Getting it to the Printer: DTP to Press FAQ

Although it takes many hours and piles books to prepare yourself for competent DTP -> Print, we've capsulized a series of comments which address some of the most frequent questions readers and workshop attendees ask. These are also based on our mentoring program, and makeover clinics as the most common problem areas we see in beginner to intermediate desktop publishers. These steps will help you as you approach each project. Each topic is by no means a complete text -- but serves to alert you of problem areas, and suggest simple entry-level solutions.

Showker, Fred. Design, Typography and Graphics (2001). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress

Getting Started with Graphics for an Enriching User Experience

Good web design does not necessarily mean good use of colors and layouts, but it does transcend beyond it. Design elements like color, font, size, frame, etc. play an important role nonetheless, but what is more important is that how it affects the aesthetic sensibilities of the users. The warmth and the feel of the web site, or in another words, the texture of the web site is a crucial area to turn our attention to. By texture of the web site what it means is the subtleties of the surface of the web site. Varied aspects as discussed in this article, when sensibly used -- and in combination with good deign skills aimed at creating intuitive appeal -- are of definite help of when it comes to developing engaging graphics on your web site.

Rahbre Azam. Amateur Writerz (2008). Articles>User Experience>Technical Writing>Graphic Design

Getting to the Finish Line  

You're a designer, so you shouldn't waste your creative energy worrying about how your Illustrator document will print, right? Wrong. Spending a few minutes planning your project can ensure that its final output will go smoothly, potentially saving you hours of printing-related hassles.

Alspach, Ted. Adobe Magazine (1998). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress

Glossaire de la Photo

Glossaire de la photo tout en français!

ITISphoto.com. (French) Resources>Graphic Design>Photography>Glossary

Glossary of Graphic Design and Web Page Design Terms

A collection of definitions for terms from graphic and web design.

Grantastic Designs. Resources>Graphic Design>Web Design>Glossary

Glossary Of Technical Illustration Terms

A concise reference guide to technical illustration terms.

Hulsey, Kevin. Kevin Hulsey Illustration. Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Glossary

Going Green with your Marketing Materials

Every product that human beings create has an impact on the environment. The questions is, to what degree? How long will it last, what damage is done in creating it, and what will happen when it is no longer needed?

Proia, Jennifer. Design, Typography and Graphics (2002). Design>Publishing>Typography>Graphic Design

Going the Extra Mile in Design: Lara Modjeski VP of Creative, Tom Ford Beauty

Every wondered what it's like to hold a high-powered design position in the cosmetics and fashion industry? Enjoy this intreview by industry expert and sessions EDU instructor Laura Schwamb, and get a peek into the life of Lara Modjeski VP of Creative, Tom Ford Beauty.

Schwamb, Laura. Design, Typography and Graphics (2006). Design>Graphic Design>Interviews

Good, Fast and Cheap: Producing Computer-Generated Isometrics from Engineering Drawings    

It is possible to produce a computer-generated isometric illustration of sufficient quality for most applications directly from a scanned engineering drawing. The process described in this article uses Corel Trace and Corel Draw, but it can be adapted to suit other drawing or CAD programs, and it can generate sophisticated isometric illustrations.

Morris, John M. Technical Communication Online (1997). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Isometric

A Graceful Palette

The challenge? To resist the temptation to make everything look new. If you work with computers every day and regularly surf the Net, it is easy to lose perspective--though we regularly see some of the best, most exciting design being done today, it is often uncharacteristically modern or ultra-modern. The challenge is to match the presentation to the subject, not to the medium.

Chuck Green. Ideabook.com (2002). Design>Graphic Design>Contracts

Graphic Artists Guild

The Graphic Artists Guild is a national union of illustrators, designers, web creators, production artists, surface designers and other creatives who have come together to pursue common goals, share their experience, raise industry standards, and improve the ability of visual creators to achieve satisfying and rewarding careers.

GAG. Organizations>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration

Graphic Communications Association

It is the mission of the Graphic Communications Association (GCA) to be the leading global membership organization for advancing the processes of information interoperability and dissemination of knowledge. GCA will accomplish this mission by: engaging in and supporting creation and adoption of globally recognized standards for information definition and exchange; developing and encouraging efficiencies in the processes of information and image management and delivery; promoting understanding of the processes by conducting information activities and preparing and publishing educational materials.

