PRAD – 307 Application Techniques for PRA – II Course Notes

1. PRAD – 307Application Techniques for PRA – IICourse Notes Instructor Yunus Luckinger Office Fcms-005 – office phone 2297

2. What will we do in Class ? 1 2 • This Course gives you the ability to create a basic website and the basics of Digital Publishing • The Course is based on Assignments & Midterm with a final Project. • By the and of this course you will have learned how digital publishing works and created your own Portfolio Website connected to your social Accounts 3 4

3. Linear Reasoning / Lateral thinking • In the initial stages of concept development, the two main ways to approach a design brief are to use linear reasoning and lateral thinking. These are virtually opposites—the first focused and methodical, the second diffuse and expansive—but both are equally useful as research and development tools. • linear reasoning implies a strategic thought process, using step-by-step logic, and follows a specific trajectory. This kind of reasoning frequently involves a pre- determined idea or concept that is then worked toward in stages. Generally, this will involve splitting the idea up into manageable components, considering color, type, composition, and scale, and working each through to finalize the form to fit the concept. • lateral thinking involves indirect exploration, generating ideas less readily available by linear reasoning (or hidden by the linear process, so that less obvious associations aren’t readily seen or generated). the emphasis is on indirect, creative forms of research. Edward de Bono coined the term in 1967.

4. Important Theories you should know

5. theories of image and text • The success of visual communication depends on the ability to reach a targeted audience and elicit a desired response. • Designers influence the message through the development of provocative imagery that may persuade, shock, entertain, and provoke with purpose. In order for designers to speak clearly and visually say exactly what they mean, they need to develop a clear and strong visual language. • Rhetoric – is a skill of persuasion most often associated with politics and public speaking. Define and refine the categories of invention, arrangement, style, memory and delivery within a compelling dialogue. (Does it somehow sound familiar?) • Semiotics, Sign, and symbols – Saussure is acknowledge as the father of semiotics his theory define signs, of all things that represent meaning. Signifier, Signified The symbol that represents something from which meaning can be extracted. What is actually represented

6. theories of image and text • Didactics The term “didactics” refers to clear, pragmatically delivered information and instruction with unambiguous meaning. Airport signage, road signs, and warnings are prime examples of didactic information. It is important to note that nuance can be added to most visuals, even in the strictest definition of category: didactic panels in museum exhibitions must deliver clear information, but can be associated with the subject matter in inventive visual ways.

7. The law of closure • Another phenomena drawn from Gestalt psychology is the law of closure, which argues that we tend to “close” or complete lines or objects that are not, in fact, closed. This can be a useful device in design, and is related to figure and ground, since it relies on our ability to collapse the space between foreground and background. It is also a primary tool in directing a viewer’s eye through a composition in the designer’s intended sequence. The rule of thirds • The rule of thirds says that most compositions become more dynamic when divided into thirds vertically and/or horizontally, with important elements placed within those thirds. dividing a composition in half will halt the closure and keep the viewer’s eye centered on the halfway point, especially if an object is placed at the exact center point. The rule of thirds ensures movement on the page, and actively engages positive and negative space in the visual dialogue. The rule of thirds applies to graphic design for print, web, and motion graphics and applies equally to framing for photography, film, and video.

8. Composition • Composition refers to the visual structure and organization of elements within a design. It concerns the process of combining distinct parts or elements to form a whole. • In learning to create meaningful compositions, it is important to understand the role of visual perception (the way our eyes and brains make sense of what we see) and its role in visual communication. FORMS AND SPACE Figure and ground • A form is always experienced in relation to the space it occupies and to other forms that may be present in the format. We call this the figure–ground relationship (where “figure” refers to any object in a given space and “ground” refers to the background, or space in which that object is seen). Another way to talk about this relationship is in terms of negative and positive space. Visual elements are always seen in relation to a visual field, background, or frame. In other words, every form is seen in context and cannot be totally isolated.

9. What are the basic "Design Principles"? • The basic design principles are "Balance", "Contrast", "Unity", "Harmony", "Rhythm", and "Proportion". Each is significant in its own right. Any graphic design should be put together utilizing these principles. First, the design student must learn the unique characteristics of each principle. They are outlined below:

10. Balance • This design principle operates under the principle that any design element has visual weight. That means that a white circle looks "lighter" than a black circle. Most people would perceive the black circle as being heavier since it is black and "bold". This may sound insignificant, but it is very important. The black circle in the illustration will look "heavier" than the white circle.Therefore, darker objects will usually draw more attention on a page, than white objects.

11. FORMAL BALANCE IN DESIGN In this illustration, if an imaginary line is drawn down the center of this page, there is the sametype of image on each side of the line. That means that the "visual weight" is the same on both sides. The term that means "same on both sides, is "symmetry". Therefore we say that a formal designis "symmetrical". This is called "formal balance". It is usually static with not much movement. • There are two types of balance, "formal balance" and "informal balance". Formal balance is usually considered more traditional and conservative. It would be used in a wedding invitation or an ad for a conservative business, like an attorney.

