Graphic design practice embraces a range of cognitive skills, aesthetics and crafts, including typography, visual arts and page layout. Like other forms of design, graphic design often refers to both the process (designing) by which the communication is created and the products (designs) which are generated. It is usually viewed as a superset of technical illustration.
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Black and White and Red All Over 
Color is a powerful motivation and selling tool. We can also use color to improve people’s performance. Color is comprised of hue, value and saturation. When selecting a color scheme for a web site or slide presentation select a pastel background, then a complimentary or contrasting secondary color for accents. Select black or neutral text. Avoid the jelly-bean syndrome of contrasting, saturated, adjacent colors that fatigue the eye. Instead, use bright colors only for accents, not for major areas.
Lisberg, Beth Conney. STC Proceedings (1998). Presentations>Graphic Design>Design
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For years, the desktop-publishing landscape has been characterized by sharp boundaries - PC vs. Mac, vector vs. bitmap, page-layout vs. illustration, and so on. But Illustrator provides the perfect example of how that is changing.
Kvern, Olav Martin. Adobe Magazine (1997). Design>Graphic Design>Software>Adobe Illustrator
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Combine the probing thoughts of media culture sage Marshall McLuhan with the visual insights of design guru David Carson and the result is the quintessential coffee table book for anyone that works with technology and design. The Book of Probes is an intentional chocolate-in-my-peanut-butter experiment to combine the ideas of McLuhan with the images of Carson in thought provoking ways.
MacLaughlin, Steve. Boxes and Arrows (2004). Articles>Reviews>Graphic Design
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It's not been easy for art directors and graphic designers to maintain a career amidst rapidly changing technology and design trends.
Shinn, Nick. ShinnType (2001). Careers>TC>Typography>Graphic Design
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A Brief History Of Technical Illustration
A history of technical illustration, from the classics to the present.
Hulsey, Kevin. Kevin Hulsey Illustration. Articles>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>History
#25919
The Brilliance of Smart Photoshop Objects
When it comes to editing an image, that typically means going back into the image app, recreating the image, then putting the newly created image into your site. A serious GoLive advantage is that communicates directly with your imaging apps to regenerate a new image right in place on your page.
Mac Design Magazine (2005). Design>Web Design>Graphic Design>Adobe GoLive
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Bring Data to Life: Art and Information Can Complement Each Other
Using Photoshop, Illustrator, and Freehand to create better charts, graphs, technical diagrams.
Abes, Cathy. MacWorld (2001). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Charts and Graphs
#22325
In this tutorial we'll look at using some of Photoshop's tools to produce realistic brushed-metal effects. You can easily apply these effects to text or to other objects such as geometric shapes and interface bars.
Elated (2001). Design>Graphic Design>Software>Adobe Photoshop
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Building Blocks of Functional Design 
Only when we fulfill the function of the document rather than embellishing it, can we improve the communication-value of that avalanche of 'information' we pour out for them out there. Unfortunately, the flamboyance of today's graphic culture is so gripping, that we often mistake the medium for the message. The medium is never the message, the message is always the message.
White, Jan V. Technical Communication Online (2005). Design>Graphic Design
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Brand should be a component of every decision a company makes, from its customer service to its logistics to its letterhead to its interactive properties. Tips and advice for the IA needing to support the brand experience within a quality user experience.
Saffer, Dan. Boxes and Arrows (2002). Design>Graphic Design>Marketing
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Buyer Beware: The Ever-Expanding Search for the Perfect Image
When you need to find an image for commercial use, how much consideration do you give to where it came from? Do you think about its provenance, its pedigree? Are the images you license sourced primarily from major distributors or from alternative suppliers, who may have access to more distinctive or original content?
Waterman, Jill. Communication World Bulletin (2006). Design>Graphic Design>Intellectual Property
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Can Designers Save the World (and Should They Try?)
Designers are clearly more self-conscious about their social role today than they have been at any time in the last 20 years, yet the lack of substance of the critics who have come to the fore, and the issues on which it is chosen to take a stand, reflect a political agenda that is set elsewhere. There are many areas of life in which designers can make a real difference, but we need to look first at why they are taking themselves so seriously in the noughties.
Macdonald, Nico. uiGarden (2006). Articles>Graphic Design>Cultural Theory>Politics
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Case Study: Shipshape Photography
Photography has become an essential element of the communication mix for the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), and is used to reflect the diversity and international nature of the business. If executed properly, a photograph can help explain a technical point or issue in such a way that it makes sense to an audience outside of the shipping community. We initially decided to use photography to enhance the visual content of our annual report. We now also use it in company newsletters (both internal and external), brochures and exhibit stands.