GCA. Organizations>Graphic Design

Graphic Design

Graphic design is everywhere, in every product, package, poster, and product of the modern world. Although the graphic design discipline was created less than a century ago, the world has since come to rely upon it. The world simply cannot function without graphic design and graphic designers. Yet graphic design is broader than any other creative profession. It is the third largest profession in the United States, far ahead of more commonly understood and respected vocations such as attorney, accountant, and educator. Graphic designers, who run the gamut from after-hours moonlighter through freelancer, solo- and team-creative, to agency and corporate designers, work in every city, town, and village in the world. Graphic design impacts everything and everyone.

Burke, Pariah S. Designorati (2005). Design>Graphic Design>Visual Rhetoric

Graphic Design  

A primary technique to achieve improved user-interface is clear, distinct, consistent visible language.

Deshpande, Shashank. STC India (2003). Presentations>Graphic Design>User Interface

The Graphic Design of Text: A Review of Research  

Technical communicators can make reading easier by using type-design principles proven to enhance reading performance. This paper, based on the author’s master’s thesis of the same name, revealed research related to the graphic design of text and concluded that further research is needed to measure the impact of typography on readers (expert, intermediate, and novice) and the ways in which they read (to do, to read to learn, to read to assess, and to read to learn to do).

Matis, David W. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>Typography>Graphic Design

Graphic Design vs. Usability

When the philosophy of the 'skin interface' is applied to other applications, it becomes problematic. There is nothing wrong with that concept as long as it is clear that it only works with highly specialized applications such as Winamp. It is even culturally expected in the Winamp community that skins will be created and made available.

Spillers, Frank. Demystifying Usability (2004). Articles>Usability>Graphic Design

Graphic Designer Needs a Web CMS

While you can create very powerful content management solutions with most open-source packages -- they have a much steeper learning curve than you experienced with HTML or Flash.

Byrne, Tony. CMSworks (2004). Articles>Content Management>Graphic Design

Review: Graphic Designer's Digital Printing and Prepress Handbook  

The Graphic Designer's Digital Printing and Prepress Handbook is not a beginner's manual. Sidles does not walk you step-by-step through the basics of trapping or scanning. Instead, hers is an approach that expands on the knowledge of the graphic design professional. I think her aim is to help you become someone who easily knows how to avoid buying paper that will curl or using overprinted type that is illegible. Sidles, with her print production experience, seems to care about sharing the wisdom she has acquired through decades of haps and mishaps—no small benefit.

Blount Brodersen, Carolyn. Technical Communication Online (2004). Articles>Reviews>Prepress>Graphic Design

Graphic File Transformations  

This paper examines raster and vector file formats and explains the details necessary to transform them for use in various output devices. Methodologies and suggestions for raster-to-vector, vector-to-raster, resampling of raster, 3-dimensional vector to 2-dimensional vector, and 2-dimensional vector to 2-dimensional vector conversions are discussed.

Porter, Sara J. STC Proceedings (2004). Design>Graphic Design>Image Editing

Graphic Production

This course introduces visual thinking, visual expression, and the practice of graphic design. First, it teaches general princples of graphic design. Then it teaches about the components of graphic design: typography, page and screen design, picture and symbols, and corporate identity.

Carliner, Saul. Bentley College (2000). Academic>Courses>Graphic Design

Graphic Propaganda: Cultural Expressions in Time of War  

The media is a battlefield where moral systems collide. Ownership tilts it. TV channels and newspapers in the U.S. promote their business interests by supporting a probig business government and its war. Even The New York Times, which opposed invading Iraq without UN consent, did so in a way unlikely to rock the boat—and clearly in direct contrast to the intention of Britain’s Daily Mirror. The Mirror's front page, designed to generate newsbox sales by aggressively engaging the man in the street, is as pointed and artistically crafted as an editorial cartoon.

Shinn, Nick. ShinnType (2003). Design>Graphic Design>Typography

Graphical Design in TCO: Video and Animation  

This report is intended to give an overview of graphical design in the technical communication field as it pertains to the areas of video and animation. The purpose of this report is to a) establish core knowledge areas, b) provide information to both students and professionals in TCO, c) demonstrate excellence in TCO at Mercer University, and d) help students decide on what internships and jobs they wish to pursue. This report includes a summary and background of the video and animation field, the methods by which the information was obtained, an organized presentation of the collected information, and a series of recommendations for those going into this field.

Davis, Marjorie T. and William H. Harris II. Mercer University (2002). Careers>Multimedia>Graphic Design

Graphics

In this chapter we show you techniques to optimize the look and efficiency of your Web page graphics. Although electronic publishing frees you from the cost and limitations of color reproduction on paper, you will still need to make careful calculations (and a few compromises) if you wish to optimize your graphics and photographs for various display monitors and Internet access speeds.

Lynch, Patrick J. and Sarah Horton. Yale University (1999). Design>Web Design>Graphic Design