12. In informal balance, if you draw an imaginary line down the middle, the design does not look the same on both sides. Just because the ad is not formally balanced, doesn't mean that it is not balanced. It means that the visual weight isdistributed evenly around the page without having a "mirrored" or "symmetrical" look. This type of layout is used to create a more modernlook, with more eye movement around the ad. • informal balance, objects are placed on the page in a livelier, more modern fashion. However, There must still be a feeling of equally placed visual weight.

13. Contrast • When there is a need to make things stand out on a page, a designer uses "CONTRAST". For instance, the word "CONTRAST" is standing out in this paragraph because it is in capital letters. Anything we do to a page design to make something stand out is called an example of contrast. If you were to define contrast in one word, it would beDIFFERENT. Contrast is anything different than the words on the page. Some examples would include: • Illustrations• Photographs• Using Colors• Underlines• Rules (Graphic Lines)• Borders• Different typestyles• Different type sizes• Different type weights• Slanting type and graphics• Using shapes of different sizes

14. Rhythm • Although you don't realize it, your eyes do not stay in one area when you view a design, page or package. Your eye "scans" the page in a bunch of rapid movements. If you were reading a newspaper article, your eyes may move to the headline, then a photograph, a caption, and a subhead, before you even begin reading the article. Although you may take this for granted, good designers have used proper rhythm to design the article to catch your eye (and interest) and get you to read the article. RHYTHM IN AD DESIGN This illustration uses a red line to show how a person's eyes might scan this ad.The person usually looks first at the illustration. It is used as an attention-getter.Then the large, bold type in the headline will attract the eye. Our normal left-to-right reading scan will then take over. A smart designer uses this information to lay out a page or design to keep the reader's eye focused on the information, while getting the reader to read the advertisement content. At the bottom, the reader's eye moves off to another part of the page.

15. Unity and Harmony • These two design principles are extremely similar. Some don't even consider them as two different principles. "Harmony", just like in a singing group, is important. It is the principle that tells designers to make sure items in the design blend into a common theme, just like all the voices blending in a song. It is really one of the simplest design principles to understand. If you are going to design an ad for a "Winter Ski Sale", you would select images and text (called "copy") that has to do with skiing. You might select an illustration of a person on skis and also use a typestyle for your headline that looks "chilled" or "icy". HARMONY IN AD DESIGN Notice the harmony that is used in the design of this ad. The ad is advertising asale of snow skis. We see an illustration of a skier in the ad. We see a typestylethat shows a chilled or icy effect. There are snow covered mountains. The lettersare sloped for contrast, and to increase the effect of a skiing theme, like the slopeof a mountainside. ALL OF THESE PUT TOGETHER CREATE THE FEELING OF HARMONY!

16. BAD HARMONY IN AD Here's the same sale ad with the typestyle and illustration changed. It does not havegood harmony. Even if this is "Bob" of BOB'S, most people won't know that.The typestyle is a "Broadway" style. It doesn't fit into the whole theme.Use your head and common sense. If you are designing an ad forskis and ski boots, 9 times out of 10, people want to see skis and ski boots in it. • Look at the same ad with different components……………………………………….... • Quite a difference, don't you think? • Unity is especially important when we are talking about the use of typestyles. There may be hundreds of variations and styles of type in a computer graphics program. • The student must resist the temptation of "trying out" as many typestyles as possible in a design. This leads to a confused and sloppy layout. 

17. PUBLISHING • The process of production and dissemination of literature or information. • The activity of making information available to the general public

18. TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING • Traditionally, the selection, preparation, and distribution of printed matter. • Engraving using the early Gutenberg Press during the 15th Century

19. ADV & DIS. ADVANTAGES of TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING ADVANTAGES • Visually Appealing • Tangible and durable • Higher perceived value • No access to technology required • Greater quality control • Accepted norm • Certifiable & Collectable • Doesn’t require a power source DISADVANTAGES • Books are Expensive • Difficult to find a publisher • Costly to publish • High printing costs • Restricted in Multimedia • Distribution is labor intensive and costly • Limited number of copies are printed • Require large storage place • Lower profit margin for the author

20. WHAT IS E-PUBLISHING? • E-journals • E-books • Directories on the Web • QR-code • Audio & Vidoe • Digital Libraries • E-mail • Blog • Online Questionaires ….. Etc • CD-ROM • Online newpaper • Online Catalogue • Collaborative Software • Filesharing • Data base • Mobile apps • Facebook • Youtube • USING THE MEAN OF DIGITAL MEDIUMS

21. QR Code (abbreviated from Quick Response Code) is the trademark for a type of matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code) first designed for the automotive industry. More recently, the system has become popular outside the industry due to its fast readability and large storage capacity compared to standard UPC barcodes. The code consists of black modules (square dots) arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded can be made up of four standardized kinds ("modes") of data (numeric, alphanumeric, byte/binary, Kanji), or through supported extensions, virtually any kind of data.