Smyth, Gillian and Susan V. Gonzalez. Communication World Bulletin (2006). Articles>Graphic Design>Photography>Case Studies
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The Challenges of Technical Illustration for Customer Documentation in the High Tech Environment
As emerging computer technology and new graphics software packages allow for the creation of illustration and design by individuals without formal training, traditional illustrators from the “pen and pencil” era are continually challenged to compete in the industry. Choosing a career path in the technical documentation field presents a unique set of challenges for the technical illustrator and designer. This paper identijes the role of a technical illustrator and the tools and skills required for success in a high tech environment.
Moore, Donna Lynn. STC Proceedings (1997). Careers>TC>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration
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Choosing the Best Graphics Sources 
A guide to using different types of graphic file formats.
Dawson, Colin. Info Action (2003). Design>Graphic Design>Standards
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When it comes to graphing data, most professionals show little method or creativity. They typically limit themselves to a small repertoire of graph types and select from it on the basis of habit, if not sheer ease of production. Similarly, the many books on graphing devote much attention to graphical integrity and readability, but little or none to graph selection. We developed a methodology to help engineers, scientists, and managers choose the “right graph” on the basis of three criteria: the structure of the data set in terms of number and type of variables, the intended use of the graph, and the research question or intended message. The first and third criteria allow one to construct an effective two-entry selection table.
Doumont, Jean-luc and Philippe Vandenbroeck. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication (2002). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Charts and Graphs
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Cleaner, Sharper GIF, JPEG and PNG Images
Optimize your GIFs, JPEGs, and PNGs with this handy guide. Tom explains these file formats, and gives tips to improve their appearance on your site.
Rutter, Thomas. SitePoint (2003). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration
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Cleaner, Sharper GIF, JPEG, And PNG Images
While they're not absolutely necessary for Website functionality, images help improve the appearance of a site. With a few gcood quality, highly optimised images, you can give your site the edge it needs to leave a lasting impression. The problem is that many Webmasters, both novice and experienced, don't feel confident when it comes to creating clean looking graphics and optimising them for the Web.
Rutter, Thomas. SitePoint (2003). Design>Web Design>Graphic Design
#25428
It's the subtle transitions in color that give the illusion of three dimensions in two-dimensional artwork. Gradients are used to simulate light hitting a curved or angular surface. The gradual blending from one color to another is the key. Linear and radial gradients can be used effectively to show flat and rounded shapes, but Illustrator's gradient meshes are best for creating complex shapes.
Bauer, Peter. Illustrator World (2005). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Adobe Illustrator
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A Client's Guide to Design: How to Get the Most Out of the Process
Unlike so much in today's business world, graphic design is not a commodity. It is the highly individualized result of people coming together to do something they couldn't do alone. When the collaboration is creative, the results usually are too. This brochure is about how to get creative results.
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Color Correcting Digital Camera Images
As far as digital technology has come, there's still one thing that digital cameras won't do: give you perfect color every time. In fact, if they gave us perfect color 50% of the time, that would be incredible; but unfortunately, every digital camera (and every scanner that captures traditional photos) sneaks in some kind of color cast in your image.
Kelby, Scott. Layers Magazine (2005). Design>Graphic Design>Image Editing
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Color Corrections with Hue/Saturation
Hue/Saturation dialog uses HSB (hue-saturation-brightness) model of the color presentation. The slider Hue shifts color position on the rainbow-colored bar at the bottom of the dialog, Saturation can increase/decrease color intensity, while Lightness changes its brightness
Doubrovski, Andrei. Photoshop 911 (2004). Design>Graphic Design>Software>Adobe Photoshop
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This glossary lists and explains color and visual perception terms which are relevant for graphic and Web design as well as usability. The information was taken from several sources and adapted to the needs of this glossary
Wiegand, Christine and Gerd Waloszek. SAP Design Guild. Design>Graphic Design>Prepress>Color
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Color Imaging Workflow Primitives: Details and Examples
The term 'color fidelity' refers to the successful interoperability of color data, from image creation to output across multiple targets, such that color reproduction quality consistent with the user’s intent can be achieved Note: Interoperability among system color components, necessary for color fidelity, is both color-workflow and market-segment dependent definitions for architecture, image state, and image processing.
McCarthy, Ann. International Color Consortium (2002). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress>Color
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Despite advances in the technology of measuring and managing it, how we perceive color is still full of mystery and illusions.
Fraser, Bruce. Adobe Magazine (1996). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress>Color
