Graphic Design For Dummies

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
	About This Book
	Foolish Assumptions
	Icons Used in This Book
	Beyond the Book
Part 1 What to Know Before You Start Designing
	Chapter 1 What Is Graphic Design?
		Welcome to Graphic Design
		Specialization in Graphic Design
		Assessing Design Education and Training
		Evaluating Freelance and Agency Experience
			Small, mid-sized, and large agencies
			Freelance work
			Use a contract
		Pricing Your Work
			Hourly rates
			Flat-rate pricing
			Retainer agreement
		Rejecting Speculative Work
	Chapter 2 Developing Your Problem-Solving Skills
		Identifying the Steps to Take Before Designing a Solution
			Understanding the problem
				Communicating effectively with your client
				Using a sketchbook
			Gathering inspiration and precedent
				Finding inspiration
				Finding precedent and examples
			Dialing in your target audience
			Defining the scope of your project
		Taking a Macro-View to Tailor Fit Your Design Solution
			Conducting a competitor analysis
			Analyzing design trends and styles
				Follow the influencers and leaders
				Using tools and platforms
				Iterate and experiment
			Consider the technical requirements
				Print technical requirements
				Digital technical requirements
	Chapter 3 Practices for Creating Better Design Solutions
		Improving Your Empathy Skills to Help Reach Your Audience
			Generating an empathy map
			Developing a persona
			Creating a mood board
		Building Better Collaboration Skills
			Seeking feedback makes you smarter
			Conducting interviews, observations, and surveys
		Embracing Creativity (and Mistakes)
			Identifying creative versus logical thinking
			Learning from mistakes
	Chapter 4 Choosing the Right Tool for the Job
		Capturing Ideas with Pencil and Paper
			Don’t underestimate a tactile experience
		Evaluating Electronic Pencils and Tablets
			Comparing the feel and control of the Apple Pencil versus Wacom tablet
		Appreciating the Adobe Creative Cloud
			Working with Adobe Illustrator
				Vector drawing tools
				Typography and text tools
				Drawing and editing capabilities
				Generative AI in Illustrator
			Working with Adobe Photoshop
				Image editing and retouching
				Photoshop’s layer-based editing
				Color correction
				Generative AI in Photoshop
			Working with Adobe InDesign
				Layout and page design
				InDesign parent pages
				Handling typographic elements like a pro
				Creating PDF and interactive documents
		Software for the Budget-Conscious
			Adobe CC alternatives
				Affinity
				CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
			Adobe Illustrator alternatives
			Adobe Photoshop alternatives
			Adobe InDesign alternatives
		Using Mobile Apps for Some Tasks
	Chapter 5 Design Is an Iterative Process
		Phase 1: Project Brief and Goals
		Phase 2: Research and Planning
			Understanding the problem, researching, and planning
			Brainstorming, sketching, and refining your ideas
			Design development, feedback, and revision
		Phase 3: Brainstorming
			Defining the goals of a brainstorming session
			Fostering a nonjudgmental environment
			Practicing divergent thinking
			Value quantity over quality
			Reverse brainstorming
			Sorting and refining your ideas
		Phase 4: Sketching Out Your Ideas
			Thumbnail sketches
			Iterative sketches
			Collaborative sketching
			Exploring visual metaphors
			Combining sketches
		Phase 5: Design Development
		Phase 6: Feedback and Revision
			Preparing to receive feedback
			Shaping critique feedback
			Prioritizing feedback
			Balancing feedback with design expertise
			Use versioning to save time
			Micro/macro
		Phase 7: Finalization and Execution
			Tips for preparing printed work
			Tips for preparing files for the web
			Tips for preparing files for mobile devices
		Phase 8: Repeat
Part 2 Using the Principles of Design to Elevate Your Work
	Chapter 6 The Principles of Design: Balance, Contrast, and Emphasis
		Balance
			Symmetrical balance
			Horizontal balance
			Vertical balance
			Asymmetrical balance
			Radial balance
			Crystallographic balance
		Contrast
			Color contrast
			Tonal contrast
			Textural contrast
			Size contrast
			Shape contrast
			Spatial contrast
			Typographic contrast
		Emphasis
			Contrast emphasis
			Isolation emphasis
			Positional emphasis
			Color emphasis
			Typographic emphasis
			White space emphasis
			Directional emphasis
			Repetition and pattern emphasis
	Chapter 7 The Principles of Design: Unity, Repetition, Rhythm, and Proportion
		Unity
			Gestalt unity
			Visual unity
			Repetition unity
			Proximity unity
			Color unity
			Typographic unity
			Spatial unity
			Conceptual unity
			Cultural unity
		Repetition
			Shape repetition
			Color repetition
			Pattern repetition
			Texture repetition
			Space repetition
			Grid repetition
			Conceptual repetition
		Rhythm
		Proportion and Scale
			Hierarchy of scale
			Sequential proportion
			Harmonic proportion
				Golden ratio
				Rule of thirds
	Chapter 8 The Principles of Design: Movement, Hierarchy, Alignment, and Space
		Movement
			Directional movement
			Repetition movement
			Sequential movement
			Overlap movement
			Implied movement
		Hierarchy
			Visual weight
			Size hierarchy
			Position hierarchy
			Alignment hierarchy
		Alignment
		White space
	Chapter 9 Creating Grid Systems and Page Layouts
		Choosing a Grid Type
			Column grid
			Modular grid
			Hierarchical grid
			Baseline grid
			Responsive grid
		Working with Page Layout
			Consider your content
			Establish your layout hierarchy
			Set margins, gutters, bleeds, and trim lines
			Group related elements
			Be consistent
			Align elements consistently
			Incorporate white space
	Chapter 10 Constructing Color Systems
		Defining the Brand Personality
		Exploring Color Psychology
			Color hierarchy
			Color Contrast
		Choosing Primary Colors
		Creating Color Combinations
		Addressing Color Accessibility
		Strategies for Making Charts and Graphs More Colorblind Friendly
	Chapter 11 Choosing Type and Creating a System
		Purpose, Tone, and Message
		Staying Timeless or On-Trend
		Considering Legibility
		Establishing Typographic Hierarchy
		Limiting the Number of Typefaces
			Working with type families
			Pairing complementary typefaces
		The Importance of Font Size and Leading
		Understanding Usage and Licensing
		Avoiding Typographic Faux Pas
Part 3 The Part of Tens
	Chapter 12 Ten Things You Should Know When Putting Together Your Design Portfolio
		Focus on Quality over Quantity
		Tailor Your Portfolio for Your Audience
		Show a Range of Skills
		Make Your Work Tell Your Story
		Put Your Best Work Above the Fold
		Lean into Your Establishing Shots
		Include Sketches and Process Work
		Keyword Stuff Your Portfolio
		Meet with an External Reviewer
		Keep Your Portfolio Up to Date
	Chapter 13 Ten Ways Artificial Intelligence May Change Graphic Design
		Automated Tools
		Improved Efficiency
		Data-Driven Design
		AI-Powered Design Assistants
		Advanced Image Recognition
		AI-Generated Assets
		Dynamic, Adaptive Design
		Optimized Advertising
		Cost Reduction
		Creating New Design Roles
Index
EULA