The Ethics of Electronic Image Manipulation  

Desktop-publishing software and hardware have become affordable, powerful, and relatively user-friendly. Consequently, with reasonable investments in time and money, communications professionals can now manipulate photographs and create visual images relatively easily in their publications. However such images may be used in ways that are, aside from legal concerns, not ethical. Technical-communications professionals need to be able to recognize manipulated images and to explore the ethical implications of creating or being asked to use such images.

Adams, Rae and Stephanie S. Babbitt. STC Proceedings (1994). Design>Graphic Design>Image Editing>Ethics

Every Picture Tells a Story

A woman stands up in a crowded city council meeting and reads the research. 'We recently asked a random sampling of 250 citizens how often they use the new toll road. Five percent say they use it four or more times a week, eight percent say they use it one to three times a week, 12 percent say...' and continues on. The point she would eventually get to, could have been stated in a simple declarative sentence, in half the time, with twice the effect: 'We completed some eye-opening research this week--over one third of the people in the city don't use the new toll road because they can't afford it!' The same is true on paper. Instead of getting mired in statistical detail, you can make your point with a simple, declarative image--an information graphic.

Chuck Green. ideabook.com. Design>Graphic Design

The Evolution of a Chart  

Knowledge to help prepare professional time elements.

Kubik, Rick. STC Region 7 Proceedings (2002). Design>Information Design>Graphic Design>Charts and Graphs

¿Existe el Color?

Tendemos a considerar al color como un hecho objetivo: rojo es rojo y no puede ser visto de otra forma. Pero eso no es así. El color que percibimos depende de cosas como las palabras de que disponemos en nuestro lenguaje (nuestra cultura) para describirlos, los otros colores que lo rodean y lo que el cerebro espera ver.

Dursteler, Juan Carlos. InfoVis (2003). (Spanish) Design>Graphic Design>Cultural Theory>Color

Exploded Illustrations

As the term implies, the exploded view shows an assembly with its components blown out from the main body, but still remaining in relative order along their respective centrelines.

Lightfoot, Peter. ITEDO Software (2002). Articles>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration

Extending the Boundaries of Graphic Communication  

This article is more about bridging a communication abyss than creating a communication space. It concerns a system of interactive iconic communication to help people who have lost the power of speech.

Sassoon, Rosemarie. University of Alberta (2003). Design>Graphic Design>Communication

Eye on Color

Each day, thousands of websites lose credibility and all-important return traffic -- not because they're poorly written, constructed, designed, or advertised, but because of: colors that clash colors that camouflage colors that just plain don't work! Attention to color on the web is generally considered the province of web-design professionals -- but those of us who study and teach professional writing are in a prime position to use our knowledge and skills to lead the way toward a more aesthetically-pleasing, and rhetorically-effective, World Wide Web

Clark, Tracy. Purdue University (2003). Design>Web Design>Graphic Design>Color

Faceted Metadata for Image Search and Browsing  

The authors present a new method of image searching based on conceptual descriptors. This method differs from the traditional methods of image searching that are based on keywords and visual similarity.

Hearst, Marti, Kevin Li, Kirsten Swearingen and Ka-Ping Yee. University of California Berkeley (2003). Design>Web Design>Graphic Design>Search

Fading One Image into Another

In this tutorial you'll learn how to use layer masks to create the effect of one image gradually fading into another.

Elated (2003). Design>Graphic Design>Software>Adobe Photoshop

Fast Frames

Here's a couple of super quick frame effects to add a little burst of creativity to otherwise mundane photos.

Snider, Lesa. Planet Photoshop (2006). Design>Graphic Design>Photography>Adobe Photoshop

Favourite Logos

When I find a really nice logo, icon or button, I save a copy to file for future inspiration. Here's my collection of logos, with descriptions of why I think each one works. See article on designing logos for guidelines of logo design fundamentals.

Hunt, Ben. Web Design From Scratch (2005). Design>Graphic Design>Web Design

Figures

General guidelines for illustrative figures in technical reports.

