the act of creation, and may be

read with a somber overlay; the

collage of cut paper in primary

colors suggests a childlike, or

educational, metaphor.

Sharpened, stylized plant

images drive the identity for

a design studio, above.

Grow Creative: Portland, OR:

United States

Important elements in the

book cover, right, are colorized

in the production process.

DesignLiga: Munich, Germany

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