Young, V.L. and K.J. Sampson. Ohio University (2004). Articles>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Charts and Graphs

Filleted Corners

The illustration of a cube with filleted corners follows specific rules. Therefore, you must account for certain considerations when you depict such a cube. Get to know more about these filleted corners and learn how to build such a cube correctly.

ITEDO Software (2003). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Isometric

Find The Exact Center

Shows how to find the exact center point of your Photoshop document.

Kloskowski, Matt. Planet Photoshop. Design>Graphic Design>Software>Adobe Photoshop

Finding and Using Art on the Web

So you want to add graphics to your site, but you don't know where to get them? Well—first you have to learn that you can't just take graphics off someone else's site unless you want to go directly to Jail, do not pass go, and do not get $200 (though your Lawyer will get at least that per hour).

Will-Harris, Daniel. Typofile (2003). Design>Web Design>Intellectual Property>Graphic Design

Flowcharting Processes and Procedures  

This discussion offers participants an overview of what process and procedure flowchorting is in the technical communication's universe of charting. The discussion distinguishes between information for “process” verses “procedure” and from other types of information. The discussion presents standards for using basic symbols and assembling them for effective and efficient communication design. The discussion presents various styles and formats for presenting process and procedures flowcharts, along with tools and techniques for creating and using flowcharts.

Urgo, Raymond E. STC Proceedings (1994). Design>Graphic Design>Charts and Graphs

Form vs. Function: Finding the Balance

In 1896, architect Louis Henri Sullivan said, 'Form ever follows function.' His quote implies not so much the importance of function over form, but rather that the two are intricately intertwined and inseparable. The same idea can be applied to any type of design, be it industrial, web, print or product. The problem is that most designers fail to draw from Sullivan's words. We have all seen them: sites that either lack any evidence of form or fail miserably when it comes to function. I'm not just talking about those cute personal sites found on many free web-hosting sites--extravagant corporate sites are often just as guilty as any of them. While both types of sites have their place on the web, it is important to understand where each of them have failed and why.

Finck, Nick. Digital Web Magazine (1999). Design>Graphic Design

Free PowerPoint Templates  

These Free Powerpoint Templates are a great choice for a wide variety of presentation needs.

Chaw, Brandy. Powered Templates (2006). Presentations>Graphic Design>International>Microsoft PowerPoint

The Full Gamut  

Give your colors the room they need in Photoshop by understanding and choosing RGB working spaces.

Fraser, Bruce. Adobe Magazine (1999). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress>Color

Gain 2.0

AIGA's graphic design journal. The new online version of the Gain publication focuses on the intersection of design and business. Gain follows real-world projects from conception through completion.

AIGA. Journals>Graphic Design

Gaining Insight and Inspiration from Veteran Designers

As a designer, there are days when it's tempting to just churn out something that looks nice, without any thought given to the creative process. To keep a fresh outlook on our work and maintain a true sense of purpose, we have to keep up our educational process. A designer should never lose his or her passion for learning.

Farrugia, Ruth. Creative Latitude (2005). Articles>Graphic Design>Mentoring

Gameful Art

So, you think you'd like to get into Games development? Follow along as Sessions School of Game Art advisory board member Jolene Spry interviews Dave Taylor, independent video game producer and long-term veteran of the gaming industry.

Spry, Jolene and Dave Taylor. Design, Typography and Graphics (2006). Design>Document Design>Graphic Design>Video

Gears: A Simple Procedure to Create a Complex Shape  

Drawing gears is now very simple using CorelDraw.

Broz, Donald. Broz and Dian (2006). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration

El Genoma en tu Pantalla

El proyecto genoma humano (PGH) genera un volumen de información inabordable sin el uso de medios sofisticados para su tratamiento. La visualización de información tiene aquí un gran campo de aplicación.

Dursteler, Juan Carlos. InfoVis (2002). (Spanish) Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Charts and Graphs

Getting Design Done

Here's how to apply the principles of a well-known productivity system to your creative process. The resulting creative habits can boost your design skills while they reduce stress and free your mind to tackle big problems.

Robinson, D. Keith. Creative Pro (2007). Articles>Graphic Design>Methods